Monday, June 27, 2011

The Courage to Think Clearly

And as soon as we heard these things, our hearts melted; neither did there remain any more courage in anyone because of you, for the LORD your God, He is God in heaven above and on earth beneath. Joshua 2:11

This is the only appearance of the word “rhuack” in Scripture. The word refers to the spirit or mind of a rational being. Rahab explained to the two Israelite spies that the fear of God’s power had driven the people of Jericho into irrationality. This helps us understand 2 Timothy 1:7 For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind.

When a Christian breaks under fear, and begins lying or doing some other wrong, that Christian already possesses the opposite of fear: a spirit of power, and of love, and of a sound mind. But the Christian needs to use it.