The fear that has gripped Ugandans, at this time when evil and wickedness has invaded and captured our nation, is at alarming levels. The call for strength and courage is urgently needed for every Ugandan, especially we the Christians.
Fear invaded the earth upon the fall of man (Genesis 3:1-24), and God knows it. That is the reason why He told Joshua upon commissioning him, “be strong and courageous.”
He said it three times (Joshua 1:6,7, and 9). God knew that naturally Joshua would fear the battles he was expected to fight. Joshua took God’s message to heart. He found the strength and courage he needed in his relationship with God. As a result, he was able to succeed in his responsibility to deliver the nation of Israel to the promised land.
To be strong and courageous calls for total obedience to God because He’s our source of strength. I have come to realize that power, confidence, and influence comes from a strong sense of identity. If your identity is God, you will not be afraid.
Joshua was successful in his task because of his obedience to God. Even for what looked like unbelievable instructions, Joshua obeyed. Even as a military man, he put down his physical weapons, and obeyed God’s instructions to “go around the walls of Jericho for six days, once every day, and seven times on the seventh day.” (Joshua 6:1-21)
His strong faith in God and the experience of God’s power revealed through Moses caused Joshua to obey God in all ways. He was confident in God’s strength and courageous in the face of opposition and he was willing to seek God’s guidance. God had told him that He had already delivered Jericho into his hands.
The good news I have for us today, is that the same God tells us, our enemy Satan has already been defeated. Romans 8:37 says, “No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us.” Additionally, Hebrews 2:14-15 reveals that, “…By embracing death, taking it into himself, he [Jesus] destroyed the Devil’s hold on death and freed all who cower through life, scared to death of death.”
We can only be victorious in our battles both at work, in our families and nation by depending on God with absolute obedience. There is no halfway obedience.
David’s God is your God
The small boy David, perceived as too young and powerless to defeat Goliath, challenged the giant saying, “You come to me with a sword, a spear, and a javelin, but I come to you in the name of the Lord of hosts, the God of the armies of Israel, whom you have taunted.”(1 Samuel 17:45)
David’s God is your God. David was able to strike down and kill the giant Goliath because he believed, obeyed and honored God. He said, “For who is this uncircumcised Philistine, that he should defy the armies of the living God?” (1 Samuel 17:26). In life, you’ve got to lift your God high above the challenges you are experiencing.
When Daniel was thrown into the den of lions he believed that God would rescue him. Together with his friends, they said, “But even if he does not rescue us, we want you as king to know that we will not serve your gods or worship the gold statue you set up.” (Daniel 6)
The good news is that when you stand in obedience to God, be guaranteed He will rescue you. When Daniel was thrown into the den of lions, the Pagan king didn’t know that the Lion of Judah was already there. So friends, the key to being strong and courageous is total trust and faith in God, which makes us obey Him.
We must know that we can’t build and grow our faith and trust in the Lord without trials, troubles and temptation. Abraham is known as the father of faith. He had to grow and build his faith through trials and challenges.
Genesis 20:1–16 narrates how out of fear, Abraham, then Abram, instructed his wife Sarah to tell people in Egypt that she was his sister instead of his wife. This prompted Abimelech to try to take Sarah as a wife; however, God intervened. The good news I have for you is that our God is so faithful. He never abandoned Abraham. So, even when you make a mistake, don’t abandon God, don’t run away.
As a result of this experience with God, the good news again, is that Abraham eventually grew total faith that he did not fear sacrificing his son in obedience to God.
Faith is a journey
I want to encourage you today that faith is a journey. Go through it, God will hold your hand.
Peter, one of Jesus’ twelve disciples, also shows us the journey of growing in faith. This is a man who knew and lived with Jesus all the time. In fact Jesus said to him, “I say to you that you are Peter, and upon this rock I will build My church.” However, what did he do? Matthew 14:22-33 reveals an incident where Peter’s faith was shaken. When he took his focus off Jesus and looked at the waves churning beneath his feet, he had fear and started to sink in the water.
Secondly, he denied Jesus in spite of a personal vow that he would go to the death with Jesus: “Lord, why can I not follow you now? I will lay down my life for you.” Jesus answered, “Will you lay down your life for me? Truly, truly, I say to you, the rooster will not crow till you have denied me three times” (John 13:37-38).
Thirdly, when he spent time without seeing Jesus after crucifixion, rather than stepping into the resurrected life and moving forward to be an apostle, Peter reverted back to being merely a fisherman. And evidently, he brought the others with him.
Through all this, it might look like Peter was failing but, he was growing his faith (John 21:15-17).
Fear: A conviction of the absence of God
I want to say thanks to our faithful God who promises never to leave us nor abandon us. At pentecost, after receiving the Holy Spirit, Peter who was once fearful, was filled with the Holy Spirit. His faith grew up. He was so bold and courageous that on that day, he won thousands for His master.
Don’t be challenged, don’t be scared. It is a journey you must walk step by step. We have seen these patriarchs who walked the journey until they completely got filled with the Holy Spirit of God. They abandoned their discouragement and weakness.
As I end, I want to say please, grow in faith and trust God. It is a journey which our God is ready to walk with us. Don’t worry if you have been failing. Rise up now and ensure to read the Word of God and pray daily. Stay in touch with God, who will give you the wisdom and power you need to stay strong and courageous. May the good Lord help you to do that.
