Walk in Courage (i)

Everywhere I go, I am always asked why it is that God chooses to use me. People say: "You were born into a Hindu family, in a place called Bellary which no one has ever heard of. Yet God uses you so powerfully. What's the secret?

Well, brothers and sisters, I can honestly say that God has no favorites. He never says that one man is very special and another is not. To God, every one is equal. The Bible says that we serve a God who is no respecter of persons.

So if it is true that God loves everybody the same, why are some people used and others not? Why do some see miracles in their ministry and others see nothing?

Let's get two things crystal clear from the start and make sure we understand them.

Firstly - God has no favorites
Secondly - in the kingdom of God there are no secrets.

In the world many people keep things up their sleeve known as "tricks of the trade". I always remember a story my mother told me on this subject when I was a little boy. It was about the day a tiger met a cat.

The tiger said to the cat: "You're so clever. Can you teach me how to be as good a hunter as you?"

"OK," replied the cat, and the lessons began. The cat put the tiger through his paces until the graduation day finally came. The cat gave the tiger a certificate and told him, "Right, tiger, the course is over. I've taught you everything and now you're an expert in the art of hunting."

"Thank you," said the tiger. Then he added with a greedy grin: "You know, cat, all the time you were teaching me, I could only think of one thing. You are so clever and wise, and I kept wondering how tasty your brain must be! So I made up my mind I would find out!" Before he had finished speaking, the tiger pounced. But the cat was too quick for him, and immediately shot up a tree. Unfortunately for the tiger, when he tried to climb the tree too, he found that he couldn't. The tiger was most put out, and angrily protested: "Now look here, cat, you said you had taught me everything, but you didn't teach me how to climb trees!"

"You're right," replied the cat. "I am wise and intelligent, so I soon got the measure of you. I knew that if I taught you everything, you'd kill me, so I held back that one secret from you."

But the kingdom of God is not like that; there are no secrets. God wants everyone to understand the entire Word of God. Jesus said in Mark 4:21:

"Do you bring in a lamp to put it under a bowl or a bed? Instead, don't you put it on its stand?"

I want to share with you some thoughts about one quality you need to live your life as a Christian. It can mean the difference between success and failure. Without taking these principles on board, you won't be able to accomplish anything, either in your Christian life or in your secular life. So if you want success, follow this advice, and I pray that God will make it plain to you and impart it into your life.

The Bible says that God used Moses to bring the Israelites out of Egypt. But for forty years, they roamed in the wilderness. After this time, they came to the river Jordan. However, God told Moses that he could not enter the promised land, only see it from a distance. Moses was to make Joshua the next leader of Israel before he died.

The Bible says Moses laid hands on Joshua and appointed him leader, then Moses died and Joshua took over his leadership role (Joshua was nearly 80 years old at this time). So Joshua surveyed the one million Israelites before him and thought: "If Moses could not lead these people into the promised land, how on earth am I supposed to lead them?" What a fine congregation Joshua had inherited from Moses. One million stubborn, stiff necked people. He must have cried out: "Of God, my master Moses could not lead them, so how can I do it?"

Dear friend, Joshua had a big challenge in front of him. Well, the Christian life is a life of challenges. Whether you like it or not, the moment you give your life to Jesus, you become a soldier of Jesus Christ. If you have given your life to the Lord Jesus Christ, say aloud and boldly: "I am a soldier of the Lord Jesus Christ!"

But what's the use of that if the soldier does not want to fight? Many Christians don't want challenges in their life. They just want a nice easy ride. One day a lady came and asked me to pray for her. "What shall I pray for?" I asked, and she replied: "Pray that I will have no problems in my life." "OK," O said, laid hands on her and prayed, "God kill her and take her to heaven." She ducked away from under my hands, startled and angry. She said, "Preacher, I did not ask you to pray that I should die. I don't want to die. I just don't want problems!"

I said, "Sister, as long as you live in this world you will have problems. The only place where you won't have any is heaven. If you don't want problems, then heaven is the only place for you. The Christian life is a life of challenges."

So Joshua had a real challenge before him. He was confused.

But every time a child of God stands at crossroads, he can expect God to speak to him, and God spoke to Joshua in Joshua 1:9:

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

Now when God says: "I command you", it means you must listen carefully. You have no option, you have to do it!

What was the command God gave? "Be strong and of good courage!" Courage! What a powerful word!

Courage is the most important characteristic of a Christian. Without courage in your life, you can do nothing. You cannot have a ministry and serve the Lord without courage. You cannot advance in your job without courage. You cannot succeed in your education without courage. If there is one quality I want you to go after in my life, it is courage!

God is saying to us today: "Have I not commanded you? Be strong and of good courage." Just like He urged Joshua, God is encouraging us to be of good courage.

There's something else that creeps into our lives all too often, which has exactly the opposite effect. It is discouragement.

Many people say: "God gives discouragement to teach us lesson

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