The Warfare of Faith

It would be nice to romantically infer that during those times I had lofty feelings of extreme confidence that every need would be cared for. That was not always true. I experienced every kind of doubt a man could experience. There were many times I wondered how we would make it. Why God required me to live under those circumstances I don't know but I do know that we have always found Him to be faithful.

We still live depending on the faithfulness of God. However, with our ministry, (including our overseas ministry, publications, etc.), the needs are much higher. Thankfully I don't have the inner stressfulness I experienced at one time and I feel it is because I have learned to depend on God more completely than ever before. In my experiences of living the life of faith, I have experienced the battle and learned the life of faith The following principles have proven effective in my life:

1. The Word of God is true and effective. For many years as I struggled with my developing faith I had no place else to turn but to the Word. I remember claiming the following promise over and over again: 'But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness, and all these things shall be added unto you' (Matthew 6:33). Many times I would grasp my Bible, point to that verse and say: 'God, either you are telling the truth or you are not. I choose to believe that you are or else I have nothing I can confidently say to anybody. I stand on your promise.' He never failed!
2. Don't place expectations on man--only on God. If you look to man to fulfill your needs you will find yourself angry and resentful or, at the very least, disappointed with both God and man. We must learn to look to God only as our source: 'But my God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus' (Philippians 4:19).
3. When faced with a need, seek the mind and the specific promise of God for that particular issue. You cannot live on past promises and victories. They were effective then but great memories are no guarantee for the present. You must seek God afresh each day for each need wherein you have not received assurance of His care and provision. He may give you the same scripture each time but like the manna that fell from heaven, it must be renewed to you for each new occasion.
4. Be prepared for the battle. It may come in various forms and various guises but it will come. It may come in the form of doubt regarding God's care and faithfulness. It may come in the form of confusion about what God's will is. It may come in the form of delay in His answers or provision. It may appear through the misunderstanding or even ridicule by people for whom we care greatly and whose opinions we value. However, God is never late but often tries our faith by supplying our need at 11:59:59--one second before it is too late. In those times, we should remember, the enemy will always offer a reasonable alternative to faith.
5. Be persistent. Keep on keeping on. Faith requires perseverance. In the face of doubts, hesitations, confusion, the misunderstanding by others, conflicts within and without--stand. The fainthearted never win.
6. Rest the case with Him. My wife calls this the prayer of relinquishment. This prayer so releases all problems and conflicts to God to such an extent that if everything that could go wrong, does go wrong, it will still be all right. Habakkuk aptly verbalized it when he said: “Although the fig tree shall not blossom, neither shall fruit be in the vines; the labor of the olive shall fail, and the fields shall yield no meat; the flock shall be cut off from the fold, and there shall be no herd in the stalls; Yet I will rejoice in the Lord, I will joy in the God of my salvation” (Habakkuk 3:17,18).

Although many of us may be adequately cared for through salaries, etc. it does not preclude the necessity of living the life of faith. When a person ventures forth in the life of obedience he will often find himself in waters too deep for him to swim. Like Peter, he will cry out to the Lord. That does not mean we are wrong in what we are attempting. It means we have gone beyond earthly security into the realm of vital spirituality. When we actively seek to do the will of God we will find ourselves reaching out in total dependence on the faithfulness of Him Who is the Author and Finisher of our faith, the Lord Jesus—which is precisely where He wants us.

Jeff