No Longer Afraid: Living Boldly in the Hope of Christ
When we have the hope of Christ planted deep within our hearts, living boldly becomes not only a possibility, but a reality. Let’s dig into the Word of God to grasp this truth and put it into action.
3 But you, O Lord, are a shield around me;
you are my glory, the one who holds my head high.
4 I cried out to the Lord,
and he answered me from his holy mountain. Interlude
5 I lay down and slept,
yet I woke up in safety,
for the Lord was watching over me.
6 I am not afraid of ten thousand enemies
who surround me on every side.
Living Boldly in the Hope of Christ
For many years I suffered from night terrors. Sleep studies gave no answers and medications no relief. Nothing I tried worked until I learned a life-changing lesson about the power of God’s Word —until I began treating the words within my Bible as far more than a historical document. I discovered that God’s Word was alive and capable of delivering peace and healing brokenness. And they were capable of kicking the enemy to the curb.
God’s Word is alive and capable of delivering peace and healing brokenness. And it is capable of kicking the enemy to the curb! #songsofhope #liveboldly #hopeofchrist Click To TweetIn Psalm 3, David is fleeing from his son, Absalom. Because of a series of horrific family events, Absalom allowed anger to embitter his soul. Eventually, he determined he would take over the kingdom and replace his father, David, as King. Even though it meant taking his father’s life.
Can you imagine running from your own child? Of course, there is fear in running from anyone who is threatening your life. But when it is your own son, there’s something far more tragic and gut-wrenchingly painful about it. I can only imagine the thoughts racing through David’s mind.
God Equips Us
Right here in the middle of what looks like a hopeless scenario — where fear, grief, and confusion all meet — David turns to God. In Psalm 3, we learn he traded hopelessness for hope and fear for courageous confidence. And if we follow David’s life story, we find he demonstrated, again and again, this same strategy for facing fear and hopelessness.
That’s what living boldly looks like. It’s trading fear and hopelessness for hope and courageous confidence. With the hope and courageousness that comes from Christ, we begin living boldly in all we do. There is no fear in our tomorrows, our disappointments, or our difficult times.
In Psalm 3, we learn King David traded hopelessness for hope and fear for courageous confidence. And this was only one of many times. His strategies are still useful to us today. Are you ready to dig into the Word? #songsofhope… Click To TweetMy Story
For me, my night terrors did eventually stop. I began praying Psalms 3:3-6 nightly. I prayed it over my room and over my entire house. My dearest friend along with my pastor visited our home and prayed these and more prayers. They claimed my bedroom a safe dwelling, protected and watched over by the Lord. They told the enemy he has no power there nor in my thoughts or dreams. And they claimed it all in the name of Jesus.
For the first time in many years I slept peacefully.
Your Story
Friend, the hope of Christ is real and God’s Word is active and alive. It’s not just a historical document. He breathed these Words because He wants you and me to claim them and live in peace. To live in the victory that is ours through Him.
The hope of Christ is real and God’s Word is active and alive. It’s not just a historical document. He breathed these Words because He wants you and me to claim them and live in peace. To live in the victory that is ours through… Click To TweetSo, today, I challenge you to speak the Words of these verses in the name of Jesus. Claim them as truth over your life. Release your fears and cleanse your mind of all the enemy’s attempts to keep you bound in fear.
God is your shield. He holds your head high. He hears and answers your prayers. And when you lay down to sleep, He is watching over you. You need not be afraid, but rather, be filled with hope — the hope of Christ.
A Prayer
Dear Jesus,
Thank You for the gift of Your Word which is active and alive. Thank you for watching over me, holding my head high, and being my shield. Your love knows no boundary and your ears are never closed to me. Today, Father, I commit to turning over my fears one by one to You. I commit to canceling hopeless thoughts and replacing them with Your hope-filled truth. In Jesus’ name, I pray. Amen
Reflection Questions
- When you face a difficult or fearful situation, what action or reaction do you tend to have?
- If you were to intentionally stop a hopeless or fear-filled thought mid-sentence and replace it with the words found in these verses just as David did, how might that change your life?
- The Psalms are filled with hope-filled messages. Find 2-3 other verses. Write them down here and then keep them near. Memorize them if possible. But every time a hopeless thought begins to fill your mind, replace it with one of your chosen verses.
Do you want to be encouraged and inspired in your walk with Christ?
My devotional today is one of 31 devotionals found in the new release titled, Songs of Hope: 31 Devotionals in the Psalms. It is a collection of devotional studies that highlight the songs of David. Many people are familiar with the Psalms but have not taken time to understand and apply them to their own lives. These devotionals will help you do just that.
The hope and encouragement found in these devotionals will help you build a solid foundation in the hope of Christ. With each study, you will learn how to apply the psalmist’s lessons to your life today so that you can experience a greater depth of relationship with God and live a life full of joy!
Click HERE to learn more about Songs of Hope: 31 Devotionals in the Psalms – Volume 2. You can order both volumes together for $14 or individually for $7 each!
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