Hold on – God’s doing it.
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As a Christian, I’m sure you would like to have God constantly working on their behalf. Imagine God interrupting your life in order to deal with your affairs - God Almighty doing it for you!
2 Chronicles 16:9 declares, “…The eyes of the Lord run to and fro throughout the whole earth, to show Himself strong on the behalf of them whose heart is perfect toward Him.” The Amplified states, “…For the eyes of the Lord run to and fro throughout the whole earth, to show Himself strong on behalf of those whose heart is blameless toward Him.”
It says that the Lord is constantly scanning the whole earth, looking for a unique individual someone on whose behalf He can exercise His mighty strength and power. And this kind of person is someone whose heart is perfect toward Him! The Hebrew word translated ‘perfect’ means “whole” or “complete” and is only used in conjunction with the word ‘heart’, that is, “perfect heart.” Remember this perfection is not referring to your physical heart, because it is your inner life that should be perfect, complete and blameless toward God.
To many of you this may seem impossible. Yet if you were to probe further you should see something quite significant. It is a perfect heart toward God that is mentioned and not a perfect heart in all things. Religious people spend much of their time trying to be perfect toward man, and to be seen as blameless in their own eyes. But God always looks at the heart. Your outer life (physical existence) is subject to change due to the carnal man (the weaknesses of the flesh), and God fully recognises this fact. That’s why He has chosen to look at your heart (the real you). You may not be able to achieve perfection in all things but your inner life can be perfect. Otherwise God would not bother scanning the whole earth to find such a person. Would He?
Just before handing over the throne to his son, King David prayed and asked the Lord to “…give unto Solomon a perfect heart” [1 Chronicles 29:19]. David must have known his son needed divine assistance in every matter of life. Consequently, Solomon had Al Shaddai working on his behalf throughout his life, and the Bible says, “He prospered in all things” and, “God bestowed on him royal splendour such as no King in Israel ever had before” [1 Chronicles 29:25].
Who would like some of the same? I know I would! But the million-dollar question is this, “How can we sustain a perfect, complete and blameless heart toward God?”
I have found three basic qualities that must be present in order for our hearts to be blameless before Him. And these are qualities that we must all cultivate in our Christian walk. They are – moral excellence (purity), humility and faith.
(1) MORAL EXCELLENCE. In 2 Corinthians 6:14-16 Paul uses five elements to draw a dividing line between God and the world system. On the one side he places Christ, light, righteousness, faith and the house of God. On the other he lists satan, darkness, lawlessness, unbelief and false worship. Paul states that you cannot mix these components of life, you must choose to live on one side or the other. Remember, a perfect heart will always locate itself on the side of God, truth and justice – with no compromise.
In another passage of scripture, Paul shares with Timothy another reason for achieving moral excellence. 2 Timothy 2: 19-21, “Everyone who confesses the Name of the Lord must turn away from impurity. In a large house there are articles not only of gold and silver, but also of wood and clay; some are for noble purposes and some ignoble. If a man cleanses himself for the latter, he will be an instrument for noble purposes, made holy, useful to the Master and prepared for any good work.”
The simple truth brought out by this passage of scripture is... You alone can make this choice! You alone can choose which kind of vessel you would like to be in the household of God. You can be a vessel of honour or dishonour. And the main criteria by which God decides whom He will use for His eternal purposes here on earth are spelled out in verse 21... “Those who purge themselves of dishonourable characteristics will be vessels of honour.” The NIV says, “Will be used for noble purposes.”
God is looking for people whose lives are clean on the inside. He is always asking this question, “What’s going on in-the-heart?” After all, before any vessel can be used it needs to be clean on the inside! The outside appearance is for decoration purposes only. Can you imagine drinking from a dirty cup! So why would you expect God to use an unclean vessel?
(2) HUMILITY OF MIND. Humility should be the hallmark of any man or woman of God. God requires that this quality be evident in all of His children. 1 Peter 5:5-6 says, “Clothe yourselves in humility toward one another, because God opposes (resists) the proud but gives grace to the humble. Humble yourselves therefore, under God’s mighty hand, that He may lift you up (promote you) in due time.”
The corrosive effect pride has on a persons life can be seen clearly in the life of Ussiah, one of the Kings of Judah [2 Chronicles 26]. At first his heart was pure and his attitude correct, and he became very famous and successful. God’s blessings were evident in his life. But then came his downfall. The problem? He was unable to handle success – he became riddled with pride. So God opposed him and struck him down with leprosy. God did not show Himself strong on his behalf!
King Nebuchadnezzar also fell because of pride. “But when his heart was lifted up, and his mind hardened with pride, he was deposed from his kingly throne and they took his glory from him” [Daniel 5:20]. Pride is totally against God’s nature which is love, and its top of the list of things He detests, or hates [Proverbs 6:16-17]. Humility on the other hand brings God in on the scene – to give you grace and promote you, and do great things on your behalf.
(3) RELENTLESS FAITH. The Bible tells us that it is impossible to please God without faith [Hebrews 11:6]. If you want God working on your behalf you must first please Him, therefore, your faith must be relentless and unwavering. Here are four aspects of faith that reflect your inner life:
(a) Having true faith means that you wholeheartedly believe that God shall supply all your need according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus [Philippians 4:19].
