Having Courage in a Discouraging World

Discouraged: adjective

having lost confidence or enthusiasm; disheartened, fearing failure, weakened by difficulties, tempted to give up or to give in

Courage

mental or moral strength to venture, persevere, and withstand danger, fear, or difficulty.

the ability to do something that frightens one.

The Six Types of Courage

Physical courage – Feeling fear yet choosing to act.
Emotional courage – Opening ourselves up to feeling the full spectrum of emotions – pleasant and unpleasant
Intellectual courage – It is about our willingness to learn, unlearn and relearn with an open mind.
Social courage –risking social embarrassment or exclusion, or unpopularity or rejection.
Moral courage – Standing up for what is right even when it is uncomfortable or unpopular.
Spiritual courage – Facing pain, difficulties, and troubles with faith and trust in God.

“You will never do anything in this world without courage. It is the greatest quality of the mind next to honour.” – Aristotle

Having Courage in a Discouraging World

Heartened vs disheartened

Spirited vs dispirited

Courage vs discouraged

Discouragement abounds in our own hearts, at times we can’t get away from it. It takes courage to realize in your life, God’s plan and potential for you.

People and systems and our culture are constantly beating us down.

To keep moving forward you need 2 things, courage and grace. Your courage and God’s grace.

Joshua 1:9

Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go.”

Courage here means -to be sharp, strong, confirmed

1 Chronicles 28:20

David also said to Solomon his son, “Be strong and courageous, and do the work. Do not be afraid or discouraged, for the Lord God, my God, is with you. He will not fail you or forsake you until all the work for the service of the temple of the Lord is finished.

2 Chronicles 32:7

“Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or discouraged because of the king of Assyria and the vast army with him, for there is a greater power with us than with him.

Courage here means -to become sharp, to become strong & confirmed

Deuteronomy 31:8

The Lord himself goes before you and will be with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged.”

Acts 4:13

When they saw the courage of Peter and John and realized that they were unschooled, ordinary men, they were astonished and they took note that these men had been with Jesus.

KJV uses the term boldness -boldness of Peter Greek -free utterance

1 Corinthians 16:13

Be on your guard; stand firm in the faith; be courageous; be strong.

KJV Watch ye, stand fast in the faith, quit you like men, be strong.

An illustration

Napoleon often referred to Marshall Ney as the bravest man he had ever met. Courageous like a lion. Yet Ney’s knees trembled so badly one morning before a battle that he had trouble mounting his horse. When he was finally in the saddle he shouted contemptuously “Shake away knees, you would shake worse if you knew where we going”.

That’s Physical courage – Feeling fear yet choosing to act.

Are you discouraged over something in your life?

Does fear or worry in your life’s journey discourage you and you want to give up or give in?

Failed dreams can discourage, unmet expectations are a downer

WHAT YOU NEED IS COURAGE AND GRACE

-exactly true, and courage and grace can be yours

Courage

Q -if I were to ask you what the source of courage is, you would most likely answer -God is the source of courage.

-that is partly true in that God has built the ability to have courage into all of us.

If I were to ask God what the source of my courage is I think God would say YOU.

You are to have courage -you are to be courageous.

Let me reread some Bible verses to you.

Joshua 1:9

Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go.”

1 Corinthians 16:13

(You) Be on your guard; (you) stand firm in the faith; (you) be courageous; (you) be strong.

But how can I overcome my discouragement; how can I climb out of that hole.

First of all, stand up in the hole of discouragement, stand up, be courageous and stand. God is telling you -just stand up, be courageous, garner the courage from within and stand up. You can do that -stand up.

Joshua 1:9

Have I not commanded you? (you) Be strong and (you be) courageous. Do not be afraid; (you) do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go.”

Second of all, look up, look to for His grace to be coming to you at the moment you stand up and look to God.

Remember to keep moving forward you need 2 things, courage and grace. Your courage and God’s grace

God’s grace to you includes:

His presence with you always Jehovah Shammah

His firm foundation under your feet Jehovah Ha zur^ our rock

His provision for you always Jehovah Jireh

His sure defense around you Jehovah Magin^ee nu

His strength for you Jehovah O^ zee

Discouragement happened to David, David was in the pit, in a discouragement hole.

Psalm 40:1-2

I waited patiently for the Lord

He turned to me and heard my cry

(David stood up in the hole, courage, and David looked up, spoke up. David stood and looked up and prayed)

2 He (Jehovah) lifted me out of the slimy pit

Out of the mud and mire

He set my feet on a rock

And gave me a firm place to stand.

Courage in a discouraging world

Bob Marley wrote a song about courage called Get up, Stand up

-I’ve changed 3 words to suit this topic

Get up, stand up

Stand up face the light

Get up, stand up

Stand up face the light

Get up, stand up

Stand up face the light

Get up, stand up

Don’t give up the fight.

