| I hope this week finds you walking out the truth of 2 Timothy 1:7: “For God did not give us a spirit of timidity, but a spirit of power, of love and of self-discipline.”On Sunday I talked about Deborah who had the COURAGE TO LEAD. (Judges 4) She showed us that leadership is more than knowledge and words. Leadership is taking action when people are being oppressed. Leadership is refusing to accept oppressive circumstances. It is walking into battle when necessary to change circumstances. Deborah also showed us that courageous leaders rely on God for their strategies. As we lead in our homes, schools, workplaces, and neighborhoods, let us lead with courage like Deborah.
I also spoke about Joshua who had the COURAGE TO CONQUER. (Joshua 1 and 6) Taking the Promised Land was guaranteed, but it wasn’t going to be easy. It had been promised of God that they would possess it, but the Israelites were going to have to fight many battles in order to do so. They had been called not just to occupy a place, but they had been called of God to conquer! Yes, God said He was giving them the territory, but that didn’t mean there would be no effort on their part. Joshua needed courage to stand up to a lot of enemies. There would be danger. It would take a long time, but in the end it would be worth it! People who have the courage to conquer realize that the end result is worth it! Where are the Joshua’s today? Where is that fighting spirit? God’s people have been giving up too easily. We are settling for less than a Promised Land experience because we don’t have the courage to fight the battles required. I think the reason we often shrink back, the reason we often let fear grip us instead of have courage consume us is because we are trying to conquer in our own strength. Remember, “Whatever battle you are facing, understand that battle is the Lord’s.” The last person I mentioned was King David. He had THE COURAGE TO CONFESS. Though a great King of Israel, David messed up. He sinned greatly against the Lord. When confronted with his sin in II Samuel 12, he owned it, confessing it. He was deeply sorry. I get the sense from that point forward that David developed a confessional lifestyle. He realized his dependence on God for cleansing was an ongoing need. He wasn’t just sorry he got caught. He was truly sorry for his sin. (See Psalm 51) The words of confession David penned weren’t words of someone who was trying to get away with something. In those words we see the heart of a warrior had been transformed into a heart that sought after God. A macho man became God’s man. His priority was his relationship with God, and he did whatever it took to make sure that was intact at all times. I wonder what would have become of David had he not been sorry, had he not confessed. Proverbs 28:13—“The one who conceals his sins will not prosper, but whoever confesses and renounces them will find mercy.” I believe David remained King only because David came clean. That takes a lot of courage, but it is a lot easier than trying to cover our sin or argue with God. The impact of the courage to lead shown by Deborah? People were freed from oppression. The impact of the courage to conquer shown by Joshua? People could occupy and become established in the place of God’s choosing. The impact of the courage to confess shown by David? He obtained mercy and healing and was given a second chance. What kind of courage could God be calling you to possess and display right now?
Pastor Melissa |