(b) Having faith means you believe that God delights in the prosperity of His people, and that Jesus came so you may have life more abundantly [Psalm 35:27 - John 10:10].
(c) Having faith also means that you believe God to be absolutely and completely trustworthy [Psalm 199:137].
(d) Having faith means that you believe in God’s mighty ‘miracle-working’ power – His ability to save, heal and deliver [Mark 9:23]. And you accept that this power constantly effects your everyday life – in the positive.
When you have developed these three basic qualities (purity, humility and faith), your inner life will reflect an integrity that will get God’s attention. And when it does, He will do mighty exploits on your behalf! Why? Because you heart is blameless toward Him – and Him alone! But remember, God cannot do anything for you if you do not hold on! You cannot receive the benefits of God working on your behalf if you’ve decided to give up! There are people whose lives appear blameless yet they give up just before God releases the blessing.
God is probably working out something amazing right now and many of you have already jumped ship. So don’t ever let go! Endurance is the key to any worthy achievement in life. If you are not prepared to endure you are not prepared to succeed. The devil will do everything possible to get you either ahead or behind of God's timing. Therefore, you must deliberately make up your mind to hold on until your situation changes for the better. While you’re waiting, the devil will try to get you 'help' God. One of the things he often uses are examples of people (just like you) who have helped themselves to get ahead and have succeeded. He will also station people around you to discourage you in your present situation (remember, he even used Job's wife to mock him). So be on guard!
But God knows what you are going through and He is equally interested in your situation. You are the apple of God's eye. He will do anything to make sure everything about your life turns around for the good. The only thing he requires from you is complete trust in His faithfulness. Are you prepared to hold on? So many times, our much-desired miracle comes when we are just about to give up. You may be one such person. You may have missed your miracle purely because you did not hold on a little longer. God is telling you today to ‘hold on’; to hold on a little while longer and your heavy heart will be turned to joy.
Allowing God to work on your behalf may put your patience to test however before every triumph is a test or trial (a battle). Before every calmness is a storm. So hold on! Don't settle for other alternatives. You have waited too long and too hard to opt for other alternatives – compromise never produces God’s best. And maybe a little more endurance will usher in your miracle. Remember God promised not to leave you or forsake you. The loneliness or feeling of God's desertion is a lie of the devil. God is right here with you! And He is saying, “When you pass through the waters, I (God) will be with you; and through the rivers, they shall not overflow you. When you walk through the fire, you shall not be burned neither shall the flame scorch you” (Isaiah 43:2). Notice that this scripture says WHEN and not IF, therefore, there will always be storms in your life when it looks like the waters are going to overwhelm you. Be rest assured, in the heat of the fire or the storms of life, God's reassuring arms of protection will embrace you. So don't ever doubt the loving presence of your heavenly Father who’s eyes run to and fro throughout the earth to find you – in order to take good care of you.
Joseph went through hell but His confidence in the love of God kept him safe. While his brothers sold him into slavery, the bible says the Lord was with him. In Potiphar's house as a houseboy, the Lord was with him; in prison, the Lord was with him. So don't ‘receive’ the lies of the devil, or gaze at the unpalatable circumstances facing you. It is just for a season. The Almighty God is with you – in all of it! The only thing God requires from you, while you are waiting for your miracle, is your unwavering trust in His ability to see you through.
“The grass withers and the flowers fall, because the breath of the Lord blows on them. Surely the people are grass. The grass withers and the flowers fall, but the word of our God endures forever” (Isaiah 40:7-8). “Weeping may endure for the night but joy will surely come in the morning” (Psalm 30:5). Job said, “I will wait until my change comes,” and God honoured his conviction. His change surely came, and it came in a double measure. What God is planning for you is a “double portion” for your shame and loss. So don't be discouraged, don't give up! If only you can see the light at the end of the dark tunnel – it’s no ordinary light, it’s the light of God’s presence. Many may have looked down their noses at you but don't worry, God has something big planned! And those people who laughed at you will soon desire to laugh with you. Just focus on the God who is constantly working on your behalf – who is doing great and awesome things for you. He will cause you to laugh in the face of calamity. Yes, this difficult season will soon pass away and God's majesty will shine into your life. Bringing peace and joy!
Don’t give up! Don't run away from the problem – face it and God will give you the victory. Face whatever problem is before you and you will surely win. And stop avoiding confrontation. Confront to conquer! At the end of every battle is a victory. Behind every shame is fame. After every story is glory. With every pain is gain. You are going to bounce back. You’re the “bounce-back kid”! So hold on – God will honour His word.
“They that wait on the Lord shall renew their strength. They will mount up with wings as the eagle when they walk they will not be tired and when they run they will not faint” (Isaiah 40:31). In this time of delay and crisis, my prayer for you is that by the grace of God you will not faint nor grow weak. God will make sure that your “come-back” has a great testimony. Yes, you will again mount up as the eagle. So pick yourself up, and keep holding on.
HOLD ON – GOD’S DOING IT!
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