This popular quote has been widely shared with slightly different variations (some attributed to Robin Williams, Plato, Ian Maclaren, etc.), but they all contain the same blaring truth—there are countless challenges surrounding ourselves and our communities. Even in the midst of a global pandemic, each individual and each family has their own set of personal struggles and concerns . But there is courage and hope to be found in every obstacle that we face.
Whether you are pressing on with focused determination, feeling overwhelmed with so much of the unknown, resting firmly in your faith, struggling with anxiety, or all of the above—going through difficult circumstances can bring forth new, burdensome challenges to navigate. When the afflictions you’re dealing with seem too severe and unmanageable, remember that you are not alone, you are stronger than you realize, and it is more than okay to ask for help.
We all need to take time to breathe deep, shut out the voices of panic and worry inside our heads, and be reminded that we can and will get through these hardships. So, get yourself a glass of water, or a cup of tea sit back, and meditate on the quotes below to refresh your fighting spirit and faith!
Joshua 1:9 ~ Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be frightened, and do not be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.”
2 Timothy 1:7 ~ For God gave us a spirit not of fear but of power and love and self-control.
Deuteronomy 31:6 ~ Be strong and courageous. Do not fear or be in dread of them, for it is the Lord your God who goes with you. He will not leave you or forsake you.”
Psalm 31:24 ~ Be strong, and let your heart take courage, all you who wait for the Lord!
1 Corinthians 16:13 ~ Be watchful, stand firm in the faith, act like men, be strong.
Psalm 27:14 ~ Wait for the Lord; be strong, and let your heart take courage; wait for the Lord!
1 Chronicles 22:13 NIV
13 Then you will have success if you are careful to observe the decrees and laws that the Lord gave Moses for Israel. Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or discouraged.
Psalm 27:1 NIV
1 The Lord is my light and my salvation- whom shall I fear? The Lord is the stronghold of my life- of whom shall I be afraid?
1 Corinthians 10:13 NIV
13 No temptation has overtaken you except what is common to mankind. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can endure it.
Read 1 Corinthians 10
Romans 8:31-39 NIV
31 What, then, shall we say in response to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? 32 He who did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all-how will he not also, along with him, graciously give us all things? 33 Who will bring any charge against those whom God has chosen? It is God who justifies. 34 Who then is the one who condemns? No one. Christ Jesus who died-more than that, who was raised to life-is at the right hand of God and is also interceding for us. 35 Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword? 36 As it is written: “For your sake we face death all day long; we are considered as sheep to be slaughtered.” 37 No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. 38 For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, 39 neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.
Matthew 10:16-20 NIV
16 “I am sending you out like sheep among wolves. Therefore be as shrewd as snakes and as innocent as doves. 17 Be on your guard; you will be handed over to the local councils and be flogged in the synagogues. 18 On my account you will be brought before governors and kings as witnesses to them and to the Gentiles. 19 But when they arrest you, do not worry about what to say or how to say it. At that time you will be given what to say, 20 for it will not be you speaking, but the Spirit of your Father speaking through you.
1 Corinthians 16:13 NIV
13 Be on your guard; stand firm in the faith; be courageous; be strong.
Psalm 27:14 NIV
14 Wait for the Lord; be strong and take heart and wait for the Lord.
Proverbs 28:1 NIV
1 The wicked flee though no one pursues, but the righteous are as bold as a lion
Proverbs 3:5-6 NIV
5 Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; 6 in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight.
Philippians 1:28 NIV
28 without being frightened in any way by those who oppose you. This is a sign to them that they will be destroyed, but that you will be saved-and that by God.
1 Chronicles 28:20 NIV
20 David also said to Solomon his son, “Be strong and courageous, and do the work. Do not be afraid or discouraged, for the Lord God, my God, is with you. He will not fail you or forsake you until all the work for the service of the temple of the Lord is finished.
John 16:33 NIV
33 “I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.
