In my desire to empower NLRC churches to live in the culture of faith to the maximum belief in our God who does even the impossible, we seem to be set back by what happened to a few people close to us who were hit by serious illnesses. Despite much prayer believing for their recovery, they passed on. To some of us, there was disappointment and to others, we realized we don’t understand everything. Only God knows all things including past, present and what lies ahead of us. We have to yield to the Lord, still trusting Him that He knows best.
In the reality of loss of precious saints among us to illnesses, does it mean we do not pray for thesick? It can’t be. Our experience did not match God’s Word, but it does not mean God’s Word is not true. It is a moment of applying my initial three faith principles that I taught in January.
One, our belief in the Lord is greater than doubt. We see our capacity to be victorious like Job in the Bible. Job had received from God a double portion in the end.
Two, establish a conviction that God is God. We yield to Him with a conviction of faith like the biblical Daniel, Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego. All of them were promoted by God.
Thirdly, let us commit to the Lord, entrust Him with our burden, and carry on with what we have to do in the present. I like to enlarge on these points that lead us to where our ultimate commitment lies.
It might be true the enemy was up to no good and afflicting God’s people. But we must hold strongly to the conviction that Christ had defeated the devil. He may discourage God’s people but we’re never defeated. Christ’s victory at the Cross and Resurrection remains absolute truth. The devil seeks often to intimidate God’s people, but we remain committed to the truth that Jesus had ascended to heaven and is seated with the Father, and we’re also seated with him in our spiritual status. Despite what may happen in the physical and natural, eternal and heavenly realities must pre-occupy our minds so that we may not be purely earth-bound. It is in renewing our minds as such that we will arise in faith to set a faith atmospherefor victory and power of the Holy Spirit. When we arise in this way, our heavenly Father finds faith in us. This is commitment with loyalty, honour, reverence and our faithfulness to the Lord despite our circumstances. No matter what, we trust that God is faithful to us by covenant and He continues to guide and lead us in the yet to be accomplished victories of faith that we will have. There are still mountains to conquer. We will move forward because no matter what, in Christ, we are STILL AHEAD!
I believe things that happen at the beginning of 2019 are paving our faith for victory for the rest of the year. Past lids on our thinking and faith are being lifted. Mental veils that obstruct faith are torn. Let us march on in faith. Do not let our feelings get in the way. Most of all, must not keep our minds on negatives about God and people. Empty negatives so that we accommodate positive thoughts about God. See the good around us, in happenings and in people, because with Jesus in us, we can always say, “It is good, it is good!!!”
Love,
Jeremiah Yap