Liberty Versus Legalism

GALATIANS 5:1-6

 

Living the Christian life in freedom involves receiving Christ’s true practical righteousness by faith and not by mechanical obedience to mere man-made rules. As Christians we have been set free from the curse of the Law and the control of the Law. That is correct! Christians should not be governed, motivated by, or directed by the OT Law nor the mere rules of religious organizations. Beloved, we are freed from the OT Law in Jesus Christ. The type of liberty into which believers are called is not a liberty that leads to license to sin, but is rather a freedom that leads to mature responsibility and holiness before God through the power of the indwelling Holy Spirit. 

Liberty must not be destroyed by Legalism either...a rigid adherence to man-made regulations does not result in salvation or growth in Christ. Legalism is not the Gospel at all; it is an attempt to add to the work of grace. In addition, there is nothing to fear when we emphasize real godly liberty in Christ! You see, to live by grace, through faith, gives one a free and deeply fulfilling Christian life. We are free to live out God’s plan and will with real power from the Spirit of Grace! The Holy Spirit is the secret to living godly in very practical ways. Let us consider some results of Liberty versus Legalism and then make some God-honoring decisions.

A.  LEGALISM RESULTS IN BANKRUPTCY.   Vs. 2-4 (vs. 3, “he is a debtor”)

Legalism by definition, is a strict adherence, or the principle of rigid devotion, to OT Law or legal prescriptions...traditions.  This is especially problematic when there is devotion to the letter of the OT Laws and traditions rather than the spirit of the Law. The spirit of the Law transcends the dispensation of the Law revealing the very nature of God…such principles are timeless. In contrast, legalism is exceedingly dangerous to real godly prosperity.

    1.  Believer Are Brought Back to Poverty Under the Law.  Vs. 2, “Christ shall profit you nothing”

Paul uses three phrases to describe the losses the Christian incurs when he turns from grace to Law:

       A. "Christ shall profit you nothing" (Gal.5:2);

       B. "a debtor to do the whole Law" (Gal.5:3);

       C. "Christ is become of no effect unto you"(Gal. 5:4).

This leads to the sad conclusion in Galatians 5:4: "Ye are fallen from grace." It is bad enough that legalism robs the believer of his liberty, but it also robs him of his spiritual wealth in Christ.  The believer living under Law becomes a bankrupt slave.

    2.  Sinners Are in Poverty Under the Law.  Gal. 5:1, “and be not entangled again” (See Gal. 4:9, “how turn ye again to the weak and beggarly elements”)

God's Word teaches that when we were unsaved, we owed God a debt we could not pay.

        A.  Sinners Come Short in Money.

Jesus makes this clear in His Parable of the Two Debtors (Luke 7:36-50). Two men owed money to a creditor, the one owing ten times as much as the other. But neither was able to pay, so the creditor graciously forgave them both. 

        B.  Sinners Come Short of Glory.  Rom. 3:23

No matter how much morality a man may have, he still comes short of the glory of God.  Even if his sin debt is one tenth that of others, he stands unable to pay, bankrupt at the judgment bar of God. God in His grace, because of the work of Christ on the cross, is able to forgive sinners, no matter how large their debt may be.

In the case of the Galatians, legalism involved adding elements from the OT Law like the ritual of circumcision to gain salvation or to advance in spiritual growth. The erroneous formula is grace + works = salvation and spiritual growth. The problem here is there is nothing inadequate or missing in Jesus Christ and His complete redemptive work to warrant such supplementations. Beloved, Jesus is our redemption, sanctification, and glorification! We have no need to subsidize the work of God’s grace through our faith.

B.  LIBERTY RESULTS IN FREEDOM AND RICHES.   Gal. 5:1, “Christ hath made us free”

     1.  The Spiritual Riches Are With Christ.  Gal. 5:1, 2, 4, 6, “Christ”

Thus when we trust Christ, we become spiritually rich.  We now share in the riches of God's grace (Eph. 1:7), the riches of His glory (Eph. 1:18; Phil. 4:19), the riches of His wisdom (Rom. 11:33), and the "unsearchable riches of Christ" (Eph. 3:8). In Christ we have "all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge" (Col.  2:3), and we are "complete in Him"(Col. 2:10). Once a person is "in Christ," he has all that he needs to live the kind of Christian life God wants him to live.

     2.  Legalism Says You Need More then Christ.

You see the Legalist wants us to believe that we are "missing something," that we would be more "spiritual" if we practiced the OT Law with its demands and disciplines. They dismiss the fact that the Law was given to Israel (a nation) and carried major penalties for failures. But Paul makes it clear that the Law adds nothing—because nothing can be added! Instead, the Law comes in as a thief and robs the believer of the spiritual riches we have in Christ. It puts us back into bankruptcy, responsible for a debt we are unable to pay.

     3.  Grace is a Dependence upon Christ’s Resources.

To live by grace means to depend on God's abundant spiritual supplies for every need. To live by Law means to depend on our own strength—the flesh—and be left to get by without God's supply. Paul warns the Galatians that to submit to circumcision in these circumstances would rob them of all the benefits they have in Christ (though circumcision itself is an indifferent matter— Gal. 5:6; 6:15).

