The Stand

If cold is nothing more than the absence of heat, and darkness is the absence of light, then fear is the simply the absence of courageous faith.

Today a doctor told a man that he has lung cancer and a spot has been found on his liver. Family members have gathered to comfort him as they weep concerning the dismal news. It was not long ago they were gathered together to mourn the death of his wife. Tears flow and whiskey is poured in a vain attempt to drown the sorrow of the moment.

It is at a time such as this that people need to know what whiskey can never reveal; God still heals the sick today as He did in times past Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever (Hebrews 13:8 NIV). I've known people to remain sick, even after asking God to heal them according to the scriptures. Our bible teaches us, "Is any one of you sick? He should call the elders of the church to pray over him and anoint him with oil in the name of the Lord. And the prayer offered in faith will make the sick person well; the Lord will raise him up. If he has sinned, he will be forgiven. Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous man is powerful and effective." (James 5:14-16 NIV)

Some today say it is God's Will to heal everyone of everything in every situation. If that statement was true, none of us would need to use corrective lenses to read the scripture we just finished quoting. Let's face it; there are times, for reasons unbeknownst to us, when God, in His infinite wisdom, decides to say, "No." We don't have to agree with it. We don't even have to like it. But, we must accept it and trust that He knows exactly what we need at that precise moment in every situation. He knows the end from the beginning (Acts 15:18). He can see what lies ahead of me in a way that I cannot. I must place my total trust in Him in every situation regardless of the outcome and in spite of all circumstances.

We need the tenacity of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego when they faced certain death in a fiery furnace after refusing to bow down to the idols of Nebuchadnezzar. They said, "O Nebuchadnezzar, we do not need to defend ourselves before you in this matter. If we are thrown into the blazing furnace, the God we serve is able to save us from it, and he will rescue us from your hand, O king. But even if he does not, we want you to know, O king, that we will not serve your gods or worship the image of gold you have set up." (Daniel 3:16-18 NIV) Jesus taught us how to pray a prayer of faith when He said, "Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask for in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours." (Matthew 11:24) God calls things that are not as though they were. For the miraculous to occur we must have faith in that fact. But, we have to possess an equal amount of faith to believe that He can even if He doesn't.

Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. Put on the full armor of God so that you can take your stand against the devil's schemes. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. (Ephesians 6:10-13 NIV, emphasis added.)

Have an "even if He doesn't" kind of faith. Do what you can then stand! Father knows best.

Author's Bio: Born in 1973, raised in Southwest Louisiana, Joshua Olmsted is a divorced father of four, raising his children while serving his local assembly, Jesus Worship Center of Jennings, LA (Rev. Clifton J. LeJeune, Sr. Pastor). His professional career involves Offshore Natural Gas & Petroleum Facility Operations in which he has become a senior operator/supervisor over the past 10 years of service to the industry. He is a former Deputy-Sheriff of the Jefferson Davis Parish Sheriff's Department, a former locally-licensed minister of the U.P.C.I. and, served his country as a U.S. Marine. He is a frequent freelance writer and contributor to many publications, including; The Pentecostal Herald magazine, The Louisiana Challenger magazine, Apostolic Information Services, Indiana Bible College Perspectives Magazine, http://www.PreachIt.org, Jennings Daily Newspaper of Jennings LA, and more

Greg Vanden Berge Quotes