Be Strong and Courageous

[mr.T]

This has been on my mind all week. I know I need to be Strong and Courageous in all areas of my life. I looked it up in the Bible.

“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

Isaiah 41:10​

“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

Psalms 27:14​

“Wait for the Lord; be strong and take heart and wait for the Lord.” – Psalms 27:14

1 Chronicles 28:20​

“David also said to Solomon his son, ‘Be strong and courageous, and do the work. Do not be afraid or discouraged, for the Lord God, my God, is with you.'” – 1 Chronicles 28:20

Deuteronomy 31:6​

“Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or terrified because of them, for the Lord your God goes with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you.” – Deuteronomy 31:6

Courage is an essential quality that we, as believers, are called to embrace. It’s a reminder that even when life gets tough, we can draw strength from God’s promises and the community of faith around us. When we read the scriptures, we find numerous accounts where God encourages His people to be strong and courageous in the face of challenges. The beauty of courage is that it not only empowers us to face our fears but also inspires others to do the same.

I found a lot of verses, and I want to focus on their powerful messages and how they can transform our hearts and spirits to face each day with unwavering faith. We are overcomers, and if we stay strong in The Lord we can never be defeated.

Remember, God does not call us to live in fear; instead, He guides us to be strong and courageous, reminding us that He is our refuge in troubled times. Let us embrace this encouragement, knowing that His promises are ever-reliable.

2 Timothy 1:7​

“For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind.” – 2 Timothy 1:7

Psalms 34:4​

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

Psalms 56:3​

“When I am afraid, I put my trust in you.” – Psalms 56:3

Romans 8:31​

“What, then, shall we say in response to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us?” – Romans 8:31

Isaiah 43:1​

“But now, this is what the Lord says—he who created you, Jacob, he who formed you, Israel: ‘Do not fear, for I have redeemed you; I have summoned you by name; you are mine.'” – Isaiah 43:1

 

[Complete]

Hello @mr.T.

While reading through the OP, into my mind came the story of the spies who were sent out to reconnoitre the land of Canaan in Numbers 13. God had told Moses that He would give the land to the children of Israel, and they had witnessed His power and ability to save to the uttermost, during their wilderness journey. So, though confronted with what was in the land, in the form of fortressed townships, and individuals of great height and strength, they should have believed God and trusted Him to keep His word. Instead fear took over and they shrank from the seeming enormity of the task. God would have gone before them and fought for them, as at other times, but all of that experiential knowledge got buried beneath the testimony of the ten spies who gave a fearsome report. So they failed to believe God and trust Him to perform His word to them.

* When I read this, some time ago, it was read in conjunction with a reading of the book of Jeremiah that I was engaged in, and I had the words of God, related by Jeremiah ringing in my ears:-

"Then the word of the LORD came unto me, saying,
Before I formed thee in the belly I knew thee;
and before thou camest forth out of the womb I sanctified thee,
and I ordained thee a prophet unto the nations.
Then said I, Ah, Lord GOD! behold, I cannot speak: for I am a child.
But the LORD said unto me, Say not, I am a child:
for thou shalt go to all that I shall send thee,
and whatsoever I command thee thou shalt speak.
Be not afraid of their faces:
for I am with thee to deliver thee, saith the LORD."
(Jer 1:4-8)

* In verses 17-19, God then says to Jeremiah, :-

'Thou therefore gird up thy loins, and arise,
and speak unto them all that I command thee:
be not dismayed at their faces,
lest I confound thee before them.
For, behold, I have made thee this day a defenced city,
and an iron pillar, and brasen walls against the whole land,
against the kings of Judah,
against the princes thereof,
against the priests thereof, and
against the people of the land.
And they shall fight against thee;
but they shall not prevail against thee;
for I am with thee, saith the LORD,
to deliver thee.'
(Jer 1:17-19)

* This really made an impression on me, for Jeremiah needed to believe God, and trust Him against great odds. He would be made to go through experiences that were fearsome during the carrying out of God's will, so it was necessary that He believe God, in heart, soul and mind, and trust Him absolutely. For the task was so important that God had told him that if he were to even be dismayed at their faces, God would confound him before them. God is not messing about, He required total commitment regardless of what Jeremiah's eyes saw, his ears heard and the experiences he had to endure. He must trust and not be afraid, in the knowledge that God was indeed WITH HIM, and would deliver him, and his enemies would not prevail against him.

