Hold Fast
Many professed believers misrepresent our faith when they are worried for one problem or another. Some, through murmuring and sad countenance, show unbelievers that things are not moving well with them.
As people of God, if we carefully study the Word of God, we shall discover that problems or difficulties do not have to make us unhappy.
“Those who take Christ at His word, and surrender their souls to His keeping, their lives to His ordering, will find peace and quietude. Nothing of the world can make them sad when Jesus makes them glad by His presence.”1
Yes, as believers, problems or difficulties do not have to make us unhappy. That is why Jesus said, “Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid” (John 14:27).
We have many Bible references that show that being a believer does not free one from the cares and the problems of this life. For instance, Psalm 34:19 reads, “Many are the afflictions of the righteous: but the Lord delivereth him out of them all.” We have an assurance that the Lord will deliver the righteous from every problem.
“We need not expect all sunshine in this world. Clouds and storms will cluster about us, and we must be prepared to keep our eyes directed where we saw the light last. Its rays may be hidden but they still live, still shine beyond the cloud. It is our work to wait, to watch, to pray, and to believe. We shall prize the light of the sun more highly after the clouds disappear. We shall see the salvation of God if we trust in God in the darkness as well as in the light.
“All trials, all afflictions, all peace, all safety, health, hope, life, and success are in God’s hands, and He can control them all for the good of His children. It is our privilege to be suppliants, to ask anything and everything of God, submitting our request in submission to His wise purposes and infinite will.”2
No one can ever doubt the fact that there are problems in this life. I mean real problems that often make it difficult for a person even to smile - no matter who you are, where you are, or what you have.
Many of these problems are inevitable. However, as people of God, our countenance counts so much, because many people have known us, or have heard us preach the good news of our Lord Jesus. Unbelievers are watching to see if what we preach about our Saviour is truly reflecting in our life. Thus, a sad countenance causes unbelievers to doubt our faith and what we preach.
“God cannot be glorified by His children living continually under a cloud and casting a shadow wherever they go. The Christian should cast sunshine instead of a shadow. The unbeliever often receives the impression that religion is a gloomy thing, and that the life of the Christian has nothing inviting in it. If the Christian dwells too much upon the rough pathway, he makes it harder than it really is. If he dwells upon the bright spots in the way, and is grateful for every ray of light, and then dwells upon the rich reward that lies at the end of the race, instead of gloom, mourning and complaints, he will bear a cheerful countenance.”3
Yes, with the help of the Lord, it is possible to rejoice in times of problems and difficulties. Our God will not ask us to perform an impossibility. But the word of God does bid us, “Rejoice in the Lord alway: and again I say, Rejoice” (Philippians 4:4).
The word always means “at all times.” That includes the time of temptation, trials, and problems.
God’s holy word admonishes us to “be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God” (Philippians 4:6), and “in every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you” (1 Thessalonians 5:18).
These passages of Scripture help us to understand very clearly that having a sad countenance, murmuring, and complaining are all caused by a lack of faith and failure to submit completely to the will of God. All we have to do is to follow the word of God implicitly. We should always to do what He has commanded us to do - this alone will help us to handle every difficulty. The truth is that there are problems we can solve by ourselves by the help of God, and we have to thank God who gives us the ability to solve such problems.
But, again, there are problems we cannot solve by ourselves. In that case, what should we do? We must hand them over to God who alone can solve those problems that are beyond our ability. That is why the Bible says, “Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you” (1 Peter 5:7).
Unfortunately, many times we try to solve all these problems by ourselves, which often causes many to sin against God.
“We try too hard to take care of self ourselves. We are uneasy and greatly lack a firm trust in God. Many worry and work, contrive and plan, fearing they may suffer need. They cannot afford time to pray or to attend religious meetings and, in their care for themselves, leave no chance for God to care for them. And the Lord does not do much for them, for they give Him no opportunity.”4
The truth is that there are indeed many problems we cannot solve by ourselves.
A friend narrated to me his ordeal upon returning by sea from Nigeria to Cameroon - a journey that takes about eight hours. According to him, before departure, someone prayed asking God to lead them safely. Two hours after their departure there arose mighty waves in the sea - huge waves that crashed on the small boat. As a result all the passengers were crying, shouting, and some began to confess their sins. However, in the midst of such agitation, the young man who had offered prayer before the departure found a place and began to sleep.