C.  LEGALISM RESULTS IN ENSLAVEMENT.  Gal. 5:1, “the yoke of bondage,”   Vs 3, “he is a debtor to do the hold law”

    1.  Enslaved to Keep the Whole Law.  Vs. 3

Furthermore, to submit would put them under obligation to obey the whole Law.  It is at this point that legalists reveal their hypocrisy, for they fail to keep the whole Law.  They look on the Old Testament Law the way a customer surveys the food in a cafeteria:  they choose what they want and leave the rest. But this is not honest. To teach that a Christian today should, for example, keep the Sabbath but not the Passover, is to dismember God's Law. Also remember dishonoring parents and adultery demanded a death penalty under the OT Law! When was the last time a "Christian" or "Church" obeyed that requirement? No, they dismiss such requirements believing it’s no longer required. Well, none of the OT Law is required for genuine Believers. 

     2.  Partial Obedience is Disobedience.  

The same Lawgiver who gave the one commandment also gave the other (James 2:9-11). Earlier, Paul had quoted Moses to prove that the curse of the Law is on everyone who fails to keep all the Law (Gal. 3:10; see Deut. 27:26). Again merely adhering to some laws while ignoring others is a violation of them all!

 Imagine a motorist driving down a city street and deliberately driving through a red light.  He is pulled over by a policeman who asks to see his driver's license. Immediately the driver begins to defend himself. "Officer, I know I ran that red light—but I have never robbed anybody. I've never committed adultery. I've never cheated on my income tax."

The policeman smiles as he writes out the ticket, because he knows that no amount of obedience can make up for one act of disobedience. It is one Law, and the same Law that protects the obedient man punishes the offender. To boast about keeping part of the Law while at the same time breaking another part is to confess that I am worthy of punishment. (Source Unknown)

D.  LEGALISM RESULTS IN A FALL.  Gal. 5:4, “ye are fallen from grace”

What does "Ye are fallen from grace" mean?  Some have taken it as teaching that salvation can be lost.

   1.  Falling from Grace is Not Losing Salvation.  

It is in this context that we can better understand what Paul means by "fallen from grace" (Gal. 5:4).

      A.  Paul Addressed Them as Believers Throughout the Letter.

Certainly, he is not suggesting that the Galatians had "lost their salvation," because throughout this letter he deals with them as believers. At least nine times he calls them brethren, and he also uses the pronoun “we” (Gal. 4:28, 31). This Paul would never do if his readers were lost.   He boldly states, "And because ye are sons, God hath sent forth the Spirit of His Son into your hearts, crying, 'Abba, Father' " (Gal. 4:6). If his readers were unsaved, Paul could never write those words.  No, to be "fallen from grace" does not mean to lose salvation. (Wiersbe) 

      B.  Living Spiritually and Maturely Is the Real Issue. (Not Living Sinfully)

Thus, the phrase, "fallen from grace" has assumed an importance far beyond Paul's use of it and in a way entirely out of keeping with his context. The phrase does not mean that if a Christian sins, he falls from grace and thereby loses his salvation.

Many believe that Paul teaches it is possible for a person to be truly saved, then fall into sin, and therefore to fall from grace and be forever lost. This has come to be known as the “falling away doctrine”. This interpretation is not correct. The verse does not describe saved people who fall into sin.  In fact, there is no mention of sin.  Rather, the verse is speaking of those who live moral, respectable, upright lives hoping to be save thereby.  Thus the passage works like a boomerang on those who use it to support the falling away doctrine.  They also teach that a Christian must keep the OT Law, live a perfect life and otherwise refrain from sinning in order to remain saved.  However, this scripture insist that all who seek to be justified by works of the Law or self-effort have indeed fallen from grace.

   2.  Falling from Grace is Living in Legalism.   Vs. 5:4, “whosoever of you are justified by the law”

God does not declare believing sinners right before Him on the basis of our performance, diligence, commitment, or perseverance. God justifies us sinners purely by His grace...undeserved kindness and favor. Salvation can never be a reward or award for excellent living!

        A.  It is Mixing Law and Grace.

The phrase "fallen from grace" means "fallen out of the sphere of God's grace." You cannot mix grace and Law. If you decide to live in the sphere of Law, then you cannot live in the sphere of grace. The believers in Galatia had been bewitched by the false teachers (Gal. 3:1) and thus were disobeying the truth. They had removed toward another gospel (Gal. 1:6-9), and had turned back to the elementary things of the old religion (Gal. 4:9).  As a result, they had become entangled with the yoke of bondage, and this led to their present position: "fallen from grace." And the tragedy of this fall is that they had robbed themselves of all the good things Jesus Christ could do for them by grace.

        B.   It Is Choosing the Law Over Christ.

But to fall from grace, as seen by this context, is to fall into legalism. Or to put it another way, to choose legalism is to relinquish grace as the principle by which one desires to be related to God. The article with "grace" distinguishes it as that specific grace of God in Christ that Paul has already stated to be the core of the gospel.

E.  LIBERTY RESULTS IN GODLINESS. Gal. 5:5-6

Paul next presents the life of the believer in the sphere of grace (Gal. 5:5-6). This enables us to contrast the two ways of life.

