COURAGE
Contend for your Faith 2
Jude 1:3 TPT “Dearly loved friend, I was fully intending to write to you about our amazing salvation we all participate in, but felt the need instead to challenge you to vigorously defend and contend for the beliefs that we cherish. For God, through the apostles, has once for all entrusted these truths to his holy believers.”
Beloved: agapētos Thayer Definition: beloved, esteemed, dear, favourite, worthy of love
Exhort: to strongly encourage (someone) to do something.
– Urge
– Persuade
– Put pressure on
Opposite would be to DETER or DISCOURAGE!
- Let’s turn to an OT story that will bear some keys to walking with COURAGE in todays climate!
How not to repeat your Parents mistakes:
- HIS LOVE IS unconditional and has you COVERED!
Romans 8:32-37 NKJV “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? Who shall bring a charge against God’s elect? It is God who justifies. Who is he who condemns? It is Christ who died, and furthermore is also risen, who is even at the right hand of God, who also makes intercession for us. Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? As it is written: “For Your sake we are killed all day long; We are accounted as sheep for the slaughter.” Yet in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us.”
Genesis 26:12-16 NKJV “Then Isaac sowed in that land (obedience, diligence, hard-work, persistence and honouring God), and reaped (received) in the same year a hundredfold (can mean 100 times more or it could describe the “maximum yield possible); and the Lord blessed him. The man began to prosper, and continued prospering until he became very prosperous; for he had possessions of flocks and possessions of herds and a great number of servants. So the Philistines envied him. Now the Philistines had stopped up all the wells which his father’s servants had dug in
the days of Abraham his father, and they had filled them with earth. And Abimelech said to Isaac, “Go away from us, for you are much mightier than we.”
- When we understand who we are in Christ and that we are clothed in His Righteousness we become unstoppable!
Genesis 26:17-18 NKJV “Then Isaac departed from there and pitched his tent in the Valley of Gerar, and dwelt there. (You must know when to shake it off and move on) And Isaac dug again the wells of water which they had dug in the days of Abraham his father, for the Philistines had stopped them up after the death of Abraham. He called them by the names which his father had called them.”
- Beersheba which means “well of the seven fold oath” (NOW Seven speak to us of Perfection (completion), it’s were Abraham made covenant, reminding us of our “everlasting Covenant” in Jesus
Conclusion: Behind every promise of God is the purpose and power of God, therefore faith knows that God’s Promises are as good as ready money “at the set time.”
Genesis 26:19-20 NKJV “Also Isaac’s servants dug in the valley, and found a well of running water there. But the herdsmen of Gerar quarrelled with Isaac’s herdsmen, saying, “The water is ours.” So he called the name of the well Esek, because they quarreled with him.”
Esek: Strife and Contention
We must learn stay away from striving firstly in the arm of our strength and ambition and secondly in our relationships, Strife hinders faith and limits the anointing!
Proverbs 20:3 AMP “It is an honor for a man to keep away from strife [by handling situations with thoughtful foresight], But any fool will [start a] quarrel [without regard for the consequences].”
Strife is caused by: Unrestrained Anger, pride, competitiveness, our tongue, selfishness, unresolved issues or a skewed perspective, always needing to be right, gossip and hatred, all these nurture and stimulate strife in your life!
Genesis 26:21 NKJV “Then they dug another well, and they quarreled over that one also. So he called its name Sitnah.” Sitnah: on the surface is also strife, but the root word is “to be in Opposition” leading to Accusation, Quarrel or attack.
- Hold onto your PEACE it carries tremendous power to make you FRUITFUL & SUCCESSFUL!
Genesis 26:22 NKJV “And he moved from there and dug another well, and they did not quarrel over it. So he called its name Rehoboth, because he said, “For now the Lord has made room for us, and we shall be fruitful in the land.”
Rehoboth: A Broad and open place, it means to have ROOM to grow and expand!
- When we make room for Jesus (Secret Place) He begins to clear the clutter and brings us to a “WIDE SPACE”
Genesis 26:23-25 NKJV “Then he went up from there to Beersheba (Covenant). And the Lord appeared to him the same night and said, “I am the God of your father Abraham; do not fear, for I am with you. I will bless you and multiply your descendants for My servant Abraham’s sake.” So he built an altar there and called on the name of the Lord, and he pitched his tent there; and there Isaac’s servants dug a well.”
- COURAGE goes hand in hand with FAITH giving us a positive outlook and attitude even when things look BLEEK!
- COURAGE isn’t always the absence of fear, it’s doing what’s required in-spite of fear been present!
Acts 4:33 AMPC “And with great strength and ability and power the apostles delivered their testimony to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus, and great grace (loving-kindness and favor and goodwill) rested richly upon them all.” COURAGE is the spark the ignites our potential and will cause us to be ENCOURAGERS It’s gives our life and actions substance and helps us to see the potential in others, let’s stay connected with each other and help each other when we are going through hard times!
THATS THE ESSENCE OF THE GOSPEL OF GRACE, AMD ITS HOW WE CONTEND FOR THE FAITH!
