What is your World View?
Our Protector and Preserver
The
greatest ambition of every generation of Christians should be the
desire to be known to God as His faithful remnant. God is the Protector
and Preserver of His faithful remnant. The promise of God to
the faithful remnant of Israel, as represented by Habakkuk, is His
protection and intervention. He will not allow true Israel to be
destroyed as a nation. The purpose of these statements is for Habakkuk
to confront his fear of the annihilation of Israel, himself included, by
reminding himself that God must maintain a surviving remnant. God is
faithful. His promises are sure. He is worthy of trust.
“14
Thou didst strike through with his staves the head of his villages:
they came out as a whirlwind to scatter me: their rejoicing was as to
devour the poor secretly. 15 Thou didst walk through the sea with thine
horses, through the heap of great waters” (Habakkuk 3:14-15).
In
Joshua 10:5, we read of the five Amorite kings that plotted together to
annihilate the children of Israel under Joshua’s leadership. The point
of the text is that the Amorite kings plotted in secret to overtake
what they saw in Israel as merely a beggarly element of defenseless
vagabonds. They were unable to see the invisible power of God that
protected the children of Israel. They could not see that God
stood with them as their Protector and Defender. Joshua simply asked
God to stop the rotation of the Earth to extend daylight so the fleeing
Amorite armies could be completely destroyed. God destroyed most of the
Amorites by simply dropping huge hail stones of them. The point is,
how can anyone defend themselves against God (Joshua 10:6-13)?
Habakkuk 3:14-15 reads as if God is speaking in the place of His redeemed.
The emphasis is that those that attack God’s visible redeemed will be
met with the power of the Person of the invisible God of the redeem.
Just as the Amorite kings of Joshua chapter ten thought they would
simply overrun the children of Israel with little resistance from
anyone. Instead, they ran into the defenses that God had established.
Therefore, the Amorites ran to their own destruction. This is a reality
for all those that oppose God. They think they are winning while they
are running to their own destruction and condemnation.
Israel
had many historical accounts that demonstrated the ability and desire
of God to protect and preserve His faithful remnant. If there
was to be a Messiah, the house of David must be preserved. If there was
going to be a Kingdom, the nation of Israel would need to be preserved
in a remnant and restored as a nation. The faithful of Israel could
live in hope regardless of the circumstances existing “under the Sun.”
God’s covenant promises will always prevail.
God is able to turn the enemies’ strengths against them (Habakkuk 3:14).
In Judges chapters six and seven, we read of the account of Gideon.
The story of Gideon is remarkable in that its purpose is to expose the
potential that lays within a faith that can trust God apart from human
strength or abilities.
“1
And the children of Israel did evil in the sight of the LORD: and the
LORD delivered them into the hand of Midian seven years. 2 And the hand
of Midian prevailed against Israel: and because of the Midianites the
children of Israel made them the dens which are in the mountains, and
caves, and strong holds. 3 And so it was, when Israel had sown, that the
Midianites came up, and the Amalekites, and the children of the east,
even they came up against them; 4 And they encamped against them, and
destroyed the increase of the earth, till thou come unto Gaza, and left
no sustenance for Israel, neither sheep, nor ox, nor ass. 5 For they
came up with their cattle and their tents, and they came as grasshoppers
for multitude; for both they and their camels were without number: and
they entered into the land to destroy it. 6 And Israel was greatly
impoverished because of the Midianites; and the children of Israel cried
unto the LORD. 7 And it came to pass, when the children of Israel cried
unto the LORD because of the Midianites, 8 That the LORD sent a prophet
unto the children of Israel, which said unto them, Thus saith the LORD
God of Israel, I brought you up from Egypt, and brought you forth out of
the house of bondage; 9 And I delivered you out of the hand of the
Egyptians, and out of the hand of all that oppressed you, and drave them
out from before you, and gave you their land; 10 And I said unto you, I
am the LORD your God; fear not the gods of the Amorites, in whose land
ye dwell: but ye have not obeyed my voice. 11 And there came an angel of
the LORD, and sat under an oak which was in Ophrah, that pertained unto
Joash the Abiezrite: and his son Gideon threshed wheat by the
winepress, to hide it from the Midianites. 12 And the angeql of the LORD
appeared unto him, and said unto him, The LORD is with thee, thou
mighty man of valour. 13 And Gideon said unto him, Oh my Lord, if the
LORD be with us, why then is all this befallen us? and where be all his
miracles which our fathers told us of, saying, Did not the LORD bring us
up from Egypt? but now the LORD hath forsaken us, and delivered us into
the hands of the Midianites. 14 And the LORD looked upon him, and said,
Go in this thy might, and thou shalt save Israel from the hand of the
Midianites: have not I sent thee? 15 And he said unto him, Oh my Lord,
wherewith shall I save Israel? behold, my family is poor in Manasseh,
and I am the least in my father’s house. 16 And the LORD said unto him,
Surely I will be with thee, and thou shalt smite the Midianites as one
man {all by yourself}” (Judges 6:1-16).
