{"id":2288,"date":"2020-01-04T17:04:30","date_gmt":"2020-01-04T17:04:30","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/allthecounselofgod.com\/?p=2288"},"modified":"2020-01-04T17:04:30","modified_gmt":"2020-01-04T17:04:30","slug":"the-winners-faith","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/allthecounselofgod.com\/index.php\/2020\/01\/04\/the-winners-faith\/","title":{"rendered":"The Winner\u2019s Faith"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

David Livingstone, the missionary who laid down his\nlife to open the dark continent of Africa, said, \u201cDifficulties? What are difficulties?\nJust things to be overcome.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Our day demands that every believer have this kind of\nvictorious faith. Recently, a leading religious periodical characterized American\nChristianity as \u201clifeless, pessimistic, and defeated.\u201d If this analysis\nholds even a grain of truth, there is an urgent need for people who have\nwinning faith.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In 1 Samuel 17, we find the story of a young man who\narrived at a battlefield to find the army of his nation paralyzed with fear. A boisterous\nrepresentative of military might named Goliath had challenged them, and they\nwere afraid to accept the challenge. David, the young shepherd, clothed in the\nlightest possible armour, strong in<\/p>\n\n\n\n

the Lord, and armed with faith, decided to go into\nbattle against this giant. David\u2019s faith in God brought victory that day. From\nhis experience, we learn that the believer\u2019s dynamic power flows from faith in\nGod.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The winner\u2019s <\/strong>faith<\/strong>\nwill withstand severe challenges. <\/em>As young David came onto the\nfield of combat, Goliath said to him, \u201d \u2026 Come to me, and I will give\nthy flesh unto the fowls of the air, and to the beasts of the field\u201d (1\nSamuel 17:44). What a challenge to David\u2019s faith! Yet he marched on to victory.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Every day believers face severe challenges, but faith\nwill not tum or run. As C. H. Spurgeon said, \u201cMany men owe the grandeur of\ntheir lives to their tremendous difficulties.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

These challenges may come in the form of overwhelming\nobstacles. David was told concerning Goliath, \u201d \u2026 thou art but a youth,\nand he a man of war from his youth\u201d (1 Samuel17:33). The critics today\nsay, \u201cWhy don\u2019t you Christians give up? You will never win the\nworld.\u201d The obstacles may be great, but it is ours to face them in the\nstrength of the Lord. Though everyone else stands like a stunned animal in fear\nand dismay, we should strive to overcome the obstacles.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

These challenges may come in the form of\ndisheartening rebukes. David\u2019s faith was severely rebuked. David\u2019s brother told\nhim, \u201d \u2026 1 know thy pride, and the naughtiness of thine heart \u2026 \u201d\n(1 Samuel 17:28). Saul said, \u201d \u2026 Thou art not able to go against this\nPhilistine \u2026 \u201d (1 Samuel 17: 33). Whenever anyone gets out of the battle\nline, such rebukes follow. His motives, his faithfulness, and his abilities\nwill be questioned, but the winner\u2019s faith will not falter.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The winner\u2019s faith will provide unshakable\nconfidence. <\/em>No Christian should believe that he has the strength within\nhimself to face all the battles of life. He should believe that nothing is\nimpossible for him if God furnishes the power. David was able to say, \u201d\n\u2026 The LORD \u2026 will deliver me out of the hand of this Philistine \u2026 \u201d\n(1 Samuel 17:37).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The winner\u2019s faith will provide unshakable confidence\nin his God. In David\u2019s little phrase, \u201d \u2026 The LORD that delivered me \u2026\n\u201d (1 Samuel17:37, we find utmost confidence in God. The great, loving, redeeming\nGod we serve has led us to victory over the curse of sin by saving us. Now we\ncan believe that no need shall go unfulfilled when we trust Him to provide.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Winner\u2019s faith will provide unshakable confidence in\nhis cause. The cause of telling the world about Christ and perfecting the saints\nis even greater than that of taking away \u201d \u2026 the reproach from Israel\u2026\u201d\n( 1 Samuel17 :26).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The winner\u2019s faith will provide unshakable confidence\nin himself. David was able to say, \u201cThy servant slew both the lion and the\nbear: and this uncircumcised Philistine shall be as one of them \u2026 \u201d (1\nSamuel17:36). We need nothing to puff us up with pride, but we do need a quiet\nconfidence that God can use us as channels for service.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The winner\u2019s faith will produce sure conquest. <\/em>When\nwe live in constant doubt, we walk a treadmill; and the work we attempt to do\nfor God never seems to bear fruit. I Samuel 17:50 gives us a thumbnail sketch\nof the battle between David and Goliath, \u201cSo David prevailed over the\nPhilistine \u2026 \u201d <\/strong>David had done the impossible.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This conquest brings glory to God. \u201d \u2026 that\nall the earth may know that there is a God in Israel\u201d <\/strong>(1 Samuel 17:46)\nshould be the motive behind every victory we seek. Dawson Trotman once said,\n\u201cIn all that I do, I want men to see no one but Jesus.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This conquest encourages God\u2019s people. The armies of\nIsrael stood in fear of the Philistines until Goliath fell, and then \u201d\n\u2026 the men of Israel and of Judah arose, and shouted, and pursued the Philistines\n\u2026 \u201d <\/strong>(1 Samuel17:52).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

F. B. Meyer was speaking in the spirit of the\nwinner\u2019s faith when he told his congregation, \u201cWe never test the resources\nof God until we attempt the impossible.\u201d There are times when it seems\nthat the task is too large, our abilities too small, and the world too\nunfriendly. These are the times for us to lay the situation squarely before\nGod. When we do this, we, like David, can slay our \u201cGoliaths.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/body>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"