Esther Ahn Kim embodied Psalm 3:6. She was imprisoned for six long years because she refused to deny Christ in the face of persecution.

Esther lived in Korea during the Japanese occupation. From 1910 to 1945, Japan controlled Korea with an iron fist and sought to wipe out any trace of Korean culture. It was common practice during that time to force Koreans to bow down and worship at Shinto shrines.

People who refused to bow were punished severely. Some were tortured in prison for their faith in Jesus. Empowered by God, Esther chose to be brave and did not succumb to forced worship. Her courage did not come from her own strength, because there were times when she felt afraid. In fact, she initially doubted she could stand for Christ in the face of brute force, but the more she grew in her relationship with Jesus, the more fearless she became.

Esther is not much different than you and I.

There may be circumstances in our lives that make us want to shrink in fear. But with Jesus on our side, we can become as bold as lions (Psalm 28:1). As we become more intentional in our pursuit of God in His Word and in prayer, we’ll cultivate a fearless faith and courage that knows no limit.