Psalm 31:24 NIV
24 Be strong and take heart, all you who hope in the Lord
Philippians 4:13 NIV
13 I can do all this through him who gives me strength.
Mark 5:36 NIV
36 Overhearing what they said, Jesus told him, “Don’t be afraid; just believe.”
Psalm 112:7 NIV
7 They will have no fear of bad news; their hearts are steadfast, trusting in the Lord.
Isaiah 41:10 NIV
10 So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.
John 14:27 NIV
27 Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.
Romans 15:13 NIV
13 May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.
1. “The human capacity for burden is like bamboo – far more flexible than you’d ever believe at first glance.” — Jodi Picoult
2. “I can be changed by what happens to me. But I refuse to be reduced by it.” — Maya Angelou
3. “On the other side of a storm is the strength that comes from having navigated through it. Raise your sail and begin.” — Gregory S. Williams
4. “Although the world is full of suffering, it is also full of the overcoming of it.” — Helen Keller
5. “Turn your wounds into wisdom.” — Oprah Winfrey
6. “My scars remind me that I did indeed survive my deepest wounds. That in itself is an accomplishment. And they bring to mind something else, too. They remind me that the damage life has inflicted on me has, in many places, left me stronger and more resilient. What hurt me in the past has actually made me better equipped to face the present.” — Steve Goodier
7. “Resilience is accepting your new reality, even if it’s less good than the one you had before. You can fight it, you can do nothing but scream about what you’ve lost, or you can accept that and try to put together something that’s good.” — Elizabeth Edwards
8. “A good half of the art of living is resilience.” — Alain de Botton
9. “Never say that you can’t do something, or that something seems impossible, or that something can’t be done, no matter how discouraging or harrowing it may be; human beings are limited only by what we allow ourselves to be limited by: our own minds. We are each the masters of our own reality; when we become self-aware to this: absolutely anything in the world is possible.” — Mike Norton
10. “It’s your reaction to adversity, not adversity itself that determines how your life’s story will develop.” — Dieter F. Uchtdorf
11. “Life doesn’t get easier or more forgiving, we get stronger and more resilient.” — Steve Maraboli
12. “We all have battles to fight. And it’s often in those battles that we are most alive: it’s on the frontlines of our lives that we earn wisdom, create joy, forge friendships, discover happiness, find love, and do purposeful work.” — Eric Greitens
13. “No matter how much falls on us, we keep plowing ahead. That’s the only way to keep the roads clear.” — Greg Kincaid
14. “Resilience is very different than being numb. Resilience means you experience, you feel, you fail, you hurt. You fall. But, you keep going.” — Yasmin Mogahed
15. “The oak fought the wind and was broken, the willow bent when it must and survived.” — Robert Jordan
16. “You must bear losses like a soldier, the voice told me, bravely and without complaint, and just when the day seems lost, grab your shield for another stand, another thrust forward. That is the juncture that separates heroes from the merely strong.” — Margaret George
17. “Strong people alone know how to organize their suffering so as to bear only the most necessary pain.” — Emil Dorian
18. “Some knowledge is too heavy…you cannot bear it…your Father will carry it until you are able.” — Corrie ten Boom
19. “Strength does not come from winning. Your struggles develop your strengths. When you go through hardships and decide not to surrender, that is strength.” — Arnold Schwarzenegger
20. “It may sound strange, but many champions are made champions by setbacks.” — Bob Richards
21. “No one escapes pain, fear, and suffering. Yet from pain can come wisdom, from fear can come courage, from suffering can come strength – if we have the virtue of resilience.” — Eric
22. “I believe in being strong when everything seems to be going wrong… I believe that tomorrow is another day and I believe in miracles.” — Audrey Hepburn
23. “The difference between a strong man and a weak one is that the former does not give up after a defeat.” — Woodrow Wilson
24. “Hold yourself responsible for a higher standard than anybody else expects of you. Never excuse yourself. Never pity yourself. Be a hard master to yourself-and be lenient to everybody else.” — Henry Ward Beecher
25. “I hope you never fear those mountains in the distance,
