de fleuriot art & photography.

Are True Words Instantly Victorious?

Posted 20 Aug 2011

THE VICTORY OF TRUE WORDS ARE NOT ALWAYS INSTANT

20^th August 2011

I heard a story of a man today that grew up as a preacher’s kid, but turned completely away from God, and became a self-proclaimed atheist. He was so vehement in this belief that if someone mentioned God in his house, he would kick him out. However, things did not go well for him. He separated from his wife, and was deeply in debt through it, but something happened that completely transformed his situation. He was involved in a major car accident – a drunk driver T-boned him, and as it was happening he cried out, “GOD, HELP ME!”

Because of his injuries he was in a coma for three days, and all he could remember of the coma is that he heard God’s audible voice speaking to him saying, “NOW, YOU COME TO ME!” This experience has changed his life. Working a humble and steady job, the massive debt is miraculously repaid; he is married to a wonderful woman; has built a sizable nest egg, and is a man who is a blessing to others, including to my son, to whom he told this story.

Let us think about what it took for God to win this precious man! Let us think about the many prayers that were prayed! Let us think about what God saw, and never lost sight of – the patience it takes for him to reach every one of us; to protect us in our journeys! And then, let us think about it from our side: the disappointments most of us feel growing up; the let-downs; the unanswered prayers; the confusion between God’s grace and the destructive force of legalism. The foolish emphases placed on behavior for God, above belonging to God!

In the midst of all the plans made and games played, there is God who alone stands real; effective; holy; just; forgiving, and loving! No wonder David put his whole trust in his saving grace!

There are not many that would not testify of dark seasons of waiting; of long difficult periods of silence; of the insurmountable things needing to be unlearned, and re-learned; or of painful reconciliations; of unmet expectations, where large chunks of time were seemingly absent of God’s help. These troublous intervals, which can last for decades, may have come through tragedy; personal mistakes; betrayal; through disappointment when we think we are not hearing God, or by a legalistic Christianity that does not acknowledge the Spirit!

But David declares something in Psalm 12 that is a key to administering to our “in-between” seasons, whether we are children that cannot see God in our parents’ Christianity, or adults who still ‘wait’ for God to ‘show himself’, or sold-out believers waiting for God to pour out his glory afresh. David is writing during a time when Saul sought to kill him, and was hunting him down throughout Judea. One would not blame David for reacting, but instead, we find him sticking to the one thing he always did well: he loved God above all others even in those “in-between” situations! He says,

 “The words of the Lord are pure words, like silver refined in a furnace on the ground, purified seven times. You, O Lord, will keep them; you will guard us from this generation forever” (Psalm 12: 6-7)

Michael Wilcock writes in his excellent book on the psalms: “The victory of true words is not always instant”. This whole Psalm compares words of guile  (verse 1-4), with words of truth (verses 6-8), but in between them David quotes God saying that because the poor are plundered (the humble – verse 4), “I will now arise, I will place him in the safety for which he longs” (5).

Jesus teaches how, despite God’s grace over us, we walk in an evil world, but that this does not stop God from reaching; winning; setting free, and transforming us for his glory. This is how he explains it (comments added),

“The kingdom of heaven is like a man who sowed good seed in his field (salvation is eternal – only God calls, and remember that “he is not willing that any perish, but that all should come to repentance” – 2 Peter 3:9). But while everyone was sleeping, his enemy came and sowed weeds among the wheat, and went away (there will be opposition; accusation; difficulty). When the wheat sprouted and formed heads, then the weeds also appeared. The owner’s servants came to him and said, ‘Sir, didn’t you sow good seed in your field? Where then did the weeds come from?’ ‘An enemy did this,’ he replied. The servants asked him, ‘Do you want us to go and pull them up?’ ‘No,’ he answered, ‘because while you are pulling the weeds, you may root up the wheat with them. Let both grow together until the harvest (God allows all the negative words; choices, and actions to continue around us, seemingly without judging it, but that will soon come, we should not be fooled – in the end “every knee will bow at the name of Jesus Christ” – Philippians 2, but to be saved they will have to believe in Jesus Christ). At that time I will tell the harvesters: First collect the weeds and tie them in bundles to be burned; then gather the wheat and bring it into my barn (God alone knows how to perfect his children; to protect his children; to rescue his children, and to pour out his glory over them – 2 Corinthians 3)” – Matthew 13:24-30

Jesus is essentially saying two things: first, that God is more powerful; in control; knows about your situation; will not let you go; has a plan, and will not allow even the opposition against you, to stop his ability to grow you to maturity. Plainly: Jesus is explaining that those whom God calls; he does not let go of – he who began a good work in us is able to complete it – Philippians 1:6. Salvation is secure, even if there are problems along the way. Second, that every Christian’s walk will meet with difficulty, and challenges, but what God teaches us is through it all we will learn that he is just; faithful, and never wrong!

Does this then not place an importance on our constancy in those seasons when the answers are not seen? It should show us that we have nothing to fear from God. Having gotten past this objection, we would then see that we have been set apart to experience God’s glory in magnificent ways. God has never been the hindrance to greater glory, we have! This gives us faith to be steady also, and if we have strayed, we can be assured that God will not abandon us, but will seek us out and bring us through as he has promised. Those who are consistent in the now will build crowns of glory in the future. James affirms this with these words, “Blessed is the man who remains steadfast under trial, for when he has stood the test he will receive the crown of life, which God has promised to those who love him. Let no one say when he is tempted, “I am tempted of God”, for God cannot be tempted by evil, and he himself tempts no one” (James 1:12-13)

We should take note that “building crowns of glory” does not come cheap, but is worth it. David lived in a cave with 600 destitute, discouraged and difficult men, and was hunted for almost a decade. Job lost all he had. Ruth abandoned her people; Noah was patient in the face of 120 years of scorn; Moses was removed for forty years; Joseph was humbled for fourteen years in an Egyptian pit; Paul was stoned to death, and revived; was lashed; shipwrecked, and suffered many agonies for his faith, and most of the apostles were martyred in atrocious ways. There is not enough room to speak of the countless others who suffered similarly for their faith (Hebrews 11, Acts 13-14, 1 Corinthians 4, 2 Timothy 3:12), but what they each did is still radically impacting us, and shaping the future!

Yes, if we see God, we too will count suffering as nothing, when compared to the glory it releases! As Paul says, “So we do not lose heart. Though our outer self is wasting away, our inner self is being renewed day by day. For this light momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all description” (2 Corinthians 4:16-17)