The waves, thunder, and storm continued for over two hours, and he was still sleeping.
Finally, when the storm was over, some of the passengers decided to wake him up and said to him, “We were amazed to see you sleeping when we were about to perish. What happened?” “Since I could not do anything,” he responded, “I handed everything over to God and slept.” This is trust in God. Believers, peace does not mean there are no problems, but rather, our peace flourishes in spite of problems. In contrast, the peace the world can give is only when things are moving smoothly.
Let’s read: “Now about that time Herod the king stretched forth his hands to vex certain of the church. And he killed James the brother of John with the sword. And because he saw it pleased the Jews, he proceeded further to take Peter also. (Then were the days of unleavened bread.) And when he had apprehended him, he put him in prison, and delivered him to four quaternions of soldiers to keep him; intending after Easter to bring him forth to the people. Peter therefore was kept in prison: but prayer was made without ceasing of the church unto God for him. And when Herod would have brought him forth, the same night Peter was sleeping between two soldiers, bound with two chains: and the keepers before the door kept the prison And, behold, the angel of the Lord came upon him, and a light shined in the prison: and he smote Peter on the side, and raised him up, saying, Arise up quickly. And his chains fell off from his hands. And the angel said unto him, Gird thyself, and bind on thy sandals. And so he did. And he saith unto him, Cast thy garment about thee, and follow me. And he went out, and followed him; and wist not that it was true which was done by the angel; but thought he saw a vision. When they were past the first and the second ward, they came unto the iron gate that leadeth unto the city; which opened to them of his own accord: and they went out, and passed on through one street; and forthwith the angel departed from him. And when Peter was come to himself, he said, Now I know of a surety, that the Lord hath sent his angel, and hath delivered me out of the hand of Herod, and from all the expectation of the people of the Jews” (Acts 12:1-11).
Interesting indeed. Now, how could Peter sleep under such pressure? James had been killed by the same person, and Peter knew it. Now he himself was being kept between two soldiers, bound with two chains.
There were keepers before the door that kept the prison, and Peter was aware of all these things. Before the iron gate that leads to the city, there were two guard posts. In fact, this was a maximum security prison. And that showed the certainty of Peter’s death. And the next day he was to face judgment, just to be executed. Nevertheless, Peter was fast asleep. How could he sleep under such pressure?
Peter slept because he knew he could not do anything in such a situation. He knew that only God has the solution at such times. He knew he would only sin against God if he tried to worry. As a disciple of Christ, he was conversant with the word of God. He knew Psalm 127:1 (RSV), “Unless the Lord watches over the city, the watchman stays awake in vain.”
He also remembered what the Lord Jesus had told him before He left, “fear not them which kill the body, but are not able to kill the soul: but rather fear him which is able to destroy both soul and body in hell” (Matthew 10:28). He knew that “to live is Christ, and to die is gain” (Philippians 1:21).
The Lord is pleased when we cast all our problems upon Him. How do we do this? By praying about such problems. Unfortunately, many believers today find it very difficult to pray for our churches, brethren, sisters, ministers, and our General Conference.
Many do not pray for their sick brother or sister in the church. Instead, they comfortably go back to their houses and have their nice sleep when their brother or sister is sick somewhere. But the Word of God makes it clear that the whole church prayed for Peter. Verse 5 tells us that they prayed without ceasing. In other words, they prayed continually. Nobody could comfortably go back to his or her house while their brother Peter was in difficulty. Irrespective of how many days Peter was there in the prison, they were together in Mary’s house praying. And when Peter was delivered by the angel of the Lord, he, too, went to the house of Mary (the mother of John Mark) and there he found them still praying for him!
This is the way the Lord wants us to live as His people. Nothing is as powerful as a prayer offered by the church in unity. That is why our Lord Jesus said, “Verily I say unto you, Whatsoever ye shall bind on earth shall be bound in heaven: and whatsoever ye shall loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven. Again I say unto you, That if two of you shall agree on earth as touching any thing that they shall ask, it shall be done for them of my Father which is in heaven” (Matthew 18:18, 19).
