Face the Lion
A man awoke screaming after having a terrifying dream. In the dream, a ferocious lion kept chasing him, and he would run away until he was completely exhausted.
Weeks later the man knelt in prayer. He recalled the dream and when the lion came toward him. But now, instead of running he stood still and faced the lion. Upon reaching the man the lion stopped and the man asked who the lion was. The lion replied, “I am your courage and your strength. Why are you running from me?”
This man represents many believers in Jesus Christ as they continue to run away from their courage and strength. This is why so many don’t move forward in the will and way of God, and instead settle in the pews, or worse, do nothing with the gifts and talents they have been given.
But the sort of courage and strength represented by the lion isn’t ordinary courage or strength. It is lion-hearted. It is divine. It is God-given, and it is the courage and strength we long for, and yet we run from it.
And the reason it scares us is that once we accept it, then there are no more excuses. But consider for a moment the victories that can be won when we stop running and accept what God desires to give to us and do through us.
Consider David’s victory over Goliath. David faced this behemoth of a man with only a sling and five stones. Yet, victory was achieved, not because of David’s skill of arms, but because of David’s courage and trust in God.
David said to this Philistine giant, “You come to me with a sword, with a spear, and with 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 defied. This day the Lord will deliver you into my hand.” (1 Samuel 17:45-46a)
And so, let’s start placing our trust in where it truly belongs, and that is in the Lord God, and He will give us the strength and courage to face our fears, to overcome our doubts, and to be His mighty men and women of valor.
Dennis Lee is the Senior Pastor at Living Waters Fellowship located at 211 West 1st South, behind ACE Hardware.
This Sunday at the 10 a.m. service, Pastor Dennis message will be, “Revival Required.” This message will look at the revivals of the past, along with those conditions that brought about these revivals. We will then look at those things that we as believers have been called to do to see another such revival in our land today.
Sunday Evening at 6 p.m. service, Pastor Mike Rowden’s message will be, “The Man of Lawlessness,” from 2 Thessalonians 2:1-12.
Wednesday Evening Men’s and Women’s Bible Studies begins at 6 p.m. The Women’s Bible Study is studying the minor prophets, and the Men’s Bible study is going through the Life of David.
Our services can be watched live or at a time best suited for your needs on our YouTube Channel “Mesquite NV Living Waters Fellowship,” or our Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/Living-Waters-Fellowship-Mesquite-Foursquare-Church-323286096181/
The power of the Holy Spirit has been my source of courage throughput my life. Sometimes I forget to praise Him for this but thanks to articles like this I am reminded where my strength comes from!
Hey Wes, He is definitely my strength and courage. Take care and God bless.
Amen! When we recognize it is the Holy Spirit that gives us our courage and strength to face what God has set before us to overcome and fulfill His calling on our lives, we will stop running from Him and run towards Him and move forward. I am reminded of Zechariah 4:6, “So he answered and said to me: “This is the word of the Lord to Zerubbabel: ‘Not by might nor by power, but by My Spirit,’ Says the Lord of hosts.”
And I was just in 2 Timothy chapter 1 the same day I read this. “For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind.”
Oh and hey Wes, great insight!