MensBreakfast#6-041214

Anatomy of a Test of Faith – Part 2    –  Mens Breakfast #6 on 4/12/14

(Following are the notes taken from viewing The Testing of Your Faith by Bruce H. Wilkinson.)

Moments of destiny happen and these change our future.  The Bible shows times of pivot points for the people, their responses and outcomes.

In Numbers chapters 13, 14 there is an account of how not to respond to a test of faith:

Numbers 13:30(ESV)
³⁰But Caleb quieted the people before Moses and said, “Let us go up at once and occupy it, for we are well able to overcome it.” 

Numbers 13:31-33(ESV)
³¹Then the men who had gone up with him said, “We are not able to go up against the people, for they are stronger than we are.” 
³²So they brought to the people of Israel a bad report of the land that they had spied out, saying, “The land, through which we have gone to spy it out, is a land that devours its inhabitants, and all the people that we saw in it are of great height. 
³³And there we saw the Nephilim (the sons of Anak, who come from the Nephilim), and we seemed to ourselves like grasshoppers, and so we seemed to them.”

Numbers 14:1-4(ESV)
¹Then all the congregation raised a loud cry, and the people wept that night. 
²And all the people of Israel grumbled against Moses and Aaron. The whole congregation said to them, “Would that we had died in the land of Egypt! Or would that we had died in this wilderness! 
³Why is the Lord bringing us into this land, to fall by the sword? Our wives and our little ones will become a prey. Would it not be better for us to go back to Egypt?” 
⁴And they said to one another, “Let us choose a leader and go back to Egypt.”

Joshua comes on scene and he has much concern – saying: don’t fear them!

Numbers 14:8-10(ESV)
⁸If the Lord delights in us, he will bring us into this land and give it to us, a land that flows with milk and honey. 
⁹Only do not rebel against the Lord. And do not fear the people of the land, for they are bread for us. Their protection is removed from them, and the Lord is with us; do not fear them.” 
¹⁰Then all the congregation said to stone them with stones. But the glory of the Lord appeared at the tent of meeting to all the people of Israel.

10 spies responded in fear

2 spies responded in faith  –  (V. 9 – These did not think of self, but of the Lord.)  If I look at the circumstances, then I look at self.  However, if I look at what is the truth about God?   What is the truth about God in this circumstances?

1 Samuel 17:24(ESV)
²⁴All the men of Israel, when they saw the man, fled from him and were much afraid. 

I look at the circumstance and it is bigger than I am – thus I want to run away.  FEAR  

When we want to run away we are being tested of how we react to fear.   Fear

The opposite of fear is  Faith in what I believe.

 1 Samuel 17:26(ESV)
²⁶And David said to the men who stood by him, “What shall be done for the man who kills this Philistine and takes away the reproach from Israel? For who is this uncircumcised Philistine, that he should defy the armies of the living God?” 

 They see the difference in size and age….  (humanly wisdom)

1 Samuel 17:31-34(ESV)
³¹When the words that David spoke were heard, they repeated them before Saul, and he sent for him. 
³²And David said to Saul, “Let no man’s heart fail because of him. Your servant will go and fight with this Philistine.” 
³³And Saul said to David, “You are not able to go against this Philistine to fight with him, for you are but a youth, and he has been a man of war from his youth.” 
³⁴But David said to Saul, “Your servant used to keep sheep for his father. And when there came a lion, or a bear, and took a lamb from the flock, 

1 Samuel 17:35-37(ESV)
³⁵I went after him and struck him and delivered it out of his mouth. And if he arose against me, I caught him by his beard and struck him and killed him. 
³⁶Your servant has struck down both lions and bears, and this uncircumcised Philistine shall be like one of them, for he has defied the armies of the living God.” 
³⁷And David said, “The Lord who delivered me from the paw of the lion and from the paw of the bear will deliver me from the hand of this Philistine.” And Saul said to David, “Go, and the Lord be with you!” 

Is the key to “Believe in self?”    NO – but what you believe in Him!  

David looked back at the PAST to strengthen his faith.

David went back to the past of something that had strengthen his faith before.  He has faith because of taking a lion or bear.  God doesn’t take us from an unprepared position.  We just need to turn to the past and see where the other test of faith that was there to prepare me?

The test of faith is not what you believe about yourself, but what you believe about the Lord. 

When a circumstance happens and we want to run away, then we are looking at ourselves and will have fear.  God sends the test to us.    The testing of faith is always more than what you have.

1 Samuel 17:44-46(ESV)
⁴⁴The Philistine said to David, “Come to me, and I will give your flesh to the birds of the air and to the beasts of the field.” 
⁴⁵Then David said to the Philistine, “You come to me with a sword and with a spear and with a javelin, but I come to you in the name of the Lord of hosts, the God of the armies of Israel, whom you have defied. 
⁴⁶This day the Lord will deliver you into my hand, and I will strike you down and cut off your head. And I will give the dead bodies of the host of the Philistines this day to the birds of the air and to the wild beasts of the earth, that all the earth may know that there is a God in Israel, 

The test is for God’s   glory and for my good.

( Matthew 8:23-26(ESV) – ^23£And when he got into the boat, his disciples followed him. 
²⁴And behold, there arose a great storm on the sea, so that the boat was being swamped by the waves; but he was asleep.   ²⁵And they went and woke him, saying, “Save us, Lord; we are perishing.” 
²⁶And he said to them, “Why are you afraid, O you of little faith?” Then he rose and rebuked the winds and the sea, and there was a great calm.  )

 Jesus set them up for a test, over and over again.  Note Matthew 8:23-26…

The Lord is here and He has no problem taking care of us. 

2 Timothy 1:7(ESV)
⁷for God gave us a spirit not of fear but of power and love and self-control.

The opposite of the spirit of fear – God has given us a spirit of Power, love and sound mind. 

An unsound mind is full of fear!   –  Therefore, if I hide in fear I don’t believe in God’s power.

What does a person with no fear look like?

Example of one who has full faith and no fear: 

Acts 20:22-24(ESV)
²²And now, behold, I am going to Jerusalem, constrained by^£ the Spirit, not knowing what will happen to me there, 
²³except that the Holy Spirit testifies to me in every city that imprisonment and afflictions await me. 
²⁴But I do not account my life of any value nor as precious to myself, if only I may finish my course and the ministry that I received from the Lord Jesus, to testify to the gospel of the grace of God. 

I know then when I go I know I’m having chains and a possible cost of my life. 

None of these things move me  (emotion) WHY – so I might testify of God’s grace.

Whatever fear we have is it too big for God to handle? 

Here is the promise of the Lord:

Psalms 23:1(ESV)
¹    The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want.
²    He makes me lie down in green pastures.      He leads me beside still waters.^£
3    He restores my soul.      He leads me in paths of righteousness^£      for his name’s sake.
⁴    Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death,^£      I will fear no evil,      for you are with me;      your rod and your staff,     they comfort me.
⁵    You prepare a table before me      in the presence of my enemies;      you anoint my head with oil;      my cup overflows.
⁶    Surely^£ goodness and mercy^£ shall follow me      all the days of my life,      and I shall dwell^£ in the house of the Lord      forever.^£