God wanted to reveal Himself and His ability to protect and preserve Israel through the faith of “one man.” This
is something God wants to do with every believer, including you. In
order to do so, God needed to reduce the number of men fighting with
Gideon to insure no one would think that a victory would result from the
abilities of men or the strength of numbers. Once God had reduced the
numbers of the army of Gideon to the place where there could be no doubt
that it was God Who delivered Israel, then God intervened. This is a
great faith truth! Learn this truth. With God at your side, you are
always a majority!
“20
And the three companies blew the trumpets, and brake the pitchers, and
held the lamps in their left hands, and the trumpets in their right
hands to blow withal: and they cried, The sword of the LORD, and of
Gideon. 21 And they stood every man in his place {they did not move, but
God did} round about the camp: and all the host ran, and cried, and
fled. 22 And the three hundred blew the trumpets, and the LORD set every
man’s sword against his fellow, even throughout all the host: and the
host fled to Bethshittah in Zererath, and to the border of Abelmeholah,
unto Tabbath” (Judges 7:20-22).
The
Satanic forces of this world are intent upon the annihilation of the
Saints, but God’s promises will persevere. Faith in God’s promises sees
the battle already won. Genuine faith in God’s promises is a vision
that sees an invisible and seemingly impossible future. Faith sees hope
in the midst of hopelessness.
Christians should expect Satanic opposition. They
should expect Satanic opposition even more so just prior to the second
coming of Christ. God says it will happen. God tells us this is a
normal part of true Christian life when we engage the enemy with the
Gospel of Jesus Christ. Just trying to live godly in this world will
bring conviction upon the lost of this world. They will hate you for
the guilt that your desire for righteousness will bring upon their
consciences. Speak out against any sin, or just sin in general, and you
will be labeled as self-righteous, judgmental, and legalistic. Beyond
that, you will be ostracized, ridiculed, segregated, and persecuted.
The more a society accepts sin as normal, the more biblical Christianity
will be persecuted. Good will be called evil and evil will be called
good.
“12
Yea, and all that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer
persecution. 13 But evil men and seducers shall wax worse and worse,
deceiving, and being deceived” (II Timothy 3:12).
To persecute those seeking to be righteous before God is an attack against God Himself.
Remember that the next time someone persecutes you for righteousness’s
sake. Pity them for they have chosen a destiny that is without mercy.
“18
Woe unto them that draw iniquity with cords of vanity, and sin as it
were with a cart rope: 19 That say, Let him make speed, and hasten his
work, that we may see it: and let the counsel of the Holy One of Israel
draw nigh and come, that we may know it! 20 Woe unto them that call evil
good, and good evil; that put darkness for light, and light for
darkness; that put bitter for sweet, and sweet for bitter” (Isaiah
5:18-20)!
Psalm chapter two is a prophetic Psalm referring to a time just prior to the second coming of Messiah. The
leaders of the nations of the world during the last years prior to the
second coming of Christ are revealed as plotting against the plan and
purposes of God in His redemption of the lost. The truths proclaimed in
this Psalm regarding the attitude of the “heathen” to the commands of
God are extremely sobering truths.
“1
Why do the heathen rage, and the people imagine a vain thing? 2 The
kings of the earth set themselves, and the rulers take counsel together,
against the LORD, and against his anointed, saying, 3 Let us break
their bands asunder, and cast away their cords from us. 4 He that
sitteth in the heavens shall laugh: the Lord shall have them in
derision. 5 Then shall he speak unto them in his wrath, and vex them in
his sore displeasure. 6 Yet have I set my king upon my holy hill of
Zion. 7 I will declare the decree: the LORD hath said unto me, Thou art
my Son; this day have I begotten thee. 8 Ask of me, and I shall give
thee the heathen for thine inheritance, and the uttermost parts of the
earth for thy possession. 9 Thou shalt break them with a rod of iron;
thou shalt dash them in pieces like a potter’s vessel. 10 Be wise now
therefore, O ye kings: be instructed, ye judges of the earth. 11 Serve
the LORD with fear, and rejoice with trembling. 12 Kiss the Son, lest he
be angry, and ye perish from the way, when his wrath is kindled but a
little. Blessed are all they that put their trust in him.” (Psalm
2:1-12).
