Matthew 18:2-4 “Then Jesus called a little child to Him, set him in the midst of them, and said, “Assuredly, I say to you, unless you are converted and become as little children, you will by no means enter the kingdom of heaven. “Therefore whoever humbles himself as this little child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven.”
This blog is to encourage you to fight the good fight of faith by simply being humble and child-like in your faith. God can do anything! Who says otherwise? Do you believe in God? Do you believe Him when He speaks?
Do you believe that love heals?
Well, God IS love. God is perfect love, able to strengthen, restore and empower you to see anything through. Our God is Ruler. He reigns in perfect justice and mercy! He holds a judgment day against the wicked. He holds patience not desiring that any should perish. He holds new creation and heaven and paradise over the world. He holds reward for the righteous, and yet scripture says there is none righteous…
God’s given us Christ, who’s overcome the world.
He’s given the blood of Jesus to wash away our sins. He’s given us vindicating love through His Son, who was sent to be a sacrifice, to bear our sins and the death and punishment it reaps, so that we may have life in Him. He makes us overcomers through His love. God will not fail the one who trusts in Him. He honors our faith. Have faith in God’s love. Have faith in the loving redemption and promise He’s completed through His son, our savior, Jesus Christ, the full manifestation of God’s love.
Hold onto faith, by holding onto Jesus.
He will hold us in the Father’s love. God is not a liar, and He’ll make us witnesses of this, through Christ, but when we forget the things He’s done through Jesus, and for us, and all He’s spoken, we miss out on His active glories. Then, we miss His power and truth. Denial is present then, and it becomes easy to make God into a liar. It’s easier to deny God and be prideful then… There it’s easier to become self-reliant and independent.
God resists the proud, but gives grace to the humble (James4:6).
Remain humble by remaining in simple love.
The love of Him being your father, and you, His child. The love in Him being our salvation and rescue, in Christ, giving light and peace and everything good that we lack without His hand, which is love, empowering—living hope—truth.
God is not a liar.
Don’t forget what Christ has called you to witness. Don’t forget the things He’s done and spoken. What makes us forget, and susceptible to lies? — Remember instead:
1st Corinthians 10: 1-7,10-11,13
1I don’t want you to forget, dear brothers and sisters, about our ancestors in the wilderness long ago. All of them were guided by a cloud that moved ahead of them, and all of them walked through the sea on dry ground. 2 In the cloud and in the sea, all of them were baptized as followers of Moses. 3 All of them ate the same spiritual food, 4 and all of them drank the same spiritual water. For they drank from the spiritual rock that traveled with them, and that rock was Christ. 5 Yet God was not pleased with most of them, and their bodies were scattered in the wilderness.
6 These things happened as a warning to us, so that we would not crave evil things as they did, 7 or worship idols as some of them did. As the Scriptures say, “The people celebrated with feasting and drinking, and they indulged in pagan revelry.”
… 10 And don’t grumble as some of them did, and then were destroyed by the angel of death. 11 These things happened to them as examples for us. They were written down to warn us who live at the end of the age.
… 13 The temptations in your life are no different from what others experience. And God is faithful. He will not allow the temptation to be more than you can stand. When you are tempted, he will show you a way out so that you can endure.
• What word from God is questioned in your heart? Combat it. There is a battle at hand. (Ephesians6:11) Flesh versus the Spirit, the enemy’s lies versus truth/ the mix of tempting lies versus eternal realities. Be aware of spiritual warfare. Silence satan, and you’ll see your faith be victorious. You’ll hear God rooting alongside you, having already declared and achieved victory over all darkness.
Matthew 14:22-33
25 Now in the fourth watch of the night Jesus went to them, walking on the sea. 26 And when the disciples saw Him walking on the sea, they were troubled, saying, “It is a ghost!” And they cried out for fear.
27 But immediately Jesus spoke to them, saying, “Be of good cheer! It is I; do not be afraid.”
28 And Peter answered Him and said, “Lord, if it is You, command me to come to You on the water.”
29 So He said, “Come.” And when Peter had come down out of the boat, he walked on the water to go to Jesus. 30 But when he saw that the wind was boisterous, he was afraid; and beginning to sink he cried out, saying, “Lord, save me!”
