1. INTRODUCTION:
   
   
1. SCRIPTURE READING: Isaiah 41:10 = "Fear thou not; for I am with thee: be not dismayed: for Ai am they God: I will strengthen thee; yea, I will help thee; yea, I will uphold thee with the right hand of my righteousness."
2. SOME WORDS HAVE ALMOST PASSED FROM OUR VOCABULARY AS: HONESTY; PATRIOTISM; TRUTH; LOYALTY; BRAVERY; AND COURAGE.
3. MANY CHRISTIANS AND ESPECIALLY ELDERS AND PREACHERS ARE LACKING IN COURAGE.
1. Courage is often commanded in the Scriptures.
2. Courageous men and women gave us the truth and the church.
3. Courageous deeds of others like Daniel and David, lift our hearts to serve the Lord as we should.
4. WHERE COURAGE IS LACKING THE CAUSE OF CHRIST WILL FAIL AND IT WILL BE TO OUR SHAME.

COMMENT: It would be a shame to do stand up for that we believe in; or a shame to not carry out a commitment that we have made. Remember what Paul said to the Corinthians to be found not having ready they contribution for the poor saints in Judaea. II Corinthians 9:3-4 = "Yet have I sent the brethren, lest our boasting of you should be in vain in this behalf; that, as I said, ye may be ready: lest haply if they of Macedonia come with me, and find you unprepared, we (that we say not, ye) should be ashamed in this same confident boasting."

2. DISCUSSION:
1. GOD’S WORK NEEDS COURAGEOUS PEOPLE:
1. The enemies of God are many.
1. Satan is the ruler of his world.

John 12:31 = "Now is the judgment of this world: now shall the prince of this world be cast out." John 16:11 ="….. Of judgment, because the prince of this world is judged."

Ephesians 2:1-2 = "And you hath he quickened, who were dead in trespasses and sins; Wherein in time past ye walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience:"

2. Ever since Genesis chapter 3, the cause of God has been endangered.
3. Some of Christ’s enemies appear as children of light.

2 Corinthians 11:13-15 = "For such are false apostles, deceitful workers, transforming themselves into the apostles of Christ. And no marvel; for Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light. Therefore it is no great thing if his ministers also be transformed as the ministers of righteousness; whose end shall be according to their works."

2. The enemies of God are strong
1. Strong enough to cast down Adam, the father of all mankind.
2. Strong enough overcome such great men of God as Abraham, David and Peter.
3. Strong enough to create havoc in congregations of God’s people: The seven churches of Asia.
3. We are feeble in comparison to the enemies of God:
1. Intellectual power, rank, wealth and social influence are on the side of the enemy of God.
2. Yet in our weakness God makes us strong.

2 Corinthians 12:10 = "Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in necessities, in persecutions, in distresses for Christ's sake: for when I am weak, then am I strong."

2 Corinthians 10:3-4 = "For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war after the flesh: (For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds;)"

2. GOD’S PEOPLE WITHOUT COURAGE ARE PITIFUL CREATURES:
1. Some sad pictures of God’s people:
1. The Israelites manifest themselves as cowards in the wilderness.

Numbers 13:31 = "But the men that went up with him said, We be not able to go up against the people; for they are stronger than we."

2. The Israelites were manifest as cowards before Goliath.

1 Samuel 17:24 = "And all the men of Israel, when they saw the man, fled from him, and were sore afraid."

3. Israelites paid tribute to kings about them because they didn’t have the courage to trust in God.
4. Saul, a giant among men, said to Samuel: 1 Samuel 15:24 = " ….. I have sinned: for I have transgressed the commandment of the LORD, and thy words: because I feared the people, and obeyed their voice."
2. A Christian without courage will not exalt Christ:
1. It was due to a lack of courage that the early disciples did not speak openly about Christ.

John 7:13 = "Howbeit no man spake openly of him for fear of the Jews."

2. It was due to a lack of courage, faith and bravery, these early disciples hid from their enemies.

John 20:19 = "Then the same day at evening, being the first day of the week, when the doors were shut where the disciples were assembled for fear of the Jews, came Jesus and stood in the midst, and saith unto them, Peace be unto you."

3. Abandonment and surrender is the result of a lack of courage and compromise.
3. Cowardice leads us to shrink from danger, responsibility, pain, ridicule or failure.
4. When faithful courage fails, sin gains control.

Matthew 25:25 = "And I was afraid, and went and hid thy talent in the earth: lo, there thou hast that is thine." Matthew 25:30 ="….. And cast ye the unprofitable servant into outer darkness: there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth."

