Faith is Thanking God Before I Receive

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Chuckle: A cop to a lady stopped for speeding: "So you didn't think we gave tickets to pretty women? You're right, we don't. . .! Sign here."

Quote: "A faith that sets bounds in itself, that will believe so much and no more, that will trust thus far and no further, is none." --J. C. and A. W. Hare

"It was by faith that the people of Israel marched around Jericho seven days and the walls came crashing down" (Hebrews 11:30 NLT).

You may remember the story of how God delivered the city of Jericho into the hands of the Israelites (Joshua 6:12-20). In faith they obeyed God's command and walked around the city once each day for six days; then on the seventh day, they marched around the city seven times.

When they had completed the seventh time around the city on the seventh day, Joshua commanded the people to "shout! For the Lord has given you the city" (Joshua 6:16 NIV). Even before they took the city, they shouted with joy in anticipation that God would give them the city as He had promised. The Israelites were to shout the victory before the victory came so that the victory would come.

Faith is thanking God for something he has not yet done because we know He will do it. This requires faith so great that God's honoring His promises is a foregone conclusion. Anyone can praise God after He has fulfilled a promise or given us something in response to our prayers: But that's not faith, that's gratitude. We can praise and thank God for our salvation because we know He will take us to spend eternity in His presence when our life on earth comes to an end.

"In the classic movie, Miracle on 34th Street, Santa Claus utters what much of the world thinks faith is: 'Faith is believing in things when common sense tells you not to.' In other words, faith is irrational, contrary to experience, logic, and knowledge, and is so even at the most common sense level. Of course, the Bible knows of no 'common sense' that is not sensible enough to recognize that God exists and can do anything."

If you become certain of God's call on your life to go to a certain place and do a certain thing, In faith you can thank God ahead of time for the victory He will give you as you are obedient to His instructions. To doubt that the outcome will be what God wants it to be is to doubt God and feel He has made a mistake. God does not ask us to do anything for which He will not equip us and ensure us victory if we are obedient.

 

Love, Jerry & Dotse