“SILENT FAITH, QUIET SPIRIT”

 

 

Oftentimes, believers speak in the midst of their challenges which is interpreted as a prayer while it is just complaints.

 

Today’s message is about the above-mentioned. As Christians or believers, we must be very careful as God can answer both prayers and only to find out that both answered prayers are not fruitful, as the other carries life whilst the other carries death.

 

Many people open their mouths thinking it is prayer whilst it is only complaints. The source of your prayer is very important, we ought not to pray because of our needs. It is possible to worship God and speak of His greatness whilst you do not have bread in your household.

 

It is possible to relax in the midst of a storm yet many Christians fail in this.

 

Christians often react to situations instead of being themselves. Many are what their circumstances channeled them to become. If we say we pray in the Spirit yet our prayers are different then we are not being truthful. Our prayers must be from the same source or origin. The Spirit which motivates one to pray must be the same.

 

Many can stand in any given circumstances but yet when it comes to prayer they deviate from the Kingdom. Prayer can take one out of the Kingdom as it can either kill or build you, as one can enter in prayer and go out with a heart full of complaints.

 

Some, their prayers broke and killed them, because they rejected the Spirit and prayed according to the flesh. However, one thing about the flesh is that it adapts and can adapt to what is godly to a certain degree where you pray in the flesh and yet you think it is spiritual.

 

People become religious because their flesh has adapted to the ways of the Spirit. They have now remained with a pattern as they are unable to distinguish when their flesh or Spirit is speaking.

 

During this pandemic many Christians died spiritually because although they seemed spiritually matured their flesh had already adapted to a certain system, the noise and instruments in the church premises, and when the Spirit continued speaking they could not hear God, meaning their discernment died because when a sense is not in use it dies.

 

Many got used to what the presence brought forth and did not carry the presence, they only enjoyed being under the influence of the Holy Spirit. Indeed the tabernacle can kill you whilst others can touch it and receive life.

 

However today’s message is about “Silent Faith” — there is a time in your life where you need silent faith. Although faith requires one to confess, but there is a time where one’s faith must rest. Faith can never be used against God, many use faith against God.

 

Faith is a weapon or tool which we were given by God, Hence in the book of Ephesians 6:10, it says to put on the full armor of God and it further says a shield of faith.

 

Meaning faith can be a weapon it can be a shield, henceforth one must be very careful on how they use their faith. Many Christians are like a son whom the father has taught how to shoot and then later when there are problems they mistakenly shoot the father. This is what many people do with the faith we have received, they use it against God.

 

[Matthew 8:23-27]

 

Jesus sleeping does not mean He lacked faith, however, this is where faith was exercised. They were amazed and asked among themselves what kind of man is this, even the winds and the waves obey Him.

 

Many are drawn and amazed when they see faith being exercised in words rather than in silence. They were supposed to be amazed by the faith of a man who slept during a storm. Faith was exercised in His sleep and it did not begin when He spoke.

 

When He said., ”Oh you of little faith…” (Verse 26)

 

He did not expect the disciples to speak however He expected them to sleep as He was. They could not rest as He was resting. Indeed there was a storm but one must learn to understand the Will because when you know the Will you will know that not all storms must be calmed down. Often what was recognized and celebrated was Jesus rebuking the storm but not of sleeping during the storm.

 

All believers want the power to speak and calm down the storm but not the power of sleeping in the midst of the storm, or the power to rest in the storm. We want the power to generate wealth but do not seek for power to attain peace in the midst of a storm. A matured Christian is the one who can understand that whatever storm they are facing is divine. Such storms come like a flood and not in the form of the enemy. There are people who are praying against the flood of lockdown instead of remaining in the ark and allowing it to flow.

 

While the dove is resting in the ark we need not go out. The Spirit is not outside but right inside, the Spirit is right within lockdown but you want to go out. The Spirit is right within closed churches yet you want to go to opened churches. There are people who are praying against the storm whilst the very same storm is from God.

 

Hence Jesus spoke to the storm to calm it and not rebuke it because you cannot rebuke what is of God. Therefore, do not be scared when you see the boat shaking because the shaking is not the sinking, however, the shaking can make others to be unsettled instead of resting.

 

We all ought to have that faith to rest and sleep in the midst of a storm. Although Israel prayed to God, their prayers could not be answered prematurely because the prophecy had already been given and they were to be slaves and a time frame was set and they went out of slavery at the right time. (See the book of Exodus).

 

Moses could not have been there before the set time. Moses sleeping in the palace did not mean he was special, it was because he was not busy kicking a wall. Also, the Israelites could not sleep in the palace because they had a slave mentality.

 

Often God allows failure in order to move us to the right position, He also allows failure to move us to the Will. Therefore we should forget what is happening around us and rest, in the midst of lockdown there will be elevation. It is not an error for God to say it is the year of Immortality while people are dying.

