Where I go to church when someone asks how
you are the common cultural response is, “I’m Blessed”. It is such an automatic response that it
sometimes loses its meaning. Some people
respond that they are blessed but then they go on to share about all the things
that are going wrong in their lives.
When a woman came to a preacher I know and
asked for prayer he asked her if she believed God could deliver her from her
troubles. Her response was, “Yes but,
under the circumstances, it may take a while.”
His response to her was, “What are you doing UNDER the circumstances?”
“He
makes my feet like hinds’ feet [able to stand firmly or make progress on the
dangerous heights of testing and trouble]; He sets me securely upon my high
places.” -Psalm 18:33 AMP
“The
Lord God is my Strength, my personal bravery, and my invincible army; He makes
my feet like hinds’ feet and will make me to walk [not to stand still in
terror, but to walk] and make [spiritual] progress upon my high places [of
trouble, suffering, or responsibility]!” –Habakkuk 3:19 AMP
Being “under the circumstances” is clearly
not where the Lord wants us. We are
prone to forget that our God is GREATER and any circumstance. When we are going through something we tend
to look at what we are going through, much like Peter felt the strong wind he
took his eyes off Jesus and began to sink into the sea (Matthew 14:28-30). To walk the walk of faith, whether on water
or on land, we need to keep our eyes on the One Who gives and grows that faith
in us. Let me also point you to the many
believers listed in Hebrews 11 who have walked in faith and accomplished what
the Lord had for them: Abel, Enoch,
Noah, Abraham, Sarah, Isaac, Jacob, Joseph, Moses, Rehab…at this point the
scripture says it best:
”And
what shall I say further? For time would fail me to tell of Gideon, Barak,
Samson, Jephthah, of David and Samuel and the prophets, who by [the help of]
faith subdued kingdoms, administered justice, obtained promised blessings,
closed the mouths of lions, extinguished the power of raging fire, escaped the
devourings of the sword, out of frailty and weakness won strength and became
stalwart, even mighty and resistless in battle, routing alien hosts.” –Hebrews 32-34 AMP
“But Linda,” you say, “they were all mighty
men and women of God. I am not
perfect. How could I ever compare myself
to what they did?” Think about it…were
they “perfect”? Noah got drunk, Abraham
had sex with someone other than his wife, Sarah doubted God, Joseph was a bit
arrogant and boasted to his brothers, and Moses murdered a man. David could have felt he was under the
circumstances when he faced Goliath but instead he shouted, “You come to me with a sword, a spear, and a
javelin, but I come to you in the name of the Lord of hosts, the God of the
ranks of Israel, Whom you have defied. This
day the Lord will deliver you into my hand, and I will smite you and cut off
your head. And I will give the corpses of the army of the Philistines this day
to the birds of the air and the wild beasts of the earth, that all the earth
may know that there is a God in Israel” (1 Samuel 17). I could go on but I
think you get the picture. God loves
working with imperfections because His strength is made perfect in our weakness
(2 Corinthians 12:9). So, when you determine
to believe like those mentioned above you will find yourselves walking in faith
and no longer living “under the circumstances”.
“The
apostles said to the Lord, Increase our faith (that trust and confidence that
spring from our belief in God). And the
Lord answered, If you had faith (trust and confidence in God) even [so small]
like a grain of mustard seed, you could say to this mulberry tree, Be pulled up
by the roots, and be planted in the sea, and it would obey you.” –Luke 17:5-6 AMP
How much faith do you need to walk in faith? You only need as much as a mustard seed
(Matthew 17:20). That is not very much,
but imagine what can be done with it!
“But
without faith it is impossible to please and be satisfactory to Him. For
whoever would come near to God must [necessarily] believe that God exists and
that He is the rewarder of those who earnestly and diligently seek Him [out].” –Hebrews 11:6
God does not leave us out there hanging on
by our fingertips. He always provides a
way for us. All we have to do is look to
Him…for truly “He is the rewarder of
those who earnestly and diligently seek Him”.
Seek Him out. In Acts 4:13 we see men who took a stand and
their faith was visible to the world for the world “recognized that they had been with Jesus”. Do you spend regular time with Jesus? “So
faith comes by hearing [what is told], and what is heard comes by the preaching
[of the message that came from the lips] of Christ (the Messiah Himself)”
(Romans 10:17 AMP). When you spend time in the Word your faith will grow and
the world will recognize your relationship to Him as well.
In conclusion, when you find yourself
asked, “How are you?” you can respond with confidence, “I am blessed!” for God
has blessed you indeed and placed you far above the circumstances on the
heights where His is.
“He makes my feet like the hinds’ [firm and
able]; He sets me secure and confident upon the heights.” -Samuel 22:34
