Courageous Living
Griffith Baptist Church – 5/18/08
P.M. Service
Text: Psalm 31
Main Verse: Psalms 31:24 - Be of good courage, and he shall strengthen your heart, all ye that hope in the LORD.
The Introduction
“Courage is resistance to fear, mastery of fear—not absence of fear.” - Mark Twain
Woody Allen said, “It’s not that I’m afraid to die, I just don’t want to be there when it happens."
Woody Allen, Courage - You Can Stand Strong in the Face of Fear, Jon Johnston, 1990, SP Publications, p. 34.
The right kind of courage is an indispensable part of the Christian life.
Most Christians are so anemic about their faith
This faith is the greatest in the world yet we bottle much up inside for lack of courage.
“Be of good courage.” Christian courage may thus be described. It is the undaunted audacity of a sanctified heart in adventuring upon difficulties and undergoing hardships for a good cause upon the call of God. Simeon Ash’s “Sermon preached before the Commanders of the Military Forces of the renowned Citie of London, 1642.”
Why do we need to be living courageously? (31:9-13)
1. Because that is the spirit God has given us – 2 Timothy 1:7 - For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.
2. Because Satan gains power with the grip of fear
3. Because fear is a sign of incomplete love – 1 John 4:18 - There is no fear in love; but perfect love casteth out fear: because fear hath torment. He that feareth is not made perfect in love.
4. Because this life is a journey fraught with fearful things (31:9-13)
A. There is emotional stress –distress, grief (9), sorrow, sighing (10), and grief (12)
B. There are spiritual struggles –failing strength because of sin (10)
C. There are unstable relationships –the reproach of enemies and fickle friendships (11)
D. There is the feeling of loneliness – forgotten (12)
E. There is unfair accusations that damage a reputation – slander of man (13)
F. There is physical difficulties – terror on every side (13)
G. There are confrontations with threats took counsel together against me, schemed to take away my life (13)
H. Not to mention the other unstable areas of life (finances, health, etc.)
Transition Statement: Let’s look at the five provisions that we can rely on as we hope in the Lord to give us courage to face any of life’s issues. First we can see that God provides strength.
Body
1. God Provides Strength (31:1-5)
A. Psalms 31:4 - Pull me out of the net that they have laid privily for me: for thou art my strength.
B. A Churchgoer wrote a letter to the editor of the newspaper and complained that it made no sense to go to church every Sunday. "I’ve gone for 30 years now," he wrote, "and in that time I have heard something like 3,000 sermons. But for the life of me, I can’t remember a single one of them. So, I think I’m wasting my time and the pastors are wasting theirs by giving sermons at all." This started a real controversy in the "Letters to the Editor" column, much to the delight of the editor. It went on for weeks until someone wrote this clincher: I’ve been married for 30 years now. In that time my wife has cooked some 32,000 meals. But for the life of me, I cannot recall the entire menu for a single one of those meals. But I do know this: They all nourished me and gave me the strength I needed to do my work. If my wife had not given me these meals, I would be physically dead today. Likewise, if I had not gone to church for nourishment, I would be spiritually dead today!"
C. There is a connection with our submission to God - Psalms 19:14 – Let the words of my mouth, and the meditation of my heart, be acceptable in thy sight, O LORD, my strength, and my redeemer.
D. We must become weak to obtain His strength - 2 Corinthians 12:9 - 9And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me.
Transition Statement: Second, He provides security for us.
2. God Provides Security (31:6-8)
A. Psalms 31:8 - And hast not shut me up into the hand of the enemy: thou hast set my feet in a large room.
B. The Camden, Maine, Herald ran 2 photos on the same page: one was a picture of Camden’s town board and town manager; the other was of a flock of sheep. Enter Murphy’s Law. As fate and humor would have it, the captions were accidentally reversed. So, under the picture of the sheep, the caption identified them left to right, as all the town officials; under the photo of the town fathers sitting around a table the caption said, “The Sheep Fold - naive and vulnerable, they huddle for security against the uncertainties of the outside world.” from Encyclopedia of 7700 Illustrations
C. How often true it is that we huddle for security around our God; we need it.
D. We live in an insecure world
E. Recently we heard that even safety deposit boxes are not so safe
F. He has provided liberty for us but keeps us completely safe in His hand
G. We can sleep peacefully as God watches over His faithful ones - Psalms 4:8 – I will both lay me down in peace, and sleep: for thou, LORD, only makest me dwell in safety.
H. He is a strong, impenetrable fortress - Proverbs 18:10 – The name of the LORD is a strong tower: the righteous runneth into it, and is safe.
Transition Statement: Third, God also provides salvation.
3. God Provides Salvation (31:14-18)
A. Psalms 31:16 - Make thy face to shine upon thy servant: save me for thy mercies’ sake
B. He has saved our soul and made us His own
C. He also daily saves us in ways we cannot or do not see.
D. Saved from our enemies as well
E. Truth is on our side and as we live in that truth, even in the darkest times, He is working to effect a release.
Transition Statement: Next, God provides a wonderful retreat call a Secret Place.
4. God Provides a Secret Place (31:19-22)
A. Psalms 31:20 - Thou shalt hide them in the secret of thy presence from the pride of man: thou shalt keep them secretly in a pavilion from the strife of tongues.
B. It is a place no one else can go
C. It is a place where the influence of the world and Satan cannot reach
D. It is as the Holy of Holies, a place for you and God alone to commune
E. Psalms 91:1-4 - 1He that dwelleth in the secret place of the most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty. 2I will say of the LORD, He is my refuge and my fortress: my God; in him will I trust. 3Surely he shall deliver thee from the snare of the fowler, and from the noisome pestilence. 4He shall cover thee with his feathers, and under his wings shalt thou trust: his truth shall be thy shield and buckler.
F. It is a place of:
i. Prayer
ii. Worship
iii. Protection
Transition Statement: Last, God provides stability.
5. God Provides Stability (31:23-24)
A. Psalms 31:24 - Be of good courage, and he shall strengthen your heart, all ye that hope in the LORD.
B. Through preservation – to guard us from dangers
C. Through hope – expectation of something certain
D. We need:
i. Balance – Psalms 116:8 - For thou hast delivered my soul from death, mine eyes from tears, and my feet from falling.
ii. Direction - Psalms 40:2 – He brought me up also out of an horrible pit, out of the miry clay, and set my feet upon a rock, and established my goings.
iii. Leading - Psalms 61:2 - From the end of the earth will I cry unto thee, when my heart is overwhelmed: lead me to the rock that is higher than I.
E. “Be of good courage.” Keep up your spirit, let no craven thoughts blanch your cheek. Fear weakens, courage strengthens. Victory waits upon the banners of the brave. “And he shall strengthen your heart.” Power from on high shall be given in the most effectual manner by administering force to the fountain of vitality. So far from leaving us, the Lord will draw very near to us in our adversity, and put his own power into us. “All ye that hope in the Lord.” Every one of you, lift up your heads and sing for joy of heart. God is faithful, and does not fail even his little children who do but hope, wherefore then should we be afraid? Charles Spurgeon
Conclusion:
How is your courage?
Do you find yourself fainting in the heat of your life or going forward trusting in God?