Just as in Habakkuk 3:14, the forces of evil appear as unstoppable as a whirlwind.
“Thou didst strike through with his staves the head of his villages:
they came out as a whirlwind to scatter me: their rejoicing was as to
devour the poor secretly.” When our world view fails to enter the
God-factor into the equation of world events, that world view comes up
considerably short.
The truth of Psalm 2:2-3 should be a major aspect of your world view.
“The kings of the earth set themselves, and the rulers take counsel
together, against the LORD, and against his anointed, saying, Let us
break their bands asunder, and cast away their cords from us.” This is
the attitude of both political and religious liberalism towards the
absolutes of God and toward God’s people. Expect this, but don’t become
preoccupied with it. You will not change this kind of attitude through
debate or political activism. The only way to change it is through
evangelism.
When
God’s people become preoccupied with the forces of evil, they tend to
forget God (Psalm 2:1-3). When Christians become preoccupied with
things happening in this world, they become unoccupied with doing the
Lord’s work (rescuing souls). This world does not want the
restraints of moral absolutes (Psalm 2:3). The society described in
Psalm 2:1-3 will progressively reap the corruption they have sown in
their rejection of the absolutes of God. God laughs at their proclaimed
victories (Psalm 2:4).
The
God-haters think they are being victorious over God and the archaic
commands of an outdated book (referring to the Bible). When a society
bans the Word of God as a determinant factor in the establishment of
values and law, that society is sealing its own tomb. They are not being
victorious in any way. The next time you hear someone
proclaim a political victory for liberalism, understand they have
advanced their agenda, but also understand they are one step closer to
Psalm 2:5 and you are one step closer to going home to be with the Lord.
A Biblical world view cannot exist without maintaining the perspective of Psalm 2:6-9.
God has already established the King of the Kingdom (vs. 6). The
liberal’s destiny is already sealed (vs. 8a). The Christian will
inherit the earth (vs. 8b). If we want to remain effective for the
Lord, remain focused on the Lord’s business and let Him take care of the
world’s politics.
“7
Rest in the LORD, and wait patiently for him: fret not thyself because
of him who prospereth in his way, because of the man who bringeth wicked
devices to pass. 8 Cease from anger, and forsake wrath: fret not
thyself in any wise to do evil. 9 For evildoers shall be cut off: but
those that wait upon the LORD {to fulfill His covenant promises},
they shall inherit the earth. 10 For yet a little while, and the wicked
shall not be: yea, thou shalt diligently consider his place, and it
shall not be. 11 But the meek shall inherit the earth; and shall delight
themselves in the abundance of peace. 12 The wicked plotteth against
the just, and gnasheth upon him with his teeth. 13 The Lord shall laugh
at him: for he seeth that his day is coming. 14 The wicked have drawn
out the sword, and have bent their bow, to cast down the poor and needy,
and to slay such as be of upright conversation. 15 Their sword shall
enter into their own heart, and their bows shall be broken. 16 A little
that a righteous man hath is better than the riches of many wicked. 17
For the arms of the wicked shall be broken: but the LORD upholdeth the
righteous. 18 The LORD knoweth the days of the upright: and their
inheritance shall be for ever. 19 They shall not be ashamed in the evil
time: and in the days of famine they shall be satisfied. 20 But the
wicked shall perish, and the enemies of the LORD shall be as the fat of
lambs: they shall consume; into smoke shall they consume away” (Psalm
37:7-20).
In establishing a world view, the question of faith is a simple one: Can God be trusted with the circumstances of the world? The answer is also one of faith and it is yes or no answer.
The second question in establishing a world view is this: Is the Christian’s mission in the world the preservation of a society or is this world’s destiny already sealed? If
the destiny of this world is sealed, then the Christian’s mission and
world view must transcend this world. That is the message of Habakkuk
3:14-15.
God
is above and beyond (transcendent) everything of this world. When you
became one of His anointed, your existence also became transcendent. A
Biblical world view never allows that truth to be forgotten. It remains
at the forefront of every trial or tribulation.
“When
I heard, my belly trembled; my lips quivered at the voice: rottenness
entered into my bones, and I trembled in myself, that I might rest in
the day of trouble: when he cometh up unto the people, he will invade
them with his troops” (Habakkuk 3:16).
