True Courage

Call To Prayer

Title: True Courage

By: Daniel Peter

Date: 12.10.2022

“Be strong and very courageous. Be careful to obey all the law my servant Moses gave you; do not turn from it to the right or to the left, that you may be successful wherever you go…9 Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the LORD your God will be with you wherever you go.” Joshua 1:7,9 NIV

What do you consider courageous? Courage is an attribute that our society celebrates and rewards; We have seen militarily heroes being venerated, and individuals who have dared to do things others fear celebrated. Just as courageous acts are noteworthy among men, so is it with God. However, what God considers courageous may be quite different from what we think.

Shortly before his death, Moses commissioned Joshua to be his successor. Leading over 3 million people who are most times rebellious wasn’t an easy task for him. In Moses’ admonition to him, he instructed Joshua to be courageous (Deu. 31:6). This counsel of Moses was repeated by God in Joshua 1: 7-9. For Joshua, the way to demonstrate boldness and courage before God was for him to step into his calling as the leader of Israel. From Joshua’s case, we can define courage as being obedient to God in the face of danger or an unpleasant outcome. This obedience includes both the specific instructions and the written instructions of God.

This attribute of courage was what was demonstrated by Daniel, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego in Babylon, who in the face of danger chose to obey God, and by so doing demonstrated their faith and trust in God. God rewards courage and knowing this will help encourage you to choose to obey God over giving in to fear. The first reward of God to the courageous is exaltation. Not long after Joshua took over leadership as he was instructed, God made this statement to him: “Today I will begin to exalt you in the eyes of all Israel, so they may know that I am with you as I was with Moses. (Joshua 3:7)”. Joshua’s exaltation did not come before his obedience to God, but after. This was also true with Daniel, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, who in different instances experienced promotion in the kingdom of Babylon when they chose to obey God despite the danger (Dan. 2:48, 3:30). Again, courage triggers the miraculous. The deliverance of Daniel from the Lions’ den was a miracle, and so was the supernatural act of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego being in the fire without being burnt (Dan. 3:16-28). Now, would they have experienced God’s power in that dimension if they had not obeyed God?

Furthermore, Abraham was affirmed by an Angel that he feared God when he obeyed the instruction of God to sacrifice Isaac, not minding Sarah’s wrath, the opinion of people, and the prospect of losing his dear son he waited to have for many years (Gen. 22:12).

To be bold and courageous, there are certain things we need to know of God: His ever-abiding presence (Matt. 28:20), the greatness of His power (Heb. 11:19), and the benefits of obedience (Rev. 22:7-21).

Prayer Point: 

Let’s thank God for His word today. Let’s ask Him to help the body of Christ to be bold and courageous in obeying our heavenly Father.

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