Faith Talk - Ouch and Amen

On the day the LORD gave the Israelites victory over the Amorites, Joshua prayed to the LORD in front of all the people of Israel. He said, “Let the sun stand still over Gibeon, and the moon over the valley of Aijalon.” [Joshua 10.12]

What in the world ever possessed Joshua that he would pray such a prayer? And, Joshua prayed this prayer not in private, but in front of all the people at that!

Bear with me... The fact that I do not comprehend making such a request to God (as Joshua did) indicates the entire problem. The fact that I would even consider Joshua praying that prayer in front of all the people as "risky" indicates the entire problem.

It is only natural that I would be surprised at Joshua's request if I do not have faith.

My problem is ...a lack of faith.

If I believed God is God and there is no other - that He is limitless in power and scope, then why would I be so amazed about Joshua's prayer? The answer is, I wouldn't. If I genuinely believed God with limitless faith, I would see Joshua's prayer as merely an example of what faith looks like.

Stay with me...

You see, Joshua's accomplishment is just one of many demonstrations in the Bible of what faith looks like. 

Fast forward to Jesus. Like Joshua's example of faith noted above, Jesus performed countless miracles to demonstrate as an example what a life of faith looks like.

Consider John 14.12:

“I tell you the truth, anyone who believes in me will do the same works I have done, and even greater works, because I am going to be with the Father. [John 14.12]

We are not commissioned to be in awe of miracles. We are commissioned to perform miracles in demonstration of our position as representatives of heaven on earth - as Ambassadors of Christ. Why? Because miracles go in exact opposition to the conditions of sin and its curse. There are no curses in heaven and it is the duty of the believer in Jesus to conduct the power and condition of heaven to earth. There is no other explanation for Jesus teaching us to "pray like this" in Matthew 6.

Pray like this: Our Father in heaven, may your name be kept holy. May your Kingdom come soon. May your will be done on earth, as it is in heaven. [Matthew 6.9-10]

I am just as indicted by this as anyone. But it does not change the truth of God's Word.

Just as Joshua's answered prayer resulted in the ultimate dominion of Israel over their promised land, so our answered prayers should result in the dominion of God's Kingdom over the kingdoms of this world. Our answered prayers should demonstrate in every conflict we encounter - that every conflict should result in conquest. Jesus referred to those conflicts as "mountains":

“You don’t have enough faith,” Jesus told them. “I tell you the truth, if you had faith even as small as a mustard seed, you could say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it would move. Nothing would be impossible.” [Matthew 17.20]

Any doctrine of religion that teaches otherwise is a doctrine of hell as it has nothing to do with faith! And without faith it is impossible to please God. Faith moves mountains. Faith heals the sick. Faith raises the dead. Faith walks on water. Faith stops storms in their tracks with a word. Faith stops the sun and the moon in the sky!

I suppose it could be said that faith 'believes" God in the midst of trials. But be sure of this, faith is ALWAYS in control! For the record, Jesus had faith that His torture, crucifixion, and death were exactly what He wanted to do to fulfill His purpose on earth to save the world. We should not think for a moment that the circumstances were out of control and that Jesus merely "believed" it would be okay. No, Jesus was in faith control the entire time! His faith led Him to the Cross - He went there on purpose and He even said so:

Don’t you realize that I could ask my Father for thousands of angels to protect us, and he would send them instantly? [Matthew 26.53]

And for the record, Hebrews 11 is not in opposition to what is said here either.

But others were tortured, refusing to turn from God in order to be set free. They placed their hope in a better life after the resurrection. [Hebrews 11.35b]

What about the underlined part of the verse in Hebrews speaks of not being in control? It doesn't! These tortured ones, like Jesus, refused to be delivered because they were 'on mission' for God and saw their torture as a means to a better end anyway! Their faith was a conquest - not an endurance (unless of course the endurance was the conquest)!

We simply have to get this. Otherwise we are doomed to defining faith as something Jesus never ever taught or demonstrated it to be!

Joshua was on mission. Jesus was on mission. But we are 'just holding on'???????????????????? 

I will not be satisfied that I am walking in faith until that faith looks like what Jesus said it would look like. Ouch and Amen.

Father, I know You are calling me to faith. I won't say "more faith" because one can't have 'more' until first he has had 'some.' I want to have faith that moves mountains. Faith that makes me look like Jesus. Faith that pleases You.