    1.  Grace in the form of Dependence upon the Spirit by Faith.  Vs. 5

When you live by grace, you depend on the power of the Spirit; but under Law, you must depend on yourself and your own efforts. Therefore, we do not hope to achieve maturity and practical righteousness by our own efforts, but wait/depend on the Spirit to bring to pass in our daily experiences. Through our dependence and faith, the Holy Spirit will accomplish right motives, desires, goals, and feelings in our hearts and then He will empower us to live out the requirements and expectations of God. We as Christians do not choose legalism; rather, we wait in faith through the Spirit for the full realization of God's life-changing righteousness.

    2.  Legalism Does Not Make Righteousness a Daily Reality.   Vs. 6

       A.  Legalism Does Not Result in Spiritual Maturity and Godliness.

What Paul is condemning is the theology of circumcision--namely, the theology that makes works necessary for salvation and seeks to establish conformity to some external standards of behavior as a mark of spirituality.

For the believer “in Christ” rituals, rites, rules, religious days, religious organizations, and regulations avails nothing at all.  There is no benefit, not profit in them for salvation or growth in the Lord.  It does not make the person any better.  There is absolutely no room at all in the ‘realm of grace’ for human efforts. While we are to cooperate with the Lord, real growth and development is the fruit of the Spirit of Grace. Law and grace cannot be mixed!

       B.  We are to Wait, Not Work for Daily Righteousness.

Once again, the Christian “wait” even ‘waits eagerly’ for the full realization of his salvation in practical experience. We do not work for it; we waits for it.  In the context, "the hope of righteousness” does not refer to that imputed righteousness the believer has in the present through faith in Christ's death, though the thought is not far away, but rather (in line with the ethical section to follow) to that actual righteousness the believer is to grow into and which he is to be perfectly conformed to in glory. In the Bible, "hope" refers to that which, though certain, is not yet fully realized.

    3.  Grace in the form of Faith Works by Love in the Heart.  Vs. 6

What God looks for in the believer is faith working by love.  Faith prompted by love not law.  This blessed truth is found many times in the Scriptures— that God is not interested in rituals, but in the reality of a godly life.  (See 1Sam. 16:7; Ps. 51:6, 15-17; Lk. 11:39-40; Rom. 7:22)

        A.  Grace Does Produce Good Works.

While salvation is all of grace without works, there is still room for works in the Christian Life.

             1. Works are not the root of salvation, but they are the fruit of salvation (Eph. 2:8-10).

             2. Works are not the means of salvation, but they are the results of salvation.

        B. Faith Which Worketh by Love   Vs. 6

             1. Saving faith is a working faith. If it doesn't work, it is not saving faith.  Faith is not dead; faith works (see James 2:14-26). But the efforts of the flesh can never accomplish what faith can accomplish through the Spirit.

             2. Faith which worketh by love—not law.

             3. The law demands—love compels.  But faith works through love—love for God and love for others. Unfortunately, flesh does not manufacture love; too often it produces selfishness and rivalry (see Gal. 5:15). No wonder Paul pictures the life of legalism as a fall!

             4. Grace delivers us from the law.  Love takes over and goes BEYOND the demand of the law.  Love does not ask how little can I do and get by, but how MUCH MORE can I do? It is faith which works by love.

A CONTRAST OF GRACE AND LAW

1. Note the difference or contrasts between law and grace.

   a. The law prohibits—grace invites and gives.

   b. The law condemns the sinner—grace redeems the sinner.

   c. The law says do—grace says it is done.

   d. The law says continue to be holy—grace says it is finished.

   e. The law curses—grace blesses.

   f.   The  law  says  pay  what  you  owe—grace  says  I  freely forgive you all.

   g. The law says "the wages of sin is death"—grace says "the gift of God is eternal life."

   h. The law says "the soul that sinneth it shall die"—grace says believe and live.

   i.   The law was given by Moses—grace and truth come by Jesus Christ.

   j.   The law puts us under bondage—grace sets us free.

2. Feel free to add to this list and make personal applications.

When we believers walk by faith, depending on the Spirit of God, we live in the sphere of God's grace; and all our needs are provided for in Christ. We experiences the riches of God's grace afforded to us upon the merits of Jesus Christ, the Lord. As genuine Believers, we always have hope—something to look forward to—the “hope of righteousness by faith” (Gal. 5:5): one day Jesus will return to make us like Himself in perfect righteousness. In the meantime we depend upon His capable Spirit to apply the Word to our lives and enable righteous expressions through our faith. The OT Law gives no promise for perfect righteousness in the present or the future. It was never given by God for that reason or to serve that purpose!

The Law prepared the way for the first coming of Christ (Gal. 3:23-4:7), but it cannot prepare the way for the second coming of Christ. The Law can still prepare the sinner to receive Christ today; this is still its very design. The Law helped me realize God’s perfect standard of righteousness, and that I do not even remotely measure up to it! Thus, like everyone else I admitted I was a sinner in need of Jesus Christ, the Savior. Christ fulfilled all the Law’s legitimate requirements and expectations perfectly. When I accepted Christ as my Savior I also received credit for satisfying the Law’s just requirements; the Law has no more requirements for real Believers. They all were satisfied through Christ’s sinless life, atoning sacrificial death, and glorious resurrection. All of this becomes ours not because we earn it with our adherence to rules, rituals, rites, and regulations, but simply through faith in Jesus Christ, the Word of God and the Spirit of grace.

