KEY WORDS OF THE CHRISTIAN WALK PART 3"COURAGEOUS" JOSHUA 1:7 INTRODUCTION Thus far in this series we have

discussed two of the three key words in reference to our Christian walk. We have talked about the discouraged Christian walk. We have talked about the encouraged Christian walk. Tonight I want us to receive the challenge to have a courageous Christian walk. Look at our text in Joshua !". What does it #ean to be courageous$ It s%eaks of strength of the heart. It s%eaks of an individual who is solid in his resolve and is not easily dissuaded fro# doing that which is right. &ne of #y goals as your %astor is to teach you and train you with the Word of 'od to the extent that you cannot be #oved fro# the solid foundation of the truth of 'od(s Word.. )elievers who walk courageously in Christ are not easily shaken by the winds of adversity. When they find the#selves in uncertain circu#stances* they are confident in 'od+s leadershi% in their lives. They are like trees %lanted by the rivers of waters #entioned in ,sal#s !-. They are strong* and well grounded because they have roots that run dee%. I. WHAT IS THE FOUNDATION FOR A COURAGEOUS CHRISTIAN WALK? A. A Per !"#$ Re$#%&!" '&( W&%' T'e LORD. This #ay see# ele#entary for us even to discuss* but I believe #any %eo%le atte#%t to live the Christian life without ever having a relationshi% with .i#. I a# sure that there are so#e in here this evening who could give testi#ony to that fact. 1. S!)e Pe!($e T'&"* T'e+ Are C'r& %&#" ,e-#. e O/ T'e&r Re$#%&!" '&( W&%' A P#r%&-.$#r C'.r-'. /alvation is not in a Church. 0. S!)e Pe!($e T'&"* T'#% T'e+ Are C'r& %&#" ,e-#. e T'e+ We"% T'r!.1' A Cer%#&" Se% O/ 2!%&!" . /alvation is not in a I thought I was a Christian because I had walked an aisle when I was seven years of age and had been ba%ti0ed in a )a%tist church. It wasn(t until age - that I reali0ed what a lie I was living. 3. S!)e Pe!($e T'&"* T'e+ Are C'r& %&#" ,e-#. e O/ T'e&r F#)&$+. The result of any of these things is a walk that #ay* at ti#es* a%%ear to be a Christian walk* but in reality it is a sha#. If the walk is to be right* it #ust begin right1 3. Tr.e C'r& %&#"&%+ I A Per !"#$ Re$#%&!" '&( W&%' T'e L!r4 Je . C'r& %. We #ust be )orn 2gain of the /%irit into 'od(s fa#ily1

: ,. A Per(e%.#$ Re$#%&!" '&( W&%' T'e W!r4. The )ible is the Word of 'od1 The )ible serves as the believer+s road #a% and co#%ass to chart a successful course through this life. Without the Word we would be like a traveler on a 3ourney with no direction at all. The )ible is our light that illu#inates the %ath we take. ,sal# 4! 567Thy word is a la#% unto #y feet* and a light unto #y %ath. Can you i#agine walking an unknown %ath without a light to show the way. &ur walk would be uncertain. We would be a%t to stu#ble along the way. We would be susce%tible to hidden dangers along the way. We would have no ho%e of #aking it to our destination. /o* for us to be courageous in our Christian walk* we #ust have the assurance of 'od+s Word daily. 'iving us direction and lighting the %ath1 C. A P! &%&5e Re$#%&!" '&( W&%' O%'er . )y a %ositive relationshi%* I(# talking about one that is beneficial* useful* good* constructive* and hel%ful. We said last week that we need one another+s encourage#ent. We need the encourage#ent of our church fa#ily. 8both giving and receiving9 .ebrews 5!:67;ot forsaking the asse#bling of ourselves together* as the #anner of so#e is< but exhorting one another! and so #uch the #ore* as ye see the day a%%roaching. ,art of our res%onsibility to one another within the local church is to +exhort+ or encourage each other1 II. HOW CAN WE FACILITATE THE COURAGEOUS CHRISTIAN WALK $ =acilitate #eans to #ake so#ething work better A. T6! S&)($e W!r4 : Tr. % #"4 O7e+ . When we have the %ro%er foundation* we #ust begin to build u%on it in confidence. :. The Courageous Christian walk is one of trust in 'od and the %ro#ises of .is Word. ,roverbs -!6>?>>Trust in the L&@A with all thine heart< and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge hi#* and he shall direct thy %aths. Joshua :-!?7)e ye therefore very courageous to kee% and to do all that is written in the book of the law of Boses* that ye turn not aside therefro# to the right hand or to the left< -. Just Aeter#ine To Ao It1 Aeter#ine To .ave 2 Courageous Walk1 a. 2lways trust 'od in e5er+ situation. It takes faith to trust 'od.

