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Foundational
Faith
by Rev.
Myrl Eddings
Luke 9:6 records how Christ's disciples went about preaching
and healing "everywhere". This is a clear indication of the faith they
possessed--faith, that is, in the authority of Jesus to empower them to do what they were
called by Him to do. Still, there were an
ample supply of opportunities for them to doubt the Word of the Lord. The storm on
the sea of Galillee for example, proved a challenge to those aboard with the Savior.
Despite the fact that Jesus announced his intention to go "to the other
side", memories somehow faded and fear took hold of God's followers as they began to
see adverse circumstances. They believed for a moment that the storm could alter the
plan of God and the mission would end in tragedy. Thankfully, Jesus awoke and
rebuked the winds and waves, restoring order and confidence in his fearful cohorts. Of
course, these weren't the only saints to ever lack a surplus of faith. Moses, God's
chosen deliverer, seemed to be facing impossible 'odds' until the Lord changed the
equation. Fortunately for the children of Israel, faith prevailed and God's people
were delivered from what seemed to be certain death. Note that the victory came as
Moses followed God's instruction to stretch forth the rod he had anointed. The
Jewish leader undoubtedly remembered being commissioned by God to deliver Abraham's
descendants and realized that He would be faithful to complete what He started.
Well, we don't hear too
much about seas opening up these days, but the Lord is still doing exploits for those who
are mindful of his Word and stand on it. It's important to realize that Satan
continues to resist the move of the Spirit, and when we make a claim on the promises of
the Faithful One, we'll have to insist on our right to it. Let's not make the
mistake of falling into the trap of condemnation. God is not looking for a loophole
to keep from blessing his children. He told us that it's the Father's good pleasure
to give us the kingdom.
One of the more common
challenges in life comes in the form of bad health. We all know people who have died
of sickness or injury, and many of us are familiar with stories of recovery and healing.
The most stubborn cases of physical infirmity often require faith in God to see
life continue. This is when believers must impose their wills individually and
collectively to experience victory. Frequently, this will mean ignoring bad reports
of well-intentioned people. Doctors may speak the truth when pronouncing devastating
news to family members of someone in a desperate situation, struggling for life. To
overcome, we must be assured that it's the will of the Lord to heal and promote survival.
It's always His will to heal. Peter echoed what God said through Isaiah: by
His stripes we were healed. That's the easy part because the Lord has already
revealed the will of Heaven in the matter. So as far as healing goes, it's already
approved by God if we, his children, stand firm on it. You may have noticed that I
listed healing and survival separately. Not to split hairs but as a side note, we
realize that it's appointed unto man once to die. Thus, we may not have grounds to
accuse God of violating His promises if our loved one dies at 150 years of age, for
example. Let's try to keep it real, please. There are those instances when the
Lord does not grant survival. We needn't blame everything on unbelief. In
extreme cases of murder or accidental death, we must
accept God's sovereignty. Remember, Paul advised us that we only see part of the
picture for now. In eternity, mysteries will be revealed.
Of critical importance
is the fact that faith begins with the knowledge of God through His Word. If we
understand what the Lord has to say about a situation, we can have utmost confidence to
confess what He has already said. For everything outside of our knowledge we must
move by faith and the leading of the Spirit, knowing that He will lead us into all truth
and righteousness.
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