How to Overcome:Being Mighty and Courageous

As I posted two weeks ago, I went to Florida for Spring break. It was an amazing week. I really saw God work in me and through me like I had hoped. One thing that I had been praying for before I left was that the Lord would give me a spirit of might when talking to the people I would meet on campus. I wanted to be able to boldly share my faith without cowering. I wanted to speak the truth to those who had ears. I knew that this was something I could not do in my own strength. In my own strength, the thought of stopping random girls and sharing the gospel with them is terrifying. But in God’s strength, I can do anything. I was really encouraged by this verse in Jeremiah. He is talking about the time that God spoke to him that he was going to be an amazing prophet in this world.

“Now the word of the Lord came to me saying, ‘Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, and before you were born I consecrated you; I have appointed you a prophet to the nations.Then I said ‘Alas, Lord God! Behold, I do not know how to speak, Because I am a youth’. But the Lord said to me, ‘Do not say “I am a youth” Because everywhere I send you, you shall go, and all that I command you, you shall speak. Do not be afraid of them, For I am with you to deliver you,” declares the Lord.” (Jeremiah 1:5-8)

Here is another encouraging verse:

“No man will be able to stand before you all the days of your life. Just as I have been with Moses, I will be with you; I will not fail you or forsake you.  Be strong and courageous, for you shall give this people possession of the land which I swore to their fathers to give them.Only be strong and very courageous; be careful to do according to all the law which Moses My servant commanded you; do not turn from it to the right or to the left, so that you may have success wherever you go.This book of the law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do according to all that is written in it; for then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have success.Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous! Do not tremble or be dismayed, for the LORD your God is with you wherever you go.” (Joshua 1:5-9)

Simply meditating on these verses gives me a hope that I can be courageous and rise up in might because God desires to give that to me. This is what happened on Spring break. I was able to talk with many girls, and one of them gave their life to God. This didn’t happen because I did something right, it happened because God’s might and power worked through me.

The most important thing I was reminded of this past week was that I cannot do anything in my own strength. Heck, I cannot even breath in my own strength. It is God who puts breath into my body and sustains me every day. How, then, could I expect to do anything serious like sharing the gospel with people if I cannot even stay alive on my own? I need God every second of the day. Not just in tough times. Not just in trials. Every second. We all do. Whether we know it or not, it’s true. And everyone will one day see that when Jesus comes back again.

If you are reading this and you have not made the decision to give your life to God, I want you to consider a few things. What are you doing here(and I don’t mean on this site, I mean on this earth)? How did you get here? Why are you here? Believe it or not, you are here because God created you and had a plan for you even before you took your first breath on this earth. You are still alive because He has something for you. He wants to know you. He loved you enough to create you and He doesn’t make mistakes. You aren’t a mistake. No one is. God creates everyone with a purpose and whether or not you fulfill that purpose is up to you. Just know that if you are still here, there is still time to get right with God. There is still hope. Do you want to come into that hope? Do you want to know the God who knows every thought and hurt and detail of your life? Do you want to know the God who loves you more than life itself and sacraficed everything in order to have a relationship with you?

This all might seem strange. I know. It can be hard to believe that there is a God who knows you and loves you when there is so much pain in this world. I remember thinking myself that the world was too messsed up for a perfect God to be the Creator of it. But you must realize that all the horror of this world is not God’s fault. He gives everyone a free will, and that free will is what causes such terrible things to happen. But that free will is also what can bring us to Him. We can choose to follow after Him with our free will.

When I chose to live for God rather than myself and this world, it was the scariest/most amazing decision I ever made. I am not the same person I once was. When you choose to give up your life, He creates a new and better one for you. I have seen this happen and am still amazed by it each day. I know, without a shadow of a doubt, that God is REAL and that He loves me. There is nothing in this world that is more comforting. And there is nothing in this world that brings about more might and courage in me than when I remember this. That is how we rise up in might and courage. We remember that all things are possible through God,and that He loves His children. He will never forsake us or let us down. He is perfect, so it is not in His nature to do anything imperfect.

I challenge you to think about your life. Where do you think you are going when you die? Have you fully surrendered to God? These are important questions that everyone must ask themselves. If you haven’t made that decision, know that a life living for God is the most exciting/amazing/adventurous/fulfilling life you could have. I once heard a pastor say that it takes more faith not to believe in God than it does to believe in Him. I think that is totally true. If you don’t believe God created you, then how are you here? Think about it.

Advertisement