b. 2lways obey 'od even when it is not convenient or %leasing. It takes faith to obey 'od.

.ebrews !?7)ut without faith it is i#%ossible to %lease hi#! for he that co#eth to 'od #ust believe that he is* and that he is a rewarder of the# that diligently seek hi#. ,. S%#+ S(&r&%.#$$+ F&%. . We understand how i#%ortant it is for us to stay %hysically fit. a. When we are out of sha%e it is difficult for us to walk with confidence. b. :. In order to kee% %hysically fit we are told that we #ust eat right* get enough rest* and exercise.

We should also understand that it is #ore i#%ortant for us to kee% s%iritually fit. a. That #eans we #ust eat right>>feeding on 'od+s Word b. c. That #eans we #ust get enough rest>>learning to lean on the everlasting ar#s< resting and relying u%on the Lord. That #eans we #ust exercise>>in the ;ew Testa#ent the word exercise #eans to train and it #eans to do so#ething over and over. 9 In weight training it is referred to as +re%s+ or re%etitive action and it doesn+t necessarily yield i##ediate results :9 d. )ut with continued regular exercise* over ti#e* the #uscles are strengthened and toned for future use.

We #ay not see i##ediate benefits of kee%ing ourselves s%iritually fit* but there will be a future benefit1

III.

WHAT IS THE FUTURE OF THE COURAGEOUS CHRISTIAN WALK? Confidence 2t The Judge#ent /eat &f Christ1 1 J!'" 0:08 We know that all who get to heaven will get there because of their faith in the shed blood of Jesus Christ and not because of anything they have done. Titus -!6>"7;ot by works of righteousness which we have done* but according to his #ercy he saved us* by the washing of regeneration* and renewing of the .oly 'host< ?Which he shed on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our /aviour< "That being 3ustified by his grace* we should be #ade heirs according to the ho%e of eternal life. &nce we get to heaven* the )ible s%eaks of an account which we all #ust give. We know it as the )e#a or as the Judg#ent /eat of Christ. Their the decision is not one of heaven or hell* but of rewards. We will be 3udged on how we lived our lives as believers.

C &ur goal should be to %lease 'od. It should be like the 2%ostle ,aul+s goal. : Ti#othy C!">D>>I have fought a good fight* I have finished #y course* I have ke%t the faith! .enceforth there is laid u% for #e a crown of righteousness* which the Lord* the righteous 3udge* shall give #e at that day! and not to #e only* but unto all the# also that love his a%%earing. What do we want to hear the Lord say$ Batthew :6!:-7.is lord said unto hi#* Well done* good and faithful servant< thou hast been faithful over a few things* I will #ake thee ruler over #any things! enter thou into the 3oy of thy lord. What do we think .e would say right now if we were to stand before .i#$ To have a courageous Christian walk #ay not be easyEbut one day it will be worth it all1 C!"-$. &!" @e#e#ber* it is all about choices. We get to choose whether our Christian walk will be courageous or #ediocre. Is our Christian walk courageous$ It is a #atter of %ersonal choice.