Roslynn Bryant, author of the books, The Seven Fs To A Fruitful Life and Maximize The Season shares on faith and courage.
Faith and courage are key in the life of a believer. They are needed to persevere in our walk with the Lord. What is faith? Hebrews 11:1 states, “Now faith is the substance of things hoped for; the evidence of things not seen.” Faith is the confidence that the things we hope for will come to pass. Faith is the assurance that the things we cannot see are indeed real and will manifest. By faith, we believe that God is real though we cannot see Him. By faith, we believe that what God has promised will come to pass. This faith is rooted in and nurtured by the Word of God. It is not based on wishful thinking or a great imagination. But it comes in response to God’s Word. Romans 10:17 says, “So then faith comes by hearing and hearing by the Word of God.” As we hear God’s Word, it gives us the opportunity to respond in faith. Hebrews 4:2 let us know that God’s Word will profit us when we mix it with faith.
Secondly, what is courage? Courage is a state of mind and heart that gives us the ability to rise above fear and anxiety and stand boldly and strong in seemingly unbearable situations and overwhelming circumstances. Courage causes us to get up when we have fallen. Courage causes us to press ahead when we have been pushed backwards. Courage causes us to strive for what seems to be out of our reach. Courage causes us to say yes when everyone else is saying no. Courage causes us to keep trying when others say it can’t be done. This courage comes from knowing that God is with us. In Joshua 1:9, God says “Have I not commanded you? Be strong and of good courage; do not be afraid, nor be dismayed, for the LORD your God is with you wherever you go.” When we know that God is with us, we can move forward with courage.
Psalm 27:13 – 14 states, “I would have lost heart, unless I had believed that I would see the goodness of the LORD in the land of the living. Wait on the LORD, be of good courage, and He shall strengthen your heart; wait, I say, on the LORD!” In this Psalm, David speaks of losing heart. Losing heart means that one has surrendered their faith and courage to their situation. It means that one has given up hope or expectation for a better day. As we move into a second wave of the pandemic whose spread seems out of control and normalcy of life is a thing of the past, it is easy to lose heart, to give up hope or expectation for a better day. But in spite of all that David has gone through in his life, he writes this great declaration of faith. He says that his situation was enough to cause him to lose heart but it did not because he had faith in God that he would see the goodness of the LORD in the land of the living. I believe that David went over God’s track record in his life. David remembered the time when he came against a bear and God empowered him to overcome it. He remembered the time when he came against a lion and God empowered him to overcome it. He remembered the time when he came against Goliath and God empowered him to overcome him. He remembered the time when King Saul tried to pin him to the wall with a javelin but God delivered him. And so, David concluded that the God who was faithful to him then will be faithful to him now. So he says, “I will not give up on God because He has always been there for me.”
And so, let us look back to see God’s track record in our own lives. When we did not know how we were going to make it, God sustained us. When we did not have what we needed, God provided for us. When we were in trouble, God rescued us. When we fell into sin, God forgave us. When we were sick, God healed us. When we turned away from Him, God restored us. So like David, we can say, “I cannot give up on God because He has always been there for me.”
David encourages us to, “Wait on the LORD and be of good courage and He will strengthen your heart, wait I say on the LORD.” David had strong faith and great courage because he understood that where he was now is not where he will always be and if he just waits patiently on the LORD, God will move in his life. David went from being a man on the run to becoming a great king in Israel. Therefore, we are to know that where we are now is not where we will always be. God will move in our lives as we wait patiently on Him. Yet how do we persevere in waiting on God? One, we are not to get weary in doing what is right. Two, we are to maintain a consistent fellowship with God. Three, we are to follow God’s leading as He guides us through the tough spots. So by doing these three things: one; keep doing right, two, maintain our fellowship with God, three, follow the leading of the Holy Spirit, we can wait on God until we experience His faithfulness.
Finally, we can have strong faith and great courage knowing that God who took care of our greatest need by sending His only Son the Lord Jesus to die for our sins and rise again so that our souls would be saved is the same God who will take care of everything else that concerns us. Romans 8:32 says, “He who did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him up for us all, how shall He not with Him also freely give us all things?” God spared nothing to save us therefore we can be assured that He will take care of us.
The Happy Hammock 