So, the believer who chooses legalism robs himself of this wonderful spiritual liberty and spiritual wealth. Such individuals deliberately put themselves into spiritual bondage and bankruptcy. You know…when we honestly look at Liberty versus Legalism, the choice becomes really clear…doesn’t it.

Courage to Hope Again

Discouragement can be described as a considerable loss of confidence or enthusiasm. That sense that our assurance has run from us like mice from a sinking ship, and we just don’t seem to have the energy to engage yet another round of challenges. The rapid fire of painful experiences has left us with a feeling or belief that we cannot rely on God and His Word as we previously thought we could. Our firm trust in the Lord has been violently displaced by burning doubts and we feel wounded…desperately injured…too paralyzed to do anything. Continuing to hope in the Lord is suddenly not high on our list of priorities….

A series of difficult challenges can cause us to slump into a dispirited mental/emotional state where we lose hope…. A darkness grips us… and we feel completely at it mercy…frightfully powerless. Any substantial anticipations of positive outcomes have entirely escaped us. In part, it is that state of becoming predominately dishearten…losing the determination to continue. At times…even suicide seems plausible. We wonder why we should hope again, bother anymore, or even try.

In such times, we need courage to remain true to God, to live out His plan for us, and to hope again. We need hope to traverse this hard journey through our own souls. Beloved, this is especially important when we encounter discouragement, disappointment, or despair in the aftermath of painful adversities. During such testing conditions, we need courage like a drowning man needs a life vest. Our lives depend on it. It is courage that enables us to dare to trust and hope again.... To overcome the fear of being let down…frustrated again...disappointed again…we need “good courage.”

HAVE COURAGE TO RECOGNIZE GOD’S POWER, PRINCIPLE AND PRESENCE

Courage to Hope and to Believe God

Joshua 1:9, Have not I commanded thee? Be strong and of a good courage; be not afraid, neither be thou dismayed: for the Lord thy God is with thee whithersoever thou goest.

I love the question God asked His new national leader, Joshua, “Have not I commanded thee?” This inquiry provokes God’s leader to look away from the disheartening death of Moses and the incredible challenge of leading God’s people to God Himself. It is a call to recognize the Power of the God of Moses and the God of Israel. Beloved all hope rest in a fundamental trust in Him. His great power surpasses all others, and no one can compare or contend with our God. Anything He commands He will fulfil by His mighty power. Such power promotes encouragement in a significant way. Amid discouragements, doubt your doubts and recognize the truth of God and His awesome situation-changing power.

Another key tactic God uses can be described as real and substantial encouragement to overcome the threatening and undermining power of fear and dismay. Here is the principle, though God’s power is peerless, it can be limited in our individual experiences by our fears. Fear can paralyze us when we should be active, and dismay means our hopes have been utterly shattered by our fears. God stems this tide of terrors with this quick warning against the bone-crushing force of hope-stealing horrors. Respect the power of fear in your life, and limit its influence through trusting God regardless.

One more observation from Joshua 1:9, is helpful at this point—God’s Presence. Again, what stirs courage in the heart like the fresh realization that someone with something meaningful to offer is standing with you every mile of the way? This is not merely a highly capable and well-intention friend; this is Jehovah God Himself talking to you and me. Contrary to the unwarranted suspicions of our fickle minds, God NEVER abandons His people when life hurts. He stands with us to encourage, inspire, empower, and sustain us as we dare to hope again. Beloved, against all odds He still…still…still remains with you through it all. In the good days and awful days, He stays close by to supply us with the courage to continue. Note the observation of W. MacDonald,

Three times Joshua is told by the Lord to be strong and very courageous (vv. 6, 7, 9). The size and duration of the task ahead, the pressures of leading such an obstinate people, and the absence of his spiritual mentor, Moses, were perhaps heavy on Joshua’s mind at this time. But the Lord was not calling him without enabling him. There were good reasons for Joshua to be strong: God’s promise (vv. 5, 6), a sure victory; God’s Word (vv. 7, 8), a safe guide; God’s presence (v. 9), a sustaining power.

The wonderful news is the same benefits are available to every precious child of God caught in the grip of their terrors, disappointments, and despairs because of hard circumstances. We are not left to stew in our confusions and discouragements, God is with you and me all the way. Beloved, take this journey in your own soul through disillusionment back to the place of unparalleled confidence in the Lord Jesus Christ. This is where the HOPE is!

DON’T ALLOW THE DARKNESS TO DESTROY YOUR HOPE!

In times of adversity, things can sometimes seem so bleak and so dark that we are on the verge of giving up hope. The darkness may be amplified by the voices of others, the pressure of the scenario, the intense feelings of hopelessness, and the messages we tell ourselves. Together these communicate the wrong messages to us. We must beware!

Resist the Preachers of Gloom and Doom

Job 2:8-9, And he took him a potsherd to scrape himself withal; and he sat down among the ashes.  [9] Then said his wife unto him, Dost thou still retain thine integrity? curse God, and die. [10] But he said unto her, Thou speakest as one of the foolish women speaketh. What? shall we receive good at the hand of God, and shall we not receive evil? In all this did not Job sin with his lips.