When prophetic knowledge gives us information of pending doom, it creates similar responses in everyone. Habakkuk
knew the Chaldeans would be an instrument of God’s judgement on the
unfaithful nation of Israel of which Habakkuk was part. The coming of
Babylonian conquest was only a matter of time. Habakkuk also knew of
the barbaric horrors of Assyrian warriors. When they would finally come
to conquer Israel, death for the Jews would be the easy way out. The
real horrors of captivity would just begin for those taken captive.
It
is within similar inner workings of Habakkuk’s heart where we also find
ourselves in Habakkuk 3:16. It is this inner struggle between fear and
faith that we see here that reveals our own personal struggles with the
times in which we live. Most of us have been at this same
dilemma of faith as Habakkuk at some point in time to one degree or
another. It is in this arena that the struggle of life takes place.
Man’s self-concept (faith in his own abilities) wrestles with his
God-concept (God’s abilities). When his knowledge of God is weak, his
faith is weak and fear wins. When his knowledge of God is what it
should be, his faith overcomes fear.
The first part of Habakkuk 3:16 centers on the self-concept.
Notice the number of times “I” and “my” are used. “When I heard, my
belly trembled; my lips quivered at the voice: rottenness entered into
my bones, and I trembled in myself.” It is almost as if an announcer is
saying: “In this corner we have fear. He is an 89-pound weakling
who has never won anything. We will be fortunate to get him to come out
of the corner when the bell rings.” Fear will always bring focus
upon the self-concept and the weak frailty of humanity when forced to
face the inevitable judgment of a righteous God.
When
weak faith faces an inevitable and insurmountable problem, it naturally
seeks a solution from within itself. Weak faith begins to raise the
common questions of the I concept.
1. “What can I do about this?”
2. “What can I do to prevent this from happening to me?”
3. “How can I lessen the effect of this upon myself and my loved ones?”
Fear will increase exponentially according to the degree of the hopelessness of the human ability to resolve the situation.
When the I can find any solution within himself, that solution is tried
before turning in faith to God. When the I can find no solution, he is
overcome with fear and hopelessness.
Habakkuk’s answer to all the questions was correct. There was nothing he could do personally to change the inevitable.
God’s judgment was inevitable. The only answer to his predicament was
to trust God’s covenant promises. Wouldn’t it be best if that was
always our first answer to every predicament of life?
God’s faithfulness to His covenant promises is a surety of which faith can grab hold and hang onto through the storm.
When the God-factor is not entered into every equation of every
predicament of life, the more that predicament will seem hopeless. The
end product of that hopelessness is fear - quaking, trembling, cold
sweat fear.
Although
the prophet Daniel was a man of great faith, even he experienced the
same kind of fear that Habakkuk experienced because he eventually
understood the prophecy God had given him. Prophets did not
automatically understand every prophecy given them. Daniel had been
given a series of visions of the future. He was confused by them in
that he could not reconcile them altogether in order to achieve some
kind mental coherence of meaning. Some of the visions applied to his
immediate future, while others were far in the future at the second
coming of Christ and the establishment of the Kingdom ruled by Christ.
Daniel 8:16 tells us that God sent the angel Gabriel, who had been given
a human form, to explain the visions to Daniel and to give mental
coherence to the timeline of these many visions.
The
point in all of this is that even though Daniel would be given
understanding of the future events of history, Daniel had to live within
the human predicament of his own history. So must we!
However, we need not be consumed with fear of the present. Daniel did
not understand that he would be promoted to become one of the most
trustworthy servants of Nebuchadnezzar. Daniel’s prophetic ministry of
explanation, along with the miraculous testimony of the lives of
Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego in the midst of a serious fiery trial,
would be instrumental in bringing Nebuchadnezzar to believe in the One
True God of Israel (Daniel 3:28).
