The Spirit of Courage - Part IV
by Dr. John Tetsola

Last month we saw how courage opens doors. When courage is taken in the midst of complexity, it activates an anointing amidst the difficulty that enables us to go through the process of pursuit until God’s desired results are achieved. Fear weakens the heart of the believer in a storm, causing you to relinquish your pursuit. But courage strengthens your heart and gives you hope. Now, let’s look at six blessings that are activated through courage.

THE BLESSINGS OF COURAGE

Be strong and let your heart take courage, all you who wait for and hope for and expect the Lord!
Psalm 31:24 AMP

Many spiritual battles have been lost due to the lack of courage. Courage has its blessings. It is the difference between a victorious person and a defeated one. When we determine to walk in courage in the midst of setback, we activate the following blessings of courage:

• FIRST, the strengthening and stabilization of our heart in crisis. Storms can cause our heart to fret and worry, which activates fear and anxiety concerning our future. But courage fortifies the foundation of our pursuit and activates an anointing that strengthens and stabilizes our heart in God.

• SECOND, courage consumes the fear of our assignment. The antidote for fear is courage. The first entrance of attack by the enemy in a storm is fear. Fear is a weapon in the hands of the enemy to paralyze and immobilize the pursuit of the believer. When a believer commits to walk in courage during times of crisis, it dismantles the power of fear.

• THIRD, courage releases hope for pursuit. Hope is the expectation and dream of your future that’s coming into view. The believer who walks in courage is incited by the certainty of the picture of his promise, causing him or her to press through every storm to get to their destination in God.

• FOURTH, courage activates the assurance of God’s presence on our behalf. There’s no greater source of strength in battle than the knowledge that God is working on our behalf in the midst of a storm.

• FIFTH, courage releases the focus for onward pursuit without stoppage and distraction. The enemy’s intention in a storm is to introduce the distraction of a counterfeit assignment in your life. But courage activates the spirit of focus for onward pursuit.

• FINALLY, courage teaches us how to trust God. It builds up our reliance on God because it helps us to focus on past victories, which solidifies our confidence for the present pursuit.

Courage is a necessity if we are going to be successful in crisis and not quit our call. In your attempt to fulfill the will of God in the face of difficulty, activate the blessings of courage in the midst of your pursuit.