Others around us may foretell doom and encourage us to face what they see as inevitable. Job's wife was one such person. After Job was covered with painful boils from the soles of his feet to the crown of his head, she said to him, “Dost thou still retain thine integrity? curse God, and die.” (Job 2:9). This frustrated retort came from a heart that had been crushed by painful developments hyper-compounded and evident fears she was about to finally lose her husband. Her children were dead, their wealth was gone, her husband was very sick, and her hopes were soundly obliterated. All prospects of good have abandoned this suffering soul….

Job wisely responded to her, “Thou speakest as one of the foolish women speaketh. What? shall we receive good at the hand of God, and shall we not receive evil?” (v. 10). The Scriptures add this important line: “In all this did not Job sin with his lips.” (v. 10). Jobs was still hanging on to God and what he knew to be true. This is fundamentally how we silence the preachers of gloom and doom. We believe what God disclosed about Himself and refuse false messages from others...including ourselves. Self-talk like, “God does not care,” “There is no point in looking to God,” “Why bother anymore…especially after all you have been through...." "What difference does it make?” Such messages, if tolerated will eat away at your hope and shatter your confidence in God’s promises.  

COURAGEOUSLY CHOOSE TO HOPE IN THE LORD AGAIN

When you are faced with negative circumstances and then negative opinions and comments from others, you need courage to stay positive—to continue to believe that the Lord is with you!  It takes real courage to say and really believe that God is going to intervene in our darkening situation.

    1.  You Must Choose to Hope in the Lord During the Troubles.

A.    Hope and Faith Are Not Automatic Responses in Times of Hardship and Trial.

Beloved, such responses must be deliberately cultivated with every opportunity. Casual efforts or passively gaining or sustaining this perspective will not meet your challenges in a successful manner. Remember God spoke directly to Joshua to strengthen him for the months and years ahead. You and I have the Scriptures to afford God many chances to speak to us deeply, repeatedly, encouragingly, powerfully, and profoundly. While chapter 1 of Joshua is a great place to start, the entire book is an excellent source of hope-building courage!

B.     They Require an Exercise of the Will, Bolstered with Courage.

At times, you must say aloud to yourself, “I know that God has a purpose in this. I know that God will bring me through this. I know that God is a good and loving Father, and He is doing a good and eternal work in my life.”

If no one else speaks hope to you, you need to speak it to yourself. Believe me there are too many Christians out there with a “wet blanket” ministry. They kill every spark of hope that may dare to surface. Avail to yourself specific passages, biblical accounts, and verses that stir you to hope in the Lord God, Jehovah. I also believe faithful Christians should be the most “hope-filled” people on the entire planet. Why not if our hope is centered in the Lord and His Word?

    2.  You Must Recognize the Lord’s Presence as You Face the Troubles Cause by Enemies.

Part of the need for courage also may reside in the fact that…

            A. We have the Need to Withstand the Enemies Who are Moving Against Our Lives. 

In other words, those who are causing your adversity.

Moses realized that would be the case for Joshua and the Israelites, and he said to the Israelites, “Be strong and of a good courage, fear not, nor be afraid of them: for the Lord thy God, he it is that doth go with thee; he will not fail thee, nor forsake thee.” (Deut. 31:6).

It is helpful to know God will not fail us or forsake us as our enemies bare down on us. In addition, having Bible-centered hope does not erase the possibility that things could get worse before they get better.

            B. It Takes Courage to Believe God While Things Get Worse!

It takes courage to continue to believe in God and to have hope in God's power over your enemies while your adversaries are pummeling you into the ground or threatening to do so.

Recall Goliath no doubt found David's claims about the goodness and greatness of God to be ludicrous as he stood in the Valley of Elah and watched a stick of a lad run toward him. But at the end of the day, David had victory in his hand and joy in his heart. (See 1 Sam. 17.)

Ask the Lord to give you courage to continue to believe in Him and in His presence with you as you go through hard-times. Ask Him to renew your hope and faith. I have no doubt He'll honor your request. Psalm 31:23-24, O love the Lord, all ye his saints: for the Lord preserveth the faithful, and plentifully rewardeth the proud doer. [24] Be of good courage, and he shall strengthen your heart, all ye that hope in the Lord. (Read Rom. 4:16–21 also).

 

Beloved, God glorifies Himself in us and through us not simply so that we might be saved but so that we might reflect His life on this earth. He desires that we be conformed to His likeness so that when others see us helping people, declaring the truth of His Word, and trusting in Him regardless of our challenges and despite our adversities, they will want to know more about the love of God and the power of God in us. When we are courageous to do what the Lord both commands and empowers us to do, we truly are His witnesses because we reflect His presence in the world. (C. Stanley)

Our lives have a purpose far beyond comfort, ease, or pleasure. Our lives are intended to be used by God, to fulfill His purposes on the earth.

Take courage today, no matter what you are facing. God will give you courage when you ask Him for it. He will honor your courage in remaining true to Him and His Word, and in giving to others out of your need. A wonderful blessing is in store for the courageous!

