Faith for tough times 1/03/2021

Habakkuk 3:17–18 NKJV

17 Though the fig tree may not blossom, Nor fruit be on the vines; Though the labor of the olive may fail, And the fields yield no food; Though the flock may be cut off from the fold, And there be no herd in the stalls— 18 Yet I will rejoice in the Lord, I will joy in the God of my salvation.

Faith for tough times

Everything has been and is being shaken. God is in control. He knows what He is doing. He is not done. We who are spiritual and walking with God can sense it.

Interesting day to live in.

Decency is disappearing. Confused culture. Disordered generation, the confidence of so many has been shaken. Confused generation sees this world as being pointless, purposeless, and transitory.

All that has been trusted is failing. What has been trusted for stabilization is falling. The societies of the world in their erratic pursuit of the peace and safety they desire, but will not look to God for are dragging us with them in a search for relief.

Christian faith was made for such times as these.

The things that appear to be crumbling around us do not have the word. Faith works. The faith that worked in 2019 carried you through 2020 and will work in 2021. Faith works.

The prophet knew what destruction looked like. He knew famine, war, sickness, social unrest, fear, tension, he knew it all. He knew what devastation meant, his country was being over run with an enemy. All around him it was being eaten up and consumed. Marauding bands were coming and taking their flocks from the pastures. The fields lay fallow, harvests wiped out, uncultivated fields because of fear.

Habakkuk knew. He also knew the power of faith, and it was actually him the writer of Hebrews and Paul in Galatians said “the just shall live by faith.”

Faith had begun to fail in many hearts. Little wonder, all that was going on at the time.

Where was the God of Israel?

Where was His protection?

What gain was there in serving God?

Was there evidence for God being with them? Where was it?

Surely faith was going to fail, already beaten down by all that the enemy had done. Faith must collapse under the pressure at some point.

It was in the midst of all this turmoil and admission of struggle that the prophet pulled his shoulders back and made a confession, a portion of which we read as a text. What a magnificent proclamation it was, and tells us of a faith.

A Faith For Tough Times!

Faith is designed to stand

Even if the worst comes.

If you wonder if faith can stand in the trouble times in which you live in… the answer is yes!

Pile on until the last straw. Faith will stand the test.

Letter complete ruin and famine come, faith will be found singing all the way through until the end.

Habbakuk said tho the fields are desolate. Trees may not blossom. No fruit on the vines, no oil in the cup because the olive fails. Flocks may be cut off, and the barn stalls are empty. Yet I will rejoice in the Lord. I will joy in the God of my salvation.

Faith has a heaven born logic of its own.

Human logic and reason argue that under certain circumstances faith just would not stand… it must have a breaking point.

It’s why we fear that our faith may fail us at times.

Some say that in certain life situations offering faith is like offering a stone when the need is for bread.

But faith is a mystery. We must fellowship a mystery if we are going to make it.

It seems that the Godly often endure more than people with no faith. Endure more trials, losses, broken hearts, sickness, sufferings, bereavements, inequalities, and mockeries, often tried beyond reasonable endurance. We fear there must come some breaking point.

Curse God and die said unbelief, when Job was at his lowest point and seemed that all was lost. But faith stood the test! And caused Job to say “though He slay me, yet will I serve Him.”

Faith will stand the test every time!

Faith will hold up under the strain every time!

Faith does not keep a ledger, on one side are wins and the other side losses. Faith does not only count when the balance is falling on the right side, the blessed side. Even when the balance is in the red, faith blossoms and grows.

Faith is not a fair weather friend. It enjoys sunshine, but it’s ready to face the storm.

It hopes for the best, but is not daunted by the worst.

The biggest struggle you might face will make the power of faith more conspicuous, faith shines brighter when the world gets darker.

Hebrew boys in a fiery furnace.

Daniel 3:16–18 NKJV

16 Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego answered and said to the king, “O Nebuchadnezzar, we have no need to answer you in this matter. 17 If that is the case, our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace, and He will deliver us from your hand, O king. 18 But if not, let it be known to you, O king, that we do not serve your gods, nor will we worship the gold image which you have set up.”

Faith stands up! Faith could live in the furnace. Faith lives tonight!

Faith can be stubborn.

Devil argued with God that Job was only serving Him because he was being paid. Does Job serve you for nought?

God said we will find out. Job’s faith stood up to everything the devil could deliver.

Secret: Faith depends on God and God alone!

Faith does not depend on God’s gifts. Faith does not depend on circumstances.

Faith depends on God and God alone!

Faith works all the time.

It’s not going on a feeling… It’s not waiting on the right pieces to fall in place...

If God said it, faith believes it! That’s faith.

There was a building they went to remodel and in the middle there was a great pillar that was supposed to support the roof, when they got to doing the work on the roof they found that the pillar was suspended from the roof. The pillar had held nothing. So it is with faith.

Faith is held up by power from on high. It is God’s to give and He has given faith to you and I.

It is the testimony of all God’s children, they depend on God. He is steadfast when all else fails.

Habakkuk 3:19 KJV 1900

19 The Lord God is my strength, And he will make my feet like hinds’ feet, And he will make me to walk upon mine high places. To the chief singer on my stringed instruments.

The deer pursued by the hunter takes refuge in the mountain.

Faith when it is pushed and must, it knows where to take refuge.

Moses endured and saw the invisible God - that’s faith.

Noah started building an ark for his family 120 years before a flood - that’s faith.

David said he sent and took me out of many waters - that’s faith.

Job leaned on his staff as he was dying worshipping God and said when the canker worms eat my body, in my flesh I will still see God. That’s faith.

The Devil and unbelief may challenge it, but faith stands up and becomes defiant.

Some here have wondered what happens next? How will I make it?

Stop and listen to Faith that was put there when you were born again, baptized in the name and filled with the Spirit from the one who offers peace that passes all understanding.

Faith will rise up and defiant against the things that are coming against you.

Characteristics of faith, it rises exalting over trouble.

Unbelief says the prophets words are exaggerated, preachers exaggerate. People can exaggerate. But faith is not exaggerated.

Habakkuk 3:18 NKJV

18 Yet I will rejoice in the Lord, I will joy in the God of my salvation.

I will rejoice - shout aloud.

I will joy - dance spin around.

Though all of my world is being destroyed. Cupboards are bare. Trees don’t blossom. Field brings no food. Flocks have been cut off and the stalls are empty.

I may stand in a desolate burned over life of ruin. I will shout, I will dance in the God of my salvation.

Flesh don’t want you to do that… but faith says the sun will shine again.