Peter’s church knew what a soul meant in the church of God, just as the shepherd in the parable of Jesus knew what a sheep meant for him. The church also knew that they were one body in Christ - just as the human body is made up of many parts such as the legs, the head, tongue, eyes, nose, the fingers, and so forth, but they are called one body.
One day I had a motorcycle accident and sustained an injury in my left thumb. As a result, the whole body could not sleep for several days because of the pain in the left thumb. So it is supposed to be.
“That there should be no schism in the body; but that the members should have the same care one for another. And whether one member suffer, all the members suffer with it, or one member be honoured, all the members rejoice with it. Now ye are the body of Christ, and members in particular” (1 Corinthians 12:25-27).
There is no need to worry since we can pray. Worry is caused by fear and doubt. But God has not given us the spirit of fear, for He knows what will happen to us if we are afraid.
“Worry is blind and cannot discern the future; but Jesus sees the end from the beginning. In every difficulty, He has His way prepared to bring relief. ‘No good thing will He withhold from them that walk uprightly’ (Psalm 84:11).
“Our heavenly Father has a thousand ways to provide for us of which we know nothing. Those who accept the one principle of making the service of God supreme will find perplexities vanish and a plain path before their feet.”5
There was a woman who professed to be a believer, but she had not assimilated the instruction found in Philippians 4:6, “Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God.”
This woman had only one son, and one day her only son became sick. Since she was not conversant with her Bible, she became worried, fearing that her only son might die. However, because of how worried she was, the neighbors suggested that she should take her son to a particular witch doctor who would cure the child’s sickness immediately. And because of her lack of faith in God, she took her little son to the witch doctor who told her that he could not treat the child’s sickness unless she bowed three times to his idols. Since the woman wanted her child to live by all means, she had no other option than to follow the instruction of the witch doctor. In the process the child died.
The sin committed by that woman was similar to that of King Ahaziah, found in 2 Kings 1:1-17, who sent his messengers to Ekron because of his sickness.
“But the angel of the Lord said to Elijah the Tishbite, Arise, go up to meet the messengers of the king of Samaria, and say unto them, Is it not because there is not a God in Israel, that ye go to inquire of Baalzebub the god of Ekron? Now therefore thus saith the Lord, Thou shalt not come down from that bed on which thou art gone up, but shalt surely die” (2 Kings 1:3, 4).
Lack of faith in God causes fear and worry. And the Word of God says, “Without faith it is impossible to please him; for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him” (Hebrews 11:6).
In other words, this passage tells us that anyone who is worried for one reason or another cannot please the Lord.
According to the passage in 2 Kings, worry was the cause of death for both the child and the King. Worry pushed those involved to depart from God and to seek help instead from the enemy of God and man.
In the case of Peter, the church did not go out to seek for any human help. Rather, they prayed without ceasing, explaining their problems to God alone. This is what our Lord wants us to do always.
A famous hymn says it so well:
“What a friend we have in Jesus,
All our sins and grief to bear;
What a privilege to carry
everything to God in prayer!
“O what peace we often forfeit,
O what needless pain we bear,
All because we do not carry
everything to God in prayer.”
This song makes it clear that the reason why many forfeit their peace and bear needless pain is because they do not carry everything to God in prayer.
“If we do not feel immediate answers to our prayers, we should hold fast our faith, not allowing distrust to come in, for that will separate us from God. If our faith wavers, we shall receive nothing from Him. Our confidence in God should be strong; and when we need it most, the blessing will fall upon us like a shower of rain.”6
“Whenever one is encompassed with clouds, perplexed by circumstances, or afflicted by poverty or distress. Satan is at hand to tempt and annoy. He attacks our weak points of character. He seeks to shake our confidence in God, who suffers such a condition of things to exist. We are tempted to distrust God, to question His love. Often the tempter comes to us as he came to Christ, arraying before us our weakness and infirmities. He hopes to discourage the soul, and to break our hold on God. Then he is sure of his prey.”7
The word of God assures us, “We have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin. Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need” (Hebrews 4:15, 16).
When is this time of need? It is always.