Courage to Obey God Anyway

JOSHUA 1:7

Adversity acts in our lives as a mirror of sorts. It reveals the areas in which we need to improve, from God’s viewpoint. What a benefit there is for us to gain from divine perspective! Often, we feel we know where we are in life and what’s going on in our world. What we need is an objective view of reality...one that is not tainted by our assumptions. You see, just as a college chemistry examine can reveal our fitness for further study of the hard sciences, so life’s adversities reveal precisely where we are strong and whether we are fit for life's challenges. We need this perspective.

As with all other situations, we want to consciously look to the Lord during hard-times. When troubles come your way, also look inward to see what God is trying to show you about yourself.  Our Father is a relentless teacher and people developer. While this requires real honesty with oneself, use these self-evaluations to identify areas which need improvement and refinement. After all, none of us have arrived…right?  In this respect difficulties can be used to our advantage to further our spiritual progress in the Lord.  

I am certain you will agree we must move forward. Yes, this requires real courage and a deepening trust in the Almighty. We must keep growing in the Lord, and this demands bravery because we tend to grow more during adversities. Adversity is God’s tool of examination; accepting this requires real nerve.  Therefore, we need to understand how to use adversity for spiritual benefit. Ultimately, we want to be found obedient to the plan of God.

LESSON: 

COURAGE TO OBEY THE LORD’S WILL

Keeping God's Word Requires Courage

Joshua 1:7, Only be thou strong and very courageous, that thou mayest observe to do according to all the law, which Moses my servant commanded thee: turn not from it to the right hand or to the left, that thou mayest prosper whithersoever thou goest.

God here encourages Joshua, the new leader of Israel.  Perhaps Joshua was feeling a bit intimidated by the new responsibilities and the future in general for himself and his people. I can recall my first ministry as a missionary-pastor...though I was full of hope and excitement, I still felt deeply my need for assurance and power from on high. There were times I was overwhelmed with the challenges, expectations, and needs. Still the job was mine and it needed to be done in a fashion that honors Christ. Likewise, the plan of the Lord for the nation and his servant Joshua requires courageous faith of the highest order. Yes, like Joshua we need to summon our finest courage to obey the will of Jehovah anyway.

To follow the Lord faithfully requires courage. It always has. Fear of failure, fear of screwing up, fear of embarrassment, fear of not being able to sustain/maintain, fear of people, fear of the unknown, fear of conflict, and a host of other fears have stopped many people from even attempting to follow the Lord's plan for them. Yes, I do understand that God expects extraordinary things of us. No one can make our adrenalin flow and our hearts pump like the Lord and His plans for us. God habitually thinks big regarding his will for our lives…to say that He is ambitious about our futures is a massive understatement. We feel acutely that things could go wrong if we are not attentive enough or capable enough. However, God-sent adversity enable us to see if we are truly keeping pace with His plans.


Obviously, God was calling Joshua to faithful obedience. He wants him to stick to His will with great loyalty. There was no room for wandering here and there indiscriminately, and there was no allowance for a relaxed approach to the task ahead. God impressed his servant with the need for obedience and commitment. Such a standard generates motivation and tension in the same heart. 

DON’T ALLOW TROUBLES TO KNOCK YOU OUT OF GOD’S WILL

Adversity can knock us off stride. Often our routines or locations change in a time of trouble. A flood may force us from our home; an illness may force a change in work habits. A loss of employment can devastate a family with a series of changes…second and third order effects. The death of a love one can change the surviving family member’s lives in significant ways…. Life can be tumultuous; feeling trapped and without any other options we acquiesce to demanding and life-draining necessities…forgetting our own dreams…. The chances of being blown off track with God can suddenly escalate exponentially. What can we do?

1.  Remain Undaunted and Persistent in Obedience!

2 Tim. 1:7, For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.

We need courage to remain true to God's Word and to live according to God's commandments to us. This is especially important when we confront discouragement, disappointment, or despair in the aftermath of adversity. Recognize the spirit of fear that is threatening you did not come from God; it came from the enemy-Satan. Rest in the powerful resources God has equip you with to withstand the strains you must face. God gave you “power,” “love,” and a “sound mind;” employ these helps to sustain you through adversities.

When God called Ezekiel to the ministry of the prophet to Israel during their exile in Babylon, He also challenged him to be tough-minded and determined.  He made it extremely clear that Israel will not respond favorably, but Ezekiel was to remain undaunted by their lack of response to the message.  God told Ezekiel to refuse to allow himself to be discouraged and to Preach the Words of God.  Ezekiel 3:7-11, But the house of Israel will not hearken unto thee; for they will not hearken unto me: for all the house of Israel are impudent and hardhearted. [8] Behold, I have made thy face strong against their faces, and thy forehead strong against their foreheads. [9] As an adamant harder than flint have I made thy forehead: fear them not, neither be dismayed at their looks, though they be a rebellious house. [10] Moreover he said unto me, Son of man, all my words that I shall speak unto thee receive in thine heart, and hear with thine ears. [11] And go, get thee to them of the captivity, unto the children of thy people, and speak unto them, and tell them, Thus saith the Lord God; whether they will hear, or whether they will forbear.

Beloved, this is precisely what Ezekiel did though it was accomplished through extremely hard conditions. Likewise, we need to be tough-minded and determined to see God’s will through!