Never settle for the path of least resistance.” — Lee Ann Womack
26. “Life is very interesting. In the end, some of your greatest pains become your greatest strengths.” — Drew Barrymore
27. “My barn having burned down, I can now see the moon.” — Mizuta Masahide
28. “If you’re going through hell, keep going.” — Winston Churchill
29. “Enthusiasm is common. Endurance is rare.” — Angela Duckworth
30. “Fall seven times, stand up eight.” — Japanese Proverb
31. “Listen to the people who love you. Believe that they are worth living for even when you don’t believe it. Seek out the memories depression takes away and project them into the future. Be brave; be strong; take your pills. Exercise because it’s good for you even if every step weighs a thousand pounds. Eat when food itself disgusts you. Reason with yourself when you have lost your reason.” — Andrew Solomon
32. “We are all faced with a series of great opportunities brilliantly disguised as impossible situations.” — Chuck Swindoll
33. “Resilience is the ability to attack while running away.” — Wes Fessler
34. “You may have to fight a battle more than once to win it.” — Margaret Thatcher
35. “Rock bottom became the solid foundation in which I rebuilt my life.” — J.K. Rowling
Related: 101 Time Quotes
36. “That which does not kill us makes us stronger.” — Friedrich Nietzsche
37. “One’s dignity may be assaulted, vandalized and cruelly mocked, but it can never be taken away unless it is surrendered.” — Michael J. Fox
38. “The harder you fall, the heavier your heart; the heavier your heart, the stronger you climb; the stronger you climb, the higher your pedestal.” — Criss Jami
39. “Successful people demonstrate their resilience through their dedication to making progress every day, even if that progress is marginal.” — Jonathan Mills
40. “Courage doesn’t always roar. Sometimes courage is the quiet voice at the end of the day saying ‘I will try again tomorrow.'” — Mary Anne Radmacher
41. “You have power over your mind – not outside events. Realize this, and you will find strength.” — Marcus Aurelius
42. “Failure will never overtake me if my determination to succeed is strong enough.” — Og Mandino
43. “With the new day comes new strength and new thoughts.” — Eleanor Roosevelt
44. “Resilience isn’t a single skill. It’s a variety of skills and coping mechanisms. To bounce back from bumps in the road as well as failures, you should focus on emphasizing the positive.” — Jean Chatzky
45. “I love the man that can smile in trouble, that can gather strength from distress, and grow brave by reflection. ’Tis the business of little minds to shrink, but he whose heart is firm, and whose conscience approves his conduct, will pursue his principles unto death.” — Thomas Paine
46. “Hard times don’t create heroes. It is during the hard times when the ‘hero’ within us is revealed.” — Bob Riley
47. “What helps you persevere is your resilience and commitment.” — Roy T. Bennett
48. “It’s a funny thing about life, once you begin to take note of the things you are grateful for, you begin to lose sight of the things that you lack.” — Germany Kent
49. “If your heart is broken, make art with the pieces.” — Shane Koyczan
50. “Happiness isn’t something that depends on our surroundings…it’s something we make inside ourselves.” — Corrie ten Boom
51. “Nothing is more beautiful than the smile that has struggled through the tears.” — Demi Lovato
52. “Out of suffering have emerged the strongest souls; the most massive characters are seared with scars.” — Khalil Gibran
53. “Hard times may have held you down, but they will not last forever. When all is said and done, you will be increased.” — Joel Osteen
54. “The world breaks everyone, and afterward, some are strong at the broken places.” — Ernest Hemingway
55. “It is really wonderful how much resilience there is in human nature. Let any obstructing cause, no matter what, be removed in any way, even by death, and we fly back to first principles of hope and enjoyment.” — Bram Stoker
56. “Hard times are sometimes blessings in disguise. We do have to suffer but in the end it makes us strong, better and wise.” — Anurag Prakash Ray
57. “Persistence and resilience only come from having been given the chance to work through difficult problems.” — Gever Tulley
58. “Difficulties are meant to rouse, not discourage. The human spirit is to grow strong by conflict.” — William Ellery Channing
59. “I have no regrets in my life. I think that everything happens to you for a reason. The hard times that you go through build character, making you a much stronger person.” — Rita Mero
