“Have I not commanded you? Be strong and of good courage; do not be afraid, nor be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.” Joshua 1:9 (NKJV) Over the last few days, we’ve been talking about choosing courage. When I was around sixteen years old, my dad shared something with me that I’ve never forgotten. He told me, “Leon, confidence increases the presence of God in your life.” I began to realize that when I choose to do the courageous thing, something rises up within me. When I decide to act valiantly, real boldness comes from my recreated spirit. It’s interesting that there are more verses telling Joshua to be courageous than any other leader in the Bible. It makes me wonder …

Be on guard. Stand firm in the faith. Be courageous. Be strong. And do everything with love. 1 Corinthians 16:13-14 (NLT)  Courage is not a feeling or a personality trait. Courage is a choice. 1 Corinthians tells us to be courageous, to be strong. Notice that you choose! Many times we pray for strength to be courageous, when God has already given us everything we need for life and godliness. (2 Peter 1:3) Everyone feels the same push of fear and uncertainty, but you have not been given a spirit of fear (1 Timothy 1:7). You may think shyness is part of your personality. While there’s nothing wrong with being a quieter person, fear isn’t part of who you were created to be. Over and over in the Word, we find …

Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need. Hebrews 4:16 (NKJV)  How do you approach God? Do you go to Him timidly, feeling ashamed? Hebrews 4:16 says that you can go boldly to His throne. But what kind of throne is it? If it was a throne of judgment or punishment, none of us would want to go anywhere near it. If it was a throne of standards you could never live up to, you probably wouldn’t approach it with much boldness, knowing all your mistakes and flaws. But this is the throne of grace—the throne of God’s undeserved favour toward you. In the Bible, we find three different thrones. Revelations …

The wicked flee when no one pursues them, but the righteous are as bold as a lion. Proverbs 28:1 (AMP) Are you running from something? Some believers are running from the devil. They continually blame him for everything that goes wrong in their lives, when he really doesn’t have power. He’s a defeated enemy, yet they see him as the “big, bad wolf.” Others are running from God, thinking He’s going to punish them. They avoid going to church or reading the Word because they believe God is out to get them when they mess up. They haven’t realized that Jesus put them in right-standing with God as a gift. Proverbs 28:1 says the righteous are as bold as a lion. As a believer, you’re counted among …

Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done. Philippians 4:6 (NLT) Have you ever had a really good laugh when you’re going through a stressful time? You feel a lot better after, don’t you? Philippians 4:4–9 talks about this Biblical response to stress. Verse 4 starts out by saying, “Always be full of joy in the Lord. I say it again—rejoice!” Expressing joy is a great way to destress. It’s healthy no matter how you do it—praising and thanking God, laughing with your best friend, giggling with your kids or playing a practical joke on your spouse. Studies support the physical benefits of laughter, and it’s something that doctors agree we need to …