It’s Not Yet Over

Last week we looked at the topic, ‘Faithful to the Uttermost’. We talked about God’s timing and the importance of staying focused. This week, God would still have us focus on this area. The Lord is exhorting His people to lift up their heads in the face of adversity, tough times and periods of delay. He urges us that delay is not denial. We will look at three sub topics:

• Going To The Secret Place
• Settle With Your God
• Something Far More Precious

Going To The Secret Place

Many people wonder at the trials they face and situations that seem to contradict what God promised over their lives. Gideon felt as low as this when he asked the angel of God, ‘Oh my Lord, if the Lord be with us, why then is all this befallen us...?'  Judges 6:13. It was a good question to ask and we will make it our starting point in our study also. When we see a delay in the fulfilment of God’s promises, we need to set time apart to enquire of God as to why there is a delay. In the case of Gideon, he needed to know that his people had been afflicted as a consequence of their forsaking God. When with God’s help we can identify why we are in a position, it will bring peace while we wait and sometimes this knowledge and obedience to any revealed instruction will hasten the fulfilment of a vision or promise. Each person will need to find out from the Lord what position he is in. For some, like Hannah, the Lord was waiting for a time when she would be in tune to hear Him; when He could impress on her heart the divine destiny that awaited her unborn child. The Lord was not being cruel to her. He was preparing her and her baby for a special purpose. The same was with Elizabeth, the mother of John the Baptist and Sarah the wife of Abraham. All these women had special destinies but it did not feel that way while they were waiting. Rivals taunted them; the devil beat loud drums of fear into their hearts and reminded them of the passage of time. We go now to our second point.

Settle With Your God

The truth about the human spirit is that it is the truth that has been revealed to your spirit that will set you free. It is not the truth you know in your head. Why does God say ‘They that know their God shall be strong and do exploits’? The answer is that only when you have spent time with God and received confirmation of your destiny can you withstand the onslaught of the flesh, the world and the devil. When a man has spent time with God and received reassurance from God, he will not be moved by the things happening around him. He will know that the spiritual (the unseen) controls the physical and not the other way round. He knows what God says is more real than what he sees. ‘But they that wait upon the LORD shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint'. Isaiah 40:31. We need to go to God for knowledge and strength to carry on so we do not fall by the wayside or make a shipwreck of our faith.

Something Far More Precious 

We need to constantly remember that our most precious possession is not the physical blessings He has promised. It is not even the great visions of exploits we will yet do for Him. The devil might try to hinder all that but what he is really after is your salvation. By the grace of God we need to guard this jealously. The Lord warns ‘Behold, I come quickly: hold that fast which thou hast, that no man take thy crown’. Revelations 3:11.  1 Corinthians 15:19 also says ‘If in this life only we have hope in Christ, we are of all men most miserable.’ Let us remember what is of true value, the salvation of our souls, and the gift of the Holy Spirit which is the seal of our redemption. This is our most precious possession. Let us not trade true riches for false by placing more weight on earthly things. You already have what is most precious. Value it!

Remain blessed and highly favoured

Titi Obishai (MRS)