Today we start a series I am very excited about called “Courage...”

  ...2 Samuel 23:20-21 (NLT2) 

^“There was also Benaiah son of Jehoiada, a valiant warrior from Kabzeel. He did many heroic deeds, which included killing two champions of Moab. Another time, on a snowy day, he chased a lion down into a pit and killed it. Once, armed only with a club, he killed a great Egyptian warrior who was armed with a spear. Benaiah wrenched the spear from the Egyptian’s hand and killed him with it.” 1 Peter 5:8 (NLT2) “Stay alert! Watch out for your great enemy, the devil. He prowls around like a roaring lion, looking for someone to devour.” Why a series about courage? I think it is pretty evident that the last two years Covid has exposed a lot about the world but even more about the church. I have been shocked by the fear in the body of Christ, especially among those who claim to be Spirit-filled. I believe it is time that we have courage and the Lord with all our hearts. If things are about to escalate in our world, shouldn’t we be prepared?

1. Courage to Face the Lion. Most of us would not have the same reaction Benaiah had when he encountered the lion on that snowy day. Our natural instinct to facing a 450-pound lion is to run. But lion chasers are wired differently. 

2. Courage to Trust God. God is in the business of strategically placing us in the right place at the right time. God is good at getting us where He wants us to go. The catch: Many times the right place seems like the wrong place, and the right time may seem like the wrong time. Encountering a lion in the wild is typically a bad thing.  Benaiah kills the lion. Romans tells us that God works all things together for our good if we love Him. Benaiah’s resume…Killed two champions, an Egyptian warrior, and a lion in a pit on a snowy day! Because God had set him up and because He was courageous, God exalted him for the service of the King.

3. Courage Brings a Blessing. Batterson, “God is always using past experiences to prepare for future opportunities. But those God given opportunities often come disguised as man eating lions. And how we react when we encounter those lions will determine our destiny. We can run in fear from the lion or Covid or our greatest challenges or we can chase our God ordained destinies by seizing the opportunity before us.” During the Black Plague of the 1300s when it came to the question, “Do we minister to people or isolate ourselves because of fear of death.” Their response and motto: “We die at our post.” Joshua 1:9 (NLT2) “This is my command—be strong and courageous! Do not be afraid or discouraged. For the LORD your God is with you wherever you go.”