60. “There is meaning in every journey that is unknown to the traveler.” — Dietrich Bonhoeffer
61. “Do not judge me by my success, judge me by how many times I fell down and got back up again.” — Nelson Mandela
62. “Hard times arouse an instinctive desire for authenticity.” — Coco Chanel
63. “There is a saying in Tibetan, ‘Tragedy should be utilized as a source of strength.’ No matter what sort of difficulties, how painful the experience is, if we lose our hope, that’s our real disaster.” — 14th Dalai Lama
64. “We are only as strong as we are united, as weak as we are divided.” — J.K. Rowling
65. “No matter how bleak or menacing a situation may appear, it does not entirely own us. It can’t take away our freedom to respond, our power to take action.” — Ryder Carroll
66. “You never know how strong you are, until being strong is your only choice.” — Bob Marley
67. “Anyone can give up; it is the easiest thing in the world to do. But to hold it together when everyone would expect you to fall apart, now that is true strength.” — Chris Bradford
68. “Like tiny seeds with potent power to push through tough ground and become mighty trees, we hold innate reserves of unimaginable strength. We are resilient.” — Catherine DeVrye
69. “Our greatest weakness lies in giving up. The most certain way to succeed is always to try just one more time.” — Thomas Edison
70. “And one has to understand that braveness is not the absence of fear but rather the strength to keep on going forward despite the fear.” — Paulo Coelho
71. “She stood in the storm and when the wind did not blow her way, she adjusted her sails.” — Elizabeth Edwards
72. “Courage is the most important of all the virtues because without courage, you can’t practice any other virtue consistently.” — Maya Angelou
73. “All the adversity I’ve had in my life, all my troubles and obstacles, have strengthened me…. You may not realize it when it happens, but a kick in the teeth may be the best thing in the world for you.” — Walt Disney
74. “He who believes is strong; he who doubts is weak. Strong convictions precede great actions.” — Louisa May Alcott
75. “Our greatest glory is not in never falling, but in rising every time we fall.” — Confucius
76. “Hard times build determination and inner strength. Through them we can also come to appreciate the uselessness of anger.” — Dalai Lama
77. “Be patient and tough; someday this pain will be useful to you.” — Ovid
78. “Only those who dare to fail greatly, can ever achieve greatly.” — Robert F. Kennedy
79. “Make up your mind that no matter what comes your way, no matter how difficult, no matter how unfair, you will do more than simply survive. You will thrive in spite of it.” — Joel Osteen
80. “A hero is an ordinary individual who finds the strength to persevere and endure in spite of overwhelming obstacles.” — Christopher Reeve
81. “Grief and resilience live together.” — Michelle Obama
82. “We are not a product of what has happened to us in our past. We have the power of choice.” — Stephen Covey
83. “When we learn how to become resilient, we learn how to embrace the beautifully broad spectrum of the human experience.” — Jaeda Dewalt
84. “When you go through something, like, you learn to appreciate little things – the birds, trees, flowers.” — Grizz Chapman
85. “We do not have to become heroes overnight. Just a step at a time, meeting each thing that comes up, seeing it is not as dreadful as it appeared, discovering we have the strength to stare it down.” — Eleanor Roosevelt
86. “Resilience is based on compassion for ourselves as well as compassion for others.” — Sharon Salzberg
87. “Worry does not empty tomorrow of its sorrow. It empties today of its strength.” — Corrie ten Boom
88. “Every adversity, every failure, and every heartache, carries with it the seed of an equivalent or greater benefit.” — Napoleon Hill
89. “Confidence, courage and determined spirit are vital for surviving hard times.” — Lailah Gifty Akita
90. “Difficult times have helped me to understand better than before, how infinitely rich and beautiful life is in every way, and that so many things that one goes worrying about are of no importance whatsoever.” — Zahid Abas
91. “Hope is the thing with feathers that perches in the soul – and sings the tunes without the words – and never stops at all.” — Emily Dickinson
92. “When things are bad, we take comfort in the thought that they could always get worse. And when they are, we find hope in the thought that things are so bad they have to get better.” — Malcolm S. Forbes
93. “We must accept finite disappointment, but never lose infinite hope.” — Martin Luther King, Jr.
