How do we face difficulties and terrible circumstances? Obviously the Christianeze answer is with … faith. So we immediately face the nagging question of why we personally don’t have enough faith for whatever we are facing. The fact is we will always be facing something that will be challenging our level / measure of faith. So what is it we are really missing? What I believe is really missing is .. real relationship with the Holy Spirit. That intimacy with the Holy Spirit has been missing for many decades from the American Church.
What is our ‘assurance’ based on? Our assurance / faith is based on the assurances / promises that God has given to us directly / personally. Without a deep intimate relationship with the Holy Spirit then all a person has is a ‘mental’ / intellectual assent that the scriptures MIGHT be true. And without that ‘inner knowing’ one will be obsessed with apprehension at the current situation and circumstances.
But if one has the ability to ‘hear’ and listen to the Holy Spirit they will be reminded of what the Lord has personally told them in their hearts — and the assurances that ‘He will never leave them nor forsake them’.
Keep your life free from love of money, and be content with what you have, for he has said, “I will never leave you nor forsake you.” So we can confidently say, “The Lord is my helper; I will not fear; what can man do to me?” Hebrews 13:5-6
What are you fearing deep within your soul? Whatever it might be, you are not a coward if you’re determined to face it head on, even though the ‘feeling’ of fear remains. In that moment you are without human help and standing alone except for the ‘inner witness’ of His Voice reminding you of His assurances. He / Holy Spirit could sound something like this in your mind, “Remember…I am with you, trust Me, have faith in Me.” Are you listening for Him before you speak? Take hold of the Father’s assurances, and then say out loud “I will not fear!” For you know it won’t matter what anything else says because you know deep within your soul, “Jesus will NEVER leave you.”
It’s our human frailty and weakness that gets in our way between God’s assurances and our own words and thoughts. We often will feel like the ten spies that came back with the report of feeling like grasshoppers in the presence of the giants. (Numbers 13:33) This is where the ministry of the Holy Spirit that dwells within us is SO needed. To remind us that HE is with us, and what Jesus has promised us.
Do you have the courage to say, “He is with me, the Lord is my helper!” Or are you giving into the fear?
This will be the constant challenge of our faith life, as He walks with us through many dangers and trials. It will be lessons of ever increasing our reliance on Him.