Courage
Courage
(Virtues for Victory Series)
September 11th, 2004 and September 12th, 2004
Introduction
I have been teaching a long series on “Virtues for Victory”. I have talked about:
· Being a Christian Patriot
· Faith to Stand
· Adapting to Change
· Service (from survival to significance)
· Godliness (facing opposition)
· Hope
-Today we are going to talk about another very important virtue if we are going to have victory.
VIDEO CLIP FROM WIZARD OF OZ
-I confess it is really hard to even think about courage without thinking about the cowardly lion from the Wizard of Oz.
-I don’t know if we often think of courage as a Christian virtue but it certainly is.
-We are told to resist fear and have courage. We are encouraged to take risks and step out in faith in God’s will.
cour•age
[Middle English corage, from Old French, from cuer heart, from Latin cor — more at heart]
: mental or moral strength to venture, persevere, and withstand danger, fear, or difficulty
/[1]/
/mental or moral strength to resist opposition, danger, or hardship. courage implies firmness of mind and will in the face of danger or extreme difficulty [2] /
-We say guts instead of heart. It just means you have inside you what it takes to face danger.
553 אָמֵץ [’amats /aw·mats/] v. A primitive root; TWOT 117; GK 599; 41 occurrences; AV translates as “ strengthen” 12 times, “courage” nine times, “strong” five times, “courageous” twice, “harden” twice, “speed” twice, “stronger” twice, “confirm” once, “established” once, “fortify” once, “increaseth” once, “steadfastly minded” once, “obstinate” once, and “prevailed” once. 1 to be strong, alert, courageous, brave, stout, bold, solid, hard. 1a (Qal) to be strong, brave, bold. 1b (Piel) to strengthen, secure (for oneself), harden (heart), make firm, make obstinate, assure. 1c (Hithpael) to be determined, to make oneself alert, strengthen oneself, confirm oneself, persist in, prove superior to. 1d (Hiphil) to exhibit strength, be strong, feel strong.
599 אָמֵץ (˒amets): v.; ≡ Str 553; TWOT 117—1. LN 87.19-87.57 (qal) be strong, i.e., have high status (Ge 25:23); 2. LN 39.52-39.61 (qal) be victorious, have a victory, i.e., conquer another (2Ch 13:18); 3. LN 88.223-88.226 (piel) harden, be obstinate, i.e., have a stubborn, self-willed heart that will not change behavior or belief (Dt 2:30; 15:7; 2Ch 36:13+); 4. LN 23.188-23.196 (piel) let grow, i.e., have a plant grow and increase (Isa 44:14); 5. LN 76 (qal) be strong; (piel) marshal force, muster strength, strengthen, i.e., focus one’s strength for a great exertion (Am 2:14); 6. LN 25.156-25.166 (qal) be
2292 θαρρέω [tharrheo /thar·hreh·o/] v. Another form for 2293; TDNT 3:25; TDNTA 315; GK 2509; Six occurrences; AV translates as “be bold” twice, “be confident” once, “confident” once, “have confidence” once, and “boldly” once. 1 to be of good courage, be of good cheer. 2 to be bold.
5111 τολμάω [tolmao /tol·mah·o/] v. From tolma (boldness, probably itself from the base of 5056 through the idea of extreme conduct); TDNT 8:181; TDNTA 1183; GK 5528; 16 occurrences; AV translates as “durst” seven times, “dare” four times, “be bold” four times, and “boldly” once. 1 not to dread or shun through fear. 2 to bear, endure. 3 to bring one’s self to. 4 to be bold. 5 bear one’s self boldly, deal boldly.
Example
Whatever you do, you need courage. Whatever course you decide upon, there is always someone to tell you that you are wrong. There are always difficulties arising that tempt you to believe your critics are right. To map out a course of action and follow it to an end requires some of the same courage that a soldier needs. Peace has its victories, but it takes brave men and women to win them.
Ralph Waldo Emerson.
Example
Courage is doing what you're afraid to do. There can be no courage unless you're scared.
Eddie Rickenbacker, Bits & Pieces, April 29, 1993, p. 12.
Luke 21 NLT
/25 “And there will be strange events in the skies—signs in the sun, moon, and stars. And down here on earth the nations will be in turmoil, perplexed by the roaring seas and strange tides. 26 The courage of many people will falter because of the fearful fate they see coming upon the earth, because the stability of the very heavens will be broken up. 27 Then everyone will see the Son of Man arrive on the clouds with power and great glory.* 28 So when all these things begin to happen, stand straight and look up, for your salvation is near!”[3] /
James 5 NLT
/8 You, too, must be patient. And take courage, for the coming of the Lord is near.[4] /
1 John 2 NLT
/28 And now, dear children, continue to live in fellowship with Christ so that when he returns, you will be full of courage and not shrink back from him in shame.[5] /
1 Corinthians 16
/13 Be on guard. Stand true to what you believe. Be courageous. Be strong. [6]/
encourage – Webster’s 1 : to inspire with courage, spirit, or hope : hearten 2 : to spur on : stimulate 3 : to give help or patronage to : foster[7]
1. Find the Cause
-James Dean was called “a rebel without a cause”.
