Faithful Leads to Faith-filled

Growing up I played a lot of different sports. During my elementary years, I was competitive at most sports that I played; however, as I moved up into Jr. High and High School, my classmates and competition got significantly better while I got incrementally better. Hence, my playing status ranged from just barely being a starter to being a solid player off the bench. While I was no standout as an athlete, one thing remained constant throughout my childhood sports career – my parents faithfully attending my games. My parents owned their own business and therefore could adjust their schedule to accommodate a little more easily than some; however, With that said, I’m sure there were many sacrifices they made to be at my games. In fact, I don’t recall a game that they did not attend.

Not only did they attend, but they were positively supportive as well. I remember one example as if it was yesterday. Do you remember what I said about my classmates getting better and me not getting better? By the time I was playing Jr. High basketball, this was the case. A few games into the season, I finally scored points in a game – in fact, I scored four points. In the time that it took for me to ride the bus back to the school with my teammates and catch another ride home, my parents had made a celebratory banner acknowledging the achievement and hung it in my bedroom.

Their faithfulness to my games contributed toward a foundation for me being faith-filled that they loved me.

Scripture

The Word of God is replete with examples of God faithfully attending people’s “games.” Might you look at one of these with me?

2 Chronicles 20:1-4, 14-17, 22-25

After this, the Moabites and Ammonites with some of the Meunites came to wage war against Jehoshaphat. Some people came and told Jehoshaphat, “A vast army is coming against you from Edom, from the other side of the Dead Sea. It is already in Hazezon Tamar” (that is, En Gedi).  Alarmed, Jehoshaphat resolved to inquire of the Lord, and he proclaimed a fast for all Judah. The people of Judah came together to seek help from the Lord; indeed, they came from every town in Judah to seek him.

Then the Spirit of the Lord came on Jahaziel son of Zechariah, the son of Benaiah, the son of Jeiel, the son of Mattaniah, a Levite and descendant of Asaph, as he stood in the assembly.

He said: “Listen, King Jehoshaphat and all who live in Judah and Jerusalem! This is what the Lord says to you: ‘Do not be afraid or discouraged because of this vast army. For the battle is not yours, but God’s. Tomorrow march down against them. They will be climbing up by the Pass of Ziz, and you will find them at the end of the gorge in the Desert of Jeruel. You will not have to fight this battle. Take up your positions; stand firm and see the deliverance the Lord will give you, Judah and Jerusalem. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged. Go out to face them tomorrow, and the Lord will be with you.’”

As they began to sing and praise, the Lord set ambushes against the men of Ammon and Moab and Mount Seir who were invading Judah, and they were defeated. The Ammonites and Moabites rose up against the men from Mount Seir to destroy and annihilate them. After they finished slaughtering the men from Seir, they helped to destroy one another.

When the men of Judah came to the place that overlooks the desert and looked toward the vast army, they saw only dead bodies lying on the ground; no one had escaped. So Jehoshaphat and his men went to carry off their plunder, and they found among them a great amount of equipment and clothing and also articles of value—more than they could take away. There was so much plunder that it took three days to collect it. 

Points to Ponder

·       Over 170 times in the scriptures, God encourages those looking to him, “do not be afraid.” And 995 times the word fear is translated. Apparently, the presence of fear is a natural reality that God wants to equip us to conquer. We can be faith-filled because he is faithful – he is with us! Each time a spirit of fear threatens, we can choose to conquer it with the Spirit of God who advances in love, power, and sound mind (2 Timothy 1:7).

·       For the battle is not yours but God’s. Do you need to be reminded of this when the battles of life rage? I certainly do. There are battles conducted against us and there are battles that result from our conduct. Every one of them can be the Lord’s battle if we will give it to him – even the one that resulted from our poor choices. Giving it to him doesn’t mean our role becomes passive; almost always it will still require participation - but our participation will likely be different than what it would have been if we acted in our own strength.

·       In this historical account, the worshipers that went out ahead of the army declared, “give thanks to the Lord for his love endures forever.” This is an interesting strategy for battle, isn’t it? Send out the worship band ahead of the fighters. Is it possible that we don’t fully recognize the power of worship? I believe a significant component of that power lies in our acknowledgement of God’s faithfulness. When we truly engage with the reality of his faithfulness, the natural result is being faith-filled.

·       As they approached a precipice to view the war zone, they saw the results of unknown ambushes that God had set among the three armies – nothing but dead bodies. They proceeded to plunder all three armies! I can only imagine the level of faith that must have resulted from them hearing the direction of God, obeying the direction of God, experiencing the victory of God, and receiving the benefits (plunder) from God.

·       I realize that some of us didn’t have relationships with our earthly parents that contributed strongly, or at all, toward faith-filled foundations of our heavenly father. My prayer is that he bypasses those impediments and directly downloads a personalized revelation of his faithfulness!

41 Cents Application

The four coins each day this week are reminders that the battle is the Lord’s. The battle may present itself as an opportunity to be fearful, bitter, inactive, confused, revengeful, deceptive, etc. Each time you find yourself in a battle of your making or of someone else’s making, discipline yourself to first engage through the power of worship – acknowledging God’s faithfulness. By the name of Jesus, receive the download of faith that results. Now, here’s the next exciting part. Participate with the Lord as he directs you to navigate through the battle. See supernatural results instead of natural results! Each time you do this, transfer a coin.

Prayer

Father, we remind ourselves that you will fight for us. We also remind ourselves that our battles are not against flesh and blood. These battles are against forces that oppose your will being accomplished in the earth. We put on the full armor of God. We commit to advancing against the gates of hell for they will not prevail. We recognize the power of worship. We acknowledge your faithfulness and are faith-filled as a result. In the name of the one who is called Faithful and True, AMEN!