(GREATNESS 27)

1. COURAGE IS A MUST. YOU NEED COURAGE TO GO FAR IN LIFE!

DAVID WENT FAR BECAUSE HE WAS UNCOMMONLY COURAGEOUS! YOU NEED TO BE BRAVE!

1Sa 17:32 David told Saul, “LET NO ONE’S COURAGE FAIL BECAUSE OF HIM; your servant will go fight this Philistine.”
1Sa 17:33 Saul told David, “You can’t go against this Philistine and fight him. You are only a young man, but he has been a warrior since his youth.”

COURAGE IS NOT THE ABSENCE OF FEAR. IT IS A DECISION NOT TO SUBMIT TO IT
GNB – 1Sa 17:32 David said to Saul, “Your Majesty, no one should be afraid of this Philistine! I will go and fight him.”

1Sa 17:32 David told Saul, “LET NO ONE’S COURAGE FAIL BECAUSE OF HIM; your servant will go fight this Philistine.”

1. As the Lord lives, I will not give up! My courage will not fail. My heart will not faint!
2. Whatever I need to do, whatever I must do but I am struggling to perform and execute, Lord, give me courage!
3. The courage to fight, to pursue, to follow through and win – Lord, give me! Give me, now.
GNB – 1Sa 17:32 David said to Saul, “Your Majesty, no one should be afraid of this Philistine! I will go and fight him.”

4. Every power of fear – of people, of processes, of confrontation that is hovering over my life, I bind you and cast you out. In the name of Jesus.
5. When the only option is to stand up and fight for what is mine, Courageously, I will stand up and fight! In the name of Jesus.

2. YOU NEED COURAGE TO TAKE DECISIONS! EVEN IN THE FACE OF ACUTE INTIMIDATION.

DAVID WAS COURAGEOUS TO FACE GOLIATH BECAUSE GOLIATH WAS NOT IN HIS LEAGUE AT ALL!

1Sa 17:4 A man named Goliath, from the city of Gath, came out from the Philistine camp to challenge the Israelites. He was over nine feet tall
1Sa 17:5 and wore bronze armor that weighed about 125 pounds and a bronze helmet.
1Sa 17:6 His legs were also protected by bronze armor, and he carried a bronze javelin slung over his shoulder.
1Sa 17:7 His spear was as thick as the bar on a weaver’s loom, and its iron head weighed about fifteen pounds. A soldier walked in front of him carrying his shield.

EVEN WHEN YOU MESS UP AND GETS PUNISHED – YOU NEED COURAGE TO STILL TRUST GOD!

2Sa 24:13 So Gad went to David and asked him, “Shall seven years of famine come to your land, or three months of reversals while you flee from your enemies as they pursue you, or three days of pestilence in your land? Decide right now what I am to answer to the one who sent me.”
2SA 24:14 SO DAVID REPLIED TO GAD, “THIS IS A VERY DIFFICULT CHOICE FOR ME TO MAKE! LET ME NOW PLEASE FALL INTO THE HAND OF THE LORD, SINCE HIS MERCY IS VERY GREAT, BUT MAY I NEVER FALL INTO HUMAN HANDS!”
2Sa 24:15 That very morning, the LORD sent a pestilence to Israel until the conclusion of the time designated, and 70,000 men died from Dan to Beer-sheba.
2Sa 24:16 As the angel was stretching out his hand to destroy Jerusalem, the LORD was grieved because of the calamity, so he told the angel who was afflicting the people, “Enough! Stay your hand!” So the angel of the LORD remained near the threshing floor that belonged to Araunah the Jebusite.

1Sa 17:4 A man named Goliath, from the city of Gath, came out from the Philistine camp to challenge the Israelites. He was over nine feet tall
1Sa 17:5 and wore bronze armor that weighed about 125 pounds and a bronze helmet

6. From now, no one born of a woman will intimidate me! I will not be intimidated.
7. No project, no assignment will intimidate me again! I will pursue and I will win!
8. Father, every strategy to intimidate me to give up that which you have rightly and legitimately given me – I decree, they will fail!
9. No matter the height or shape of the challenge, I will not be discouraged. I will not be confounded. I will not be defeated

2Sa 24:16 As the angel was stretching out his hand to destroy Jerusalem, the LORD was grieved because of the calamity, so he told the angel who was afflicting the people, “Enough! Stay your hand!”

10. “Enough! Stay your hand” Evil, pain, setbacks, delays – Enough! In the name of Jesus- Enough! Specify areas you have had enough.
11. Every agent of destruction operating in my life currently – secretly or openly, stop in the name of Jesus.

3. COURAGE IS NOT STUPIDITY. IT IS A CALCULATED AND DECISIVE CONFIDENCE TO MOVE TOWARDS A GOAL!

DAVID WAS SCARED. SURELY BUT HE HAD COURAGE AND CONFIDENCE IN GOD AND HIMSELF – SEE HERE!

1Sa 17:36 Your servant has struck down both lions and bears, and this uncircumcised Philistine will be like one of them, since he defied the armies of the living God.”
1Sa 17:37 David continued, “The LORD who delivered me from the power of the lion and the power of the bear will also deliver me from the power of this Philistine.” Saul told David, “Go, and may the LORD be with you.”

