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Strong and Courageous in The Lord

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"Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go.”                                                                                                       Joshua 1:9

 

We must be strong and courageous as we march through life. Fear and discouragement can be conquered only as we are strong and courageous. God is with us, and He will never leave nor forsake us. This is His promise to us just as it was to Joshua. His unfailing presence is always with us wherever we go. Therefore, we must stand strong and courageous against all the enemies, trials, and temptations that confront us. No matter how many crushing problems, tough situations, or difficult people we face—no matter how many lustful temptations or terrifying trials we face— God is right there with us. God will deliver us and give us victory over the enemy that confronts us. We must stand strong and courageous, conquering all opposition and fulfilling our task for the LORD.

Study Questions

  • It’s not always easy to be strong and courageous, how can you build up a heart full of courage and strength?

  • Are you confident in the promise that God’s unfailing presence is always with you?

  • Know that it is okay to be weak at times; God doesn’t expect us to be strong and courageous at all times. God can use our weaker moments to ultimately grow us in courage and strength to bring Him glory and bring rest to our fears.

 

Other Verses: Ephesians 6:10-13; 2 Chronicles 15:7; 1 Corinthians 16:13; 2 Timothy 2:1

Download the free PDF of this section of Joshua in The Preacher's Outline & Sermon Bible® to continue your study:

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Seeking Christ In Light of Our Fears

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           I sought the Lord, and he answered me; he delivered me from all my fears.                                           Psalms 34:4

David had already experienced a number of terrors in his young life: a lion, a bear, and a giant pagan warrior. Now, the jealous, unstable king of his own nation was pursuing him. Most recently, he had foolishly fled into enemy territory, where he found himself staring straight into the eyes of Gath’s king and his guards. In each of these terrifying circumstances, David’s life was on the line. Gripped by the gravity of the situation at hand, David sought the LORD, earnestly asking Him for His guidance and protection. In every case, God heard and answered by giving him strength and guidance. The LORD had delivered David from these dangers by empowering him to fight his enemy or by showing him how to escape.

You may not being going against a lion, bear or giant pagan warrior. Your fears may be more internal. You may be battling your fears of certain cultural pressures, fearing failure or incompetence, or even the fear of committing to something. With David, his eyes that were darkened with doom suddenly sparkled with courage, hope, and joy. When seeking Christ in light of your fears, he can change those fears from a crippling anxiousness into courage, hope, and joy.

Study Questions

  • Are you seeking Christ in the midst of your fears?
  • What does it look like for you to seek Christ while also battling internal or external fears?
  • Christ wants to lift you from the burden of carrying your fears all by yourself. He wants to guide you and protect you. Discover what it looks like for you to release your fears to God, and for him to change those fears into courage, hope, and joy.

Download a free PDF from The Preacher's Outline & Sermon Bible: Psalms 1-41 to continue your study on this verse and section.

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Perfect Love Drives Out Fear

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There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear, because fear has to do with punishment. The one who fears is not made perfect in love.

1 John 4:18

Fear causes anxiety, dread, alarm, fright, panic, and terror. It causes all kinds of unpleasant emotions, phobias, neurosis, and even the more serious psychotic disorders. The torment of fear is one of the worst problems faced by humans. Fear means that a person is not made perfect in love.

  • The person is not fully grasping (perfected) the love and care of God for them.
  • The person is not loving other people like they should; they are not growing more and more in love. Their eyes are upon themselves, not upon God and others like they should be.

In summary, fear can be driven out only by the perfect love of God. The more we know of God’s love and care and the more we love other people, the more fear is conquered in our lives. The reason is clearly seen in the promises of God. God loves us so much that He will take care of us through all the trials and temptations of life, no matter what they are.

Study Questions

  • Are you grasping the love and care God has for you?
  • What does it look like for you to love other people?
  • Do you believe that if you loved other people more and more, that your fears could be conquered?
  • Take time to pray for the Lord’s love to overflow out of you; that you would grow more and more in love. Pray for the strength to love even the hardest of people.

God’s Promises

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So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you. I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.                                                                                                                              Isaiah 41:10

God assured His people that He would protect them in the here and now, in the present distress they were experiencing. No doubt God’s promise of freeing His people from the coming captivity was very encouraging, especially to the true believers who were to endure the Babylonian captivity. But they needed far more than just a distant, future hope of deliverance. Righteous believers needed to know that God was with them day by day in their present painful circumstances. So God met their need and gave them a most wonderful promise: whether in the present or in the future and in whatever circumstances, God’s people were not to fear. Three reasons are given why righteous believers should not be anxious or afraid.

