Take Courage and Enjoy!

“I would had lost heart unless I had believed…” Faith gives us the courage to continue. As long as we’re thinking about what God said it gives us hope so we can have heart for the future. But when we get our thoughts and eyes on everything else we can get dis-couraged. In the mist of challenging and difficult situations the Lord often instructs us to, “Take Courage!” and His Word is the place we take it from. In order to be en-couraged we have to have a source of encouragement. God is our Source! We can be bold and strong when we know that the Almighty is with us. But we will only know when we choose to be aware and continue in prayer. So we need to resist the temptation to forget or ever think that the Lord has not given all or done enough for us

Ps 106:8-15
8 Nevertheless He saved them for His name's sake,
That He might make His mighty power known.
9 He rebuked the Red Sea also, and it dried up;
So He led them through the depths,
As through the wilderness.
10 He saved them from the hand of him who hated them,
And redeemed them from the hand of the enemy.
11 The waters covered their enemies;
There was not one of them left.
12 Then they believed His words;
They sang His praise.

13 They soon forgot His works;
They did not wait for His counsel,
14 But lusted exceedingly in the wilderness,
And tested God in the desert.
15 And He gave them their request,
But sent leanness into their soul.
NKJV

We’re Saved! Jesus suffered and died for us and gave us His very life and open access to God our Father so what more could we ask? But if we’re not careful one day we’ll be singin His praises and the next forgetting the Father and fainting in the wilderness. So when we’re feeling faint we need to refocus on the Father. Because in His presence “is fullness of joy” and “with joy you will draw water from the wells of salvation.” so “Do not sorrow, for the joy of the Lord is your strength." (Ps 16:11, Isa 12:3, Neh 8:10) And He also “gives us richly all things to enjoy.” (1 Tim 6:17) Jesus said, “I came that they may have and enjoy life, and have it in abundance (to the full, till it overflows). “ John 10:10AMP No matter how our situation may look on the outside we always have an abundance of everlasting life on the inside! And that my friend is always something to be encouraged about and enjoy!

Ps 27:13-14
13 I would have lost heart, unless I had believed
That I would 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 your heart;
Wait, I say, on the Lord!
NKJV

Matt 14:22-27
22 Immediately Jesus made the disciples get into the boat and go on ahead of him to the other side, while he dismissed the crowd. 23 After he had dismissed them, he went up on a mountainside by himself to pray. When evening came, he was there alone, 24 but the boat was already a considerable distance from land, buffeted by the waves because the wind was against it.

25 During the fourth watch of the night Jesus went out to them, walking on the lake. 26 When the disciples saw him walking on the lake, they were terrified. "It's a ghost," they said, and cried out in fear.

27 But Jesus immediately said to them: "Take courage! It is I. Don't be afraid."
NIV

Acts 23:10-11
0 The dispute became so violent that the commander was afraid Paul would be torn to pieces by them. He ordered the troops to go down and take him away from them by force and bring him into the barracks.

11 The following night the Lord stood near Paul and said, "Take courage! As you have testified about me in Jerusalem, so you must also testify in Rome."
NIV

Deut 31:6-8
6 Be strong and of good courage, do not fear nor be afraid of them; for the Lord your God, He is the One who goes with you. He will not leave you nor forsake you."

7 Then Moses called Joshua and said to him in the sight of all Israel, "Be strong and of good courage, for you must go with this people to the land which the Lord has sworn to their fathers to give them, and you shall cause them to inherit it. 8 And the Lord, He is the One who goes before you. He will be with you, He will not leave you nor forsake you; do not fear nor be dismayed."
NKJV

Deut 31:23
23 Then He inaugurated Joshua the son of Nun, and said,"Be strong and of good courage; for you shall bring the children of Israel into the land of which I swore to them, and I will be with you."
NKJV

Josh 1:5-9
5 No man shall be able to stand before you all the days of your life; as I was with Moses, so I will be with you. I will not leave you nor forsake you. 6 Be strong and of good courage, for to this people you shall divide as an inheritance the land which I swore to their fathers to give them. 7 Only be strong and very courageous, that you may observe to do according to all the law which Moses My servant commanded you; do not turn from it to the right hand or to the left, that you may prosper wherever you go. 8 This Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate in it day and night, that you may observe to do according to all that is written in it. For then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have good success. 9 Have I not commanded you? Be strong and of good courage; do not be afraid, nor be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go."
NKJV

Josh 10:24-26
So it was, when they brought out those kings to Joshua, that Joshua called for all the men of Israel, and said to the captains of the men of war who went with him, "Come near, put your feet on the necks of these kings." And they drew near and put their feet on their necks. 25 Then Joshua said to them,"Do not be afraid, nor be dismayed; be strong and of good courage, for thus the Lord will do to all your enemies against whom you fight."
NKJV

1 Chron 28:20-21
20 And David said to his son Solomon,"Be strong and of good courage, and do it; do not fear nor be dismayed, for the Lord God — my God — will be with you. He will not leave you nor forsake you, until you have finished all the work for the service of the house of the Lord.
NKJV

Ps 16:11
11 You will show me the path of life;
In Your presence is fullness of joy;
At Your right hand are pleasures forevermore.
NKJV

Ps 31:24
4 Be of good courage,
And He shall strengthen your heart,
All you who hope in the Lord.
NKJV