“Fear thou not: for I am with thee: be not dismayed; for I am thy God: I will strengthen thee, yea, I will help thee; yea, I will uphold thee with the right hand of my righteousness.” Isaiah 41:10
Dear Ones:
What a terrible thing it would be to go through life, and come to the end of it, never knowing and proving God. The whole of the Bible almost shouts at us, as the sound of a trumpet, to get our attention concerning the purpose of God for man. It is to know, truly know Him. There is an objective, intellectual knowledge that is essential. It is based on the truth. On this subject, we must remember that God in Christ IS the truth, and came to bear witness to the truth. There is NO true knowledge of God, much less a purposeful and real experience of God in His eyes, but according to the revealed truth of who He is, and what He says. If we have truly grasped the fact that eternal life is to know God, and Jesus Christ whom the Father has sent, then we come to the next extraordinary reality: God has made a way to know Him. It is very simple, and yet, very difficult. It is the way of “…the Spirit and truth,” having its power and essence IN Christ. Just as God gives power to believe, and to be saved, He also reveals Himself by the truth of His word, to be known by a faith that He gives, a power that works in us by the Spirit. How does this translate into what should be normal, balanced living, glorifying God?
Throughout Scripture the principle by which all faith is brought about, given, and lived by, is because of God speaking. His word cannot, and must not, be minimized. That Word, living and eternal, is the very expression of His nature, a nature that is immutable, all-wise, and almighty. God, in one sense, channels His power and authority through His words to individual hearts, so that faith is born. God gives power to believe, strengthens the believer in the inner man, to appropriate all that He desires and wills to give, according to His will, His word. When He speaks, He moves and works. Nothing is passive. The call of God to man is for him to believe all that He says, and to be totally committed to it. As it was when the woman with the issue of blood, in Jesus’ day, reached out and touched the hem of his garment and was healed, so it is true that when faith touches the heart of God, He works according to His word in and through the life.
This life of faith to which the believer is called, is one where a position is taken to believe God according to His word. This may apply with regard to a promise, or a commandment. The truths expressed in both of these are to be laid hold of, to direct our entire attention and expectation in God. It is as we humbly seek God the Father, and the Lord Jesus, that He gives us the Spirit of wisdom in the knowledge of Him, according to the truth. It is also, as we call upon Him, realizing our helplessness, that He strengthens our hearts to believe, receiving from Him all that is promised, to obey and follow Him according to His calling.
A great example of walking by faith, according to all that has been said, is taking the introductory passage in Isaiah, chapter forty one. In that passage, God speaks, telling us to “Fear not.” The call of God to Israel, is in a great way, the same for the believer today. God calls us to refuse, reject, and renounce fear. He does so because of the alternative commandments, and the appropriation of His life by the Spirit to meet the need. We are not to be dismayed, because He is our God, who strengthens, helps, and upholds us. We are to take our stand by faith upon His word, His promises, for He is faithful.
Dear Father, Make us overcomers by faith. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
Love, Dad