The LORD is faithful. True to his word. You might be able to read these statements with me and agree with all your heart because you have lived and experienced it yourself or your spirit, within you, knows this but your flesh still takes control when things take too long. I am hoping you aren’t that second person, that you actually have come to full understanding that God, he is the LORD, He is always good, He holds everything within his hands, He says what he will do and He does what he says. Andy Stanley made a quote once that incredibly and radically changed the way I think about God and time, he said “Can God be trusted? Or do you think you need to take matters into your own hands”? Think about that for a moment.
I think, because of our nature, our flesh, we become impatient and NEED (because of our own pride, we a prone to be in control) to take matters into our own hands. When God gives us instruction, it’s our job, as believers to do what? Trust. Believe. Wait on him. Pray. This is faith. You might say faith without works is dead. Well works, without faith is insane, in the sense that your working won’t move God’s hand, only complete faith will. Let me unpack this more so you can hear my heart here, I think we misunderstand this text, you see faith is works, faith takes work, when I sit still and wait for God to point me in the right direction, THAT takes work and a lot of faith. Trust me, it’s a lot easier just to get to it, start doing something and try to figure things out as they happen. When I choose to believe in HIM, waiting on him , at his appointed time, he points, then I walk IN that direction, my FAITH (which he gives me the strength to have) helps me understand that it’s HIS power that enables me and keeps my path straight. Faith takes practice, having faith means absolute trust in God’s power, having NO trust in MY power. Can you save yourself? Can you overcome sin? Can I now do the work on my own? No way, is it humanly impossible, only by the Power of God, through his Spirit. God does the work.
When God spoke to Joshua about Jericho, he gave specific instructions, Joshua 6:3-5
“You and your fighting men should march around the town once a day for six days. Seven priests will walk ahead of the Ark, each carrying a ram’s horn. On the seventh day you are to march around the town seven times, with the priests blowing the horns. When you hear the priests give one long blast on the rams’ horns, have all the people shout as loud as they can. Then the walls of the town will collapse, and the people can charge straight into the town.”
The LORDS promise is, I am giving you Jericho, but, wait for it, march only ONCE a day for (six days). Now, let’s stop here and ask, can we walk around a possible situation, one that we might fear, be worried about or concerned once a day for (six days). I think we’d want the express version of this situation. If you were their you might have thought, this is the promise? We need to do much more, let’s get to work, let’s plant some bombs, take out our swords or something, throw some rocks. Nope, God says, just walk around. Promise, yes, delayed just enough to remind you..it isn’t you…it’s ME, it’s God that does the work. On the seventh day, march around seven times THEN shout, blow the horns. Gods promises will come true, HE is faithful, we lack the will power and discipline to remain faithful in believing that HE is the one that does the work, we always want to interfere with HIS work, WE want to feel empowered and ultimately want the glory for doing ALL the work. Can you trust God to do the work?
Gideon is another great example, you can read that in Judges chapter 7. Listen, God gives us instruction, he invites us on the journey through our faith. When he speaks, he directs us always to do what matches and stretches our faith, time and time again the LORD reminded true, he always comes through. wait for HIM to do the work.
Can God be trusted? Or do you feel the need to take matters into your own hands?-(Andy Stanley)
This picture is so foretelling of most of my life. Let me explain, God has done an amazing work in my heart, if you knew me years ago you would also testify to this, he alone has done the work and deserves all the credit. He is my salvation, daily, he rescues me from me. I was born and raised in New York, I was driven, insanely driven, knock you OUT of my way driven, I chopped heads off if they couldn’t keep pace with me. INTENSE. My pace for life was unhealthy, my priorities were out of balance and I was living in my flesh quite honestly, through my own efforts and passions. I was using my gifts, not depending on God’s presence. Until, God, made me to lie down in green pastures, until God spoke so clearly to me that it stopped me dead in my tracks.
