With the passing of time, all, some more than others, we go through different types of situations. Many of the tests we have to go through sometimes make our faith want to stagger. But an important part that every Christian should encourage, exercise and be aware of is that each day that passes our faith must grow. The Bible says that faith is like a mustard seed. It starts small, but as we get closer to God and begin to have experiences with him, that faith is supposed to increase.
Last night when I went to bed, I meditated on so many things, in such a way that I had to get back up and take notes that I want to share with you and that I hope will be a blessing to your lives, as much as they have been a blessing to mine. Our normal and human language can be transformed by a divine one, when we take the authority of God. When we renew the way we talk and think. When we confess contrary things even when everything seems adverse and against us. In fact that is the faith, to call the things that are not as if they were. Believe even if you see nothing. But beware, I'm not talking about a "super faith", where people try to handle God at will, far from it, something that happens to become a utopia, leaving reality. I am speaking of concrete examples that we see through the Scriptures in which men and women of God, managed to overcome the adverse circumstances and experienced the glory of God in their lives.
Here are some examples:
Before a lame man who asked for alms and not having any money, Pedro said: "I have no silver or gold, but what I have I give you; in the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, get up and walk. " (Acts 3: 1-11).
Paul speaking to the Corinthians said ... "And he said to me: My grace is sufficient for you; because my power is perfected in weakness. Therefore, I will gladly glory rather in my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me. Therefore, out of love for Christ I rejoice in weaknesses, in insults, in needs, in persecutions, in anguish; because when I'm weak, then I'm strong. " (2 Corinthians 12: 5-11)
The father of a boy who was mute and tied exclaimed in the middle of his situation the following when ... "Jesus said to him: If you can believe, who believes everything is possible. And immediately the boy's father cried out and said: I believe; help my disbelief. " (Mark 9: 13-27)
Job a knight and hero of the faith, they passed him countless things that seemed incredible. He had lost material and loved ones, however the Bible reports that when they came to give him this devastating news, he still acted and pronounced what I show you here: "Then Job got up, tore his cloak, and shaved his head, and He prostrated himself on the ground and worshiped, and said: Naked I came out of my mother's womb, and naked shall I return there. Jehovah gave, and Jehovah took away; may the name of Jehovah be blessed. " (Job 1: 20-21)
A prophet named Habakkuk manifested his trust in God by issuing the following statement: "Even if the fig tree does not flower, nor in the vines there are fruits, Even if the produce of the olive tree is lacking, And the tilled ones do not maintain, And the sheep are removed from the flock , And there are no cows in the corrals; Nevertheless, I will rejoice in the Lord, and rejoice in the God of my salvation. The Lord Jehovah is my strength, who makes my feet like hinds' feet, and walks me on my heights. " (Habakkuk 3: 17-19)
Rahab being a harlot found salvation for her and her family by daring to help servants of the Lord, testifying and confessing the following: "... for Jehovah your God is God above in the heavens and below on earth." (Joshua 2:11)
In the book of Daniel, chapter 3 tells the story of three young Hebrews who were not intimidated by the persecution or the danger of death, giving us a chair of what it is to have fidelity before God. His words were as follows: "Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego answered the king Nebuchadnezzar, saying: It is not necessary that we answer you on this matter. Behold our God whom we serve can deliver us from the fiery furnace of fire; and from your hand, O king, will deliver us. And if not, know, O king, that we will not serve your gods, nor will we worship the statue that you have set up. " (Daniel 3: 16-18)
There was a time when Daniel did not speak, but his actions said a lot. Observe and meditate on this: "When Daniel learned that the edict had been signed, he entered his house, and opened the windows of his chamber that faced Jerusalem, knelt three times a day, and prayed and thanked before his God , as I used to do before. Then the men came together and found Daniel praying and praying in the presence of his God. Even King Nebuchadnezzar knew that Daniel served a God who was real so look what happened ... "The king, then, got up very early in the morning, and went hastily to the den of the lions.
And approaching the pit he cried out to Daniel with a sad voice, and said: Daniel, servant of the living God, your God, whom you continually serve, has he been able to deliver you from the lions? Then Daniel answered the king: Oh king, live forever. My God sent his angel, who closed the mouth of the lions, so that they would not hurt me, because before him I was found innocent; and even before you, O king, I have done nothing wrong. Then the king rejoiced greatly because of him, and commanded that Daniel be taken out of the pit; and Daniel was taken out of the pit, and no injury was found in him, because he had trusted in his God. (For more details read Daniel 6 complete).
Paul said: "But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, so that the excellence of the power is of God, and not of us, who are troubled in everything, but not anguished; in distress, but not desperate; persecuted, but not forsaken; knocked down, but not destroyed; always carrying in the body the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be manifested in our bodies. " (2 Corinthians 4: 7-10) And he could also with certainty exclaim these words: "Being persuaded of this, that he who began a good work in you will perfect it until the day of Jesus Christ." (Philippians 1: 6)
Faith in action and trust in who served, was what David had when he faced the giant Goliath. With approximately 17 years, five stones, but with all the power, the anointing and strength of God pronounced: "You come to me with sword and spear and javelin; But I come to you in the name of the LORD of hosts, the God of the armies of Israel, whom you have provoked. The LORD will give you this day in my hand, and I will conquer you, and cut off your head, and today I will give the bodies of the Philistines to the birds of the air and to the beasts of the earth; and the whole earth will know that there is God in Israel. And all this congregation will know that Jehovah does not save with sword and spear; for the battle is the Lord's, and he will give you into our hands. " (1 Samuel 17: 45-47).
There are so many who in the difficult moment did not feel intimidated, that if I start to mention them, I do not finish. These men and women had something that resembled them and distinguished them even in the midst of crowds. It was not his strength, or intelligence, nor were his influences, much less that they were better than you and me. But they had had such a personal encounter with the Lord, they had such a deep conviction in the God they served and in whom they believed, that they knew he would not forsake them at any time. They knew that even if they had to face the longest and darkest night His Redeemer lived. They expected to see His glory manifest in their lives. They knew that it was not with sword or armies that their battles were fought, but with the Holy Spirit of God. They persisted in what they had learned, they knew that those who trust in the Lord will not be confused or ashamed. They knew that their solid and strong rock was the King of kings and Lord of lords. They used a spiritual language, maybe they did not even realize what they were doing. But because their dependence came from God, they spoke and acted as children of God that they were.