Revelation 21:8 = "But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death."

3. GOD WILL GIVE COURAGE TO THOSE WHO SEEK IT:
1. Both courage and strength come from God.

Isaiah 43:1-7 = "But now thus saith the LORD that created thee, O Jacob, and he that formed thee, O Israel, Fear not: for I have redeemed thee, I have called thee by thy name; thou art mine. When thou passest through the waters, I will be with thee; and through the rivers, they shall not overflow thee: when thou walkest through the fire, thou shalt not be burned; neither shall the flame kindle upon thee. For I am the LORD thy God, the Holy One of Israel, thy Saviour: I gave Egypt for thy ransom, Ethiopia and Seba for thee. Since thou wast precious in my sight, thou hast been honourable, and I have loved thee: therefore will I give men for thee, and people for thy life. Fear not: for I am with thee: I will bring thy seed from the east, and gather thee from the west; I will say to the north, Give up; and to the south, Keep not back: bring my sons from far, and my daughters from the ends of the earth; Even every one that is called by my name: for I have created him for my glory, I have formed him; yea, I have made him."

Isaiah 40:31 = "But they that wait upon the LORD shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint."

Psalms 29:11 = "The LORD will give strength unto his people; the LORD will bless his people with peace."

2. God assures us of His presence and help.

2 Corinthians 2:14 "Now thanks be unto God, which always causeth us to triumph in Christ, and maketh manifest the saviour of his knowledge by us in every place."

Hebrews 13:5-6 = "Let your conversation be without covetousness; and be content with such things as ye have: for he hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee. So that we may boldly say, The Lord is my helper, and I will not fear what man shall do unto me."

Acts 18:9-10 = "Then spake the Lord to Paul in the night by a vision, Be not afraid, but speak, and hold not thy peace: For I am with thee, and no man shall set on thee to hurt thee: for I have much people in this city."

3. God gives us courage in the fellowship of His children.

Acts 28:15 = "And from thence, when the brethren heard of us, they came to meet us as far as Appii forum, and The three taverns: whom when Paul saw, he thanked God, and took courage."

2 Corinthians 7:5-7 = "For, when we were come into Macedonia, our flesh had no rest, but we were troubled on every side; without were fightings, within were fears. Nevertheless God, that comforteth those that are cast down, comforted us by the coming of Titus; And not by his coming only, but by the consolation wherewith he was comforted in you, when he told us your earnest desire, your mourning, your fervent mind toward me; so that I rejoiced the more."

Jude 3 = "Beloved, when I gave all diligence to write unto you of the common salvation, it was needful for me to write unto you, and exhort you that ye should earnestly contend for the faith which was once delivered unto the saints."

4. God gives us help from unseen by the human eye.

II Kings 6:16 = "And he answered, Fear not: for they that be with us are more than they that be with them."

4. THE CHILDREN OF GOD MUST BE COURAGEOUS:
1. In the defense of the truth.
1. Paul said, Philippians 1:17 = "But the other of love, knowing that I am set for the defense of the gospel."
2. Our dedication and spiritual sacrifice must be in truth, and not error.
2. In propagation of the truth.
1. The world desires us to be driven to our places of meeting and keep us there.
2. Christ said in Mark 16:15 = "….Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature."
3. We must speaks the gospel with all boldness.

Acts 4:31 = "And when they had prayed, the place was shaken where they were assembled together; and they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and they spake the word of God with boldness."

Acts 9:27 = "But Barnabas took him, and brought him to the apostles, and declared unto them how he had seen the Lord in the way, and that he had spoken to him, and how he had preached boldly at Damascus in the name of Jesus."

3. Courage is necessary for one to live a Christian life.
1. We are a sanctified people that are to live courageous lives before the world.

John 17:17 = "Sanctify them through thy truth: thy word is truth."

Titus 2:14 = "Who gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works."

2. The principles of Christ must be manifest in our lives.

2 Corinthians 3:2 = "Ye are our epistle written in our hearts, known and read of all men:"

3. CONCLUSION:
   
   
1. IN GOD’S WORK THERE IS EVERY REASON FOR US TO HAVE COURAGE.
1. God is with us -- His cause is our cause.

1 Corinthians 3:9 = "For we are labourers together with God: ye are God's husbandry, ye are God's building."

2. God has promised us victory and He will keep His promise.

2 Peter 3:9 = "The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance."

2. PAUL GIVES US THIS STATEMENT OF ENCOURAGEMENT:

1 Corinthians 16:13 = "Watch ye, stand fast in the faith, quit you like men, be strong."

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