Victories of Yesterday

There were 44,760 capable warriors in the armies of Reuben, Gad, and the half-tribe of Manasseh. They were all skilled in combat and armed with shields, swords, and bows. They waged war against the Hagrites, the Jeturites, the Naphishites, and the Nodabites. They cried out to God during the battle, and he answered their prayer because they trusted in him. So the Hagrites and all their allies were defeated. [1 Chronicles 5.18-20]

Their prayer was answered because they trusted in God.

But does this mean they just trusted once, or does it mean they trusted as a way of life? I am afraid it is the latter:

But these tribes were unfaithful to the God of their ancestors. They worshiped the gods of the nations that God had destroyed. So the God of Israel caused King Pul of Assyria (also known as Tiglath-pileser) to invade the land and take away the people of Reuben, Gad, and the half-tribe of Manasseh as captives. The Assyrians exiled them to Halah, Habor, Hara, and the Gozan River, where they remain to this day. [1 Chronicles 5.25-26]

Jesus spoke of this condition similarly:

“Not everyone who calls out to me, ‘Lord! Lord!’ will enter the Kingdom of Heaven. Only those who actually do the will of my Father in heaven will enter. On judgment day many will say to me, ‘Lord! Lord! We prophesied in your name and cast out demons in your name and performed many miracles in your name.’ But I will reply, ‘I never knew you. Get away from me, you who break God’s laws.’ [Matthew 7.21-23]

The music industry proves this important life-lesson with its "one-hit-wonders:" people who wrote a single famous song never to be heard from again. So it is with a person who sees a prayer answered and then thinks they are good with God the rest of their like without any further growth. 

Many "new believers" will see some fantastic miracle in their lives only to live a completely powerless life to follow. Some believe that God gives special grace to new believers and this accounts for their initial prayer victory. But more careful thought could reveal that Satan might just drop his assault over a new believer for a moment in essence allowing a single victory so they will do exactly what so many do: rest in that single victory thinking they are forever faithful...

The tribes of Reuben, Gad and the half-tribe of Manasseh certainly saw an answered prayer - a great victory! But, in the end, that single answered prayer did not equate to a life of faithfulness to God.

Father, may my life speak of complete faithfulness to You today and tomorrow. May I never rest on the victories of yesterday.