I love the old John Wayne quote about the difference between fear and courage. “Courage is being scared to death… and saddling up anyway.” We all have these moments every day. Where we stand at a crossroads and ponder our next move. Do we move ahead into the unknown or stay and enjoy the safety of our current position? You see, it takes courage and bravery to leave our safety and familiarity and step out into the unknown. To take that first step we need to muster courage, bravery, and boldness. But as we do decide to forge ahead, the real question is, where do we get our bravery? Do we reach deep down into the recesses of our own being and find our own courage or do we find it externally? You now what, let’s just cut to the chase and say it this way…does you bravery lie within yourself or within Almighty God?
We find quite the extraordinary passage this morning in 1 Samuel 14. Saul’s son Jonathan is in the Israel battle camp right across the way from the Philistine battle camp. It was not uncommon in this era to camp so close to your enemy that you could hear them talk. How unsettling this must have been to be so close to a horde of angry men that simply wanted to violently end your life. As Jonathan sat there listening to the enemy, a heart that needed courage was given it, and as a result, Jonathan found bravery in the Lord. Let’s jump into the passage.
“Jonathan said to the young man who carried his armor, “Come, let us go over to the garrison of these uncircumcised. It may be that the Lord will work for us, for nothing can hinder the Lord from saving by many or by few.” And his armor-bearer said to him, “Do all that is in your heart. Do as you wish. Behold, I am with you heart and soul.” 1 Samuel 14:6-7
The Lord was using Jonathan in a powerful way. He had moved his feet with Godly bravery and then guided his feet with Godly wisdom. God showed him a narrow rocky pass that was a perfect bottleneck. A place that would be perfect for a few to battle many. It took bravery for Jonathan to leave camp and now it will take even more bravery for Jonathan to confront the enemy. Within these short two verses lies so much, let’s explore.
1) There is a great need. Jonathan saw the great need for action. The enemy was close. The enemy was threatening. The enemy wanted to claim the lives of those that served God. If nothing were done, the enemy would soon attack. The need for action was great. Folks, our enemy is close. Satan is at our door, ready to attack. God tells us “your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour.” (1 Peter 5:8) Our enemy wants nothing more today than to devour those that are doing the work of God. There is a great need today for you and I to no longer just sit in camp, but rise up and fight the enemy through the power of God.
2) God wants to use you. Folks, there is no greater truth. God wants to use someone today to enter the battle and fight the good fight. But in order to be used by God you must first be two things…available and obedient. I constantly talk to people that deeply desire to be used by God, but they are endlessly tied up and never available. Maybe even unintentionally, they have made themselves unavailable to be used by God. They are tied up in massive debt to finance a lavish lifestyle. They are tied up in a reckless cycle of sin. They are tied up in unbelief that God can use them. And many times they are tied up in themselves, seeking their own desires over the desires of God. God wants to use you, but first you have to make yourself available to His call. You must also be obedient. What if He does call and you are available? Will you heed His call? Many people just will not answer the call of God. The devil does wonderful work on us in this step. God calls us into His service and we immediately respond with, I’m not good enough, I’m not smart enough, I don’t have enough time, I don’t know enough about the Bible, I’m not a pastor, I’ve done horrible things in my past and on and on and on. Folks, God wants to use you. Allow yourself to be used by God. Give Him your yes. Jonathan did.
3) God can work greatly through you. Folks, the only thing that will restrain God is our unbelief. Do you believe that God can work greatly using you? Of course, He can, if your faith and obedience allows Him to. Jonathan had only himself and his armor bearer, but He still approached the enemy camp with the words, “for nothing can hinder the Lord from saving by many or by few.” Jonathan believed in his heart that God could and would do amazing things through him. Jonathan’s faith in God supplied the bravery He needed and his faith in God supplied the vision of the great things God could do. God can change the world with this kind of faith.
4) God creates teams to do His work. Jonathan’s armor bearer leaps off the pages of scripture and into history right before us. We know not his name or his background, but what we do know is that his faith in God rivaled Jonathan’s. What a brave team God created. At any moment, the armor bearer could have spoken unbelief and cynicism into Jonathan about his crazy plan for just the two of them to attack the entire enemy camp. “This is a really bad idea Jonathan, let’s turn back!” “Jon, they’re gonna kill us as soon as they see us!” Or maybe, “Dude, this is a really dumb idea.” But instead he spoke bravery and affirmation into Jonathan. “Do all that is in your heart. Do as you wish. Behold, I am with you heart and soul.” Can you imagine how these words lifted Jonathan’s very soul? Brothers and sisters should lift each other up like this as we work in the will of God. Folks, when you make yourselves available and obedient to God, He will use you. And as He uses you, He will recruit fellow like-minded hearts to the team. This team might look as motley as the 12 disciples did, but it will be God’s team. He will provide the bravery. He will provide the vision. He will do the heavy lifting. Many brave hearts gathered before God in great faith is a team that He can use to change the world.
5) Bravery lies within our Faith. Friends, it’s all about faith. Do you believe that God can use you in a powerful way? Do you believe that God can work His wonders by using you? Do you believe that God can give you the bravery to confront the enemy head on today? Do you believe that God can assemble a small team to defeat a massive enemy? Folks, here’s the key. Have little faith in yourself but have great faith in God.
A great need is first shown to us by God. Next, the bravery to leave your camp and confront the enemy comes from great faith in God. God will then give direction and vision to the heart that is available and obedient to Him. God can and will work wonders through this obedient heart. And as God’s work goes forth, He will assemble a strong team of like-minded obedient, faithful hearts. What a glory to see how God can use ordinary hearts to do extraordinary things. Just remember the key, have great faith in God, not yourself.
Today, may you be brave in the Lord as you confront the enemy. The need has never been greater in our world today, than for people to hear about the saving grace of Jesus Christ.
The world is bold in giving its message today, let’s be bold in giving the message of Christ today.
May Godly bravery and Godly wisdom continue to lead you and Margie as you both answer His call to serve His people in Mexico 🇲🇽. My prayer is that everyone who reads this blog will pray for everyday. You are loved!