Wednesday, October 31, 2012

FAITH AND CONFIDENCE


”The same faith which caused you to work against your sins as God's enemies will undoubtedly move Him to work for you against them.
"God broke my heart," says the Christian, "when it was like flint, and brought me home when I was walking in the pride of my heart against Him; but can He give bread to nourish my weak grace? I have come out of Egypt; but can He master those giants in iron chariots, which stand between me and Canaan? He helped me in one temptation; but what will I do the next time?" Do not grieve a good God with such heart breaking questions. You have "the former rain." Why should you question "the latter"? The grace, which God has given you is a sure pledge that more is on the way.
Faith's confidence in God is well demonstrated. After Jehoshaphat had prayed and anchored his faith on the word of promise, he marched out under this victorious banner against his enemies 2 Chronicles 20. Christian, do what he did; hasten as he did. And I give you the same counsel which David gave his son Solomon: "Arise therefore, and be doing, and the Lord be with thee" 1 Chronicles 22:16. The same faith, which caused you to work against your sins as God's enemies will undoubtedly move Him to work for you against them.
The lepers in the Gospel were cured not as they sat but as they walked. They met their healing in an act of obedience to Christ's command. The promise says, "Sin shall not have dominion over you" Romans 6:14. So go ahead and make a valiant attempt against your lusts-- and in doing your duty you will find God's performance of the promise.
The reason so many Christians complain about the power of their corruptions lies in one of two roots-- either they try to overcome sin without acting on the promises, or else they only pretend to believe. They use faith as an eye but not as a hand; they look for victory to drop from heaven upon their heads but do not prayerfully fight to get it.
Quoted material from, ”The Christian in Complete Armour Daily Readings in Spiritual Warfare” by Gurnall and James S Bell. http://www.moodypublishers.com/pub_productDetail.aspx?id=41823&pid=53617

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