Jesus went through all the towns and villages teaching in their synagogues, preaching the good news of the kingdom and healing every disease and sickness. When He saw the crowds, he had compassion on them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd. Matthew 9:35-36 NIV
For this reason, since the day we heard about you, we have not stopped praying for you and asking God to fill you with the knowledge of His will through all spiritual wisdom and understanding.Colossians 1:9 NIV
Living courageously......
Courage comes from Kingdom living!
We have the potential to go beyond "just not sinning" in our lives!
We are overcomers because we are in the Kingdom right now!
The Spirit of the Lord is upon you!
Courage is not a lack of darkness, but the ability to walk through the darkness!
Jesus is our champion....He wants to demonstrate that in our lives!
Without courage, you will not be able to face the "tomorrow" that lies between the "not yet" and the "there it is"!
We must have courage to be a part of the body of Christ!
How to have courage in the Kingdom....
Personal Connection-----Do you know Jesus? Are you growing intensely along the way? Do people catch you talking to Jesus? Do you listen to Him? Do you read AND obey His Word? The most courageous thing that we can do is to have a personal relationship with Jesus! Knowing Jesus gives us the courage to answer the questions in life! (Acts 4:13 Philippians 4:13)
Powerful Connection----There is much power that comes through our relationship with Jesus! His power is always more than enough to deal with any of life's problems that we may experience. In fact, He is our power source! (Prov. 28:1, Psalm 118:18) God's faithfulness is greater than the devils persistence! We can face ANYTHING with His faithfulness!
Committed Connection----God never meant for us to walk alone. It is important that we connect with one another; to be in church regularly, to be a part of a home group, to reach out to others along the way. In Acts 16, the Bible tells us......About midnight, Paul AND Silas were praying and singing hymns to God and the other prisoners were listening to them. Do you value the body of Christ? Are you willing to be involved in to invest in the lives of others?
YOUR COMMITMENT TO CHRIST IS NO GREATER THAN YOUR COMMITMENT TO HIS BODY.