“Mental or moral strength to venture, persevere, and withstand danger, fear, or difficulty.”1

As we see from the definition, courage only appears when you need moral or mental strength to venture out at a time when it’s dangerous or when fear or difficulty is evident. Such a person who will do this we call “courageous.”

Let’s look for a moment at self-confidence. Courageous people believe in themselves. They know who they are and what they stand for. They have strong values, recognize their personal capabilities, and are confident in meeting the challenges that lie before them.

Such a concept almost seems wrong or sacrilegious. After all, our greatest battle is with self! Nonetheless, God is trying to give us confidence and what He can do through us. The apostle Paul explains: “I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me” (Philippians 4:13).

“Our dependence is not in what man can do; it is in what God can do for man through Christ. When we surrender ourselves wholly to God, and fully believe, the blood of Christ cleanses from all sin. The conscience can be freed from condemnation. Through faith in His blood, all may be made perfect in Christ Jesus. Thank God that we are not dealing with impossibilities.”2

“Whenever man accomplishes anything, whether in spiritual or in temporal lines, he should bear in mind that he does it through cooperation with his Maker. There is great necessity for us to realize our dependence on God. Too much confidence is placed in man, too much reliance on human inventions. There is too little confidence in the power which God stands ready to give. ‘We are laborers together with God.’ 1 Corinthians 3:9. Immeasurably inferior is the part which the human agent sustains; but if he is linked with the divinity of Christ, he can do all things through the strength that Christ imparts.”3

“There are always a few who think, when their brethren are pulling forward, that it is their duty to pull back. They object to everything that is proposed, and make war on every plan that they have not themselves originated. Here is an opportunity for persons to develop inordinate self-confidence.”4

We must have courage; we must be courageous and have self-confidence in what God can do and will do through us if we let Him. Our danger lies in not depending on God. That kind of self-confidence becomes inordinate.

1. Not within proper or reasonable limits; immoderate; excessive.

2. Unrestrained in conduct, feelings, etc.

3. Disorderly; uncontrolled.

We must be under the control of God that He may do great things for us, our families, our churches, and society. So, God’s presence in our life dispels many things that His absence would allow the enemy to use to control us.

The enemy will always try to instill fear, but “God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind” (2 Timothy 1:7).

An example of what God can do for us is found in the experience faced by Israel in its crisis over the threat of giant Goliath taunting them morning and evening.

Yet “David said to Saul, let no man’s heart fail because of him; thy servant will go and fight with this Philistine” (1 Samuel 17:32).

We find that the enemy had come in and instilled fear in the entire army of Israel. The great need was courage—but all were afraid! Whom could God inspire? Where was courage? It was found in a young shepherd boy seemingly out of place at the wrong time—and yet fearless. David, seeing the situation, claimed victory.

“What an inspiration of courage and lofty faith was displayed by the simple shepherd before the armies of the Israelites and the Philistines. There was a ring of fearlessness in his tone, a look of triumph and rejoicing upon his fair countenance.”5

“Therefore David ran, and stood upon the Philistine, and took his sword, and drew it out of the sheath thereof, and slew him, and cut off his head therewith. And when the Philistines saw their champion was dead, they fled” (1 Samuel 17:51).

The enemy, when seeing true courage and self-confidence in what God can do through His representatives, turns and runs.

“The Philistines were smitten with terror. They knew that the day was lost. In horror and confusion they began an irregular retreat. The shout of the triumphant Hebrews echoed along the summits of the mountains.”6

What gave David this courage and faith? God does not bestow faith upon us, but He gives us a start!

“For I say, through the grace given unto me, to every man that is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think; but to think soberly, according as God hath dealt to every man the measure of faith” (Romans 12:3).

I believe that faith is an experience. When we first meet God, we have no experience on which to build, so God gives to every man that initial gift to lean on. When Goliath came to threaten and intimidate Israel, young David already had a previous experience with what God could do.

“David said unto Saul, thy servant kept his father’s sheep, and there came a lion, and a bear, and took a lamb out of the flock: and I went out after him, and smote him, and delivered it out of his mouth: and when he arose against me, I caught him by his beard, and smote him, and slew him. Thy servant slew both the lion and the bear: and this uncircumcised Philistine shall be as one of them, seeing he hath defied the armies of the living God. David said moreover, The Lord that delivered me out of the paw of the lion, and out of the paw of the bear, he will deliver me out of the hand of this Philistine. And Saul said unto David, Go, and the Lord be with thee” (1 Samuel 17:34–37).

“Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen” (Hebrews 11:1). This requires complete trust or confidence in someone or something.

Such an experience only comes to those who are willing to step forward when others want to keep silent or hide. We can look at another example, Elijah the Tishbite.

“And Elijah the Tishbite, who was of the inhabitants of Gilead, said unto Ahab, As the Lord God of Israel liveth, before whom I stand, there shall not be dew nor rain these years, but according to my word” (1 Kings 17:1).

From where did this man appear? How did he have such courage to go before such a corrupt king?

“Among the mountains of Gilead, east of the Jordan, there dwelt in the days of Ahab a man of faith and prayer whose fearless ministry was destined to check the rapid spread of apostasy in Israel. Far removed from any city of renown, and occupying no high station in life, Elijah the Tishbite nevertheless entered upon his mission confident in God’s purpose to prepare the way before him and to give him abundant success. The word of faith and power was upon his lips, and his whole life was devoted to the work of reform.”7

Elijah was not from a prominent family; he was not well known, but he had a fearless ministry and he was full of confidence in God—so much so that he devoted his whole life to the work of reform. We could say he was full of confidence in God and had a courageous ministry of reform. That gave this unknown man the courage to stand before corruption and denounce it. It did not matter to Elijah if he were the only one left who was still serving God. He would stand for the right!

In the showdown on Mount Carmel, “Then said Elijah unto the people, I, even I only, remain a prophet of the Lord; but Baal’s prophets are four hundred and fifty men” (1 Kings 18:22).

As Elijah stands before this vast assembly, God is able to use this courageous man to display His presence through him.

“Unashamed, unterrified, the prophet stands before the multitude, fully aware of his commission to execute the divine command. His countenance is lighted with an awful solemnity. In anxious expectancy the people wait for him to speak. Looking first upon the broken-down altar of Jehovah, and then upon the multitude, Elijah cries out in clear, trumpetlike tones, ‘How long halt ye between two opinions? if the Lord be God, follow Him: but if Baal, then follow him.’ ”8

Now is the time for courage to shine forth from the assembly. Now is the time to be courageous and stand with God!

“The people answer him not a word. Not one in that vast assembly dare reveal loyalty to Jehovah. Like a dark cloud, deception and blindness had overspread Israel. Not all at once had this fatal apostasy closed about them, but gradually, as from time to time they had failed to heed the words of warning and reproof that the Lord sent them. Each departure from right doing, each refusal to repent, had deepened their guilt and driven them farther from Heaven. And now, in this crisis, they persisted in refusing to take their stand for God.”9

Not one person was willing to take a stand, not one had enough courage to step forward. What could have led to this sad state of affairs, this apostasy? An unwillingness to repent from wrongdoing, an unwillingness to reform, a state of complacency. This all led to darkness, deception, and blindness. What a condition to be in! What was God looking for in them?

“The Lord abhors indifference and disloyalty in a time of crisis in His work.”10

Some common synonyms for “abhor” are abominate, detest, hate, and loathe. Is this not the same condition found in the church mentioned in the present era?

“And unto the angel of the church of the Laodiceans write; These things saith the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the beginning of the creation of God; I know thy works, that thou art neither cold nor hot: I would thou wert cold or hot. So then because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spue thee out of my mouth. Because thou sayest, I am rich, and increased with goods, and have need of nothing; and knowest not that thou art wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked” (Revelation 3:14–17).

When we are willing to devote our life to God, He is willing to intervene in our behalf. We have the victory—we just need to claim it.

“How gladly would Satan, who fell like lightning from heaven, come to the help of those whom he has deceived, whose minds he has controlled, and who are fully devoted to his service. Gladly would he send the lightning and kindle their sacrifices; but Jehovah has set Satan’s bounds. He has restrained his power, and all his devices cannot convey one spark to Baal’s altars.”11

Elijah now has the victory of the battle. The prophets of Baal have been defeated, great victory has come for God. Now Elijah’s faith must be proven.

