Being Confident and Courageous in New Places and Stages

Everyone struggles with some form of insecurity. It’s natural when we face something new. God takes us through new experiences, seasons, stages, and even places in our lives. It’s natural to a healthy fear to walk into a new situation. God created us this way to keep us safe. We no longer have tigers chasing snakes or us striking at us. We can use various proven techniques to give us perspective, but sometimes it’s not enough. The situation is dangerous, even impossible. In many places in the Bible, we see God telling his people to be strong, courageous, and not to fear when facing impossible odds, entering a new place, or a battle. How on earth do we find strength? There are many ways, but today is about the (s)word.

Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be frightened, and do not be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.
Joshua 1:9

Bring Heaven to Earth

How do we get the confidence to be strong and courageous and not fear or be dismayed? Webster Dictionary defines confidence as “a feeling or belief that you can do something well or succeed at something.” What if the odds are impossible, and we can’t do it? With God, all things are possible. The only way on earth that we can manage is to bring heaven to the earth. How? We bring Him into our situation, hearts, fears, anger, and concerns through prayer, worship, and faith. You don’t have to be a strong person to have faith. You ask him to help you believe, then decide to have more faith in God than in the situation. Easier said than done, and I know all too well. There’s a simple but powerful scripture that I have leaned on and even had to lean on today. It’s Phillippians 4:13.

Doing the Work of the Word

Confidence is knowing that we can do something well, but when we can’t, we can have confidence that He can do it. Jesus likened the word of God to seed in the parable of the sower and the seed. If we read Philippians 4:13 and ignore it, it dies there. When we write it on a card or download the photo with the scripture, and repeat it. Use it for the smallest of things, and it will grow in you, and when that pressure comes, and your heart is beating out of your chest, and you have no idea how it can work, there it goes. Whatever your need, find that scripture, memorize it, speak it sing it, let it become part of you. You are then bringing heaven to earth.

“Hear then the parable of the sower: When anyone hears the word of the kingdom and does not understand it, the evil one comes and snatches away what has been sown in his heart. This is what was sown along the path. As for what was sown on rocky ground, this is the one who hears the word and immediately receives it with joy, yet he has no root in himself, but endures for a while, and when tribulation or persecution arises on account of the word, immediately he falls away. As for what was sown among thorns, this is the one who hears the word, but the cares of the world and the deceitfulness of riches choke the word, and it proves unfruitful.As for what was sown on good soil, this is the one who hears the word and understands it. He indeed bears fruit and yields, in one case a hundredfold, in another sixty, and in another thirty.”
Matthew 13: 18-23

Planting and Growing Heavenly Seeds in Earthy Soil

The scripture that matches the specific situation is very powerful. God likens the word a two-edged sword. It can cut through the extras and confusions, find the root and take care of business.

¹For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart.
Hebrews 4:12

How to Find it. Jesus can also open our minds to help us understand what he says. “Then He opened their minds to [help them] understand the Scriptures” Luke 24:45 You can pray and ask God to open your mind to his word. You can use a concordence or google and type your sutiiaon and type scriputre and you will have many options pop up. When one speaks to you, write it down.
Understand it according to your situtaion. Look it up in the Bible. We understand something by thinking about it and how it applies to us, read the Bible, look at it’s context.
Make Room and Let it Grow. “He has no root in himself” is troubling. Jesus taught that when our hearts are hard, the seed has trouble taking root. God helps us with that as we spend time in prayer, in the word getting to know him. God to show you these areas and helping you to clear them. The Old Testament even tells us to break of the hard ground in our hearts. Hosea 10:12.
Protect it. Distraction is on of the biggest threat to any success. We need to protect it from distractions and they will come, the enemy of our souls makes sure of this.