Courage (B)
Matthew 10:26-28, 32-33 (KJV)
"[26] Fear them not therefore: for there is nothing covered, that shall not be revealed; and hid, that shall not be known. [27] What I tell you in darkness, that speak ye in light: and what ye hear in the ear, that preach ye upon the housetops. [28] And fear not them which kill the body, but are not able to kill the soul: but rather fear him which is able to destroy both soul and body in hell.
[32] Whosoever therefore shall confess me before men, him will I confess also before my Father which is in heaven. [33] But whosoever shall deny me before men, him will I also deny before my Father which is in heaven."
Courage is not the absence of fear; it's fortitude in the face of danger. You may begin with fear filled in your heart, but then the Holy Spirit takes over; you become audacious.
Several times in the past, when I stood behind a pulpit, my heart pounded in my chest. Soon enough, I'd relax and speak boldly.
The Lord wants us (His disciples) to boldly announce Him. He wants us to disregard how we feel (afraid) and preach the good news.
Have a conviction that this is your purpose, this is your essence. Do not fear anyone; do not fear death, even if it's certified that you would die without intervention.
Shadrach and his cohorts said to the King:
"Oh King Nebuchadnezzar, we are not careful to answer you in this matter. We would not bow down to worship your golden image. If you throw us in the burning furnace, our God is able to deliver us, but even if He doesn't, we are not afraid. We would not bow." (Daniel 3:16).
The Scriptures tell us about a bunch of people who, through fear of death, were all their lifetime subject to bondage.
Fear limits. It's the greatest hindrance. As a kid, I was fearless because I had a motto:
"If it doesn't kill you, why fret?" So I'd deliberately do some daring things that others would chicken away from.
I knew the penalty won't kill me, so I'd go ahead with mischief.
Now I have a better understanding: even if it kills me, it's not the end of life; I'm only transmitting from one realm to another.
I've been on gunpoint once. I just stared calmly into the eyes of the thief. He became scared and hit my forehead with a hammer; he ran off. I bled awfully... By morning, there was no sign of the injury. Do you see any scar on my head?
The Lord Jesus says, "Do not be afraid of them who could kill the body, but not the soul." When you have this mindset, you become bolder and more effective.
Praise God.
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