HOW WILL DAVID FACE GOLIATH WITH STONES? COURAGE!
1Sa 17:40 He took his shepherd’s stick and then picked up five smooth stones from the stream and put them in his bag. With his sling ready, he went out to meet Goliath.
1Sa 17:41 The Philistine started walking toward David, with his shield bearer walking in front of him. He kept coming closer,
1Sa 17:42 and when he got a good look at David, he was filled with scorn for him because he was just a nice, good-looking boy.

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SOMETIMES COURAGE COMES TO YOUR AID FROM EXTERNAL PEOPLE SHOWING IT!

Mar 2:3 when some people came and brought him a paralyzed man being carried by four men.
Mar 2:4 Since they couldn’t bring him to Jesus because of the crowd, they made an opening in the roof over the place where he was. They dug through it and let down the mat on which the paralyzed man was lying.
Mar 2:5 When Jesus saw their faith, he told the paralyzed man, “Son, your sins are forgiven.”

Mar 2:4 Since they couldn’t bring him to Jesus because of the crowd, they made an opening in the roof over the place where he was. They dug through it and let down the mat on which the paralyzed man was lying.

12. Father, send me courageous people who will make my issues and matter their agenda!
13. Lord Jesus, send me people with courageous ideas to help my destiny!
14. As the Lord lives, people who have courageously stood by me will not lose their rewards – bless them, Lord!

4. COURAGE IS NOT ARROGANCE. IT IS HUMILITY IN THE FACE OF REJECTION AND ATTACKS!

COURAGEOUS PEOPLE FACE TOUGH AND DIFFICULT PEOPLE – NOT WITH ARROGANCE BUT WITH HUMILITY, SMARTNESS AND WISDOM!

1Sa 24:3 He came to the sheepfolds beside the road. There was a cave there, and Saul went in to relieve himself. Now David and his men were sitting in the inner recesses of the cave.
1Sa 24:4 David’s men told him, “Look, today is the day about which the LORD spoke to you when he said, ‘I’ll give your enemy into your hand.’ Do to him whatever you want!” David rose and stealthily cut off the corner of Saul’s robe.
1Sa 24:7 David restrained his men with his words and did not allow them to rebel against Saul. Saul got up from the cave and started off.

SEE ANOTHER COURAGEOUS ATTEMPT AND THAT WAS THE BEGINNING OF THE END OF THE BATTLE WITH SAUL!

1Sa 24:8 Then David got up, went out of the cave, and called out to Saul: “Your majesty!” Saul looked behind him, and David bowed down with his face to the ground and prostrated himself.

1Sa 24:10 Look, this very day you saw with your own eyes that the LORD gave you into my control in the cave, and one of my men told kill you, but I had pity on you and responded, ‘I won’t lift my hand against his majesty because he’s the LORD’s anointed.’
1Sa 24:11 See, my father, see! The corner of your robe is in my hand. Indeed, by my cutting off the corner of your robe and not killing you, you may know and understand that I have no evil intent or transgression—I haven’t wronged you, even though you are hunting me to take my life.

1Sa 24:15 May the LORD act as judge, and may he decide between me and you. May he see, may he plead my case, and may he vindicate me in this dispute against you.”
1Sa 24:16 When David had finished saying these things to Saul, Saul asked, “Is this your voice, my son David?” Then Saul cried loudly
1Sa 24:17 to David, “You are more righteous than I am, because you have treated me well even though I’ve treated you poorly.
1Sa 24:18 You have explained how you treated me well, in that the LORD delivered me into your hand but you didn’t kill me.

1Sa 24:15 May the LORD act as judge, and may he decide between me and you. May he see, may he plead my case, and may he vindicate me in this dispute against you.”

15. Father, vindicate me. Against forces intent of destroying me, vindicate me courageously!
16. Every temptation to make me make mistake in legitimately fighting for that which is mine, Lord – give me courage and wisdom to do it right!

5. YOU NEED COURAGE TO THINK AND ACT OUTSIDE THE BOX

FOUR LEPERS WERE COURAGEOUS – DEATH WAS IMMINENT BUT THEY DID NOT DIE!

2Ki 7:4 If we say, ‘Let us enter the city,’ the famine is in the city, and we shall die there. And if we sit here, we die also. So now come, let us go over to the camp of the Syrians. If they spare our lives we shall live, and if they kill us we shall but die.”
2Ki 7:5 So they arose at twilight to go to the camp of the Syrians. But when they came to the edge of the camp of the Syrians, behold, there was no one there.
2Ki 7:6 For the Lord had made the army of the Syrians hear the sound of chariots and of horses, the sound of a great army, so that they said to one another, “Behold, the king of Israel has hired against us the kings of the Hittites and the kings of Egypt to come against us.”

LAST PRAYER POINT

2Ki 7:4 If we say, ‘Let us enter the city,’ the famine is in the city, and we shall die there. And if we sit here, we die also. So now come, let us go over to the camp of the Syrians. If they spare our lives we shall live, and if they kill us we shall but die.”

17. for every risk and courageous decision I take going forward, I will not die! It will not consume me! It will not be my end. In the name of Jesus.

WE BELIEVE YOU HAVE BEEN BLESSED AND TO SUPPORT US , PLEASE –

GIVE AN OFFERING OF POSITIVE RESULTS FOR BEING COURAGEOUS – 2Ki 7:18 It happened just as the man of God had spoken to the king: “At about this time tomorrow in Samaria’s city gate a seah of finely ground flour will sell for a shekel, and two seahs of barley for a shekel.”

1. TO SUPPORT, GIVE YOUR LOVE AND SEED OFFERING – ACCOUNT DETAILS BELOW:

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