Your Boldness Can Turn the Tide for a Nation
August 18th, 2006 | Michael Pink
Far too many are paralyzed by “not knowing” and the end result is often missed opportunity. One respondent to the blog pointed out, “it is through faith AND PATIENCE that we inherit the promises”. (Heb 6:12) Absolutely correct! Another one pointed out the need to wait on God. Again… absolutely correct! Most of us lack the patience to wait on God and as a result, we head into battle without knowing the strategy and we get whooped!
However, I want you to consider Jonathan in 1 Samuel 14: “And Jonathan said to the young man that bore his armor, Come, and let us go over unto the garrison of these uncircumcised: it may be that the LORD will work for us: for there is no restraint on the LORD to save by many or by few.” Here he is considering attacking a garrison of enemy soldiers with only an armor bearer at his side. There was a lot at stake here.
They needed God’s wisdom. Though many would argue against two guys with one weapon attacking an enemy garrison, Jonathan wanted God’s perspective. He had an immense trust in God and decided that once he revealed himself to the enemy, if the enemy dared them to attack, they would; but if not, they wouldn’t. Jonathan actually believed that God would answer him that way and bet his life on it. When the other Hebrews who were cowering in holes saw his faith and his courage, they joined him in the battle and the enemy was routed! Sometimes, my friends, your faith and courage is desperately needed by others to turn the tide for good. It is possible to over deliberate. Selah.
August 18th, 2006 at 8:47 am
Yes! Yes! Too many think that God is going to speak to them about every situation or circumstance. God already spoke. It is called the Bible. He already gave us all kinds of direction through His word. If He told us what to do all the time, we wouldn’t ever have to step out in faith.
If something lines up with the Word and is pleasing or is something we desire, AND we are in a right place with God and haven’t felt any kind of direction from the Holy Spirit, then we can step out in faith, as Jonathan did in your example, and believe that God will show up. When we do this IN FAITH, we are in fact, trusting in the Lord and not leaning on our own understanding, and His Word says He will direct our paths.
If the direction we are going is contrary to what God desires for us, He will move, and close a door of opportunity or change some detail of the situation to put us in the place He has for us, or after we have stepped out in faith He will speak.
If faith and fear are opposites, and we never step out in faith, is our inactivity in some areas just disguised fear?
August 18th, 2006 at 2:10 pm
Many times fear is the thing that robs our faith. Once we recognize the fear, that’s when we should turn towards to FAITH and push through by making a move either physical (courage to take a small step if it calls for that) or spiritual (through His Word or in our prayer time with Him). Patience is one of the keys to allowing the Lord to guide us through the gifts of the Holy Spirit to help us in our FAITH. Another key is having that inner peace which allows us to hear Him (he speaks to us either through HIS Word, through Christian brother or sister, through the gifts of the Holy Spirit and on…). Then our FAITH will continue to grow and mature.