HelpFinder Bible - Flipbook - Page 83
page A81
Courage is contagious—you gain or lose courage by watching others, and others gain or
lose courage by watching you.
Will God take away the things that frighten me?
• A C T S 4 :2 4 , 2 9 -3 1 | All the believers lifted their voices together in prayer. . . . “O Lord, hear
their threats, and give us, your servants, great boldness. . . . Stretch out your hand with
healing power; may miraculous signs and wonders be done through the name of your holy
servant Jesus.” After this prayer, the meeting place shook, and they were all filled with the
Holy Spirit. Then they preached the word of God with boldness.
The early church was constantly threatened by religious persecution. The believers did not
pray for the threats to end but for the courage to face them. Sometimes God will remove
the things that frighten you. But often the Holy Spirit gives you the boldness to turn those
threats into opportunities for spiritual growth and for declaring your faith.
• R O MA NS 5 :4 -5 | And endurance develops strength of character, and character strengthens
our confident hope of salvation. And this hope will not lead to disappointment. For we
know how dearly God loves us, because he has given us the Holy Spirit to fill our hearts with
his love.
Hope helps you see beyond the immediate crisis. If God took away everything that
frightened you, there would be no need for hope in your life. And it is through hope that
we accept Christ as Savior and place our eternal future in his hands.
By realizing that eternal life begins the moment you die on earth.
• 1 C O R I NT H I A NS 1 5 :5 4 | Death is swallowed up in victory.
By the assurance that Jesus has won the victory over death. Jesus’ death and resurrection
proves he has the power to do the same for you if you believe in him.
• 1 C H R O NI C L E S 1 1 :1 8 | So the Three broke through the Philistine lines, drew some water
from the well by the gate in Bethlehem, and brought it back to David.
By following a godly leader for a cause worthy of death.
How do I find the courage to face change?
• G E NE SI S 4 6 :3 | “Do not be afraid to go down to Egypt, for there I will make your family
into a great nation.”
Change may be part of God’s plan for you. If so, what you are headed into will give you joy
and satisfaction beyond your expectations.
• E X O DU S 4 :1 3 | But Moses again pleaded, “Lord, please! Send anyone else.”
To experience fear is normal. To be paralyzed by fear, however, can be an indication that
you doubt God’s ability to care for you in the face of change.
• 2 SA MU E L 4 :1 | When Ishbosheth, Saul’s son, heard about Abner’s death at Hebron, he
lost all courage, and all Israel became paralyzed with fear.
If you take all your courage from another person, you will eventually be left with nothing
when that person is gone. If you trust in God, you will have the strength to go on even
when circumstances collapse around you.
How do I find the courage to admit my mistakes?
• 2 SA MU E L 1 2 :1 3 | Then David confessed to Nathan, “I have sinned against the Lord.”
Nathan replied, “Yes, but the Lord has forgiven you.”
To admit our mistakes and sins is to open the door to forgiveness and the restoration of
relationships.
How do I find the courage to stand firm in my convictions?
• E ST H E R 3 :2 | But Mordecai refused to bow down or show [Haman] respect. (See note on
page 445.)
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• L U K E 1 2 :4 | “Dear friends, don’t be afraid of those who want to kill your body; they cannot do any more to you after that.” (See note on page 935.)
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How do I find the courage to face death?