First, God’s people were not to fear because He Himself would be with them. He would strengthen and help them and uphold them with His right hand—His righteous, victorious hand.

Second, God’s people were not to fear because He would hold their right hands and help them as they faced their enemies (v.13). Note the close relationship being stressed here: the LORD tells righteous believers that He is “your God” and that He will take “hold of your right hand.” He will “help you.” Meditating upon this promise should give enormous encouragement to believers who are facing oppression and hardships.

Third, God’s people were not to fear because He was their Redeemer (v.14). In the present Scripture, the LORD calls Himself the Redeemer, the family protector of His people. As their Redeemer, He promises to help them.

Study Questions

  • Do you find assurance in God’s promises?
  • Do these promises alleviate your fears?
  • What does it look like for you to give your fears over to God?

Download a free PDF of this section of Isaiah in The Preacher's Outline & Sermon Bible to continue your study.

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A Spirit Not of Fear

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7 For the Spirit God gave us does not make us timid, but gives us power, love and self-discipline. 1 Timothy 1:7

God has not given us the spirit of timidity. Too often believers fear using their gifts. They fear speaking up for Christ and the gospel. Being very honest, we have all experienced these fears at one time or another. We failed to witness—to use our gift in speaking up for Christ and in proclaiming the gospel.

Is it possible to keep from fearing if we live for Christ in this world, a world that is so evil and abusive? How can we keep from being apprehensive if we witness for Christ day by day? How can we keep from being cowardly when the world thinks that religion is to be kept in the church and not out in the world? How can we stand up for Christ when people mock and poke
fun at anyone who lives for Christ? This verse tells us how: we let God equip us. God’s equipment does not include fear. The fact is clearly stated: God does not give us the spirit of timidity; God gives us the spirit of love and power, and of self-discipline. The word spirit means the believer’s spirit: the Holy Spirit of God actually injects power, love, and self-discipline into the spirit of the believer.

Study Questions:

        • How can you let God equip you daily? Moment by moment?
        • Do you tend to be fearful when it comes to speaking up for Christ? If yes, how come?
        • What could it look like for you to live out of the spirit of love and power and self-discipline? In what ways do you think your life would be changed?

 

Download a free PDF of this section of Thessalonians - Philemon of The Preacher's Outline & Sermon Bible® and continue your study.

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Christ’s Sustaining Love

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Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble, or hardship, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or danger, or sword? No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us  from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord. (Romans 8:35, 37-38)

When you are facing an overwhelming problem or devastating crisis in your personal life or business, you might be tempted to think God does not love you. You might feel He has turned His back on your or has forsaken you. But during such times, you need to remember this wonderful truth: there is nothing – no circumstances, no crisis, no crushing situation – that can cause Christ to turn away from you. No matter how terrible or severe the situation, it cannot separate you from the love of Christ. Even if you were to go bankrupt and lose everything, or be terminated from your job, or suffer a great personal loss, the unfailing love of the Lord will carry you through. Christ’s love will sustain you through it all.

Always remember this critically important fact: difficult circumstances are not evidence that God does not love you. God did not put you in those circumstances. But God loves you no matter what circumstances you are in or how you arrived there. In fact, you are more than a conqueror through Christ who loves you.

One crisis after another can strike you in rapid succession (remember Job), but the Lord will never forsake you. He will strengthen and encourage you all along the way. No matter the severity of the situation, Christ loves you and is going to take care of you; therefore, you cannot lose. Christ will deliver you from the most extreme problems and the fiercest trials. Nothing in the universe can separate you from the love of God that is revealed in Christ Jesus our Lord. You can be fully persuaded of this encouraging fact.

If or when severe trouble strikes your business or employment, you need to trust the love of Christ. Just draw close to Him, seeking His presence, strength, and guidance. His love will assure and empower you to rise above whatever trial you are facing.

 

Excerpt from “What the Bible Says to the Business Leader.” To purchase What the Bible Says to the Business Leader, please visit lmw.org or call 800-987-8790. The book can also be found at amazon.com