Spiritual courage is the great need for so many of us today. We may have heard excellent teaching and read multiple translations of the Bible. But what we need to do is to “stir up” the work of the Spirit within us. We must give ourselves afresh to God in prayer, Bible reading, and a new yielding to the Holy Spirit. We must also separate ourselves from thoughts, words, and actions that hinder the Spirit’s flow. Scripture says, “Come near to God and he will come near to you” (James 4:8).
If we humbly draw near for a new intimacy with God, will he turn us away? If he gave us Jesus while we were yet sinners, will he now as our heavenly Father reject our petition for more of the Spirit’s boldness and courage? That would deny everything we know about him from Scripture!
How many believers come to the end of their lives and feel as if they somehow missed the fullness of God’s plan for their lives? They think that perhaps God had something planned, but it eluded them. This is a sad thought. But if we allow the Spirit to move through us, we will see his plans and purposes accomplished. We won’t come to the end of our lives regretting so many missed opportunities to do more for Christ.
Our future will be determined by how we allow God the Holy Spirit to work in and through us. We can live our days out in fearful hesitation and second-guessing, or we can “let go and let God.” God’s plan for us is not about who we are and what talents we bring to the table. It is about the resources and grace God has promised us.
So we say with confidence, “The Lord is my helper: I will not be afraid. What can mere mortals do to me?” (Hebrews 13:6, emphasis added).
Jim Cymbala began the Brooklyn Tabernacle with less than twenty members in a small, rundown building in a difficult part of the city. A native of Brooklyn, he is a longtime friend of both David and Gary Wilkerson.