Lesson 13: God’s Power Gives Us Courage

Daniel 3:16-18 - "Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego answered and said to the king, “O Nebuchadnezzar, we have no need to answer you in this matter. If this be so, our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace, and he will deliver us out of your hand, O king. But if not, be it known to you, O king, that we will not serve your gods or worship the golden image that you have set up."

It sounds to me like Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego were having a bad day. Here they are going up against the world ruler of that day who just happened to be threatening them with death on the spot by throwing them into a fiery furnace, and what did they say? In my own translation they said, “Take a hike, little king! We serve the Almighty King!” Now that is being very courageous, do you agree?

Oh, but Daniel’s three friends are not the only ones who had courage when they needed it most. Examples are all over Scripture. How about Moses going up against Pharaoh? Here is an 80-year old man taking on a world power and giving them orders to let tens of thousands of their slaves go free. Can you imagine doing that today? Or how about David going up against Goliath? Here is a young man not trained as a soldier going up against a seasoned warrior who is over 9 feet tall!

Or how about Foster Walker, who accidentally walked into a bank holdup in one day? As soon as he walked in, the robber pointed the gun at him and ordered Walker to give him his money. What did Walker do? He said, "You just go ahead and shoot. I just got through reading my Bible, and I have already said my prayers." And Walker, a man in his 60's, just turned and walked away.


Or how about this Christian grandmother? They were in their motor home when a 120-pound mountain lion leaped through the window and began to maul her 18-month old grandson. What did she do? She said, "All I kept saying was, ‘Give me a knife! Give me a knife!’ And her husband gave her a butcher knife and she jammed it in and twisted it in the lion's heart and killed it. Later she said she prayed to the Lord for the strength and courage to hit the right spot, and He did."

Or how about what C. T. Studd, a Christian missionary who said, "Some people want to live within the sound of a church or chapel bell. But I want to run a rescue shop within a yard of hell!"

I do not know about you, but I would say those people were courageous. Why? Could it be they realized that it is God and God alone who gives us courage? I believe it!

* When have you believed God in an impossible situation? What happened?