What does the Bible Says About Courage?

Courage is a character for every Christian. It allows believers to trust God in fear, uncertainty, and trials. God constantly encourages his children to be courageous and without fear. This article explores what the Bible says about courage, how to build it, the benefits of courage, and how the enemy seeks to rob believers of it. 

Have courage for the great sorrows of life and patience for the small ones. And when you have finished your daily task, go to sleep in peace. God is awake.

Victor Hugo

What is Courage according to the bible?

Many times, believers think courage is the absence of fear, we often feel useless or downcast when we are afraid. Courage is choosing to trust God and moving forward despite fear. Here are brief definitions of courage:

1. Courage means standing firm in the face of challenges, fear, and unpalatable circumstances. Being courageous means “not shifting your focus from God irrespective of daunting challenges”.

Joshua 1:9 “Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go.”

God told Joshua to be courageous, encouraging him to stand firm in the face of challenges; assuring him of his divine presence.

2. Courage means obedience and submission to God’s will irrespective of how you feel. It is the ability to move whenever God says move without thinking twice.

Now the Lord had said unto Abram, Get thee out of thy country, and from thy kindred, and from thy father’s house, unto a land that I will shew thee:

Genesis 12:1 KJV

Abraham showed courage when he left his father’s house to go to a land that God hadn’t shown him. Many of us would have found it difficult to do as Abraham did because of fear and uncertainties of life but Abraham was courageous and this earned him the name “father of faith”.

3. Courage is an act of faith. It is trusting God blindly and believing whatever he says with full assurance.  

⁷ Jesus saith unto them, Fill the waterpots with water. And they filled them up to the brim.

⁸ And he saith unto them, Draw out now, and bear unto the governor of the feast. And they bare it.

John 2:7-8 KJV

The story of “The Wedding in Cana” is an example of a show of courage. The servant whom Jesus asked to draw out water from the pot and give it to the master of the ceremony showed courage by acting in faith. He didn’t doubt the content of the cup, he only did what he was asked to do.

Courage is not needed in battle only, we need courage in our daily life and service to God. Doing God’s will requires courage and a firm decision to obey his will.

How to build Courage to become Courageous

We were not born courageous; we have to develop our ability to become courageous through constant practice and dedication. Here are some biblical ways to build courage: 

a) Trusting in God’s Presence and Promises 

Isaiah 41:10 – “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.” 

Having a consciousness that God is with us irrespective of the situation around us helps us to be courageous. Remember the story of the disciples when there was a storm and they became afraid; Jesus pointed out that they lacked faith. Their lack of faith resulted in fear. When we know and acknowledge that God is with us, fear loses its grip. 

b) Meditate on God’s Word 

Psalm 119:105 – “Your word is a lamp for my feet, a light on my path.” 

Studying and meditating on God’s word is vital for every believer. The Bible strengthens us by reminding us of God’s faithfulness and providing insights into our circumstances. The more you study the word of God, the more courageous you get.

c) Pray for Boldness 

Acts 4:29 – “Now, Lord, consider their threats and enable your servants to speak your word with great boldness.” 

Prayer is a master key to unlock many doors-courage included. Use prayer as a tool to seek God and ask him to grant you boldness to do his will. Prayer invites God’s strength into our lives, helping us draw out of that strength when we face challenges.

d) Take Small Steps of Faith 

Matthew 14:29 – Peter walked on water because he stepped out when Jesus called. 

Many times, we often overlook little acts of faith. We often look at how courageous other people are and we want to be like them, forgetting they got there by constant practice. Build your courage by taking small steps of faith in response to the guidance of the Holy Spirit.

Do the things the Holy Spirit ask you to do without wavering, the more you yield to him and experience the result of obedience, the more courageous you are. Courage grows when we step out in faith in small ways. 

e) Surround Yourself with Faithful People 

Hebrews 10:24-25 – “And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds, not giving up meeting together…” 

Surrounding yourself with courageous people who will encourage you to grow yours is important. Encouragement from others strengthens our courage; you are who your companions are.