“15
And it came to pass, when I, even I Daniel, had seen the vision, and
sought for the meaning, then, behold, there stood before me as the
appearance of a man. 16 And I heard a man’s voice between the banks of
Ulai, which called, and said, Gabriel, make this man to understand the
vision. 17 So he came near where I stood: and when he came, I was
afraid, and fell upon my face: but he said unto me, Understand, O son of
man: for at the time of the end shall be the vision. 18 Now as he was
speaking with me, I was in a deep sleep on my face toward the ground:
but he touched me, and set me upright. 19 And he said, Behold, I will
make thee know what shall be in the last end of the indignation: for at
the time appointed the end shall be. 20 The ram which thou sawest having
two horns are the kings of Media and Persia. 21 And the rough goat is
the king of Grecia: and the great horn that is between his eyes is the
first king. 22 Now that being broken, whereas four stood up for it, four
kingdoms shall stand up out of the nation, but not in his power. 23 And
in the latter time of their kingdom, when the transgressors are come to
the full, a king of fierce countenance {the Antichrist of the last days},
and understanding dark sentences, shall stand up. 24 And his power
shall be mighty, but not by his own power: and he shall destroy
wonderfully, and shall prosper, and practise, and shall destroy the
mighty and the holy people. 25 And through his policy also he shall
cause craft to prosper in his hand; and he shall magnify himself in his
heart, and by peace shall destroy many: he shall also stand up against
the Prince of princes; but he shall be broken without hand. 26 And the
vision of the evening and the morning which was told is true: wherefore
shut thou up the vision; for it shall be for many days. 27 And I Daniel
fainted, and was sick certain days; afterward I rose up, and did the
king’s business; and I was astonished at the vision, but none understood
it” (Daniel 8:15-27).
As
Daniel understood the full scope of God’s pending wrath upon the world
and the judgment that would cause the death of billions of lives, he was
physically sickened by it. The point is that there will be
genuine discomfort in understanding future events revealed to us by
God. Although we need not fear those future events for ourselves, if we
genuinely understand the eternal consequences of God’s end time
judgments, we will fear for the lives of those we love. Many of those
people will be direct offspring of our own descendants – perhaps our own
children grandchildren, and great grandchildren.
Daniel had another similar vision about twenty years later recorded in Daniel 10:1-19.
Daniel was involved in a three week long fast where he was mourning the
spiritual obstructions to the reestablishing of the Temple in Israel
and the oppositions to the reestablishment of the righteousness of God.
These obstructions were often by his own people and their coming to
repentance before God.
“1
In the third year of Cyrus king of Persia a thing was revealed unto
Daniel, whose name was called Belteshazzar; and the thing was true, but
the time appointed was long: and he understood the thing, and had
understanding of the vision. 2 In those days I Daniel was mourning three
full weeks. 3 I ate no pleasant bread, neither came flesh nor wine in
my mouth, neither did I anoint myself at all, till three whole weeks
were fulfilled. 4 And in the four and twentieth day of the first month,
as I was by the side of the great river, which is Hiddekel; 5 Then I
lifted up mine eyes, and looked, and behold a certain man clothed in
linen, whose loins were girded with fine gold of Uphaz: 6 His body also
was like the beryl, and his face as the appearance of lightning, and his
eyes as lamps of fire, and his arms and his feet like in colour to
polished brass, and the voice of his words like the voice of a
multitude. 7 And I Daniel alone saw the vision: for the men that were
with me saw not the vision; but a great quaking fell upon them, so that
they fled to hide themselves. 8 Therefore I was left alone, and saw this
great vision, and there remained no strength in me: for my comeliness
was turned in me into corruption, and I retained no strength. 9 Yet
heard I the voice of his words: and when I heard the voice of his words,
then was I in a deep sleep on my face, and my face toward the ground.
10 And, behold, an hand touched me, which set me upon my knees and upon
the palms of my hands. 11 And he said unto me, O Daniel, a man greatly
beloved, understand the words that I speak unto thee, and stand upright:
for unto thee am I now sent. And when he had spoken this word unto me, I
stood trembling. 12 Then said he unto me, Fear not, Daniel: for from
the first day that thou didst set thine heart to understand, and to
chasten thyself before thy God, thy words were heard, and I am come for
thy words. 13 But the prince of the kingdom of Persia withstood me one
and twenty days: but, lo, Michael, one of the chief princes, came to
help me; and I remained there with the kings of Persia. 14 Now I am come
to make thee understand what shall befall thy people in the latter
days: for yet the vision is for many days. 15 And when he had spoken
such words unto me, I set my face toward the ground, and I became dumb.
16 And, behold, one like the similitude of the sons of men touched my
lips: then I opened my mouth, and spake, and said unto him that stood
before me, O my lord, by the vision my sorrows are turned upon me, and I
have retained no strength. 17 For how can the servant of this my lord
talk with this my lord? for as for me, straightway there remained no
strength in me, neither is there breath left in me. 18 Then there came
again and touched me one like the appearance of a man, and he
strengthened me, 19 And said, O man greatly beloved, fear not: peace be
unto thee, be strong, yea, be strong. And when he had spoken unto me, I
was strengthened, and said, Let my lord speak; for thou hast
strengthened me” (Daniel 10:1-19).