* We, who believe God, and the gospel we have heard concerning His Son the Lord Jesus Christ, have been given great assurance: We must believe God and trust in His power to save to the uttermost those that come unto Him for salvation, and walk as those who have been given the promise of life through His name, and walk in newness of life before the Father in spirit. Not fearful, but believing.

'And after eight days again His disciples were within,
and Thomas with them:
then came Jesus, the doors being shut,
and stood in the midst, and said, Peace be unto you.
Then saith he to Thomas,
Reach hither thy finger, and behold My hands;
and reach hither thy hand, and thrust it into My side:
and be not faithless, but believing.
And Thomas answered and said unto Him, My Lord and my God.
Jesus saith unto him,
Thomas, because thou hast seen Me, thou hast believed:
blessed are they that have not seen, and yet have believed.'
(Joh 20:26-29)

Thank you for starting this thread.
giving the opportunity to share.
In Christ Jesus
Chris

 

[mr.T]

@Complete

Thanks, I needed to hear that. A great assurance is just what I need.

 

[Complete]

' ... Be strong and of a good courage;
be not afraid,
neither be thou dismayed:
for the LORD thy God is with thee
whithersoever thou goest. '
(Jos 1:9 )

Hello @mr.T,

I take part on the forum, because I can communicate better through my fingertips than I can with my mouth. For I am afraid of peoples faces: especially when faced with unbelief. I get tongue-tied, and wither up, stutter, stammer and lose my thread So the words in Jeremiah were very much for me.

I just praise God that He has graciously given me this outlet, whereby I can communicate with others the joy of having the Lord in my life, and share His word, by which the Holy Spirit takes of the things of Christ and makes them ours.

Thank you
In Christ Jesus
Chris

 

[mr.T]

' ... Be strong and of a good courage;
be not afraid,
neither be thou dismayed:
for the LORD thy God is with thee
whithersoever thou goest. '
(Jos 1:9 )

Hello @mr.T,

I take part on the forum, because I can communicate better through my fingertips than I can with my mouth. For I am afraid of peoples faces: especially when faced with unbelief. I get tongue-tied, and wither up, stutter, stammer and lose my thread So the words in Jeremiah were very much for me.

I just praise God that He has graciously given me this outlet, whereby I can communicate with others the joy of having the Lord in my life, and share His word, by which the Holy Spirit takes of the things of Christ and makes them ours.

Thank you
In Christ Jesus
Chris

When I was young I could not talk in a group of people but that changed when I was saved. I will be leading a seniors life group at church in a few hours today. We all talk about last Sunday's message. So I do understand where you are coming from, just hand in there.

This makes me think about God's word to us, the Bible and How He uses it to communicate with us. And the Holy Spirit guiding us into all truth.

This topic would make a good Thread. Since Threads are a good platform to share ideas, ask questions, connect with people, and explore diverse conversations.

 

[Overjoyed]

Very good topic. I think we all need to be Courageous and Strong in the days we live in.

21 Behold, the Lord your God has set the land before you; go up and possess it, as the Lord, the God of your fathers, has said to you. Fear not, neither be dismayed.
Deuteronomy 1:21

Fear is a common human emotion or experience. Many fear the unknown. Many fear death. Yet God calls believers not to live in fear.

“You are my servants; I have chosen you and have not rejected you. 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.”

“Do not fear; I will help you” (Isa. 41:9–13).

 

[Dean]

Courageous and Strong

And don't let the fear of failure to ever get the upper hand.


The LORD, He is the One who goes before you. He will be with you, He will not leave you nor forsake you; do not fear nor be dismayed.
DEUTERONOMY 31:8

Atychiphobia—the paralyzing, recurring fear of failure. It’s a harsh taskmaster, leading its victims to a life of restraint and retreat. The worst of its side effects is that it results in a persistent refusal to try anything new.

