Courage to Go On Print

Courage has been defined as the attitude of facing and dealing with anything recognized as dangerous, difficult, or painful, instead of withdrawing from it.

'Courage is the finest of human qualities because it guarantees all the others.'  W. Churchill 

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  1. Before you can have courage you must have hope.

    2. "If you lose hope, somehow you lose the vitality that keeps life moving,  you lose that courage to be, that quality that helps you go on in spite of it all. And so today I still ahve a dream." Martin Luther King, Jr.

    Job 11:18
    You will have courage because you will have hope.

    Joshua 1:1-3
    After the death of Moses the servant of God, God spoke to Joshua, Moses' assistant: "Moses my servant is dead. Get going. Cross the Jordan River, you and all the people. Cross to the country I'm giving to the People of Israel. I'm giving you every square inch of the land you set your foot on - just as I promised Moses."

    - The hope for Joshua was the promised land
    - Hope comes before courage.
    - When you lose your hope you lose your courage.
    - Hope is your cause or your vision, without it you perish.
    - If your cause doesn't have the need of courage it's not of God.

  2. Before you come to your 'promise' you first must have the courage to cross your 'Jordan'.

    3. Hebrews 10:36
    You need endurance so that after you have done what God wants you to do, you can receive what He has promised.

  3. You will find the courage you need in:

    1. The strength of God's Word.

      2. Joshua 1:6
      Be strong and of good courage, for to this people you shall divide as an inheritance the land, which I swore to their fathers to give them.

      Joshua 1:7
      Only be strong and very courageous, that you may observe to do according to all the law which Moses My servant commanded you; do not turn from it to the right hand or to the left, that you may prosper wherever you go.

      Joshua 1:8
      This Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate on it day and night, that you may observe to do according to all that is written in it. For then you will make you way prosperous, and then you will have good success.

      Joshua 1:9
      Have I not commanded you? Be strong and of good courage; do not be afraid, nor dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.

      Before going into the promised land God must clearly instruct Joshua that his courage will come from meditating on HIs Word. The last time they went into the promised land only Joshua and Caleb came back with a courageous report. The others saw themselves as grasshoppers. (Numbers 13:27-33) When you meditate on God's Word you will see:

      - God's perspective of myself.
      - God for who His is.
      - The situation as God does.

    2. Remembering your past experiences of God's faithfulness.

      3. 1 Samuel 17:37
      Moreover David said, "The Lord, who delivered me from the paw of the lion and from the paw of the bear, He will deliver me from the hadn of this Philistine." And Saul said to David, "Go, and the Lord be with you!"

    3. Encouragement from others - a transfusion of courage.

      4. Hebrew 10:24-25
      We must also consider how to encourage each other to show love and to do good things. We should not stop gathering together with other believers, as some of you are doing. Instead, we must continue to encourage each other even more as we see the day of the Lord coming.

      "Courage is contageous. When a brave man takes a stand, the spines of others are stiffened." Billy Graham

  4. Courage is your response to fear.

    5. Isaiah 41:10
    Don't be afraid, for I am with you. Do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you. I will help you. I will uphold you my victorious right hand.

    "Courage is doing what you're afraid to do. There can be no courage unless you're scared." Eddie Rickenbacker