By Pastor Olatunde Oyetola

Welcome to this glorious month of August. I trust God that it will come out great for us all in Jesus name. God’s admonishment to us in Joshua 1:5-9 is to be strong and courageous.

“There shall not any man be able to stand before thee all the days of thy life: as I was with Moses, [so] I will be with thee: I will not fail thee, nor forsake thee. Be strong and of a good courage: for unto this people shalt thou divide for an inheritance the land, which I sware unto their fathers to give them.” Joshua 1:5-6

It takes courage to produce what God is drawing out for you. Many thoughts run through our minds:

• Who are you to think you can be successful?
• What makes you think you are good looking?
• How dare you believe God has a plan for your life?
• How dare you believe you can rise above your parents?
• Who are you to dream of success – have a First Class, a happy home, a very good life etc?

My word for you is this: “This month, the door of fulfilment is open to those who have the courage to knock.” It takes courage to believe you can contribute something positive to this world.

It takes courage to stand up in this world inhabited by seven billion people and say, “I have a unique life, purpose and destiny different from any other person’s who has ever lived.” Courage is not normal. It is insane to be normal in the abnormal world we live in. In the “reality-TV society” we live in today, where weakness and mediocrity are standards for all, it takes courage to go after your dream, to claim your rights and affirm your ability to rise to greater heights. You are a rising and shining star. You are therefore unstoppable in Jesus name.

It takes courage to face challenges, overcome obstacles and remain persistent in the face of recurring troubles. It takes courage to walk through the rubble of broken relationships when you lose friends or suffer betrayal. Courage inspires you to hold on to your Joseph’s dream when it appears that such dreams are difficult to achieve. Courage helps you to hold on in the face of scathing criticisms and when failure has taken the wind out of your sail. It inspires you to believe the incredible, achieve the impossible and come up with unprecedented achievements. Courage reminds you of the fact that the One who lives in you is greater than the one who lives in the world. It takes courage to get up after a fall.

Courage is not the absence of fear but it is taking action in the face of fear. Be courageous! The Bible says that the righteous is as bold as a lion. Many are afraid to share the gospel. Many find it hard to declare that they are God’s children.

To build your courage, you need to:

• Consistently study God’s word
• Be a praise addict
• Pray for the spirit of courage to come on you everyday.
• Pray in tongues regularly.

God has promised us in Joshua 1:5 that this month He will be with us. He will not fail us and neither will He abandon us.

Now make this confession: “God will be with me, God won’t give up on me and God won’t leave me alone.”

Have a blessed month in Jesus’ name. Amen.

This article was featured in the August edition of the Drive