     A.  Troubles Will Temp You to Give Up. Our loss or pain may lead us to think, What's the use? Why bother? Why live a godly life if this is what happens to Christians?

      B.  Keep Your Eyes on the Lord and Eternal Rewards.  Remember always that the Lord doesn't promise us worldly success and circumstantial ease in this life. He promises us His unfailing presence and His eternal rewards. Recall the words of the Psalmist in,

Psalm 27:13-14, I had fainted, unless I had believed to see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living. [14] Wait on the Lord: be of good courage, and he shall strengthen thine heart: wait, I say, on the Lord.

When troubles come many began to reduce or neglect their spiritual activities and their zeal for service is greatly dissipated. 

1.  Don’t Allow Trouble to Knock You Out of Church & Christian Fellowship.

2.  Don’t Allow Trouble to Knock You Out of Witnessing & Soul Winning.

3.  Don’t Allow Trouble to Knock you out of Bible Reading, Praying, & Devotion.

4.  Don’t Allow Trouble to Knock you out of Growth and Maturing.

5.  Don’t Allow Trouble to Knock you out of God’s Calling and Ministry for Your Future!

Insist on continuing in the fundamental areas of obedience and commitment to the Lord. The trial will only reveal the level of your constancy in Christ!

2.  In Troubled Times, Cherish and Obey God Anyway!

A.    Time and again in the law of Moses we find the word keep.

B.     The children of Israel were commanded to keep the feasts, to keep the law and commandments, to keep the Sabbath day holy, to keep the ordinances, to keep their oaths to God, to keep themselves from evil, to keep God's judgments.

C.     To keep means to hold fast and to cherish at the same time.

When adversity strikes, this should be our mind-set: above all else, we need to hold fast to the Lord and cherish our relationship with Him. Rather than blame God or turn from God, we need to turn to God and rely on His help. Do not allow troubles to push you farther away from your heavenly Father; use them to cling to God even more tenaciously.

REALIZE THAT WE PROSPER AS WE CONTINUE IN THE LORD’S WILL REGARDLESS!

Joshua 1:7, Only be thou strong and very courageous, that thou mayest observe to do according to all the law, which Moses my servant commanded thee: turn not from it to the right hand or to the left, that thou mayest prosper whithersoever thou goest.

God prescribed blessing for His people and ensured they understood how to secure His great blessings upon themselves. There was no secret formula and Israel did not have to struggle under great rigor to figure out how to be blessed of God. God told them up front. Yes, from the very start God made it abundantly clear that obedience brought tremendous benefit, fortune, prosperity, and good to God’s people.

     1.  Consider What Moses Said About Obedience and Prosperity.

Deut. 29:9, Keep therefore the words of this covenant, and do them, that ye may prosper in all that ye do.

Moses said to the children of Israel as he led them into a covenant relationship with God to: “do them, that ye may prosper in all that ye do.” (Deut. 29:9). Keeping God’s laws in the face of adversity truly leads us toward prosperity—a better state of being...a more ideal situation. Our obligation is to follow through obediently and God is free to bless as He sees fit.

     2.  Consider What David Said About Obedience and Prosperity.

1 Chron. 22:13, Then shalt thou prosper, if thou takest heed to fulfil the statutes and judgments which the Lord charged Moses with concerning Israel: be strong, and of good courage; dread not, nor be dismayed.

That was the advice of King David to his son Solomon. He said this to Solomon as part of his final blessing to him. As New Testament believers, we enjoy so many spiritual blessings simply because we are the children of God through faith in Jesus Christ. While we are not guarantee financial or material wealth as Israel was, we are privileged to enjoy some of God’s highest and most profound blessing. Beloved, we really do not miss out on anything of eternal value because of the grace of God in Jesus Christ. Let us sing with the Psalmist of Israel in,

Psalm 27:13-14, I had fainted, unless I had believed to see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living. [14] Wait on the Lord: be of good courage, and he shall strengthen thine heart: wait, I say, on the Lord.

Yes Beloved, life can be hard…really hard. It may seem at times that obeying God is the last thing you want to do. You may have occasions where you wonder if your obedience even matters…still follow your Lord faithfully. I urge you to refuse to allow bitter feelings, doubts, and frustrations to obscure what is truly important. Just as King David left a way of blessing for his son Solomon, our King Jesus is our generous source of blessing for all eternity. Trust and obey Him even when life makes no sense at all.

Remember troubles should be used for spiritual progress and benefit.  When adversity comes your way, it is time to look inside to see what areas may need to be strengthened to continue to grow spiritually and to stay on course with God’s specific plan for your life.  Self-examination should not be limited to areas of sinfulness or pride; it may also involve areas of weakness we need to strengthen and develop.  Fear is often a natural response to difficulties, and troubling circumstances.  But God calls us to use these challenges to grow in the areas of courage, hope, and faith.  Remember we should never waste an adversity. Learn all you can from each one. Realize that you can grow when you are willing to examine yourself closely and make the necessary changes. Beloved, have courage to obey God anyway. 

