Courage: Comes from Christ in You
God willed to make known what are the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles: which is Christ in you, the hope of glory.-Colossians 1:27 (NKJV)
Courage. Webster's Dictionary defines it as 'the attitude of facing and dealing with anything recognized as dangerous, difficult, or painful, instead of withdrawing from it.' Our English word for courage is actually a compound word derived from heart and trust. This implies that courage happens when people strongly believe and trust in something in their heart. Consequently, their internal conviction propels them past any external obstacles, no matter how dangerous or painful.
As I define courage, I know there's something in all of us that says, I want that! None of us wants to be known as spineless, cowardly, or yellow. We want to be the valiant hero who rises to the occasion and saves the day. But understand, we not only want courage, we need courage if we're to be the kind of Christians who will stand up for God's standards in this darkened world.
So where do we get courage? It's already inside us. Follow the flow: the Bible tells us that Christ lives within every believer (Colossians 1:27) and that Jesus demonstrated an unparalleled amount of courage as He willingly faced the cross (Matthew 26:42). Now, if the most courageous person to ever live is now living in us, it means we have an infinite reservoir of courage within us-only it's not coming from us, it's coming from Christ in us!
When you're tempted to feel more cowardly than courageous, forget about your own abilities and remember that the courage of Christ is accessible inside you. He wants to fill you with His courageous character. Are you willing to receive it?
DIG - How do Christians get courage?
DISCOVER - In those moments when courage is required, do you look to yourself or to Jesus?
DISPLAY - How will you remind yourself to look to Christ for His courage rather than dwell on your own resources?
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At the age of 24, Bob Coy left a coveted position in the music industry to serve as an associate pastor with Calvary Chapel of Las Vegas. In 1985, Bob and his wife, Diane, moved to Fort Lauderdale and began Calvary Chapel of Fort Lauderdale. As senior pastor, he has become well known for his unique style in expounding the Scriptures, making them come alive and relate to those of us living in the 21st century. His teaching style emphasizes the believer's "life application" of the highest standards of God's truth while his delivery captures the loving heart of God's Spirit.
Pastor Bob has had the rare privilege of watching God's miraculous hand move in the individual lives of those in the fellowship as well as the corporate body as a whole. From the first meeting in a living room with four in attendance, Calvary Chapel Fort Lauderdale has now become home to over 17,000 men and women from the tri-county area, and ranks as the eighth largest church in the country. Though many have tried to attribute its rapid growth to numerous reasons, no one is more surprised by the phenomenon than Pastor Bob, who gives total credit and all the glory to God alone.
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