Those who fear failure are paralyzed by the “r word”: risk. They may undermine their own efforts without even realizing it in an attempt to escape the anxiety of looming failure. Have you known people like that? I have—gifted people who might have done great things in life but wouldn’t, and couldn’t, because they were protecting themselves from disappointment.

Perhaps only a few of us are atychiphobes, but nearly all of us have felt the fear of failure to some degree. In fact, many of the most-admired people in the Bible experienced it. As I mentioned in the introduction to this book, the Bible identifies more than two hundred people who were afraid at one time or another. Some of them were afraid of failure!

 

[Aeliana]

One of my favorite verses is"I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me" Philippians 4:13

To me It is a statement of faith that with God's strength, we can endure hardships and overcome challenges, not that we can accomplish our own personal goals without effort, but that we can find contentment and strength in Christ through any circumstance.

 

[mr.T]

This true story is from 1 Samuel 17 in the Bible.

The soldiers all line up. A battle will begin. Who will be the bravest?
Who is going to win?

The Philistines cheer their hero, standing ten feet tall.
The giant called Goliath drove fear into all.

For forty days and nights, Goliath stomped and yelled,
“No one wants to fight me? You cowards of Israel!”

A shepherd boy named David lived on a farm nearby.
He cared for all his sheep and sang to God Most High.

With orders from his father and cheese that had a smell,
he went to find his brothers and heard Goliath yell.

David asked the soldiers, “Why will no one fight?”
His brother then accused him, “Your heart is just not right.”

So, David told King Saul, “He mocks the Lord on High.
Someone stop that giant! If you let me, I will try.”

David put on armor offered by the king.
It didn’t fit at all, so he chose his trusty sling.

He picked up five smooth stones as he crossed the brook.
He bravely met the giant who had an angry look.

Goliath laughed at David. “Your army sent a boy?”
The giant’s laugh grew louder, “Your sling is just a toy!”

David loaded up his sling, trusting God was there.
He spun a stone around, and flung it through the air.

The armies watched the stone and to everyone’s surprise,
it struck the mean, old giant right between the eyes.

God’s blessings were on David, who one day would be king.
Our greater King is coming—JESUS! Lord of everything.

So do not fear your battles, or giants who stomp and yell.
As God made David brave, he’ll make you strong as well.

 

[Bardon]

THE PRINCIPLE OF DIVINE PERSUASION

Have I not commanded you? Be strong and of good courage.
JOSHUA 1:9

While Reverend William Sykes was the chaplain of University College, Oxford, he described a group of undergraduates with physical disabilities he had known. Their limitations were many, but what linked them together was a quiet courage within them. This experience caused him to ponder the meaning of that word. Looking to the writings of Cardinal Manning, he found this entry:

The Italians call it Coraggio, or greatness of heart; the Spaniards, Corage[sic]; the French, Courage, from whom we have borrowed it. And we understand it to mean manliness, bravery, boldness, fearlessness, springing not from a sense of physical power, or from insensibility to danger or pain, but from the moral habit of self-command, with deliberation, fully weighing present dangers, and clearly foreseeing future consequences, and yet in the path of duty advancing unmoved to its execution.

Somehow, the students had found a strength inside that transcended their physical limitations. Faith is an inestimable power, and often it grows by the convincing words of someone who persuades us that we, too, can live courageously.

Who among us does not have some kind of disability—in skill, desire, motivation, strength, experience, courage, or the countless other traits required to make good progress in life? It’s called being human—and it’s why every person needs the same exhortation Joshua needed when he stood on the banks of the Jordan River and looked across to a hostile land.

He must have remembered what happened when the Israelites stood at the borders of the Promised Land almost forty years earlier. They had God’s promise, yet the challenge paralyzed them. It wasn’t the giants in the land that disabled them; it was their giant fear. To prevent this new generation from making the same mistake, Joshua needed to display strength and courage. This meant he needed to be persuaded that God would enable them to meet the challenge. God had just the right words for Israel’s new leader:

Be strong and of good courage.… Only be strong and very courageous.… Have I not commanded you? Be strong and of good courage.
JOSHUA 1:6–7, 9

This is the heart of God’s motivational speech to Joshua. Three times He tells him to be strong and courageous. The word strong means to be resolute, firm, and not easily swayed. Courageous conveys a sense of daring, an openness to risk.