94. “The gem cannot be polished without friction, nor man perfected without trials.” — Chinese Proverb
95. “Worry never robs tomorrow of its sorrow, it only saps today of its joy.” — Leo Buscaglia
96. “And hard times are good in their own way, too. Because the only way you can achieve true happiness is if you experience true sadness as well. It’s all about light and shade. Balance.” — Gabrielle Williams
97. “In the middle of difficulty lies opportunity.” — Albert Einstein
98. “When everything seems to be going against you, remember that the airplane takes off against the wind, not with it.” — Henry Ford
99. “Going through challenging things can teach you a lot, and they also make you appreciate the times that aren’t so challenging.” — Carrie Fisher
100. “You may not always have a comfortable life and you will not always be able to solve all of the world’s problems at once but don’t ever underestimate the importance you can have because history has shown us that courage can be contagious and hope can take on a life of its own.” — Michelle Obama
1. Joshua 1:6–9
Be strong and courageous, for you shall cause this people to inherit the land that I swore to their fathers to give them. Only be strong and very courageous, being careful to do according to all the law that Moses my servant commanded you. Do not turn from it to the right hand or to the left, that you may have good success wherever you go. This Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do according to all that is written in it. For then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have good success. Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be frightened, and do not be dismayed, for the LORD your God is with you wherever you go.”
Three times the Lord charges Joshua to be strong and courageous, words reminiscent of Joshua’s earlier commissioning under Moses (see Deut. 31:6–8, 23). Joshua will need strength and courage to accept his task (you shall cause this people to inherit the land; Josh. 1:6); to obey the Torah (“Book of the Law”; most likely this would have included at least the book of Deuteronomy or portions thereof [see Deut. 31:26, “this law”]); and to resist being terrified (do not be frightened, and do not be dismayed Josh. 1:9). Most difficult of all will be the middle responsibility—namely, to make the Lord’s instructions (Hebrew Torah) integral to who he is and what he does (Josh. 1:8), meditating on them constantly so as to do them (Josh. 1:8). Thus the middle exhortation is made emphatic by the addition of two small words: “only be strong and very courageous.” Given Joshua’s leadership responsibilities, this charge to be strong and courageous would be daunting were it not for the framing promises: I will be with you. I will not leave you or forsake you (Josh. 1:5); and the LORD your God is with you wherever you go (Josh. 1:9). Fortified by these assurances of the Lord’s abiding presence, Joshua is empowered to receive his commission with courage. The Hebrew terminology used in these assurances has nothing to do with worldly wealth or worldly success, but has everything to do with accomplishing one’s mission and acting with keen insight in any circumstance that presents itself. Only when one fails to “ask counsel from the LORD” (Josh. 9:14) is such insight lacking.
2. Isaiah 41:10
Fear not, for I am with you;
be not dismayed, for I am your God;
I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.
You here is the people as a whole (called “Jacob” in Isa. 41:8). Unlike the terrified nations of Isaiah 41:5, the people of God have in him reason to be fearless (compare Isa. 41:13–14). Unlike the gods of the nations, which must be strengthened and secured (Isa. 41:7), the God of Israel secures his people.
The weak people of God are made into a powerful force to remove even mountainous obstacles to his joyful purpose.
