Be Courageous

"I hereby command you: Be strong and courageous; do not be frightened or dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go."(Joshua 1:9)

The Bible is filled with texts on courage and they point to one lesson: It is God's will for us to be men and women of courage. In fact, it is our birthright. So how do we get courage? I find that the following ideas have served me well as I try to believe God's word and act courageously.

1. Acknowledge that you need courage just like everyone else.

2. Recognize the source of courage.

3. Fill your mind with words of courage from the Bible. Memorize your favorite ones and repeat them often.

4. Reflect on and write down those occasions when you need courage.

5. As events approach that demand courage, prepare yourself through prayer and affirmations.

6. Ask the Holy Spirit again and again to give you courage to fulfill your purpose in life.

7. Like faith, hope and love, courage grows with daily use. Use it or lose it. Be alert to opportunities to exercise your courage.

8. Finally remember this: To be bold, act boldly. As you act boldly, power will flow into you.

See: Some Books on Courage