Joshua had proved that he had that inner strength within him. We witness it on the day the spies returned, ten of them giving a fearful report of unconquerable giants. Only two men, Joshua and Caleb, wanted to take hold of God’s promises and push forward despite the obstacles. The ten insisted, “We are not able to go up against the people, for they are stronger than we” (Numbers 13:31). The tales of terror drowned out the counsel of courage.


David Jeremiah, What Are You Afraid of? Facing down Your Fears with Faith

 

[Brandy]

Have you ever been told to trust the Lord? I know I have. I’ve been told that a lot, actually. And I know that I’ve said the same to others as well. It’s easy to toss around phrases such as “Trust God,” but why should we? The name of this thread "Be Strong and Courageous". We’ve discussed unpacking our fear. There is no doubt we all fear in one area or another (many, like me, probably in several areas).

But I want to turn our attention now to the One who provides the help we need not only to face our fears but also to rest in the midst of them. Rest may first require repentance and then trust, but before we can get there, we need to know why we can trust God. So we turn our attention now to Him. In order for us to have faith to trust God, we need to know who He is. Part of the faith we hope to obtain comes from fearing the Lord.

Solomon begins the book of wisdom with a peculiar statement: “The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge; fools despise wisdom and instruction.” Proverbs 1:7

This statement can sound to me like the chicken and the egg. What comes first: Knowledge? Wisdom? Fear of the Lord? How can you fear the Lord before you obtain knowledge? Is it possible to really know God and not fear Him? The definition of terms really does make a difference.

Knowledge refers to correct understanding of the world and oneself as creatures of the magnificent and loving God. Wisdom is the acquired skill of applying that knowledge rightly. We want to obtain knowledge, which will give us a correct understanding of the world. I hope we are all gaining an understanding of who God is and His ways in light of our circumstances.

So before we can fear the Lord, we must know God, and knowing God means more than just knowing that there is a God.

J. I. Packer explains: “How are we to do this? How can we turn knowledge about God into knowledge of God? The rule for doing this is simple but demanding. It is that we turn each truth that we learn about God into matter for meditation before God, leading to prayer and praise to God.”

In other words, to know God, we must meditate on the truth of God. God reveals Himself in His Word. It is there that we meet Him and know Him. Knowledge of God ultimately transforms the knowledge of all things. So we can look at stars and worship or learn about blood vessels and be in awe of the Creator. But we cannot rightly do any of this without first knowing God.

From the day my son was born, I would tell him that God made the world and gave him to us. I had two miscarriages before my son was born, so I found myself constantly thanking God for him. As a baby, of course, my little guy couldn’t really respond. But then, around the age of four, he finally shared his thoughts about God, which surprised me.

He said, “I don’t believe you. Where is He? I don’t think God is real.” See, my son also knew of dragons, superheroes, strange creatures with several heads, and Thomas the Tank Engine, who spoke to him through the television screen. He knew these weren’t real; he knew they were characters. But they seemed so much more real to him because he saw them. What I realized then is that it would take the Lord imparting faith to my son for him to believe that God is real and not just some abstract, imaginary thing his mommy liked to speak about.

I think we can be like my son. We hear people talking about this God; we even might speak of Him ourselves. But do we actually know who He is? And, if we do, do we believe it in our hearts? James tells us in 2:19 that even the demons believe and shudder.

Belief alone isn’t what gives us the assurance that God is who He says He is. Even as born-again believers, we can never have enough knowledge of God. And let’s be honest: during those terrifying moments of fear and dread, we so often forget. That’s why it’s good to be reminded of who God is.

 

[john]

​

"Be strong and courageous" is a powerful biblical phrase, most famously from Joshua 1:9 and Deuteronomy 31:6, meaning to face challenges with faith, not fear, because God promises His presence and strength, enabling you to overcome obstacles, trust His plan, and act boldly in His power, not your own. It's a call to spiritual fortitude, finding inner resilience through faith in God's unwavering support.