3. Ephesians 6:10–18
Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of his might. Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil. For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places. Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand firm. Stand therefore, having fastened on the belt of truth, and having put on the breastplate of righteousness, and, as shoes for your feet, having put on the readiness given by the gospel of peace. In all circumstances take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming darts of the evil one; and take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God, praying at all times in the Spirit, with all prayer and supplication. To that end, keep alert with all perseverance, making supplication for all the saints.
Paul introduces the armor of God by focusing on the strength it gives. be strong. Because Christians cannot stand on their own against superhuman powers, they must rely upon the strength of the Lord’s own might (see Eph. 1:19), which he supplies chiefly through prayer (Eph. 6:18).
The Greek word for whole armor (panoplia) refers to the complete equipment of a fully armed soldier, consisting of both shields and weapons like those described in Eph. 6:14, 16–17. Paul’s description here draws primarily on Old Testament allusions, yet the terms used also overlap well with Roman weaponry (especially the terms for the large, door-shaped shield and the short stabbing sword). Visible portrayals of such weaponry can be found on the numerous military reliefs (especially on sarcophagi) throughout the Roman Empire. schemes. Here the diabolical origin is exposed, regarding the “deceitful schemes” of those teaching false doctrine (Eph. 4:14; see also 1 John 2:18, 22; 1 John 4:3; 2 John 7).
This list of spiritual rulers, authorities, and cosmic powers (see Eph. 3:10) gives a sobering glimpse into the devil’s allies, the spiritual forces of evil who are exceedingly powerful in their exercise of cosmic powers over this present darkness. And yet Scripture makes clear that the enemy host is no match for the Lord, who has “disarmed the rulers and authorities and put them to open shame, by triumphing over them in him.”
4. Isaiah 43:2–3
When you pass through the waters, I will be with you;
and through the rivers, they shall not overwhelm you;
when you walk through fire you shall not be burned,
and the flame shall not consume you.
For I am the LORD your God,
the Holy One of Israel, your Savior.
I give Egypt as your ransom,
Cush and Seba in exchange for you.
You designates the whole people (Isa. 42:1). Even when they are subject to the hardships of captivity and exile, God is still with his people (compare Isa. 41:10).
God’s people are secured by his resolve to be glorified through their salvation. I give Egypt as your ransom … Cush and Seba. Here Isaiah plays on the idea of a ransom price that is sometimes conveyed by “redeemed” (Isa. 42:1). God will move history for the sake of his people. “Egypt” alludes to the exodus. The more remote Cush and Seba may imply that God will go to any length and alter the history of any nation for his people’s salvation.
5. Matthew 10:28–31
And do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. Rather fear him who can destroy both soul and body in hell. Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? And not one of them will fall to the ground apart from your Father. But even the hairs of your head are all numbered. Fear not, therefore; you are of more value than many sparrows.
Sparrows were customarily thought of as the smallest of creatures, and the penny was one of the least valuable Roman coins (compare Matt. 5:26). apart from your Father. God is sovereign over even the most insignificant events. Fear not, therefore. Since the heavenly Father gives constant sovereign supervision even to seemingly insignificant creatures, surely he will also care for his disciples in their mission to proclaim the good news of the kingdom.
6. Psalm 56:3–4
When I am afraid,
I put my trust in you.
In God, whose word I praise,
in God I trust; I shall not be afraid.
What can flesh do to me?
Many take this to be an individual lament, but it could also be a psalm of (anticipated) thanksgiving: the description of troubles and prayer is taken up into gratitude that God has heard and will act (as he has acted in the past). The singer describes his circumstances and sets his mind on the right response. The situation can be seen in the repetition of trample and attack (Ps. 56:1–2); the response is seen in the repetition of trust (Ps. 56:3–4). This enables those who sing the psalm to set their own hearts on the right response: when they are afraid, this is the antidote.
7. Psalm 27:1
The LORD is my light and my salvation;
whom shall I fear?