1 Samuel 17
19 David’s brothers were with Saul and the Israelite army at the valley of Elah, fighting against the Philistines. 20 So David left the sheep with another shepherd and set out early the next morning with the gifts. He arrived at the outskirts of the camp just as the Israelite army was leaving for the battlefield with shouts and battle cries. 21 Soon the Israelite and Philistine forces stood facing each other, army against army. 22 David left his things with the keeper of supplies and hurried out to the ranks to greet his brothers. 23 As he was talking with them, he saw Goliath, the champion from Gath, come out from the Philistine ranks, shouting his challenge to the army of Israel.
24 As soon as the Israelite army saw him, they began to run away in fright. 25 “Have you seen the giant?” the men were asking. “He comes out each day to challenge Israel. And have you heard about the huge reward the king has offered to anyone who kills him? The king will give him one of his daughters for a wife, and his whole family will be exempted from paying taxes!”
26 David talked to some others standing there to verify the report. “What will a man get for killing this Philistine and putting an end to his abuse of Israel?” he asked them. “Who is this pagan Philistine anyway, that he is allowed to defy the armies of the living God?” 27 And David received the same reply as before: “What you have been hearing is true. That is the reward for killing the giant.”
28 But when David’s oldest brother, Eliab, heard David talking to the men, he was angry. “What are you doing around here anyway?” he demanded. “What about those few sheep you’re supposed to be taking care of? I know about your pride and dishonesty. You just want to see the battle!”
29 “What have I done now?” David replied. “I was only asking a question!” 30 He walked over to some others and asked them the same thing and received the same answer. 31 Then David’s question was reported to King Saul, and the king sent for him.
32 “Don’t worry about a thing,” David told Saul. “I’ll go fight this Philistine!”
33 “Don’t be ridiculous!” Saul replied. “There is no way you can go against this Philistine. You are only a boy, and he has been in the army since he was a boy!”
/34 But David persisted. “I have been taking care of my father’s sheep,” he said. “When a lion or a bear comes to steal a lamb from the flock, 35 I go after it with a club and take the lamb from its mouth. If the animal turns on me, I catch it by the jaw and club it to death. 36 I have done this to both lions and bears, and I’ll do it to this pagan Philistine, too, for he has defied the armies of the living God! 37 The Lord who saved me from the claws of the lion and the bear will save me from this Philistine!”[8]/
NKJV
29/ And David said, “What have I done now? uIs 2there not a cause?” [9]/
-In other words; “Isn’t there something worth fighting for?”
-Like I said a few weeks ago; “Find something worth dying for and then live for it.”
-The thing that motivated David to step up to the plate when all of the Israelites including King Saul were just wishing Goliath would go away was courage.
-The reason David had courage was because he understood the covenant God had made with Israel.
-His revelation of God and His plan was bigger than the other Israelites.
-It was something wonderful and worth fighting for to him.
-We are going to be looking at purpose/the cause for 40 days.
-The clearer your vision of the plan of God for you and this church, the easier it is to have courage.
Example
I was watching this week a story about some Asians (Cambodians I think) who were caught in a Bible study illegally. The only way the soldiers would let them go was if they spit on the Bible on their way out. Otherwise they would be shot. Several people did it and then a young girl wiped off the Bible and wouldn’t do it. They shot her in the head in front of the rest of them.
-I was thinking to myself; “How did this young girl get this kind of courage?”
-She was living for a cause. Something mattered to her.
-People without a cause are aimless and restless.
-Last week Kent brought out the Scripture from Proverbs 29:18
“18 Where there is no revelation, the people cast off restraint;
/but blessed is he who keeps the law. “[10]/
-This is more than a goal. It is prophetic revelation. It is a vision of God and His purpose and plan.
-This comes when you hear from God. It is divine communication of His purpose.
-David had been in the hills with the sheep and God. He knew his God.
-He was a worshipper. His picture of God was magnified.
2. Take a Stand
Daniel 3 NLT
King Nebuchadnezzar made a gold statue ninety feet tall and nine feet wide* and set it up on the plain of Dura in the province of Babylon. 2 Then he sent messages to the princes, prefects, governors, advisers, counselors, judges, magistrates, and all the provincial officials to come to the dedication of the statue he had set up. 3 When all these officials* had arrived and were standing before the image King Nebuchadnezzar had set up, 4 a herald shouted out, “People of all races and nations and languages, listen to the king’s command! 5 When you hear the sound of the horn, flute, zither, lyre, harp, pipes, and other instruments,* bow to the ground to worship King Nebuchadnezzar’s gold statue. Anyone who refuses to obey will immediately be thrown into a blazing furnace.”
7 So at the sound of the musical instruments,* all the people, whatever their race or nation or language, bowed to the ground and worshiped the statue that King Nebuchadnezzar had set up.
8 But some of the astrologers* went to the king and informed on the Jews. 9 They said to King Nebuchadnezzar, “Long live the king! 10 You issued a decree requiring all the people to bow down and worship the gold statue when they hear the sound of the musical instruments.* 11 That decree also states that those who refuse to obey must be thrown into a blazing furnace. 12 But there are some Jews—Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego—whom you have put in charge of the province of Babylon. They have defied Your Majesty by refusing to serve your gods or to worship the gold statue you have set up.”
