Peace to you, dear friends! I thank God for you and for this wonderful opportunity to be established in the Word of truth that is able to save our souls. Let’s continue discussing three types of spiritual weapons that we need in order to gain victory in these last days.Yesterday we saw that faith, hope and love are interrelated. Today we will look at the role of each of them in our victory over the last day trials. Everything we receive from God is received by faith, and without faith it is impossible to please God (Hebrews, 11: 6). God will pass by many souls that do not have faith to touch one person that has living faith in his or heart. That is precisely what happened to the woman with an issue of blood who suffered for 12 years. Many people were pressing around Jesus, but none of them drew His attention until this woman touched Him with her faith.
«Now a certain woman had a flow of blood for twelve years, and had suffered many things from many physicians. She had spent all that she had and was no better, but rather grew worse. When she heard about Jesus, she came behind Him in the crowd and touched His garment. For she said, „If only I may touch His clothes, I shall be made well.” Immediately the fountain of her blood was dried up, and she felt in her body that she was healed of the affliction. And Jesus, immediately knowing in Himself that power had gone out of Him, turned around in the crowd and said, „Who touched My clothes?” But His disciples said to Him, „You see the multitude thronging You, and You say, ‘Who touched Me?’” And He looked around to see her who had done this thing. But the woman, fearing and trembling, knowing what had happened to her, came and fell down before Him and told Him the whole truth. And He said to her, „Daughter, your faith has made you well. Go in peace, and be healed of your affliction» (Mark, 5: 25-34).
As you see, it was the faith of this woman that saved her. Faith saves us from troubles and difficulties in these last days. Without faith there is no victory, so the Bible says that the victory that has overcome the world is our faith (1 John, 5: 4). Devil will try to draw us away from this fundamental truth, for he knows its significance in the life of believers. That is why we need to know these things well.Faith is not an ability to shout. Your shouting won’t cast out even one demon, won’t heal sick, if it doesn’t contain faith. There was a time when Israelites shouted and felt good about it, but were forced to flee before the face of their enemies, because faith is a lot more than just loud shouting or emotional upheaval.«And when the ark of the covenant of the LORD came into the camp, all Israel shouted so loudly that the earth shook. Now when the Philistines heard the noise of the shout, they said, “What does the sound of this great shout in the camp of the Hebrews mean?” Then they understood that the ark of the LORD had come into the camp. So the Philistines were afraid, for they said, „God has come into the camp!” And they said, „Woe to us! For such a thing has never happened before. Woe to us! Who will deliver us from the hand of these mighty gods? These are the gods who struck the Egyptians with all the plagues in the wilderness. Be strong and conduct yourselves like men, you Philistines, that you do not become servants of the Hebrews, as they have been to you. Conduct yourselves like men, and fight!” So the Philistines fought, and Israel was defeated, and every man fled to his tent. There was a very great slaughter, and there fell of Israel thirty thousand foot soldiers» (1 Samuel, 4:5-10).
By loud shouting disobedient Israelites only made their situation worse. It caused their enemies to mobilize and fight against Israelites. Faith is not emotions.Faith is obedience to the voice and word of the Lord.Faith is acting based on obedience and command of the Lord.Faith is positive response of the heart to God’s instructions.Faith is being on the same team with God.Everything that disrupts the unity with God and the team spirit destroys the effectiveness of faith. Faith does not depend on our emotions. Israelites were taught a good lesson; despite their shouting they were defeated.Remember it: faith is not when we hold unto the promises of God, but not have any relationships with Him; it is not empty confessions and declarations, like: “We are God’s children!”, “I am a new creation!”, «By Jesus’ stripes I am healed!”, “I can do all this in Christ Who strengthens me!” etc. Confessing God’s Word without appropriate relationships with God is not faith; it is lifeless religion.We will continue tomorrow.God’s blessings to you!Pastor Rufus Ajiboye
