Knowing God

I praise God for what he has promised. I trust in God, so why should I be afraid? What can mere mortals do to me? [Psalm 56.4]

There was a saying that was popular among Christians many years ago...

"God said it. I believe it. That settles it."

Is this not precisely what David said in Psalm 56.4?

David knew God. David knew God more than he knew the dangers of battling lions, bears, armies and giants.

It takes a different mindset to ignore the facts all around us and instead believe God's Word. In fact, its something we are not even capable of except for the provision of faith God has built in to every human being:

For I say, through the grace given to me, to everyone who is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think, but to think soberly, as God has dealt to each one a measure of faith. [Romans 12.3 NKJV]

Even the faith we have was put there by God. So, God made promises of blessings which are available through the obedience of faith which He put in us.

We really have but one objective then: to obey the faith God has put in us. It will not fail us or lead us astray in any way.

So we keep on praying for you, asking our God to enable you to live a life worthy of his call. May he give you the power to accomplish all the good things your faith prompts you to do. [2 Thessalonians 1.11 (underline mine)]

God's promises speak directly to the faith He has built into us. Our faith-response to God's promises is realized in our action upon those promises. Jesus showed us exactly what it looks like in practice and was not vague in His instruction for us to do likewise:

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]

In contrast, Satan's lies speak directly to the pride of man which, as expected, can only yield hopeless fear and spiritual paralysis because man is incapable of that which only God can do. Satan's lies (fiery darts of human inability) manifest and find their strength in the realm of human reasoning and its false arguments which do not account for God. For this reason, Paul wrote:

We are human, but we don’t wage war as humans do. We use God’s mighty weapons, not worldly weapons, to knock down the strongholds of human reasoning and to destroy false arguments. We destroy every proud obstacle that keeps people from knowing God. We capture their rebellious thoughts and teach them to obey Christ. [2 Corinthians 10.3-5]

"Knowing God" IS knowing His promises AND His ability AND His will to fulfill them! All Satan needs to do is keep people ignorant of God and His promises thus leaving them to rely only on human reasoning (which then results in all manner of false arguments built solely upon the inability of man rather than the ability of God).

Everything man does that is not directly obedient to faith puts man at risk of slipping into the grip of the strongholds of human reasoning and false arguments. This explains why a lifestyle of self-control is necessary for one who would stay true to God and, subsequently, explains why Paul presents this action in military terminology (war/weapons).

"What can mere mortals do to me?"

Human reasoning and false arguments answer David's question with this: "They can kill, steal, and destroy ...so we must [insert here any imaginable thing man can do to protect himself]"

Knowing God answers David's question like this: "I will not be afraid!" [because there is nothing God cannot do!]

The difference for us is found in whether we obey the faith God has placed in us or not.

Father, may I be found obeying every nudge faith gives me because I know You!