The stuff that we carry in our hearts weighs us down, and the saddest part of it is that we won’t get rid of it. Many of us just won’t see ourselves the way we should, so we refuse to make the changes that will completely transform our lives. Through the Bible, God has given us an incredible chronological history. In it, we can see the records of the lives of individuals that walked with God. We can see their triumphs as well as their mistakes. Heavenly Father has given us these records for a reason. They are for our learning. Woven within each person’s record is a pattern that we can apply to elevate our own faith and commitment to the example of Christ. The thing that we must see in all these folks is that God rewarded their faithfulness. This is especially and epically important for us to digest in the season we’re now in.
It took 25 years for Abraham and Sarah to become fully persuaded in the promise God had made to Abraham. God did not speed up the fruition of the promise not one second earlier than their faith allowed. Heavenly Father promised to make Abraham’s name great and to make him a father to the nations. Abraham believed in the power of God, but he looked at himself as an old man of 75 and couldn’t quite make the leap of faith required at that time. He viewed his seed as dead. Sarah, Abraham’s wife, was very beautiful even in her senior years, but he believed her womb was dead too, and that she was too old to bear him a son. Heavenly Father is very loving and kind, but faith in Him is non-negotiable. We must have it, and God did not reward Abraham with the promise until his faith was on board.
Abraham and Sarah made an agreement to lie about their relationship as man and wife when powerful men were in their midst. They thought they needed to do this in order to be protected. During the time in which they lived, it was customary for the prettiest women to belong to the person with the greatest power, this person would either be a king or a pharaoh. So, Abraham and Sarah agreed to lie for fear that Abraham’s life would be in jeopardy if they didn’t. Many of us would look at this and call it survival or self-preservation, but God looks at it and calls it doubt.
How could they claim to trust in the promise God had made and not have the same trust in His covering and protection? They didn’t quite understand the magnitude of damage that comes when a lie is believed over the truth. We will sometimes tell ourselves that some of the habit patterns and attitudes we indulge are just a part of our personality. Jesus Christ told the unbelievers in John 8:44(NLT), “For you are the children of your father the devil, and you love to do the evil things he does. He was a murderer from the beginning. He has always hated the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he lies, it is consistent with his character; for he is a liar and the father of lies.” It should never be said of a follower of Christ that we have clung to a lie and refused to walk in the truth. We are children of the light. Darkness in any shape, form, or fashion should not be something we cling to. We can’t use excuses to cover our lack of faith. We must be willing to pray and be guided by the Spirit, so we can get to the root of the things that keep our blessings at bay.
When God gave Abraham the promise, He knew that Abraham would be teachable. Abraham wasn’t perfect. He made mistakes, but his faith was in God. When trouble came in Abraham’s way, he looked to Heavenly Father for direction. There are many that have been on this journey a very long time, and they are in rough shape, but they won’t go to God with a heart and mind that is flexible and willing to learn. Instead, they want to do things the way they’ve always done them.
This isn’t a sustainable outlook. Times are extremely difficult for some people right now. They are without basic necessities, and every aspect of their existence is challenged and failing in some way. This isn’t what Heavenly Father wants. Our Father transforms, that’s what He does. He is a redeeming God, so nothing can remain the same. Ephesians 4:15 tells us that His plan is that we speak the truth in love, and that we grow up into Christ, who is the head of all things. 1Peter 2:2-3(NIV) tells us, “Like newborn babies, crave pure spiritual milk, so that by it you may grow up in your salvation, now that you have tasted that the Lord is good.”
Many teachers and leaders in Christ concur that for some this season will bring unprecedented blessings, but for others it will bring unprecedented tribulation. If you are at all concerned with which group you’re in, do something now to make sure you’re poised for unprecedented blessings. No matter your age, social, or economic status, with God all things are possible. He desires to bless us, but we can’t continue to harbor doubt and negativity in our hearts. He sees the little things we do in the dark, and He desires us to have a change of heart. Pray, seek the Lord and ask Him to reveal anything in your heart that displeases Him. He will reveal it, and you must have the humility to see it and the faith to trust that surrendering to Him and repenting will open the right doors and close the wrong ones. ■
Scripture quotations marked (NLT) are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Wheaton, Illinois 60189. All rights reserved.
Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
"Poised for Unprecedented Blessings”, written for VictoryinJesusChrist© 2022. All rights reserved. All praise and honor to God through Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior.
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