The Conviction of Your Courage

Reference: Psa. 40:11-12 Lord, don’t hold back your tender mercies from me. Let your unfailing love and faithfulness always protect me. 12 For troubles surround me--too many to count! My sins pile up so high I can’t see my way out. They outnumber the hairs on my head. I have lost all courage.  

Observation: Satan wants nothing more than for us to be so aware of our sin that we lose our courage. The only way he can truly win the battle for our souls is if we give up the fight. There are few Christians who have not heard the voice of the tempter saying, “You just can’t do it, this sin is too big for you. Why don’t you just give up.” It is then that we are tempted to lose courage.

The truth is that God is a God of redemption, of restoration, of rescue. He will deliver us. The scripture says clearly; “No temptation has seized you except what is common to man. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can stand up under it.”

It is when we stop believing this that we quit looking for a way to escape and sin gets a hold on us. We lose courage and we lose the battle. 

Application/Confession: Frankly, sometimes sin seems stronger than I am. I can see here how that very belief can set me up for failure. I will have courage. I will not let sin dominate me. I have been set free and I intend to live that way. I will not lose my courage in the face of the battle against sin. 

PRAYER: Lord, please reveal to me the power You have placed within me to stand and live against sin. Remind me, show me the way out when I face temptation, so that I can stand up under it and not give in.