Strong Divine Weapons: COURAGE

COURAGE is the theme for our youth ministry at Temple this school year.  We are focusing on this word for our upcoming fall retreat.  We are talking about it during our lessons.  You may at first wonder how courage is one of our divine weapons for tearing down enemy strongholds in our lives.  Let me explain.

I learned from my wife that there is one command from God that is given more often than any other in the Bible.  Almost every single time an angel shows up in scripture, this command is given.  The command is, "Do not be afraid."  Now obviously this command is given by angels because, quite frankly, they are frightening.  I find it interesting that the angels never get on to people for being frightened.  It is almost as if they know our frame; our constitution if you will, and they are trying to strengthen our hearts before we pass out.  One such instance when an angel showed up and forgot to say, "Don't be afraid." is when Ezekiel saw his vision at the river Kebar in Babylon.  The Holy Spirit had to literally pick Ezekiel up so he could hear the word of the Lord.  My point is that God tells us to have courage for one very good reason; we need it.

Things can be quite scary at times and it is not foolish to tremble when frightening things come around.  However, we have hope in God who saves us and makes ways where there are no ways.  But in order to walk in those ways that God provides, we usually have to push through some terrifying situations.  One of my most favorite discoveries was that the word, "encourage" actually means "to put courage into" someone.  I always took that word to mean, "make them feel better and baby them."  But no!  It means to pick them back up and throw them back into the ring and say, "Go get'em!"  The only reason we need courage is because what we are about to go and do is scary.

Taking down spiritual strongholds in our lives and in the lives of those we love is a daunting task.  It is not to be taken lightly.  In many cases, we are going into places wear even angels move with caution.  Human hearts are delicate and when endeavoring to rescue them from darkness, wisdom and grace are a must.  Yet there are frightening and violent things that must be done at times in order to set prisoners free from darkness. 

If you are struggling with pornography, there is a violent dismembering of attachments that is necessary just so you can get to the root of the issue in your heart.  The removal of television and internet access from your life is something that takes tremendous courage in so many areas.  And this does not even set one free.  This simply puts you in a position where you can get to the root of the problem (selfishness and rejection) and pull it out without temptation getting in the way.  Still more courage is needed to face the elemental pieces of our souls and face the fears that lay at the heart of our struggles with sin.

If you are struggling with gluttony (compulsive over-eating with an unexplained hunger), then it takes extreme courage to watch your calories and ask someone to help you maintain a healthy diet.  Again, this simply moves some temptations out of the way while you deal with the heart of the issue and ask the hard questions about why you need to medicate your fears with food.  Courage is a must.

If you are struggling with sexual temptation with your boyfriend it will require great courage to run the risk that he may reject you and you may lose the emotional bliss that you have with him.  The risk is real, and in many cases likely, but the end result of sexual promiscuity (dishing it out to anyone you are not married to) is always heartbreak.  Yes, always.  But again, cutting off these unhealthy relationships will only give you some breathing room as you deal with the core of your problems.  Are you really wrestling with depression, abandonment, mistrust, abuse, etc.?  Courage is your life breath as you tackle these giants.

If you are struggling with thoughts of suicide, you are going to need courage to keep searching for hope is a world that wants you to be addicted to hype.  It is not good enough just to have someone tell you that you matter or that they loves you.  You want to be loved; you want to really matter to the world.  It is going to take courage to put the pills in the toilet, tell your parents or spouse to lock the gun cabinet and not tell you the combination, go see a counselor.  Yet this is just a stop gap measure that allows you to find real hope and real meaning in a real relationship with a real God who has real love for you.  Courage can rescue you.

In Joshua 1:6, 7 Joshua tells the people to be strong and courageous.  Then he says, "be very strong and very courageous."  This was not even because they were about to go into several years of battle.  This was just so they could follow God.  They needed courage to forge a relationship with God and He would see to it that the battles were won.

Here is the most important thing to be courageous in, your pursuit of intimacy with Jesus Christ.  Overcoming sin and kicking the enemy to the curb will come easily when walking in right relationship with Jesus.  But yes, this takes courage.

The psalmist was always cheering himself up; placing courage into his own soul.  We can do this too.
In fact, we can do it for each other.  Pull out your strong divine weapon of truth and remind each other of who they really are in Christ.  Tell each other of God's greatness, His kindness toward us and His unmatched power.  Hebrews 3:13 says,

"But encourage one another day after day, as long as it is still called "Today," so that none of you will be hardened by the deceitfulness of sin." 

Help each other get clean.  Immediately after raising Lazarus from the dead, Jesus gave instructions for those around him to remove his grave clothes.  We can do the same for others.  We can place courage in our own hearts and in the hearts of those wrestling with sin.

Pray this prayer with me, tri-state.

"Oh my soul, rest in God.  Put your hope in the Lord.  Put your hope in the God who saves.  put your hope in the one who makes ways.  Why are you downcast, soul?  Have you forgotten who is on your side, in whom you can always hide, on whose shoulders the mountains and oceans ride, who has never spoken to you and lied?  Have you forgotten who is on your side?  Be strong and courageous, oh my soul.  Be very strong and very courageous, oh my soul.  Don't give up.  Press on.  Fight the good fight.  Stand.  Oh my soul, take courage for your God in near.  You are not alone.  You are more than a conqueror through Jesus Christ.  no weapon formed against you shall prosper.  All who rise up against you shall fall. DO NOT BE AFRAID, oh my soul.  Instead, be filled with COURAGE."  

Amen.

Bless you all, dearly beloved of God.

David Warren