Charlie Kirk was “All in” with his service to his Lord, Jesus Christ
Estimated Reading Time: 7 minutes
NOTE: I was in the process of writing a blog on how God used the words “strong and courageous” to call and encourage some of His special people when Charlie Kirk was killed. I could think of no better example of someone who exemplified these words.
Throughout the Bible, the words “strong” and “courageous” are used by God both to encourage and praise His people. Although strength and courage are available to us all, few find the will to claim them. Charlie Kirk did. As I write this blog, I have fresh in my mind his tragic assassination. Charlie was the epitome of someone who knew both how and why it was necessary to be strong and courageous in today’s world. It cost him his life! But for those who know they have been called by God with a purpose, there is no other way. The question for those who remain is: who will we be called to pick up Charlie’s banner? Some will feel called and accept that challenge. Others will choose the path of being “safe.” Still others will choose alternate paths. Whatever you do, do what God is calling you to do! To accept the call Charlie accepted isn’t for everyone. Yet, to accomplish anything that is “Kingdom worthy,” we need to be willing to proceed without fear – confident that God is in control, no matter what the outcome. And, the Bible teaches us that with great sacrifice comes great reward as long as we “stay the course.” Erika, Charlie’s wife, said it well, “To everyone listening tonight across America, the movement my husband built will not die. It won’t. I refuse to let that happen. It will not die. All of us will refuse to let that happen. . . It will become stronger, bolder, louder, and greater than ever. My husband’s mission will not end—not even for a moment.”
Bottom line, when the calling is real, the costs don’t matter!
You may not realize it, but the Bible is full of examples where God called people to be “strong and courageous” as they faced difficult challenges. Let us look at how God worked in some of His great leaders/warriors of the past. When things were about to get tough, what did God tell His warriors to do? Time and again, God’s sage words of advice were to:
Be Strong: Able to stand up to adversity, to be persuasive, totally committed, unwavering, empowered, unmovable
Be Courageous: Brave, confident, assured, without doubt or fear
Here are just a few examples of where God (or His spokesperson) uttered these words to some questioning souls:
| Spoken By: | Directed To: | On the Occasion Of: |
| God | Joshua | Before entering the Promised Land.[1] |
| Moses | Joshua | As Moses’s last act of advice before he died.[2] |
| Joshua | The People of Israel | Before entering the Promised Land.[3] |
| King David | King Solomon | Before taking on the building of the Temple.[4] |
| King Hezekiah | The People of Israel | Before King Sennacherib came to invade Jerusalem.[5] |
| An angel of God | Daniel | Concerning a vision given to him by God.[6] |
| The Apostle Paul | The Corinthians | Words of advice in their faith.[7] |
| The Apostle Luke | Joseph of Arimathema | Concerning his act of asking Pilate for the body of Christ.[8] |
Often, the problem we face when dealing with an exercise of courage is that we rarely see what God sees. If we did, it might be a lot easier to be strong and/or courageous. Remember Elisha’s servant who was afraid of a massive army that wanted to kill him and his master? Telling him to be “strong and courageous” did not help him overcome the fear that gripped him as he saw that mighty army surrounding them. It wasn’t until Elisha prayed and asked God to open the eyes of his servant and “he saw that the mountain was full of horses and chariots of fire (the army of God) all around Elisha” (2 Kings 6:17b NCV), ready to protect them. ONLY THEN was he able to be strong and stand with courage. Thus, the vision of faith is always a key element when applying these powerful words. We need to believe that God is with us!
In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus spoke about various types of people who were “blessed” (the Beatitudes). But what does the word “blessed” mean? To be “Blessed” is to be “[morally courageous and spiritually alive…because of [your association with] the Son of Man,” according to Luke 6:22 AMP. Moses spoke of God’s “strong hand” when he said, “For what god is there in heaven or on earth who can do the deeds and mighty works you do?” Deuteronomy 3:24 NIV. To be encouraged to be strong by God’s standard is a high bar. Yet, one of the more frustrating things that accompanies it is a call to wait. Wait on the Lord! God’s timing is always perfect, but not always convenient. Who are we to question when He decides, or how He decides to answer? It takes courage! The Psalmist wrote, “Wait for the Lord; Be strong and let your heart take courage; Yes, wait for the Lord.” Psalm 27:14 NASB. Sometimes, what awaits us seems like a form of correction, admonition, or even punishment for our actions. The Lord may choose to correct us or cause us to go through hard times to help us be better people (like any good parent), but God asks, “Will you still be brave (courageous) and strong when I punish (correct) you?” Ezekiel 22:14 NCV
Jesus encouraged us to be both strong and courageous:
- “So be ready all the time. Pray that you will be strong enough to escape all these things that will happen and that you will be able to stand before the Son of Man.” Luke 21:36 NCV
- “I have told you these things so that in me you may have peace. You will have suffering in this world. Be courageous! I have conquered the world.” John 16:33 CSB
Then Paul encouraged the Corinthians with: “So my dear brothers and sisters, stand strong. Do not let anything move you. Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord, because you know that your work in the Lord is never wasted.” I Corinthians 15:58 NCV. And, he concluded with: “Be alert. Continue strong in the faith. Have courage, and be strong.” 1 Corinthians 16:13 NCV
Charlie knew that his work was not a waste! The people he spoke to were worth it to him. The risk he took to bring his message was worth it because the Lord, His God — Jesus — had called him to be strong and courageous! The world needs people with a clear vision in the hateful times we are in. Yet, when a crisis (like Charlie’s death) happens, thoughtful, caring people (not just Christians) generally offer their “thoughts and prayers” for the family as a means to help them through such a horrible reality. Lately, some have criticized this practice as being insincere and insufficient. I don’t agree. Prayer is the most powerful and loving thing anyone can do for another human being. But, in light of our study today, I’d suggest a refinement. Offer prayers for God’s Holy Spirit to provide the strength and courage for us all to face each day and respond to God’s call! And the fruit of God’s Spirit will respond by granting peace, even greater faith, and the assurance that God is always in control! And He has all eternity to make it right! Stay strong!
I close with these words from a great Christian hymn by Gloria and Bill Gaither, “Because He Lives:”
Because He lives, I can face tomorrow,
Because He lives, all fear is gone,
Because I know He holds the future,
And life is worth the living just because He lives.
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[1] Joshua 1:9 NIV
[2] Deuteronomy 31:7 NIV
[3] Joshua 10:25 NIV
[4] 1 Chronicles 28:20 NIV; 1 Chronicles 22:13 NIV; and 1 Chronicles 28:10 AMP
[5] 2 Chronicles 32:7 NIV
[6] Daniel 10:19 NCV
[7] 1 Corinthians 16:13 AMP
[8] Mark 15:43 AMP[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row]
