Courageous, by Lula Adams, Faith Colors®
It’s exciting to watch wild horses when they stand and engage with other stallions. I’ve watched many times two or more young bachelor stallions engage in horseplay and wrestle with one another. Neither one gets hurt and they seem to be having fun. Wild horses will fight other stallions for mares and defend their families from danger. Horses are strong and courageous. They will rush into a battle unafraid with all their strength.
How can you walk unafraid and full of courage?
Will God give you courage? The verse above says that God is the one who gives you the victory over your enemies. It also tells you to always be courageous. If you can do something you are afraid of doing, then you are courageous.
On the night Jesus was betrayed, He prayed three times that our Father would take away the suffering of the cross that He knew was coming soon. Jesus concluded “not my will, but your will be done.” It was God’s will that Jesus suffer and die on a cross. He got up after praying three times full of courage, ready to accept the suffering, without complaint and without defending himself. He overcame all fear and completely surrendered, first to God, then to the arresting soldiers.
Did our heavenly Father give Jesus the victory? It didn’t look like a victory. He was mocked, whipped beyond recognition, and then He died. But, on the third day, Jesus rose from the grave. His victory over death has become our victory over death.
To this day and beyond, as long as there is an earth, we can go to our heavenly Father and pray until we have the courage to do whatever we are afraid to do. God strengthened Jesus. He will strengthen you.
Jesus overcame death.
Many years ago I was afraid of death, so I began to seek to know God. I didn’t know if there was a heaven or hell. My mama taught me to believe in Jesus and to pray every night. I lived by my conscience, which was limited to what I believed was right or wrong. The Bible seemed very difficult to understand. I never went to church much as a child, and it was five years since I had attended one.
When someone I loved suddenly had a malignant tumor and needed immediate surgery, I was afraid of death. I did not even know what “malignant” meant and looked it up. What would happen to the ones I loved, or to me when death came knocking? I prayed with all my heart for a miracle. The tumor was miraculously healed! But, I was still afraid of dying.
A Christian knocked on my door and invited me to a Bible study. They taught about the importance of baptism. That night I found out how to look up scriptures about baptism. I was convinced I needed to be baptized, so the very next day I went to the home where the Bible class was held and left a note in their mailbox. They contacted me and that day they took me to a sauna and baptized me. It was a beautiful spiritual experience. I confessed I believed in Jesus and my sins were washed away. The fear of death was soon gone.
There is a heaven and I’m headed there. Eternal life is my destiny. When the fear of death is overcome, the world is not so scary anymore.
“Where , Death , is your victory? Where Death, is your power to hurt? “Death gets it’s power to hurt from sin and sin gets its power from the Law. But thanks be to God who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ! 1 Corinthians 15: 55-57
If you believe God will forgive you for breaking the Law, death will lose it’s power over you. When you put your trust in God and make Jesus Lord of your life, His victory over death becomes your victory. Jesus defeated the Devil, who had the power over death. He set people free from slavery to the fear of death.
God is love, and perfect love drives out fear. We do not need to be afraid of punishment if we are forgiven of our sins. God loved us first and then we love (see 1John 4:16-19).
When we know our sins are forgiven, that God loves us, and we trust Jesus, we can walk in this world unafraid, full of courage, and free from the fear of death.
Your life in Christ makes you strong, and his love comforts you. Philippians 2:1
The key to having courage is to place all your hope in God. Spending time in prayer before you need to make a stand will strengthen you and you will confront fear and win.
Scripture quotations are taken from the GOOD NEWS TRANSLATION, SECOND EDITION, Copyright©1992 by American Bible Society. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
What a Beautiful teaching. Thank you Lula. As I began to read this, I felt the Peace of God fall over and within me. Truly an anointed Word from God through You. Blessings
I am so happy you felt the peace of God fall over you! Love you!