We Must Be Courageous

Isaiah 41:11- behold, all they that were incensed against thee shall be ashamed and confounded: they shall be as nothing; and they that strive with thee shall perish.

This verse is a promise from God to His people, assuring them that their enemies, those who oppose and threaten them, will ultimately be defeated and humiliated. It reflects God’s protection and victory over those who stand against His chosen ones. No matter how powerful the opposition may seem, God guarantees that they will fail and be brought to nothing. In line with our church’s theme; “Threshing Mountains,” we see God equipping His people with power and strength to overcome seemingly insurmountable challenges (the mountains). The promise of Isaiah 41:11 supports this by assuring that any opposition (enemies or obstacles) will be disgraced and destroyed.

This will happen through the power of the Holy Spirit. The power that quickens, reveals and prevails. He gives us power over sin, power over sickness and power over all the powers of the devil. For us to understand what it means to have power, two things are necessary:

1. An ear to hear - Matthew 11:15

Jesus often emphasized the importance of having ears to truly listen. In this context, it means more than just physically hearing words; it’s about having a heart that is attentive and open to God’s truth. To understand and access the power that God offers, we must first be willing to hear His voice, His word, and His guidance. It’s through this attentive listening that we start to comprehend the fullness of the spiritual authority given to us.

2. Hearts of receiving - 1 John 4:4

Once you hear God’s word, the next step is having hearts ready to receive and believe it. A heart of receiving is one that fully trusts in God’s promises, embracing the reality of His presence and power within us. According to the verse, we are reminded that the power of God within us is greater than anything we face in the world. When our hearts are positioned to receive this truth, we walk in confidence and in authority, knowing that we have already overcome through Christ. This is the foundation of spiritual power- believing and living out the truth that God’s Spirit in us equips us to face every challenge with victory.

Today wickedness has increased but we also know that greater is He who is in us and so I am walking in courage refusing to be intimidated by the devil and choosing to walk in victory.

 Story of legion- Mark 5:2-15, Luke 8:26-35.

Lessons learnt from the story.

• Jesus’ authority over evil - Jesus has power and authority over demons and all spiritual forces. His ability to cast out the Legion of demons shows His supremacy over evil and his ability to bring freedom to the oppressed.
• Compassion for the afflicted - Jesus’ interaction with the possessed man shows His deep compassion for those are suffering.
• Transformation is possible - The man’s radical transformation from being possessed and tormented to being healed and in his right mind shows that no one is beyond hope. Jesus can restore even the most broken individuals.
• Rejection of Jesus - Despite witnessing the miracle, the people in the region asked Jesus to leave because they were afraid and focused on the loss of their pigs. This shows how people can sometimes value material possessions or fear change more than accepting Jesus and His power.
• The importance of testimony - when the healed man wanted to follow Jesus, Jesus instructed him to stay and tell others what God had done for him. This emphasizes the importance of sharing our testimonies to bring others to faith.
• Spiritual freedom - the story illustrates the feeling power of Jesus over spiritual bondage. It reminds us that Jesus is able and willing to deliver people from any form of spiritual oppression.

As the children of God, we must be ready to cast out the works of evil without fear. Remember God has promised he’ll help you, even the weakest of us all. After receiving the power of the Holy Ghost, we go and evangelize to our friends/family who know us and be like the blind who spoke of what Jesus did to them. Let them know you are changed, and Jesus can change them too- John 8:49-51. Let us have the courage to pray for the sick even when all hope seems to have gone. We’ve been given a mandate to heal the sick.

Because healing is all about God. Our responsibility is to lay our hands on the sick and give God all the glory for the miracles He does- Hebrews 4:15. Let us be like Peter at the gate of the temple which is called beautiful- Acts 3:6.