Have the Boldness of Lions!

1 Chronicles 12:8 “From the Gadites there went over to David at the stronghold in the wilderness mighty and experienced warriors, expert with shield and spear, whose faces were like the faces of lions and who were swift as gazelles upon the mountains:

Luke 10:19 “Behold, I have given you authority to tread on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy, and nothing shall hurt you.”

As we continue our study of the men who followed David, let's look at their boldness — the boldness of lions! We also need this boldness in the face of the enemy who is "like a lion", himself….a roaring lion. While it is true that the devil received a fatal wound at Calvary, he is still roaming, dangerous, and seeking whom he may devour. We need to stand bold as a lion against him, for we have the "lion of Judah" [Revelation 5:5] as our Captain, ready to defend us. And greater is He that is in us than he that is in the world.

David's mighty men were gifted and fearless warriors. They also had a powerful and courageous leader whose righteousness, faith, and humility, were a great inspiration. A strong, courageous and righteous leader will bring out the best in his followers. David's men of valor were bold as lions and swift as gazelles.

But our Captain, Jesus, is the most courageous, humble, and righteous leader who ever existed, and his power is ultimate. He has given us to partake of these qualities, and when we do, we can walk in authority to trample on serpents and scorpions, and triumph over all the power of the enemy.

The mighty men of David present a great example for us in our spiritual warfare. They must have been fearsome to the enemies of Israel. Following Jesus closely, we also will cause the enemies of God to tremble and flee. Bold in Him, we will be invincible — bold as lions and swift as gazelles!

In War You Need Chutzpah!

Genesis 14:14-16 “When Abram heard that his kinsman had been taken captive, he led forth his trained men, born in his house, 318 of them, and went in pursuit as far as Dan. And he divided his forces against them by night, he and his servants, and defeated them and pursued them to Hobah, north of Damascus. Then he brought back all the possessions, and also brought back his kinsman Lot with his possessions, and the women and the people.”

Abraham's rescue of Lot and his household from the four Mesopotamian Kings in the middle of the night was an act of holy chutzpah! Israel's first patriarch demonstrated great faith, courage, family loyalty, and military strategy during this successful rescue operation.

This example of courage and daring ought to inspire us in certain situations where evil should be boldly and radically confronted. There are times when we, too, can and should operate with holy chutzpah, surprising the enemy with fearless courage, faith-filled action, and laser sharp strategy. "Behold, I have given you authority to tread on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy, and nothing shall hurt you." [Luke 10:19]

There is a time to wage war with holy chutzpah. When our cause is righteous and the goal is rescue and deliverance from evil then we ought not to be passive. In these situations we need the Lord's strategy and the courage which comes with true righteousness. Perhaps it will require a strong word spoken in love; perhaps a day or a week of serious fasting and prayer. It may even involve addressing an evil spirit as the Apostle Paul did in Philippi [Acts 16:18]. There are times for radical action without fear that it can’t be done. Our Lord, on the cross, exemplified tremendous courage and heroism to rescue us from our sins and the devil's power. In the power if His spirit we also can be instruments of dramatic deliverance – with Holy chutzpah!

You Are!

Luke 9:20 “Then he said to them, “But who do you say that I am?” And Peter answered, “The Christ of God.”

No matter what the world might think of him -- whether it is Herod or the crowd or the enemies of Jesus -- Jesus' real concern was that his disciples know. He would leave his mission in their hands. They would be called upon to put their lives on the line. They would be called to move from being merely followers to becoming followers who were leaders, mentors, and guides for thousands of others. Peter answers for them: "You are the Messiah sent from God!" Who is Jesus to you? Is he your Messiah, the gift sent from God to save you? If not, what stands in your way?

Trusted Follower

God wants you to be a Trusted Follower of His.

Luke 22:35 “And He said to them, “When I sent you without money bag, knapsack, and sandals, did you lack anything?”  So they said, “Nothing.”

James 1:5-6 “If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all liberally and without reproach, and it will be given to him. But let him ask in faith, with no doubting, for he who doubts is like a wave of the sea driven and tossed by the wind.”

The Spiritual Soldier

Luke 14:33 “So therefore, any one of you who does not renounce all that he has cannot be my disciple.”

The people were following Jesus in great numbers, but for the wrong reasons. So He made a series of statements intentionally designed to thin out the ranks. He wanted to be left with those who really wanted to follow Him, truly committed disciples and soldiers.

Jesus laid out plainly what is necessary to be His disciple, to be a soldier in His service. In essence, Jesus said, "If you want to follow Me, you must love Me more than anybody else."

If someone is trying to hold you back, say to that person, "I'm sorry, but I am following Christ. If you want to walk with me, come on. You can be a spiritual soldier with me."

A spiritual soldier must also forsake all he or she has for Jesus. That means you take everything in your life and say, "This belongs to you, Lord."

That is what it means to be Jesus' disciple. That is what it means to be His soldier: you love Him more than anyone, more than anything—just as He loves you!

Provisions of Prayer

Luke 4:40-44 "Now when the sun was setting, all those who had any who were sick with various diseases brought them to him, and he laid his hands on every one of them and healed them. And demons also came out of many, crying, “You are the Son of God!” But he rebuked them and would not allow them to speak, because they knew that he was the Christ. And when it was day, he departed and went into a desolate place. And the people sought him and came to him, and would have kept him from leaving them, but he said to them, “I must preach the good news of the kingdom of God to the other towns as well; for I was sent for this purpose.” And he was preaching in the synagogues of Judea."

Jesus rhythmically alternated between the crowds and solitude. In the deserted place his body and spirit, fatigued by the intensities of ministry, were in prayer, restored and equipped to move back into the stream of healing and preaching.

What provision do you make for prayer in your schedule?