For some of you here today you need to get up and stand up

Garner your courage in the pit of discouragement

STAND UP LOOK UP GRACE IS COMING

Joshua 1:9

Have I not commanded you? (you) Be strong and (you be) courageous. Do not be afraid; (you) do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go.”

In the hole, the pit of discouragement STAND UP be courageous

And Look up your grace giving God is your rock.

Having Courage in a Discouraging World

Discouraged: adjective

having lost confidence or enthusiasm; disheartened, fearing failure, weakened by difficulties, tempted to give up or to give in

Courage

mental or moral strength to venture, persevere, and withstand danger, fear, or difficulty.

the ability to do something that frightens one.

The Six Types of Courage

Physical courage – Feeling fear yet choosing to act.

Emotional courage – Opening ourselves up to feeling the full spectrum of emotions – pleasant and unpleasant

Intellectual courage – It is about our willingness to learn, unlearn and relearn with an open mind.

Social courage –risking social embarrassment or exclusion, or unpopularity or rejection.

Moral courage – Standing up for what is right even when it is uncomfortable or unpopular.

Spiritual courage – Facing pain, difficulties, and troubles with faith and trust in God.

“You will never do anything in this world without courage. It is the greatest quality of the mind next to honour.” – Aristotle

Having Courage in a Discouraging World

Heartened vs disheartened

Spirited vs dispirited

Courage vs discouraged

Discouragement abounds in our own hearts, at times we can’t get away from it. It takes courage to realize in your life, God’s plan and potential for you.

People and systems and our culture are constantly beating us down.

To keep moving forward you need 2 things, courage and grace. Your courage and God’s grace.

Joshua 1:9

Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go.”

Courage here means -to be sharp, strong, confirmed

1 Chronicles 28:20

David also said to Solomon his son, “Be strong and courageous, and do the work. Do not be afraid or discouraged, for the Lord God, my God, is with you. He will not fail you or forsake you until all the work for the service of the temple of the Lord is finished.

2 Chronicles 32:7

“Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or discouraged because of the king of Assyria and the vast army with him, for there is a greater power with us than with him.

Courage here means -to become sharp, to become strong & confirmed

Deuteronomy 31:8

The Lord himself goes before you and will be with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged.”

Acts 4:13

When they saw the courage of Peter and John and realized that they were unschooled, ordinary men, they were astonished and they took note that these men had been with Jesus.

KJV uses the term boldness -boldness of Peter Greek -free utterance

1 Corinthians 16:13

Be on your guard; stand firm in the faith; be courageous; be strong.

KJV Watch ye, stand fast in the faith, quit you like men, be strong.

An illustration

That’s Physical courage – Feeling fear yet choosing to act.

Are you discouraged over something in your life?

Does fear or worry in your life’s journey discourage you and you want to give up or give in?

Failed dreams can discourage, unmet expectations are a downer

WHAT YOU NEED IS COURAGE AND GRACE

-exactly true, and courage and grace can be yours

Courage

Q -if I were to ask you what the source of courage is, you would most likely answer -God is the source of courage.

-that is partly true in that God has built the ability to have courage into all of us.

If I were to ask God what the source of my courage is I think God would say YOU.

You are to have courage -you are to be courageous.

Let me reread some Bible verses to you.

Joshua 1:9

Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go.”

1 Corinthians 16:13

(You) Be on your guard; (you) stand firm in the faith; (you) be courageous; (you) be strong.

But how can I overcome my discouragement; how can I climb out of that hole.

First of all, stand up in the hole of discouragement, stand up, be courageous and stand. God is telling you -just stand up, be courageous, garner the courage from within and stand up. You can do that -stand up.

Joshua 1:9

Have I not commanded you? (you) Be strong and (you be) courageous. Do not be afraid; (you) do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go.”

Second of all, look up, look to for His grace to be coming to you at the moment you stand up and look to God.

Remember to keep moving forward you need 2 things, courage and grace. Your courage and God’s grace

God’s grace to you includes:

His presence with you always Jehovah Shammah

His firm foundation under your feet Jehovah Ha zur^ our rock

His provision for you always Jehovah Jireh

His sure defense around you Jehovah Magin^ee nu

His strength for you Jehovah O^ zee

Discouragement happened to David, David was in the pit, in a discouragement hole.

Psalm 40:1-2

I waited patiently for the Lord

He turned to me and heard my cry

(David stood up in the hole, courage, and David looked up, spoke up. David stood and looked up and prayed)

2 He (Jehovah) lifted me out of the slimy pit

Out of the mud and mire

He set my feet on a rock

And gave me a firm place to stand.

Courage in a discouraging world

Bob Marley wrote a song about courage called Get up, Stand up

-I’ve changed 3 words to suit this topic

Get up, stand up

Stand up face the light