Open Heavens 31 October 2016: Monday daily devotional by Pastor E. A. Adeboye – Be Courageous

Topic: Be Courageous [Monday 31, October 2016]
Memorise: Be strong and of a good courage, fear not, nor be afraid of them: for the LORD thy God, he it is that doth go with thee; he will not fail thee, nor forsake thee. – Deuteronomy 31:6
Read: 2 Chronicles 32:7-8 (KJV)
 7 Be strong and courageous, be not afraid nor dismayed for the king of Assyria, nor for all the multitude that is with him: for there be more with us than with him:
 8 With him is an arm of flesh; but with us is the LORD our God to help us, and to fight our battles. And the people rested themselves upon the words of Hezekiah king of Judah.
Bible in One Year: Malachi 1-4, Psalms 90:7-17
MESSAGE:
 Courage is a virtue that is not optional for children of God who want to fulfil destiny. Without courage, we can’t even say we are images of the Living God. This is why God Almighty always emphasizes the need to be courageous in the lives of those who He wants to use for special assignments. In the memory verse for today, Moses, the servant of God, encouraged the children of Israel to be of good courage, void of fear for people. There are many reasons why we cannot afford to be afraid of people. Proverbs 29:25 says:
“The fear of man bringeth a snare: but whoso putteth his trust in the LORD shall be safe.”
Anyone who wants to represent God in this world must be courageous, or else, he or she will make a mess of the divine assignment like king Saul did. When he was confronted with the half-obedience he exhibited concerning the Amalekites, he had this to say:
“… I have sinned: for I have transgressed the commandment of the Lord, and thy words: because I feared the people, and obeyed their voice.” - 1 Samuel 15:24
 Another reason we should not be afraid of any man is that God is with us. His name is Emmanuel. He himself said “I am with you always, even unto the end of the world.” (Matthew 28:20). Isaiah 43:2-3 says:
“2 When thou passest through the waters, I will be with thee; and through the rivers, they shall not overflow thee: when thou walkest through the fire, thou shalt not be burned; neither shall the flame kindle upon thee. 3 For I am the LORD thy God, the Holy One of Israel, thy Saviour: I gave Egypt for thy ransom, Ethiopia and Seba for thee.”
There are facts that should instill courage into us because faithful is He who has promised; He will fulfil it. In the Bible reading for today, king Hezekiah, under the influence of the Holy Spirit, told the people to be courageous in the face of the threats of war from Sennacherib king of Assyria.
“With him is an arm of flesh; but with us is the LORD our God to help us, and to fight our battles. And the people rested themselves upon the words of Hezekiah king of Judah.”-2 Chronicles 32:8
Prayer Point: Father, give me courage; don’t let me lose my ground of faith to the devil.
Open Heavens Daily Devotional guide was written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye, the General Overseer of the Redeemed Christian Church of God, one of the largest evangelical church in the world and also the President of Christ the Redeemer's Ministries.
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