INTRODUCTION:

A. To be valiant is truly a virtue. 
 1. The Hebrew word for valiant is even translated as virtuous (see Proverbs 31:10).
 2. The Old Testament illustrates this characteristic frequently.
B. The virtue of valiancy connects God with man, and man with  other valiant men and virtuous women.
C. Our text shows that it is good to "do valiantly" (Numbers 24:15-19).
 1. This is one of the prophecies of Balaam.
 2. He speaks of the Almighty and the "Star out of Jacob" Who is also a "Sceptre" Who "shall rise   out of Israel."
 3. By being faithful to this Person, "Israel shall do valiantly."
D. The purpose of this lesson is to answer the question, "How Do I Become Valiant?"
E. The Bible gives at least six answers to this question.

DISCUSSION:

I. I CAN BECOME VALIANT BY REALIZING THAT THE ABILITY TO BE VALIANT IS FROM  GOD.
 A. The Psalms state the great principle.
  1. Psalm 60:12.
  2. Psalm 108:13.
 B. Remembering the Lord reminds us that He is the source of our abilities (Deuteronomy 8:18).
  1. The word "wealth" in this verse is the word for "valiant."
  2. Do we use our "wealth" in honorable ways?
 C. He is the source of our strength (valiance) in great difficulty (Psalm 18:32,39).
 D. Even when apostasy comes, He can be our strength (Habakkuk 3:17-19).
  1. Habakkuk lived at the time of the fall of Jerusalem to  Babylon.
  2. His personal decision was to look to the valiant God in this time. 
 E. At the end of life, the faithful will still be saying that He is the  source of strength, might, 
  wealth, and valiancy (as was the case with David in II Samuel 22:33,40).
 F. In a prophecy of Christ, the Psalmist shows that even He looked to the Ultimately Valiant One   for victory (Psalm 118:15,16).
 G. Will you admit that you can be valiant through God?

II. I CAN BECOME VALIANT BY DECIDING TO BE VALIANT!

 A. This is frequently illustrated in the Old Testament stories about armies and soldiers, who were   called "sons of valour."
  1. They could not be valiant soldiers just by being in the army or wearing the armor of 
   the soldier.
  2. They had to decide to be good soldiers or be a disgrace to their leaders.
  3. Note three examples in Joshua.
   a. Joshua 1:14.
   b. Joshua 8:3.
   c. Joshua 10:7.
 B. It is a great challenge to be a valiant soldier.
  1. David made that challenge to those who had been with Saul (II Samuel 2:7).
  2. We should accept the same challenge in the army of Christ.
   a. Ephesians 6;10-20.
   b. II Timothy 2:3,4.
   c. Revelation 19:11-16.
 C. Will you decide to be valiant?
III. I CAN BECOME VALIANT BY DOING VALIANTLY!

 A. This is the principle from the Psalms (60:12; 108:13).
  1. Doing follows deciding!
  2. Deciding without doing will lead to failure.
 B. Notice two powerful, yet very different, examples of this.
  1. Boaz, with regard to his marriage to Ruth, was challenged to "do thou 
   worthily" (valiantly; Ruth 4:11).
  2. Saul challenged David to be valiant for him, and he would give him his daughter 
   as a wife (I Samuel 18:17).
 C. Will you do valiantly?

IV. I CAN BECOME VALIANT BY BEING BALANCED IN ALL GOD-GIVEN ABILITIES.
 
 A. True faithfulness comes out of developing in all areas of life toward God.
  1. Some of the priests were called "very able men" (valiant men) for the work of 
   the service of the house of God (I Chronicles 9:13).
  2. A person who refuses to see how many abilities God has given to each of us will 
   be useless in God's spiritual house.
 B. David was one who, while he remained balanced, was valiant (I Samuel 16:18).
  1. Note the context of this chapter:  It is in this chapter that  he was chosen to be the 
   next king.
  2. In the next chapter, God used him in the destruction of Goliath and the defense "of 
   the armies of the living God  (I Samuel 17:36).
 C. Will you strive to be balanced in all your talents (II Peter 1:1-7)?

V. I CAN BECOME VALIANT BY BEING WITH OTHERS WHO ARE VALIANT   (VIRTUOUS).

 A. The lesson here is that there is great strength to be received by associating with others like 
  ourselves.
 B. Note some examples of this.
  1. Those who buried Saul and his sons (I Chronicles 10:12).
  2. The truth of this principle was also used to keep David from being overthrown by 
   Absalom (II Samuel 17:10).
   a. Hushai was called by Absalom to give advice when a plan was being 
    devised to smite king David.
   b. Hushai said that this plan was poor because those who were with David 
    were "valiant men."
   c. The fact that there truly is strength in numbers led them to change their plan.
  3. The armies in the time of Jeroboam (II Chronicles 13:3).
 C. Will you seek out associations with others who are Christians?

VI. I CAN BECOME VALIANT BY AVOIDING THE EVIL USE OF THIS CHARACTERISTIC.

 A. The danger of abusing God-given abilities, blessings, and opportunities is illustrated all 
  through the Bible.
  1. People love the wrong things.
  2. People worship the wrong "gods."
  3. People use their wealth in sinful ways.
  4. And people fight "valiantly" for evil causes.
 B. Here are three examples.
  1. Absalom commanded his servants to be courageous and valiant (II Samuel 13:28).  
   The problem is that they were plotting to overthrow God's anointed king--David (Absalom's own father!).
  2. Jeroboam, a man of valor, turned from God and made a whole nation to sin 
   (I Kings 11:28).
  3. We must not give our "strength" to immorality (Proverbs 31:3).
 C. Will you decide to only be strong, courageous, valiant, for those things that are RIGHT?

CONCLUSION:

A. Valiance among men in the church today is obviously an honorable and needed virtue.
 Can you pass the test?  Are you a "worthy man"?  Do you realize the blessing of success?  And the 
 price of failure?
C. "And Solomon said,If he will show himself a worthy man, there shall not an hair of him fall to the earth:  but if wickedness hall be found in him, he shall die" (I Kings 1:52).

 
        Skip Andrews
        3249 E. Lawrenceville Street
        Duluth, GA 30136