31 And immediately Jesus stretched out His hand and caught him, and said to him, “O you of little faith, why did you doubt?” 32 And when they got into the boat, the wind ceased.
33 Then those who were in the boat came and worshiped Him, saying, “Truly You are the Son of God.”
• When you find yourself in the middle of the wilderness or amid a storm, don’t allow your circumstance to be a reason for wavering in faith. Jesus told us that there would be windy trials and hard seasons (John16:33), and what else has He said and promised?
1 Corinthians 2:9 “But as it is written: “Eye has not seen, nor ear heard, Nor have entered into the heart of man the things which God has prepared for those who love Him.”
Be like Job amid trial, and other examples of faith.
7 And Jesus said to him, “I will come and heal him.”
8 The centurion answered and said, “Lord, I am not worthy that You should come under my roof. But only speak a word, and my servant will be healed. 9 For I also am a man under authority, having soldiers under me. And I say to this one, ‘Go,’ and he goes; and to another, ‘Come,’ and he comes; and to my servant, ‘Do this,’ and he does it.”
10 When Jesus heard it, He marveled, and said to those who followed, “Assuredly, I say to you, I have not found such great faith, not even in Israel!
Like the woman with the blood issue in Mark 5:25-34
25 Now a certain woman had a flow of blood for twelve years, 26 and had suffered many things from many physicians. She had spent all that she had and was no better, but rather grew worse. 27 When she heard about Jesus, she came behind Him in the crowd and touched His garment. 28 For she said, “If only I may touch His clothes, I shall be made well.”
29 Immediately the fountain of her blood was dried up, and she felt in her body that she was healed of the affliction. 30 And Jesus, immediately knowing in Himself that power had gone out of Him, turned around in the crowd and said, “Who touched My clothes?”
31 But His disciples said to Him, “You see the multitude thronging You, and You say, ‘Who touched Me?’ ”
32 And He looked around to see her who had done this thing. 33 But the woman, fearing and trembling, knowing what had happened to her, came and fell down before Him and told Him the whole truth. 34 And He said to her, “Daughter, your faith has made you well. Go in peace, and be healed of your affliction.”
21 Then Jesus went out from there and departed to the region of Tyre and Sidon. 22 And behold, a woman of Canaan came from that region and cried out to Him, saying, “Have mercy on me, O Lord, Son of David! My daughter is severely demon-possessed.”
23 But He answered her not a word.
And His disciples came and urged Him, saying, “Send her away, for she cries out after us.”
24 But He answered and said, “I was not sent except to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.”
25 Then she came and worshiped Him, saying, “Lord, help me!”
26 But He answered and said, “It is not good to take the children’s bread and throw it to the little dogs.”
27 And she said, “Yes, Lord, yet even the little dogs eat the crumbs which fall from their masters’ table.”
28 Then Jesus answered and said to her, “O woman, great is your faith! Let it be to you as you desire.” And her daughter was healed from that very hour.
Like Jacob when He wrestled with God:
Genesis 32:26 “…“I will not let You go unless You bless me!””
And Job.
Job had extreme warfare and persuasions to believe he was at fault and deserving of his harm. But Job was a righteous man, and we are righteous in Christ. Since God has set us free, there is hope He surrounds us with and worship that can be had even in hardship. Job denied his wife’s ill temptation to give up on God.
He knew God could give and take away (and MUCH was taken from him). The enemy wants you deny God in anger when your faith is tested. But we should rebuke the devil, and he will flee. Remember God is for us, and He alone is holy and should be honored. Remember, and claim the blessings that await you. The world only leads to death, but God brings life.
Like a child looking to their father in good faith, keep your eyes on God’s nature and the love in Christ, humbly, simply, and passionately.
Romans 8:28 “And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.”
Silence the storm and wrestle with God, and you’ll stay afloat and receive healing just by knowing who God is, despite yourself. Satan wants to discourage you; he wants your focus and doubt. God sends His word of encouragement, and wants you focused in faith in Christ, where anything is possible.
Every perfectly good thing will happen in God’s timing. In the meantime, let your faith get tested, let the ground break beneath you, so that you can no longer stand on anything but God. Faith is an ultimate matter of life or death, some situations make this obvious. Choose life, continue faith, hold on to God until He blesses you, no matter who you are. Christ did not come to condemn but to save (John3:17) Defeat lies.