Take Courage!

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"Be strong and courageous, do not be afraid or tremble at them, for the Lord your God is the one who goes with you. He will not fail you or forsake you." These words of Moses were for his nation as they entered the Promised Land. Are you fearful today of what lies in front of you? What is making you tremble? God is with you, friend! Cling to Him as you walk in His strength that is found deep inside of you!

Israel had another journey ahead of them.  Their very near future included crossing the Jordan River.  It was separating them from the Promised Land.  But to cross it would be difficult, since it would be overflowing its banks due to the spring rains.  Once they crossed over, there would be many obstacles to overcome, not the least of which were all of the towns and cities they were commanded to dispossess.  Indeed, the road ahead of them was likely overwhelming.  God knew just what they needed.  A shot of courage!  Enter Moses, who speaks those encouraging words to them.

We have to learn the same things that Israel surely learned.  It is not enough for someone to say, "Be courageous."  It is not enough for us to pray for courage.  Courage doesn't just come to us like "magic fairy dust."  Instead, strength and courage, like love, and patience, and joy, are elements of the Christian life that can be prayed for over and over again, with no result.  Why?  Because we already have the very thing we are praying for!  God, who dwells within every believer in the form of the Holy Spirit, is our "promise."  The Holy Spirit is fully God.  The very power that raised Christ from the dead dwells in our hearts.  When we pray for courage, He must surely be saying, "Here I am!  Surrender to Me, and I will take over!"

God doesn't necessarily want to make us bold and fearless.  He wants us to, in our weakness, surrender to Him so that He can be our strength.  Do you see the difference.  So often we are trying to attain to the place we think we ought to be.  We try and try and try again, yet never really achieving the goal.  We do not succeed because self-works were never intended to be the way of walking in strength and victory with an overcomer's mentality.  We become strong overcomer's of the difficulties in front of us by surrendering to the power and authority of the Holy Spirit.  He overcomes only as we allow Him to walk out boldness and courage through us.  

It doesn't matter what your difficult circumstances are today.  Whatever they may be, you can get through it because God will never leave you nor forsake you.  You can get through, as well, by laying down your right to walk yourself through on your own!  Surrender is the key to a victorious life.  So once again let me ask these two questions:  Are you fearful today of what lies in front of you? What is making you tremble? God is with you, friend!  Inside of you!  Surrender to Him and cling to Him as you allow Him to walk in His strength!  Let your heart take courage!