Benefits of Courage in the Bible

Living with courage brings several blessings; the blessings are so many that we may never know some benefit until we launch out in courage.  

1. Courage helps to overcome fear and fulfil your goals. Many of us are tied down by fear; we have not achieved our aim because we are afraid of failure, and what people will say. Fear limits our potential, but courage frees us to fulfil God’s purpose.  Remember that “courage is not the absence of fear but the ability to walk over fear to achieve your goal”. Just do it afraid!

2. Courage strengthens your faith in God and yourself. When you step out to do it afraid, you step into newness and a new dimension of faith in God. The more you obey God by stepping out in courageous moves, the bolder you get, your self-esteem grows and your reliance on God increases.

3. Your courage can inspire others. The Bible emphasizes that the world awaits the manifestation of sons. When you do not allow fear to limit you and you manifest God’s goodness, others will be inspired by you and more people will come to Jesus because of your bold move. When we stand firm, we encourage others to do the same. 

Philippians 1:14 – “Because of my chains, most of the brothers and sisters have become confident in the Lord and dare all the more to proclaim the gospel without fear.” 

4. Courage brings victory in battles. If you don’t fight battles, how do you know if you’ll win or not? The good news is, every battle fought with God’s backing leads to victory. Courage helps us stand firm against the enemy’s attacks which results in victory.

Ephesians 6:13 – “Put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground…” 

5. Courage brings eternal rewards. God loves children who are courageous and walk in complete trust, faith and obedience in him. If we remain courageous in the face of life’s challenges, we are sure of gaining heaven and eternity with him. God honours those who remain faithful and courageous. 

Revelation 2:10 – “Be faithful, even to the point of death, and I will give you life as your victor’s crown.” 

Hope has two beautiful daughters Their names are anger and courage; anger at the way things are, and courage to see that they do not remain the way they are.

Augustine
Works and Biography

Biblical Examples of Courageous people

I love drawing inspiration from biblical characters, they help us understand our walk with God and we can draw inspiration from them. In this section, we will be drawing inspiration from seven male and five female biblical characters who showed courage in their actions.  Here are twelve biblical characters who showed courage in the bible

 7 Courageous Men in the Bible 

1. David: David’s life contains so many lessons and inspiration; he was courageous in the face of challenges. He is a perfect example of a courageous boy that children and teenagers can learn from. David as a young shepherd, courageously defeated Goliath, trusting in God’s power (1 Samuel 17). 

He fought a lion and a bear to rescue his father’s sheep even when he could have escaped. He went after the enemy who captured his children and family drawing confidence from God’s word. David was a mighty man who showed tremendous courage in times of challenges.

2. Daniel and his friends: Daniel and his friends showed great courage severally in the bible. They decided not to eat the king’s meal because it went against their faith (Daniel 1:8); they didn’t bow down to the statue and were thrown inside the fire (Daniel 3:16-28), Daniel Refused to stop praying to God; even when facing the lions’ den (Daniel 6).

3. Moses: Confronted Pharaoh and led Israel out of slavery despite his fears (Exodus 3-14).  He originally told God he wasn’t capable of leading the Israelites but he yielded to God and led the Israelites out of Egypt.

4. Elijah: Elijah is an uncommon man who showed great strength, he stood against 450 prophets of Baal and trusted God to reveal His power (1 Kings 18).  He ended up calling fire down from heaven and destroying the prophets of Baal.

5. Apostle Paul: Apostle Paul is a man of courage. He boldly preached the gospel despite beatings, imprisonments, and persecution. In Acts, a prophecy came that he would be detained and imprisoned but he was still willing to go and share the word of God regardless not regarding his life. (Acts 21:10-14)

6. Jesus: Jesus is our perfect example of courage. He left his throne to become a man and submit to death on the cross. He showed courage by not considering the beatings and pain he had to go through to redeem man. When he thought about the suffering, he prayed and cried asking God for strength, an attribute we all need. His courage brought salvation and freedom from sin. (Matthew 26:36-43)

7. Joshua and Caleb: when twelve spies were sent to spy on Canaan, only Joshua and Caleb came with a courageous report. They noted that the inhabitants were strong and mighty but their assurance of victory was in God. They believed God would give them victory because he had commanded it. (Numbers 14:6-10)

5 Courageous Women in the Bible 

1. Esther: Esther became a king in a strange land. She showed courage by going to meet the king risking her life. She was willing to put herself in danger to save her people. (Esther 4-7). 

