Courage is an important virtue emphasized throughout the Bible. Here are some key Bible verses about courage:
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.”
This verse comes from when Joshua was taking over leadership from Moses. God encourages Joshua to be strong and courageous as he leads the Israelites into the promised land.
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.”
Moses tells the Israelites to have courage as they enter into the promised land without him. They can be courageous because God goes with them.
Psalm 27:14
“Wait for the Lord; be strong, and let your heart take courage; wait for the Lord!”
David encourages us to find courage in waiting on the Lord and trusting in His timing and purposes.
Proverbs 28:1
“The wicked flee when no one pursues, but the righteous are bold as a lion.”
The righteous can have boldness and courage because their conscience is clear before God.
1 Chronicles 28:20
“Then David said to Solomon his son, “Be strong and courageous and do it. Do not be afraid and do not be dismayed, for the Lord God, even my God, is with you. He will not leave you or forsake you, until all the work for the service of the house of the Lord is finished.”
David charges Solomon to be courageous in building the temple because God would be with him.
Daniel 3:16-18
“Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego answered and said to the king, “O Nebuchadnezzar, we have no need to answer you in this matter. If this be so, our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace, and he will deliver us out of your hand, O king. But if not, be it known to you, O king, that we will not serve your gods or worship the golden image that you have set up.””
Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego courageously refuse to worship false idols, even when threatened with death.
Acts 4:13
“Now when they saw the boldness of Peter and John, and perceived that they were uneducated, common men, they were astonished. And they recognized that they had been with Jesus.”
Peter and John boldly proclaim the gospel despite threats from the religious leaders. Their courage came from spending time with Jesus.
2 Timothy 1:7
“For God gave us a spirit not of fear but of power and love and self-control.”
We can have courage because God has given us His Spirit which empowers, loves and gives us self-control.
1 Corinthians 16:13
“Be watchful, stand firm in the faith, act like men, be strong.”
Paul encourages the Corinthians to have courage in their faith and conduct themselves with strength and maturity.
Romans 8:15
“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!””
We do not need to fear because we have been adopted into God’s family.
Psalm 31:24
“Be strong, and let your heart take courage, all you who wait for the Lord!”
We can be courageous when we wait expectantly for the Lord and trust in Him.
Isaiah 41:10
“Fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God; I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.”
God tells us not to fear because He is with us, will strengthen us, help us and uphold us.
2 Corinthians 5:6-8
“So we are always of good courage. We know that while we are at home in the body we are away from the Lord, for we walk by faith, not by sight. Yes, we are of good courage, and we would rather be away from the body and at home with the Lord.”
Paul says we can be courageous because of our eternal hope in Christ. Our true home is in heaven.
Hebrews 13:6
“So we can confidently say, ‘The Lord is my helper; I will not fear; what can man do to me?'”
We do not need to fear man because God is always our helper.
Psalm 118:6
“The Lord is on my side; I will not fear. What can man do to me?”
Knowing the Lord is on our side gives us courage in the face of opposition.
Deuteronomy 20:3-4
“And shall say to them, ‘Hear, O Israel, today you are drawing near for battle against your enemies: let not your heart faint. Do not fear or panic or be in dread of them, for the Lord your God is he who goes with you to fight for you against your enemies, to give you the victory.’”
As Israel went into battle, they were told not to fear because God would fight for them.
Esther 4:14
For if you keep silent at this time, relief and deliverance will rise for the Jews from another place, but you and your father’s house will perish. And who knows whether you have not come to the kingdom for such a time as this?”
Mordecai tells Esther she must have courage to risk her life to save the Jews since God brought her to the kingdom for that purpose.
Ephesians 6:10
“Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of his might.”
We can be courageous when we rely on the strength and power given by God.
1 Chronicles 22:13
“Then you will prosper if you are careful to observe the statutes and the rules that the Lord commanded Moses for Israel. Be strong and courageous. Fear not; do not be dismayed.”
Obedience to God’s commands leads to prosperity and courage.
2 Samuel 10:12
“Be of good courage, and let us be courageous for our people, and for the cities of our God, and may the Lord do what seems good to him.”
