Be of…

Acts 23:11
“And the night following the Lord stood by him, and said, Be of good cheer, Paul: for as thou hast testified of me in Jerusalem, so must thou bear witness also at Rome.”

When God says, “Be of…,” He is commanding the believer to belong to something or to be associated with something. Six times in the Scriptures God commands the believer to “Be of…” In each of these situations, it is a choice for the believer to be something. It is not a happenstance to be what the LORD commands the believer to be, but each individual has the choice to be or not to be what God wants them to be. Let me share these six things that God wants the believer to “be of…”

First, God wants the believer “to be of good cheer.” In other words, stop worrying about the circumstances of life and be happy. God told Paul to be of good cheer because the LORD stood by him. You always have a reason to be of good cheer. Once you realize that the LORD stands by you in every thing you face in life, you then realize that you have a reason to be cheerful instead of melancholy. You can be cheerful if you’ll focus on the presence of the LORD instead of the adversity you’re facing.

Second, God wants the believer to “be of good courage.” Multiple times throughout the Scriptures the believer is commanded to “be of good courage.” You don’t have to live a life of fear when you realize the power of Christ is capable of helping you through every challenge you face. When you face new challenges in life, don’t face them with a timid spirit, but “be of good courage” and let the LORD’s power help you to face your challenges with a bold and courageous spirit.

Third, God wants the believer to “be of a contrite spirit.” The believer should always have a workable spirit. Don’t let stubbornness rule your spirit. One of the greatest detractors in the believer’s life is God’s inability to change them because of their inflexible spirit. My friend, God can do great things for you if you have a contrite spirit that is willing to change whatever needs to be changed so that the LORD can use you in a greater way.

Fourth, God wants the believer to “be of an humble spirit.” The believer should never have a spirit of pride or superiority, but they should have a spirit of humility that comes from realizing their own power and usefulness comes from the LORD. God cannot use a proud person because they are operating through the flesh instead of through the Spirit. Pride limits God’s ability to use you and your ability to influence others to be what Christ wants them to be. Never allow the successes of life to cause your spirit to be prideful and haughty; rather, keep a humble spirit by realizing that it was God who accomplished the great works through you.

Fifth, God wants the believer to “be of good comfort.” There is never a reason for the believer to be depressed. You can always see the bright side of life when you realize that God is in complete control of everything in life. No matter what you face, God can turn it into something good. You can “be of good comfort” if you will trust the omnipotence of God.

Sixth, God wants the believer to “be of the same mind.” Learn to have a workable spirit with fellow believers and family. If you will stop having a selfish spirit that must have everything your own way, you will find that God can bless you with joy in each relationship.

Author: Allen Domelle