2. Deborah: At a time when women were not elected into leadership positions, Deborah stood out in faith and became a judge of Israel.

The inhabitants of the villages ceased, they ceased in Israel, until that I Deborah arose, that I arose a mother in Israel.

Judges 5:7

Her boldness made her a judge and military leader who led Israel to victory (Judges 4-5). 

3. Jael: Jael showed courage by killing Sisera the commander of the Jabin’s army. She quietly led him into a trap and granted Israel victory. (Judges 4:15-24)

4. Rahab: Rahab was a harlot who found her way into the genealogy of Christ because of her courage. When the Israelites were going to fight Jericho; Rahab was courageous enough to hide the Israelite spies in her house. She knew she wouldn’t be spared if she was caught but she hid them anyway. Her courage yielded good results; she and her household were preserved when the Wall of Jericho fell. (Joshua 2:1-21)

5. Mary, the Mother of Jesus; pregnancy before wedlock was a grievous offence in the bible. Mary risked being stoned when she willingly yielded to God’s will for her to bear the messiah. She showed courage without minding what society would say or if Joseph would call off his engagement with her. She trusted God’s plan for her life, even when it was difficult (Luke 1:26-38). 

I believe these men and women remind us that courage is about faith, obedience, and standing firm for God.  No matter how hard the journey is, our resilience will yield great fruit.

5 Ways The Devil Robs Believers of Courage 

The Bible noted that the devil is our adversary seeking who to devour. The devil knows that once he keeps us subjected to fear, we cannot reach our full potential. Satan uses various tactics to steal our courage and keep us from fulfilling God’s purpose: 

1.  Fear and Doubt: the devil whispers lies to make us doubt God’s promises and like Peter we begin to sink instead of rising above the tides.

In Genesis 3:1-5, Satan deceived Eve by making her doubt God’s word.  He subtly created doubt in her mind about the validity of God’s instruction given to her and Adam.

2. Discouragement: The devil attacks through disappointments and failures, making us feel weak. 

In 1 Kings 19:3-4 – After a great victory, Elijah became discouraged and wanted to die. We often become timid when we face continuous battles.

3. Temptations: temptation is a common way the devil tries to steal our courage. Satan tries to make believers conform to the world instead of standing firm.  When we face temptation, we are tempted to give in to the flesh. If we give in, the devil keeps us bound through condemnation.

We must remember like Jesus that the devil is not permitted to tempt us because he is beneath us.

4. Through Isolation: He tries to separate believers from the Christian community so they feel alone. 

Ecclesiastes 4:9-10 – “Two are better than one… If either of them falls down, one can help the other up.” 

Isolation breeds fear, negative thoughts and feelings of inadequacy, we must not neglect the assembly of the brethren.

5.  Persecution and Opposition: The enemy uses persecution to intimidate believers.

John 16:33 – “In this world, you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.” 

These days many believers are afraid of sharing the gospel or publicly declaring their faith because of persecution. We must take a cue from God’s word that “we are not of the world and we have overcome the world”

If we will overcome the devil’s tactics, believers must stand on God’s Word, pray, and stay connected to a community of faith; we must never be intimidated by his actions because he only acts like the lion but he is not the lion. Jesus is the lion of the tribe of Judah!

Final Thoughts

Being Courageous is not about being fearless—it is about trusting God in the face of fear. Through faith, prayer, and obedience, we can develop courage that overcomes trials, strengthens our faith, and glorifies God. 

Whenever fear arises, remember God’s promise: 

Deuteronomy 31:6

“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.” 

Stand firm in faith, knowing that God is with you, and courage will follow.

Stay Strong!