The Righteous Are As Bold As A Lion
“The wicked flee when no one pursues, but the righteous are bold as a lion.”
A Christian is a person who exercises hope and, therefore, has a need for strength. Strength is needed to endure all things and to overcome all obstacles. We all need endurance. Spiritual strength is what is needed. Some possess natural strength, not only of physique but also of personality and character. Spiritual strength is a strong hope in the acquisition of all God’s promises, motivated by faith and a willingness to endure all opposition. The righteous in Proverbs 28 are contrasted with the wicked who flee even though no one is pursuing. They are afraid to even when there is no cause to be afraid. The righteous are as bold as a lion. Lions are not afraid to take on seemingly impossible tasks. They will attack animals larger than themselves. They are prepared to see off attacks by more than one enemy. They will advance and attack to protect their own. They are courageous in the face of opposition.
This is the idea behind spiritual strength. Sometimes the things that matter are the most difficult to obtain and hold on to. Spiritual growth is not easy to come by. It requires time and hardship.
The Scriptures teach us that we are to be strong and not weak. Deuteronomy 11:8 says, “You shall, therefore, keep the whole commandment that I command you today, that you may be strong, and go in and take possession of the land that you are going over to possess…” Notice how strength is tied to obedience, and it is not partial obedience but obedience to the whole commandment.
Deuteronomy 31:6 says, “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.” Notice that being strong is tied to reliance upon the Lord. If Israel was to succeed in the Promised Land, it would only be in proportion to their dependence upon God.
Deuteronomy 31:23 says, “And the LORD commissioned Joshua the son of Nun and said, ‘Be strong and courageous, for you shall bring the people of Israel into the land that I swore to give them. I will be with you.’” Joshua was to be strong because God was with him. There is no evidence whatever of fear on the part of Joshua in entering Canaan and in conquering it. He believed God and trusted him because God had promised to be with him. God has promised that he will never leave us or forsake us (Josh. 1:5, 6; Heb. 13:5). Therefore, we too can be strong.
In 1 Kings 2:1-3, the Scripture says, “When David’s time to die drew near, he commanded Solomon his son, saying, ‘I am about to go the way of all the earth. Be strong, and show yourself a man, and keep the charge of the LORD your God, walking in his ways and keeping his statutes, his commandments, his rules, and his testimonies, as it is written in the Law of Moses, that you may prosper in all that you do and wherever you turn…’” (also 1 Chron. 22:13). Solomon was to be strong and be a man by doing God’s will and obeying God’s word. The result would be a success in all that he did.
Hezekiah encouraged the people as they faced the massive Assyrian army and were afraid. He said in 2 Chronicles 32:7, 8, “’Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or dismayed before the king of Assyria and all the horde that is with him, for there are more with us than with him. With him is an arm of flesh, but with us is the LORD our God, to help us and to fight our battles.’ And the people took confidence from the words of Hezekiah king of Judah.” Notice that courage and strength are set against being dismayed and afraid. The flesh leads to fear and bondage. The Lord provides deliverance and help.
In our own strength, we can never succeed spiritually. We must be strong in the Lord. There will never ever be a spiritual success through the arm of the flesh. Natural power is not a spiritual power. This is a great lesson to learn.
This is how Ezra dealt with the returned exiles from Babylon in Ezra 9:12. He said, “Therefore do not give your daughters to their sons, neither take their daughters for your sons and never seek their peace or prosperity, that you may be strong and eat the good of the land and leave it for an inheritance to your children forever.” There was to be no intermarriage and no working to help the foreigners lest Israel is tempted to sin. The result of this resistance to sin was that they would be strong and eat the good of the land and leave something behind for the next generation.
Simple decisions that do not seem to affect others actually carry great power. If the exiles live as God desired the results went to the next generation. Spiritual strength carries over to those who come after us. It leaves a legacy.
Being strong demands faith. David prays in Psalm 27:13, 14, “I believe that I shall look upon the goodness of the LORD in the land of the living! Wait for the LORD; be strong, and let your heart take courage; wait for the LORD!” It may require great patience. Faith waits patiently for God to bring about his promise. If God gave us simply what we desired when we desired it, we would never be able to handle it. Faith builds character through patient waiting. We are waiting for the redemption of our bodies. We do it by faith. God has promised it so we wait to know and trust because he said it will happen. But it will happen in his good time which is always for our good and blessing. Impatience always seeks to bring about God’s promises in its own strength. It is an arm of the flesh.
This is what Paul is referring to in 1 Corinthians 16:13 when he says, “Be watchful, stand firm in the faith, act like men, be strong.” These are all injunctions to action. Indeed, they are commands in the original text. Each one is connected to the other. Like a well-oiled machine, they work smoothly together.
In Ephesians 6:10-20, the Apostle Paul provides us with the means by which we handle temptations and deal with Satan. We are to put on the whole armor of God and then we are to stand firm. We stand, because, in verse 10, Paul says, “Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of his might.” Notice our strength is not in ourselves but in the Lord and his strength. God’s strength is beyond comprehension. God can raise the dead. God can create the world and everything in it. God’s power is ours to stand in. By this, we know the kind of power it takes to deal with sin. It is not our power but God’s.
Faith will be assaulted. Our hope will be shaken at times, but the strength that comes from God will enable us to be steadfast in our hearts. God’s strength is our victory over fear. Our faith is the victory that overcomes the world; the faith that belongs to everyone who is born of God (1 John 5:4). God’s strength helps us persevere. We must learn to depend on God, calling upon him to strengthen us in every task or situation we face. Paul says we are more than conquerors through him who loved us (Rom.8:37). The devil seeks to devour us like a roaring lion (1 Pet.5:8), but we must be as bold as lions ourselves. We must be sober-minded and watchful, as Peter says. So ask God for his strength to help you in every situation. When you face trials and sufferings, and when you face temptations to sin, then go to God and ask him to be your strength. He is more than able to help you. So do not fear; be strong in the Lord.