What other biblical examples show God's support for those who act courageously? Crossing at Flood Stage: 1 Chronicles 12:15 “These are the ones who crossed the Jordan in the first month when it was overflowing all its banks. They put all the valley people to flight, both to the east and to the west.” The Gadite warriors risked their lives by fording a flooded river to stand with David. Their boldness was met with unmistakable victory—proof that God champions those who step forward in faith. Other Moments When God Backed Courage • Joshua and Israel at the Jordan – Joshua 3:15-17: “The priests carrying the ark… stood firm on dry ground in the middle of the Jordan, while all Israel crossed on dry ground.” God duplicated the miracle of the Red Sea, affirming that fearless obedience opens impossible paths. • Caleb claiming Hebron – Joshua 14:12-13: “Now give me this hill country… the LORD helping me, I will drive them out.” At age eighty-five, Caleb trusted the literal promise given forty-five years earlier. God honored his tenacity with the land. • Gideon’s three hundred – Judges 7:7: “With the three hundred… I will deliver you.” The Lord reduced the army to showcase His power when one man dared to believe Him against overwhelming odds. • Deborah and Barak – Judges 4:14: “Up! For this is the day the LORD has given Sisera into your hand.” Their joint courage drew heaven’s aid; “the stars fought from their courses” (5:20). • Jonathan and his armor-bearer – 1 Samuel 14:6: “Nothing can hinder the LORD from saving, whether by many or by few.” Two men climbed a cliff and triggered a panic that routed Philistine forces. • David vs. Goliath – 1 Samuel 17:45-47: “The battle belongs to the LORD.” A shepherd’s confidence in God toppled a giant and lifted a nation’s faith. • Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego – Daniel 3:17-18: “Our God… is able to deliver us, and He will deliver us… but even if He does not…” Their stand in the furnace revealed “one like a son of the gods” walking beside them. • Daniel in the lions’ den – Daniel 6:23: “No wound was found on him, because he had trusted in his God.” Unflinching prayer was met with a sealed-mouth miracle. • Esther before the king – Esther 4:16; 5:2: “If I perish, I perish.” Her unsummoned entrance turned a death decree into national deliverance. • Hezekiah vs. Assyria – 2 Kings 19:35: “That night the angel of the LORD went out and struck down 185,000.” The king’s earnest reliance on God’s word silenced the world’s mightiest army. • Peter and John before the Sanhedrin – Acts 4:13-14, 31: When they “spoke the word of God boldly,” the place shook and the gospel advanced unrestrained. • Paul in Corinth – Acts 18:9-10: “Do not be afraid… for I am with you.” The Lord’s personal assurance undergirded Paul’s eighteen-month ministry in a hostile city. Common Threads in Every Story – A clear word or promise from God precedes the courageous act. – Circumstances appear risky, impossible, or costly. – Believers move forward anyway, trusting God’s character and power. – The Lord intervenes, vindicating faith and spreading His glory. Takeaway for Today When God’s people act on His revealed truth, He faithfully upholds them—whether by parting rivers, silencing lions, or strengthening trembling hearts. The same faithful God still stands behind courageous obedience. |
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