The LORD is the stronghold of my life;
of whom shall I be afraid? Read More
In singing Psalm 27, God’s people have a way of not simply expressing confidence in him but of cultivating that confidence for the widest range of challenging life situations. The psalm uses several synonyms for “enemies” (Ps. 27:2, 6, 11, 12), giving it the concrete setting of a faithful person beset by those who would destroy him with bloodthirsty and deceitful means; one who can trust God in those circumstances can trust him in other situations as well.
The terms fear (Ps. 27:1, 3) and be afraid (Ps. 27:1) contrast with be confident (Ps. 27:3): the faithful must learn to base their confidence on God’s ever-present protection ((light, salvation, stronghold, Ps. 27:1); this will be a confidence that grows through experiences of deliverance (as Ps. 27:2 recounts).
8. Romans 8:15–17
For you did not receive the spirit of slavery to fall back into fear, but you have received the Spirit of adoption as sons, by whom we cry, “Abba! Father!” The Spirit himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God, and if children, then heirs—heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ, provided we suffer with him in order that we may also be glorified with him.
Christians are no longer slaves to sin but are adopted as sons into God’s family, as evidenced by the Spirit that cries out within them that God is their father. “sons”. Abba is the Aramaic word for “Father”. Paul’s use of the term likely stems from Jesus’ addressing God as Abba (Mark 14:36). The witness of the Spirit gives the Christian’s spirit assurance that he or she is God’s child.
9. 2 Corinthians 4:8–12
We are afflicted in every way, but not crushed; perplexed, but not driven to despair; persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed; always carrying in the body the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be manifested in our bodies. For we who live are always being given over to death for Jesus’ sake, so that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our mortal flesh. So death is at work in us, but life in you.
In spite of his suffering as an apostle, Paul does not lose heart (2 Cor. 4:16) because the same power that raised Jesus from the dead enables him to endure adversity (2 Cor. 4:7–12), reveals the power of God (2 Cor. 4:7, 11–12), and provides a sure sign that he will experience the resurrection at the end of the age (2 Cor. 4:16–18).
Treasure is a reference to the “knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Christ” (2 Cor. 4:6) as the content of the gospel (2 Cor. 4:4). Jars of clay is a common metaphor in the ancient world for human weakness (see Ps. 31:12; Isa. 30:14). This verse thus restates the central thesis of 2 Corinthians as seen in 2 Corinthians 1:3–11 and 2 Corinthians 2:14–17: God triumphs amid human weakness, embodying the principle of Christ’s crucifixion (compare 1 Cor. 1:27; 2 Cor. 10:3; 2 Cor. 11:30; 2 Cor. 12:5, 9; 2 Cor. 13:4, 9).
Paul is always being given over by God to death for Jesus’ sake so that the power of the resurrection life of Jesus (experienced in Paul’s ability to endure adversity and in the powerful spread of the gospel in spite of opposition) might be made known in the weakness of his mortal flesh (2 Cor. 4:7). Paul’s suffering and endurance are intended to bring about this same resurrection life among the Corinthians as they too learn to trust God amid adversity.
10. 2 Timothy 1:7
For God gave us a spirit not of fear but of power and love and self-control.
Probably the Holy Spirit. fear. The Greek (deilia) in extrabiblical literature refers to one who flees from battle, and has a strong pejorative sense referring to cowardice. Boldness, not cowardice, is a mark of the Spirit (see Prov. 28:1; Acts 4:31).
Deuteronomy 31:6 NIV
6 Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or terrified because of them, for the Lord your God goes with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you.”
Read Deuteronomy 31
2 Timothy 1:7 NIV
7 For the Spirit God gave us does not make us timid, but gives us power, love and self-discipline.
Read 2 Timothy 1
Ephesians 6:10-18 NIV
10 Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. 11 Put on the full armor of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes. 12 For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. 13 Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. 14 Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, 15 and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. 16 In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. 17 Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. 18 And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the Lord’s people.
Happy great Tuesday – make great and be strong and be courageous !
Bishop Duke Akamisoko
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