“As [Elijah] prayed, his faith reached out and grasped the promises of Heaven, and he persevered in prayer until his petitions were answered. He did not wait for the full evidence that God had heard him, but was willing to venture all on the slightest token of divine favor. And yet what he was enabled to do under God, all may do in their sphere of activity in God’s service; for of the prophet from the mountains of Gilead it is written: ‘Elias was a man subject to like passions as we are, and he prayed earnestly that it might not rain: and it rained not on the earth by the space of three years and six months.’ James 5:17.”12

What encouraging words—what a promise is here given for you and me! Elijah was not some super-human, not some extraordinary man, but his faith had made him more than human. He was a man (or of mankind) like you or me. What he had we can have; it just takes faith.

“Faith such as this is needed in the world today—faith that will lay hold on the promises of God’s word and refuse to let go until Heaven hears.”13

Our faith must be continually tested so that the Lord might perform great and marvelous reforms in our lives, then through us to others. If we forget to rely on God, reformation stops.

“Only a few hours had passed since he had witnessed a wonderful manifestation of divine power, and this should have given him assurance that he would not now be forsaken. Had he remained where he was, had he made God his refuge and strength, standing steadfast for the truth, he would have been shielded from harm. The Lord would have given him another signal victory by sending His judgments on Jezebel; and the impression made on the king and the people would have wrought a great reformation.”14

Daniel is another man of courage we can consider. What allowed Daniel to display such courage?

“Through the fidelity to the principles of temperance shown by the Hebrew youth God is speaking to the youth of today. There is need of men who like Daniel will do and dare for the cause of right. Pure hearts, strong hands, fearless courage, are needed; for the warfare between vice and virtue calls for ceaseless vigilance. To every soul Satan comes with temptation in many alluring forms on the point of indulgence of appetite.”15

It is Daniel’s adherence to temperance that gave him such courage. Knowing he was complying with the standards God had set, he could have the courage to stand for the right. We are living in radical times. It seems like radicalism is everywhere. What would God have us be like?

“There is need now of men like Daniel—men who have the self-denial and the courage to be radical temperance reformers. Let every Christian see that his example and influence are on the side of reform. Let ministers of the gospel be faithful in sounding the warnings to the people. And let all remember that our happiness in two worlds depends upon the right improvement of one.”16

I never thought there would be a day that God would call for “radical” reform, yet the times demand it. This not talking about individual demands, but a social change in me, you, and others.

This word especially refers to change or action relating to or affecting the fundamental nature of something; far-reaching or thorough as in, for example, a radical overhaul of something that already exists as a status quo.

God is calling for a thorough change in us to stand on a higher platform of truth.

“The only hope for our people now is to take their stand on the true foundation. Higher and still higher they are to raise the banner of truth. Not for one moment are they to give place to the enemy.”17

This age in which we live is demanding extremes in all areas of life and it will take dedicated youth to meet this challenge.

“There is earnest work to be done in this age, and parents should educate their children to share in it. . . . Young men should be gaining solidity of character, that they may be fitted for usefulness. Daniel and Joseph were youth of firm principle, whom God could use to carry out His purposes. Mark their history, and see how God wrought for them. Joseph met with a variety of experiences, experiences that tested his courage and uprightness to the fullest extent. . . . But he is not discouraged. He trusts in God; and the purpose of his heart, the purity of his motive, is made manifest. The eye of God is upon him, a divine hand leads him, and soon we see him come forth from prison to share the throne of Egypt.”18

God has always sought to give us courage and hope in this life we must live.

The call echoes from Heaven: “Have not I commanded thee? Be strong and of a good courage; be not afraid, neither be thou dismayed: for the Lord thy God is with thee whithersoever thou goest” (Joshua 1:9).

“All through the ages, God has had moral heroes, and He has them now—those who, like Joseph and Elijah and Daniel, are not ashamed to acknowledge themselves His peculiar people. His special blessing accompanies the labors of men of action, men who will not be swerved from the straight line of duty, but who with divine energy will inquire, ‘Who is on the Lord’s side?’ ”19

May you find that courage needed to do God’s will now in these dangerous times. May the Lord God give you the courage to reform the weak areas of your life, the ones that give us fear.