13 Then Nebuchadnezzar flew into a rage and ordered Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego to be brought before him. When they were brought in, 14 Nebuchadnezzar said to them, “Is it true, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, that you refuse to serve my gods or to worship the gold statue I have set up? 15 I will give you one more chance. If you bow down and worship the statue I have made when you hear the sound of the musical instruments, all will be well. But if you refuse, you will be thrown immediately into the blazing furnace. What god will be able to rescue you from my power then?”
16 Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego replied, “O Nebuchadnezzar, we do not need to defend ourselves before you. 17 If we are thrown into the blazing furnace, the God whom we serve is able to save us. He will rescue us from your power, Your Majesty. 18 But even if he doesn’t, Your Majesty can be sure that we will never serve your gods or worship the gold statue you have set up.”
-It takes courage, after you have a cause to go against the mainstream.
-The crowd was wrong with Jesus. The crowd usually is wrong.
-Your life should be guided by your convictions, not the present peer pressure.
-The first 6 chapters of the book of Daniel are about conflicts. Interestingly, God’s people win all of the conflicts.
-I have a sermon about Daniel called “A Man with Guts”.
-Real courage isn’t afraid to stand alone.
-Can we rise up and do what is right even if everything in us tells us not to? That takes courage.
3. Use Fear to Inspire Courage
-Fear tries to come against us all some times.
-That doesn’t mean you are a coward. It just means you have an opportunity to be courageous.
“Don’t let fear convince you that you’re too weak to have courage. Fear is the opportunity for courage, not proof of cowardice.”
(quote from Fast Company, September 2004)
Charlie Chaplin said; “Life can be wonderful if you’re not afraid of it. All it takes is courage, imagination…and a little dough.”
Mark Twain said; “Courage is resistance to fear, mastery of fear-not absence of fear…”
2 Timothy 1 NLT
/7 For God has not given us a spirit of fear and timidity, but of power, love, and self-discipline. 8 So you must never be ashamed to tell others about our Lord. And don’t be ashamed of me, either, even though I’m in prison for Christ. With the strength God gives you, be ready to suffer with me for the proclamation of the Good News.[11]/
Fear = 1167 δειλία [deilia /di·lee·ah/] n f. From 1169; GK 1261; AV translates as “fear” once. 1 timidity, fearfulness, cowardice. Additional Information: For synonyms see entries 2124, eulabeia; and 5398, phoberos.See entry 5835 for comparison of synonyms. [12]
“This an important time in history and the plan of God. I refuse to let fear keep me from boldly receiving God’s purpose for me as well as this church. I receive encouragement from you Father, courage is filling me now.
Pray for and bind a spirit of cowardice.
VIDEO CLIP FROM WIZARD OF OZ
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[1]Merriam-Webster, I. (1996, c1993). Merriam-Webster's collegiate dictionary. Includes index. (10th ed.). Springfield, Mass., U.S.A.: Merriam-Webster.
[2]Merriam-Webster, I. (1996, c1993). Merriam-Webster's collegiate dictionary. Includes index. (10th ed.). Springfield, Mass., U.S.A.: Merriam-Webster.
v v: verb
TWOT Theological Wordbook of the Old Testament
GK Goodrick-Kohlenberger
AV Authorized Version
*
Luke 21:27
See Dan 7:13.
[3]Holy Bible : New Living Translation. 1997 (Lk 21:24). Wheaton, Ill.: Tyndale House.
[4]Holy Bible : New Living Translation. 1997 (Jas 5:7). Wheaton, Ill.: Tyndale House.
[5]Holy Bible : New Living Translation. 1997 (1 Jn 2:27). Wheaton, Ill.: Tyndale House.
[6]Holy Bible : New Living Translation. 1997 (1 Co 16:12). Wheaton, Ill.: Tyndale House.
[7]Merriam-Webster, I. (1996, c1993). Merriam-Webster's collegiate dictionary. Includes index. (10th ed.). Springfield, Mass., U.S.A.: Merriam-Webster.
[8]Holy Bible : New Living Translation. 1997 (1 Sa 17:18). Wheaton, Ill.: Tyndale House.
u 1 Sam. 17:17
2 Lit. Is it not a word? or matter?
[9]The New King James Version. 1996, c1982 (1 Sa 17:29). Nashville: Thomas Nelson.
[10]The Holy Bible : New International Version. 1996, c1984 (Pr 29:18). Grand Rapids: Zondervan.
[11]Holy Bible : New Living Translation. 1997 (2 Ti 1:6). Wheaton, Ill.: Tyndale House.
n n: noun or neuter
f f: feminine
GK Goodrick-Kohlenberger
AV Authorized Version
[12]Strong, J. (1996). The exhaustive concordance of the Bible : Showing every word of the test of the common English version of the canonical books, and every occurence of each word in regular order. (electronic ed.) (G1167). Ontario: Woodside Bible Fellowship.