 

Jesus had to be crucified in order for Him to resurrect, where He was crucified the place was called Golgotha meaning a place of the skull, many people had died in the very same mountain however only Jesus resurrected — (See Luke 23).

 

Jesus was taken to a place of impossibilities, yet He entered with faith knowing that in three days He will resurrect.

 

The enemy is not shaken when one speaks in the storm caused by God, but when you maintain your peace and your posture that is what threatens the enemy. What will defeat the enemy is not what you say but the peace which you maintain within the storm caused by God.

 

Elijah being a man like us, he prayed and there was no rain for three years.

 

It could have been that many prophets prayed against the prayer but only Elijah had the key to make it rain again, therefore do not misinterpret the storm and say it is an attack. There is a time where God allows situations not to break you but to make you stronger. Stop kicking a wall, stop fighting the Will of God.

 

If Sarah had given birth before the set time she would have missed Isaac (See Genesis 11), therefore she had to wait. We often say “Good things come to those who wait”, however, we do not want to wait in this lockdown.

 

The disciples were amazed by how the wind listened to Jesus, but could not hear Him when He instructed the wind to be furious. What is prolonging what the world is going through is because everyone is misinterpreting what is happening.

 

[Genesis 22: 1-14]

 

We always read this scripture applauding Abraham but never wondered what was going through Isaac’s mind. Isaac automatically knew that he was the sacrifice because he was the one bound to the woods — he had silent faith, being led to be sacrificed yet he still maintained his posture. Isaac was in his own storm but this is not to say he was not scared to die but he remained quiet. How many can be like Isaac?

 

To most of us, there is the repetition of Genesis 22 because we are the ones disputing being slaughtered and not allowing an angel to speak on our behalf.

 

(Verse 11) An angel of the Lord called unto Abraham, however, Isaac never said a word, this is a real demonstration of a quiet spirit/silent faith. Often, many think they have faith and it is evident that when they face challenges, instead of relaxing they complain. It was the Will of God for Isaac to be offered as a sacrifice. In some instances, you do not have to see a vision that what you are going through is God’s Will but you must just discern.

 

Similar to Jesus, He remained silent when He was crucified. Many question the Will of God and even pray against it. The fall of Peter did not begin when he denied Jesus, but it began when he took out his sword to defend Him (See Matthew 26). Even when Jesus ministered to them saying the Son of Man will be handed over, Peter disputed the teaching. Hence Jesus had to rebuke Peter and said: “Behind Me satan” (See Matthew 16:23). Many exercise faith while they have fallen.

 

[Isaiah 53:7]

 

He was oppressed and afflicted and yet He did not open His mouth. He was led like a lamb to His slaughter, similar to Isaac who had the character of Christ. To many, you cannot tame your mouth, what more if you are oppressed. Similarly what more if you are poor yet you cannot tame your mouth, what will then happen when you are rich? Many people, their riches are delayed because in lack some are misbehaving. God tests you when you do not have.

 

A quiet Spirit is required more in this present time. In all these previous yearly declarations, there is a recurring problem where when we move to the next year people forget about the previous year’s declaration. In all that we are going through rest, relax.

 

[Matthew 4:1-9]

 

Jesus was led into the wilderness by the Spirit to be tempted, most Christians would not go to the wilderness voluntarily but we are forced. Jesus was led and He followed. You do not have to know the way, just hold His hand and allow Him to lead you, walk, and do not seek sight. When God promises you Canaan He does not show you how you will get there, just walk.

 

(Verse 9) Many Christians are good with rebukes, Jesus did not pray against the situation but He rebuked the devil. With that said let us stop rebuking situations that are caused by God, not all situations must be changed.

 

[Psalms 23:1-4]

 

The Lord is my Shepherd (Leader) and He makes me lay down in greener pastures. He leads me beside quiet waters and He guides me. When David wrote these psalms, he was led and many quote this scripture yet they do not understand the meaning, because once they are led into situations they pray against them.

 

This outlines a leader, which is whom we have in God. (Verse 4) Although we may walk in the shadow of death, we shall not fear. This valley, David wrote this psalm when he was facing Goliath. Where he wrestled Goliath it was a place of death, that is what the valley means. The devil/enemy is not threatened by us quoting scriptures, because it is one thing to know scripture and practicing them. It is often easy to look at the cross but yet difficult to carry it. When it is caused by God we settle and rest, therefore relax.

 

[Philippians 2:14]

“Do everything without grumbling or complaining, even in your prayer do not complain.”

 

Your father through the gospel

Abraham Unknown

 

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YESHUA; A CITY ON A HILL LIGHT THAT CANNOT BE HIDDEN.