We had a lot of sickness in our house this week. There’s nothing much you can do except press on, and hope you don’t come down with it yourself!
People say life throws a lot of curveballs at us. And curveballs do come our way, no doubt about it. As Christians, we believe two things. First, God is sovereign and merciful. He is all-powerful, and he loves us. Second, we are in an invisible battle with the forces of a supernatural enemy, who is out to destroy us. He too is powerful, though not as powerful as God, and he hates us.
In the midst of this battle, our human fallenness adds a further twist. Though God loves us and is all-powerful, our continued sinfulness makes us vulnerable to the enemy, who will get in wherever a door is open. Not only that, the utter fallenness of the world around us means there are lots of candidates the enemy can use to attack and persecute us even when we have done nothing wrong to God or to other people.
People seek solace in superficial teachings on faith and prosperity which say that if we only pray or believe the right way, we can avoid all the pitfalls of life. God’s will must surely be our total happiness and comfort in all things. What attracts people to this kind of teaching is not faith at all, but fear. We’re afraid of what the world will throw against us and how we might respond to it, and doubt whether God will truly look after us, and so we look for an easy way out. It makes our faith into God, and it makes God into our servant.
Many years ago, a theologian came up with a brilliant way to describe the battle we are in. D-day was the day the Allied forces landed in Normandy. V-day was the day victory was declared and the war was over. In between those two days came months of battles and many lives lost, but from D-day on, the outcome was never in doubt. Christians live in this world between D-day and V-day. The outcome is assured but there is still a battle to fight, and casualties will occur. We live in what I call the “in-between.”
We need to adjust our understanding of God’s protection. He is completely committed to ensuring our spiritual protection, but he does not guarantee we will not suffer in other ways, the same way sickness hit our household this past week. Yet he is still everything the Bible says he is - our protector, our healer, our deliverer. That means we still pray and still ask God for provision, protection and even miracles. But our obedience is not conditional upon him producing a certain result. If we are called to suffer, even if it is not our fault, we cast our cares on him and trust him to get us through it.
So if faith teaching tells me to “name it and claim it,” what alternative have I got to propose? My answer is this: press on. It doesn’t have the same ring, but it works a lot better.
And that’s because it’s Biblical. Check Philippians 3:14 if you don’t believe me
May God encourage and strengthen you in this battle. And never fear, though we may stumble on the way, he will keep us, and in the end we win.
CONSIDER PARTNERING WITH DAVID & ELAINE CAMPBELL IN HELPING TO SUSTAIN THEIR ACTIVE MINISTRY.
AWAKENING MINISTRIES // FOUNDATION of FAITH Project
Foundation of Faith Project is strengthening generations in faith and bringing beautiful changes to the communities around them. Through teaching, mentoring and coaching, many are finding out who they are and who they are destined to be. They are bringing more to their world. David Campbell is the key leader in this initiative and you can support him financially directly through Awakening Ministries.
When making a donation, please follow these steps:
1. Click the donate button below
2. Enter the amount you wish to donate and choose "Paypal" or "Credit Card"
3. On the next page, in the "Add a note" field, please mark the donation for "Foundation of Faith"
For those in the UK, you may also support us through Emmanuel Church Durham, which receives and passes on any financial gifts designated to us. You are welcome to contact Jenny, the church treasurer, at finance@emmanuel.org.uk, and she will be glad to let you know how you can support us on a once-off basis or by standing order.