Embracing Courage: Proclaiming Hope in Challenging Times

Devotional

Day 1: Embracing the Four Pillars of Faith

The four pillars of faith - clarity, conviction, confidence, and courage - are essential for believers to stand firm in their faith and boldly proclaim the Gospel, even in the face of opposition and persecution ([12:45](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5ZguhDTasSU&t=750s)). These qualities, exemplified by Peter and John in Acts 4, are not just desirable but necessary for every believer in these challenging times.

1 Corinthians 16:13 - "Be on your guard; stand firm in the faith; be courageous; be strong."

Reflection: Reflect on your own faith journey. How have clarity, conviction, confidence, and courage played a role in your walk with Christ? Can you identify a situation where you could have exhibited these qualities more strongly?

Day 2: Ambassadors of Good News

In a world marked by increasing anger, violence, and despair, believers are called to be ambassadors of good news and to proclaim the way to peace and true freedom ([24:30](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5ZguhDTasSU&t=1455s)). This requires courage and clarity in sharing the message of Jesus, a task that should be undertaken with passion and excitement.

2 Corinthians 5:20 - "We are therefore Christ’s ambassadors, as though God were making his appeal through us. We implore you on Christ’s behalf: Be reconciled to God."

Reflection: How can you be an ambassador of good news in your daily life? Identify one specific way you can share the message of Jesus with someone today.

Day 3: Prepared to Give an Account

Every believer should be prepared to give an account for the reason they have hope in Jesus ([36:15](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5ZguhDTasSU&t=2160s)). This involves being ready to engage in conversations about their faith and having a clear understanding of the Gospel.

1 Peter 3:15 - "But in your hearts revere Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect."

Reflection: How would you explain your hope in Jesus to someone who asked? Practice articulating your faith story and the reason for your hope.

Day 4: Discerning Truth from Lies

Believers must be vigilant against false gospels and counterfeit teachings ([48:20](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5ZguhDTasSU&t=2885s)). It is crucial to discern the truth from the lies and not be swayed by teachings that deviate from the Gospel of Jesus.

1 John 4:1 - "Dear friends, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, because many false prophets have gone out into the world."

Reflection: How do you discern truth from lies in your spiritual journey? Identify a time when you had to discern between a false teaching and the true Gospel.

Day 5: Heralds of a Better Story

Despite the rejection and hatred that Christians may face in the world, there are many people who are desperate for what Christians have to offer ([59:10](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5ZguhDTasSU&t=3535s)). Believers are urged to stir up new confidence in the good news and to be ambassadors and heralds of a better story.

Romans 10:15 - "And how can anyone preach unless they are sent? As it is written: 'How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news!'"

Reflection: How can you be a herald of the better story that is the Gospel? Identify one person in your life who is desperate for the hope and peace that comes from knowing Jesus.

Sermon Summary

The sermon begins with the pastor emphasizing the importance of clarity, conviction, confidence, and courage in the lives of believers. Drawing from the story in Acts 4, the pastor highlights the courage of Peter and John who, despite being threatened, prayed for boldness in preaching God's word. The pastor then addresses the increasing courage required to be a disciple of Jesus in the current times, given the rising risk of mistreatment and persecution. He encourages the congregation to adopt a posture of courage, similar to Peter and John's response in the face of opposition.

The pastor then addresses the current state of the world, highlighting the increasing anger, violence, and despair. He urges the congregation to be ambassadors of good news and to proclaim the way to peace and true freedom. The pastor emphasizes the importance of courage and clarity in sharing the message of Jesus, comparing it to our own passion and excitement about something that naturally comes out in conversation. He believes that God wants to stir up fresh conviction in the church to boldly share the message of Jesus with others.

The pastor then addresses the importance of being prepared to give an account for the reason we have hope in Jesus. He uses the example of Peter, who confidently stepped up to explain his faith when questioned. The pastor emphasizes that every believer should be ready to engage in conversations about their faith. He also addresses the issue of false gospels that are being perpetuated within the church, emphasizing the importance of discerning the truth from the lies and being able to identify counterfeit teachings.

The pastor emphasizes the importance of courage in being a Christian, acknowledging that there will be people in the world who reject and hate Christians, but also highlights the multitude of people who are desperate for what Christians have to offer. He urges the Church to stir up new confidence in the good news and to be ambassadors and heralds of a better story. The pastor concludes by discussing the favor and notoriety that the early church, particularly Peter and John, experienced because of the Kingdom coming.

Key Takeaways

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Sermon Clips

"We are living in a time that it takes increasing courage to follow Jesus...you cannot follow Jesus and lack courage." [20:25]

"There will be people in the world that reject us, but there is a multitude of people that are desperate for what we have. The lie of the enemy is to convince you that they don't want or need it, but what you saw in the early church was a societal tipping point where multitudes were saying, 'I want that, me too, I want that.'" [37:19]

"We have to always be ready to give an account for the reason that we have hope." [05:34]

"Do you actually live a life that's congruent with what you say you believe? How can we say it's good news but we won't tell our face or tell someone else?" [32:49]

"The devil's scheme is to get your vision of God and your version of The Gospel wrong so that you are giving a false account." [14:24]

"When was the last time that you were so convinced and convicted by the truth of the Gospel that you just involuntarily...just like yeah let me tell you about Jesus yeah but Jesus this is what I think God wants to do in Us in this moment." [34:00]

"Being put on the spot is a measure of how prepared you were for the question. When we're put on the spot, it really comes down to how ready we were to give an answer." [03:08]

"We have got to get our gospel straight...we cannot allow our explanation of the Gospel to be muddy or muddled...we have got to be crystal clear." #!!12:56!!#

"We are in a time right now where the Devil Himself is working over time to destroy the world by corrupting the gospel the church believes...if the enemy can pervert Our Gospel then we have been hamstr on the very hope that God has for the whole world." #!!13:40!!#

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