Hebrews 10:23.
Let us hold fast the profession of [our] faith without wavering; (for he [is] faithful that promised;)
Where are we supposed to be in our walk with God?
John 15:4-8.
4 Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine; no more can ye, except ye abide in me.
5 I am the vine, ye [are] the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing.
6 If a man abide not in me, he is cast forth as a branch, and is withered; and men gather them, and cast [them] into the fire, and they are burned.
7 If ye abide in me, and my words abide in you, ye shall ask what ye will, and it shall be done unto you.
8 Herein is my Father glorified, that ye bear much fruit; so shall ye be my disciples.
We are to be at the place in our lives where we are abiding in Christ.
When youŐre attacked, go to GodŐs Word and see what God says about the situation.
Isaiah 55:10-11.
10 For as the rain cometh down, and the snow from heaven, and returneth not thither, but watereth the earth, and maketh it bring forth and bud, that it may give seed to the sower, and bread to the eater:
11 So shall my word be that goeth forth out of my mouth: it shall not return unto me void, but it shall accomplish that which I please, and it shall prosper [in the thing] whereto I sent it.
GodŐs Word will do what God has said it will do.
Did God hear your prayer? God does not leave us up in the air about this.
I John 15:14-15.
14 ¦ And this is the confidence that we have in him, that, if we ask any thing according to his will, he heareth us:
15 And if we know that he hear us, whatsoever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we desired of him.
If you prayed in accordance with GodŐs will, as revealed in His Word, you know that God heard you and said YES!
God has also given us the right to ask him for things in the name of Jesus Christ.
John 16:23-24.
23 ¦ And in that day ye shall ask me nothing. Verily, verily, I say unto you, Whatsoever ye shall ask the Father in my name, he will give [it] you.
24 Hitherto have ye asked nothing in my name: ask, and ye shall receive, that your joy may be full.
When we do this, itŐs the same as if Jesus Christ were asking God for what we need. We have no doubts that Jesus Christ gets what he asks God for!
What do you do if your answer doesnŐt come right away? Genesis 15 seems like it has nothing to do with this question, but it provides an important key. In this record, God is about to make a covenant with Abram, and Abram has slain the animals for God and has divided their carcasses.
Genesis 15:10-11.
10 And he took unto him all these, and divided them in the midst, and laid each piece one against another: but the birds divided he not.
11 And when the fowls came down upon the carcasses, Abram drove them away.
In the Parable of the Sower, the birds represented the wicked one, trying to steal GodŐs Word from peopleŐs hearts. Here, the fowls tried to steal the covenant sacrifice prepared by Abram, as if trying to prevent the covenant that God was about to make with Abram. Abram didnŐt stand still for this. He drove them away. We, too, must be on guard to keep the adversary from stealing from us what God has promised.
After youŐve done all this, itŐs time to be peaceful and patient.
Philippians 4:6-7.
6 Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God.
7 And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.
Being patient is usually the hard part in this fast-food world of ours!
Sometimes there is a waiting period between GodŐs promise and the manifestation of the results in our lives. When that happens, hold fast to GodŐs promise.
Hebrews 10:35-36.
35 Cast not away therefore your confidence, which hath great recompence of reward.
36 For ye have need of patience, that, after ye have done the will of God, ye might receive the promise.
What do you do while youŐre waiting?
I Peter 5:6-10.
6 Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you in due time:
7 Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you.
8 ¦ Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour:
9 Whom resist stedfast in the faith, knowing that the same afflictions are accomplished in your brethren that are in the world.
In AbrahamŐs case, it took twenty years between the time God made His promise, and the time Abraham received it.
Romans 4:16-21.
16 Therefore [it is] of faith, that [it might be] by grace; to the end the promise might be sure to all the seed; not to that only which is of the law, but to that also which is of the faith of Abraham; who is the father of us all,
17 ¦ (As it is written, I have made thee a father of many nations,) before him whom he believed, [even] God, who quickeneth the dead, and calleth those things which be not as though they were.
18 Who against hope believed in hope, that he might become the father of many nations, according to that which was spoken, So shall thy seed be.
19 And being not weak in faith, he considered not his own body now dead, when he was about an hundred years old, neither yet the deadness of Sara's womb:
20 He staggered not at the promise of God through unbelief; but was strong in faith, giving glory to God;
21 And being fully persuaded that, what he had promised, he was able also to perform.
The second ŇnotÓ in verse 19 is not in the text. Abraham didnŐt lie to himself about the situation. He looked the facts squarely in the face, and recognized that there was no way GodŐs promise could come to pass naturally. But Abraham exalted GodŐs promise above the evidence of his senses, and as a result, he received what God had promised.
When what we see and hear doesnŐt line up with what God has promised, we need to dig in our heels and stand firm on what God has promised.
Paul, too, had to deal with situations where it looked as if GodŐs promise was not coming to pass. What did he do when that happened?
Phil. 4:11-13.
11 Not that I speak in respect of want: for I have learned, in whatsoever state I am, [therewith] to be content.
12 I know both how to be abased, and I know how to abound: every where and in all things I am instructed both to be full and to be hungry, both to abound and to suffer need.
13 I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me.
He kept his eyes on Christ as his sufficiency, and remained content, regardless of his situation.
It may look as if God has forgotten about you, but He has assured us in His Word that He has not.
Matthew 6:30-33.
30 Wherefore, if God so clothe the grass of the field, which to day is, and to morrow is cast into the oven, [shall he] not much more [clothe] you, O ye of little faith?
31 Therefore take no thought, saying, What shall we eat? or, What shall we drink? or, Wherewithal shall we be clothed?
32 (For after all these things do the Gentiles seek:) for your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of all these things.
33 But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.
The same God who gives food to the birds, and clothes to the flowers, has promised that He will meet our needs if we keep Him first.
We are to live by trusting and believing the words of God.
Heb. 10:38.
38 Now the just shall live by faith: but if [any man] draw back, my soul shall have no pleasure in him.
As we do this, we overcome the world.
I John 5:4.
4 For whatsoever is born of God overcometh the world: and this is the victory that overcometh the world, [even] our faith.
As we stand fast on GodŐs Word, others will see through our lives that God can be trusted, that He backs His Word one hundred percent.
We are to stand fast on GodŐs Word against the wiles of the devil wearing the whole armor of God.
Ephesians 6:10-18.
10 ¦ Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might.
11 Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.
12 For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high [places].
13 Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.
14 Stand therefore, having your loins girt about with truth, and having on the breastplate of righteousness;
15 And your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace;
16 Above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked.
17 And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God:
18 Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints;
Once weŐve done all of this, where do we end up? Abiding in Christ.
John 15:3-8.
4 Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine; no more can ye, except ye abide in me.
5 I am the vine, ye [are] the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing.
6 If a man abide not in me, he is cast forth as a branch, and is withered; and men gather them, and cast [them] into the fire, and they are burned.
7 If ye abide in me, and my words abide in you, ye shall ask what ye will, and it shall be done unto you.
8 Herein is my Father glorified, that ye bear much fruit; so shall ye be my disciples.