Bible
knowledge that does not move us emotionally and physically to act is
nothing more that intellectual knowledge to us. Real faith demands
action upon that knowledge. Fear is the normal and healthy response to
the helplessness of the self-concept solution to the world’s problems.
Every generation is hopelessly helpless to do anything about the
prophecies of pending judgment. However, we can act by rescuing as many
as possible. Both Habakkuk’s and Daniel’s fear came from both a proper
concept of self and a proper concept of God. Both men honestly
reverenced the Lord. That reverence prompted them to be faithful.
Modern Christianity has brought with it a familiarity with God, but often at the sacrifice of the reverence of God.
The person truly familiar with God knows Him well enough to fear Him.
Reverential fear of God comes from the proper understanding of God’s
ability and character in two areas of involvement with His creation.
1. God is Almighty.
He has unlimited power and is able to take away individual autonomy
whether it be of people or nations. No one or nothing exists outside of
God’s ability to intervene.
2. God’s judgment on evil is impendent. God’s power to punish, judge, discipline or take life is always impendent.
A
good example of faith that seems blind to God’s presence and sure
judgment of God is Ananias and Sapphira of Acts 5:1-11. Apparently
Ananias and Sapphira did not believe these two things about God. The
very fact that they thought they could get by with a lie until God
revealed the artificial nature of their faith. Ananias’ and Sapphira’s
pursuit of a high opinion of themselves before men revealed God’s low
opinion of their hypocrisy before Him. The faithful Christian should be
greatly motivated to holiness if he knows and understands the power of
God and the impendency of judgment. It is not a matter of if. It is a
matter of when.
Habakkuk’s problem was more complex than the problem of individual sin. In
fact, Habakkuk was not even guilty of the sins that had brought God’s
judgment upon national Israel. Habakkuk was confronted with the problem
of the apostasy of a nation of which he was a part. His nation had
forgotten God. They had forgotten He was almighty and they had
forgotten the impendency of judgment.
The
world-view of modern day Christians needs to be considered from the
same perspective Habakkuk gives us in Habakkuk 3:16. Habakkuk had but
one thing that could soothe his trembling belly. His faith was able to
transcend his predicament. He trusted in God’s promises and
God’s faithfulness and he was determined to “rest in the day of
trouble.” His faith overcame his fear.
“24
Therefore saith the Lord, the LORD of hosts, the mighty One of Israel,
Ah, I will ease me of mine adversaries, and avenge me of mine enemies:
25 And I will turn my hand upon thee, and purely purge away thy dross,
and take away all thy tin: 26 And I will restore thy judges as at the
first, and thy counsellers as at the beginning: afterward thou shalt be
called, The city of righteousness, the faithful city. 27 Zion shall be
redeemed with judgment, and her converts with righteousness. 28 And the
destruction of the transgressors and of the sinners shall be together,
and they that forsake the LORD shall be consumed. 29 For they shall be
ashamed of the oaks which ye have desired {pagan places of licentious
worship}, and ye shall be confounded for the gardens that ye have
chosen. 30 For ye shall be as an oak whose leaf fadeth, and as a garden
that hath no water. 31 And the strong shall be as tow, and the maker of
it as a spark, and they shall both burn together, and none shall quench
them” (Isaiah 40:24-31).
To
overcome fear with faith, the believer must learn to center his
attention on God’s promises and His power to fulfill them (Almighty),
not upon our human weaknesses. He must learn to wait on the
Lord. It is good and correct to know we can’t, but is better and
superior knowledge to know God can.
“When He cometh . . . He will invade” (Habakkuk 3:16).
God is Almighty and His judgment is impendent. What
He says He will do, He will do. Is He your God? The only way to
overcome fear with faith is to know Him personally. Hear Him speak to
your heart by reading His Word. Speak to Him often in prayer. Walk
with Him in a ministry partnership in spiritual warfare and trust Him
for victories. Tell Him your concern for souls, for in doing so you
will join your heart with His heart. For God so loved the world that He
gave His only begotten Son to saved their souls.
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Numerous studies and series are available free of charge for local churches at: http://www.disciplemakerministries.org/
Dr. Lance Ketchum serves the Lord as a Church Planter, Evangelist/Revivalist.
He has served the Lord for over 40 years.
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