Joab encourages the army to be courageous and trust the outcome to God.
1 Corinthians 15:58
“Therefore, my beloved brothers, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that in the Lord your labor is not in vain.”
We can be courageous in serving the Lord because our labor is never wasted.
Psalm 3:6
“I will not be afraid of many thousands of people who have set themselves against me all around.”
David finds courage in God despite being surrounded by enemies.
2 Corinthians 12:9-10
“But he said to me, ‘My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.’ Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me. For the sake of Christ, then, I am content with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and calamities. For when I am weak, then I am strong.”
Paul found courage in his weakness by relying on God’s grace and power.
Philippians 4:13
“I can do all things through him who strengthens me.”
We can courageously face any circumstance when strengthened by Christ.
Exodus 14:13-14
“And Moses said to the people, ‘Fear not, stand firm, and see the salvation of the Lord, which he will work for you today. For the Egyptians whom you see today, you shall never see again. The Lord will fight for you, and you have only to be silent.’”
Moses tells Israel to have courage because God would fight for them in defeating the Egyptians.
1 John 4:18
“There is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear. For fear has to do with punishment, and whoever fears has not been perfected in love.”
Knowing God’s perfect love for us can drive out fear and give us courage.
In summary, we can have courage through trusting in God’s presence, power and purpose. He goes before us, fights for us, loves us, helps and strengthens us. We find courage by obeying God’s Word, relying on His Spirit, and hoping in Christ’s salvation. With God on our side, we do not need to fear or be dismayed.
Some key themes from these verses on courage:
- God is with us
- His presence and power strengthen us
- He is our helper
- We do not need to fear man
- He will fight for us
- His love casts out fear
- Our faith enables courage
- Our hope is in Christ
- Obedience to God’s Word
- Reliance on the Holy Spirit
When facing challenging circumstances, we can turn to these promises from Scripture to find courage, hope and peace in God’s presence and care for us. Though we may feel afraid, God provides the strength we need to press on with the mission He has given each of us.
Social courage is another angle of this topic, which includes the courage to take a stand for social justice or speak the truth in love to others. The Bible has much to say about speaking boldly and confronting injustice. Christians must seek God for the fortitude to take courageous action when needed in their families, churches, communities and societies for the glory of God. The Holy Spirit empowers believers with boldness to obey Christ’s command to be salt and light in the world.
In conclusion, the Bible is filled with encouragement, stories and teachings about courage that Christians can apply in their lives. God promises to be with us through every trial and equips us with His very Spirit to give us strength. By trusting in His mighty power and love, believers can live courageously for Christ each day.
Here are some additional verses about courage in the Bible:
Psalm 23:4
“Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me.”
Proverbs 3:25-26
“Have no fear of sudden disaster or of the ruin that overtakes the wicked, for the Lord will be your confidence and will keep your foot from being snared.”
Isaiah 43:2
“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.”
Mark 5:36
“But overhearing what they said, Jesus said to the ruler of the synagogue, ‘Do not fear, only believe.’”
John 16:33
“I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world.”
Acts 23:11
“The following night the Lord stood by him and said, ‘Take courage, for as you have testified to the facts about me in Jerusalem, so you must testify also in Rome.’”
1 Corinthians 16:13-14
“Be watchful, stand firm in the faith, act like men, be strong. Let all that you do be done in love.”
Throughout Scripture we find story after story of men and women who displayed great courage in the face of adversity. Figures like David, Daniel, Joshua, Ruth, Peter and Paul inspire us to rely on God for boldness and bravery in our own lives.
Whether we are battling fear, facing persecution, enduring illness, sharing the gospel, defending the oppressed, or making difficult choices, the Holy Spirit is with us. He transforms our timidity into tenacity, and our weakness into strength. By trusting in the powerful promises of God, believers in Jesus can live courageously and confidently for His glory.
When you feel afraid or ill-equipped for the task God has given you, remember His words to Joshua:
“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.” (Joshua 1:9)
With the instruction, examples and strength the Bible provides, Christians have access to unshakeable courage through every season of life.