Courage to Reach out to Others

JOSH. 1:1-9 

1.   Courage is Require to Face and Endure the Times of Difficulty.

In many ways, hard times of trouble are like boot camp; it is rigorous, painful, and challenging. Adversity causes us to adopt new routines and habits, to develop aspects of our being—physical, mental, emotional, or spiritual—that might have been undeveloped or underdeveloped previously. Troubles sometimes puts us under the authority of people who affect our lives in ways that are foreign to us. In all these areas, we need courage to keep our balance as we feel hit by so many new feelings, facts, restrictions or limitations, obstacles and challenges, and offerings of advice and help.

2.  Courage is Required to Make the Necessary Personal Changes in Times of Difficulty.

Courage is required not only to face and endure times of adversity, but also to make the changes in our lives that adversity compels us to make. In either case, we can trust the Holy Spirit to help us in times of adversity and to grow and change so that we live in keeping with the example set by Jesus Christ.

3.  Joshua Knew about Adversity and Times of Difficulty.

Certainly, forty years of wandering in a wilderness qualified him to understand hardship, trials, and troubles—physical, relational, spiritual, and no doubt emotional and mental pain. Joshua also knew that the Lord was with him and his people. As a close associate of Moses, Joshua had grown in his faith and leadership abilities. The time came for the people of God to cross the Jordan River and inhabit the land of promise, and Joshua was named the leader to succeed Moses.

4.  Three Times, the Lord Spoke to Joshua about Courage:

Joshua 1:6-7, Be strong and of a good courage: for unto this people shalt thou divide for an inheritance the land, which I sware unto their fathers to give them. [7] Only be thou strong and very courageous, that thou mayest observe to do according to all the law, which Moses my servant commanded thee: turn not from it to the right hand or to the left, that thou mayest prosper whithersoever thou goest.

  

Joshua 1:9, Have not I commanded thee? Be strong and of a good courage; be not afraid, neither be thou dismayed: for the Lord thy God is with thee whithersoever thou goest.

Note the three things that required courage of Joshua: (1) to make decisions that affected other people under his leadership {vs. 6}, (2) to keep the laws and commandments, even as changes were occurring {vs. 7}, and (3) to remember continually that the Lord was with him {vs. 9}, the implication being despite what circumstances might indicate to the contrary.

2 Tim. 1:7, For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.

We need courage in the same three areas of our lives as we face adversity.

LESSON:

COURAGE TO REACH OUT AND TOUCH OTHER LIVES

Reaching Out to Others Takes Courage

Joshua 1:6, Be strong and of a good courage: for unto this people shalt thou divide for an inheritance the land, which I sware unto their fathers to give them.

REALIZE THAT GOD GIVES US COURAGE TO HELP OTHERS

We need God's wisdom to know how to deal with people. Our times of heartache almost always involve people we love.

Courage to Help When I Need Help

We need courage to get beyond our pain and help our children, parents, spouses, associates, and other loved ones and colleagues to cope with the pain they also are likely to be feeling. It takes tremendous inner fortitude to get beyond ourselves—to put aside our inner hurt and frustration—and to be concerned about others when we are sick, facing a loss, or in emotional turmoil. Yet, that is precisely what the Lord wants us to do. That's why the Lord gives us courage.  

RECEIVE GOD’S BLESSINGS AS YOU GIVE OF YOURSELF

In fact, in getting outside ourselves and helping others in need we often find the strength to get through adversity.

Getting Help As I Give Help!

Time and again, I've watched people who were going through hard times reach out to help those who were hurting just as much as they were—although perhaps in a different way—and have seen them benefit, not from what they received from others, but from what they gave to others. This principle of God defies human reasoning, but it is absolutely true in God's kingdom.  The worse thing we can do is shut ourselves off from everyone else because we are afraid!

Luke 6:38, Give, and it shall be given unto you; good measure, pressed down, and shaken together, and running over, shall men give into your bosom. For with the same measure that ye mete withal it shall be measured to you again.

We assume that when we give, we have less than we had before. But in God's eyes, when we give, we open ourselves up to receiving in a way that results in a blessing, both materially and spiritually.

Just when you think you have nothing to give, that's the time to give! It takes courage to do so!  

The Lord promises to give you that courage. Ask Him to help you, to guide you, and to show you the person or people to whom you should give. Ask Him to reveal to you the best gift possible, in the best timing and for the best results.           

1.  Touch Lives Through Fervent Prayer.

James 5:16, Confess your faults one to another, and pray one for another, that ye may be healed. The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much.

2.  Touch Lives Through Service and Ministry.

Luke 22:26, But ye shall not be so: but he that is greatest among you, let him be as the younger; and he that is chief, as he that doth serve.

3.  Touch Lives Through Doing Good Deeds.

Romans 12:21, Be not overcome of evil, but overcome evil with good. 

Self-examination should not be limited to areas of sinfulness or pride; it may also involve areas of weakness we need to strengthen and develop.  Fear is often a natural response to difficulties, and troubling circumstances.  But God wants us to use these challenges to grow in the areas of courage, hope, and faith.  Remember we should never waste an adversity. Learn all you can from each one. Realize that you can grow when you are willing to examine yourself closely and make the necessary changes.

When troubles come your way, look inward to see what God is trying to show you about yourself.  Use these self-evaluations to identify areas which need improvement and refinement.  In this respect Difficulties can be used to your advantage to further your spiritual progress in the Lord.