THE COURAGE TO CONQUER
Introduction:
A. Joshua 1. God’s constant reminder to Joshua to be “strong & courageous”.
B. Text: 1 Sam. 17:36,37 -- Text bespeaks of the great courage.
C. David had -- the courage to conquer.
D. 1 Samuel 17:36-37 NKJV 36 "Your servant has killed both lion and bear; and this uncircumcised Philistine will be like one of them, seeing he has defied the armies of the living God." 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 hand of this Philistine." And Saul said to David, "Go, and the LORD be with you!"
E. David faced opposition not only from the giant Goliath but also from his own people, including King Saul and his own brothers. (Describe).
F. David's faith in God was the key to his courage.
G. Where did David get the confidence and courage to fight Goliath?
1. How can David's courage inspire us to have the courage to fight the "giants" you and I must face? (Rom. 15:4).
A. From his own personal experiences.
B. From the blending of the human and divine elements. (1 Sam. 17:36,37).
1. From emphasis on the human side first.
2. From emphasis on the divine side most (17:37,45-47).
1 Samuel 17:45-47 NKJV 45 Then David said to the Philistine, "You come to me with a sword, with a spear, and with a javelin. But I come to you in the name of the LORD of hosts, the God of the armies of Israel, whom you have defied. 46 "This day the LORD will deliver you into my hand, and I will strike you and take your head from you. And this day I will give the carcasses of the camp of the Philistines to the birds of the air and the wild beasts of the earth, that all the earth may know that there is a God in Israel. 47 "Then all this assembly shall know that the LORD does not save with sword and spear; for the battle is the LORD'S, and He will give you into our hands."
C. From his faith in the immutability of God.
D. From his faith that he along with God was sufficient for the task.
A. The "giant" of family opposition (Matt. 10:34-39).
Matthew 10:34-39 NKJV 34 "Do not think that I came to bring peace on earth. I did not come to bring peace but a sword. 35 "For I have come to 'set a man against his father, a daughter against her mother, and a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law'; 36 "and 'a man's enemies will be those of his own household.' 37 "He who loves father or mother more than Me is not worthy of Me. And he who loves son or daughter more than Me is not worthy of Me. 38 "And he who does not take his cross and follow after Me is not worthy of Me. 39 "He who finds his life will lose it, and he who loses his life for My sake will find it.
B. The "giant" of peer pressure.
C. The "giant" of criticism.
D. The "giant" of the courage to dream.
E. The "giant" of trials and troubles of everyday life.
1. Job 14:1 NKJV 1 "Man who is born of woman Is of few days and full of trouble.
2. James 1:2 NKJV 2 My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various trials,
F. The "giant" of false religion (2 Cor. 10:3-6).
2 Corinthians 10:3-6 NKJV 3 For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war according to the flesh. 4 For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal but mighty in God for pulling down strongholds, 5 casting down arguments and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ, 6 and being ready to punish all disobedience when your obedience is fulfilled.
G. The "giant" of facing your own mortality (Heb. 2:14,15).
Hebrews 2:14-15 NKJV 14 Inasmuch then as the children have partaken of flesh and blood, He Himself likewise shared in the same, that through death He might destroy him who had the power of death, that is, the devil, 15 and release those who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage.
A. From your own personal experiences.
B. From your recognizing the blending of both the human and divine sides.
1. From stressing the human element first.
2. From recognizing the divine side most.
C. From firmly believing in the immutability of God. (He always has and always will bless the efforts of His faithful children-- Rom. 8:28,29).
D. From realizing our sufficiency is from God (Phil. 4:13; 2 Cor. 3:5; 12:7-10).
1. Philippians 4:13 NKJV 13 I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.
2. 2 Corinthians 3:5 NKJV 5 Not that we are sufficient of ourselves to think of anything as being from ourselves, but our sufficiency is from God,
IV.
Why Do We Need To Develop Our Courage To Face Our
"Giants"?
A. So your life can make a difference for good.
B. So you can always be on the winning side...Rom. 8:31,32.
Romans 8:31-32 NKJV 31 What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? 32 He who did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him up for us all, how shall He not with Him also freely give us all things?
C. Like David of old and most importantly, for the glory of God and for the salvation of His people (1 Sam. 17:45-47).
CONCLUSION:
I. Courage is not the absence of fear. Without fear we'd need no courage.
II. Courage is doing the right thing even though you may be shaking in your boots.
III. Your inspiration for courage is Jesus Christ. Consider the courage He had to do what He did to save you and me!
IV. Do you have the faith now to do the courageous thing and step out on the promises of God to obey the gospel?
-----Tommy Hagewood in Biblical Insights, Vol. 3, No. 6, June, 2003.