Excitement filled my heart when I came across this particular scripture, “Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see.” (Hebrews 11:1) Where had this translation been all this time? It brought such a great excitement within me that my thoughts began to dig up and create hopes, dreams, desires, ambitions, wants, needs, goals to achieve, and on and on my mind raced. By the time I was done, I had a list of all I ever desired or wanted to achieve. Looking at the list, I began to meditate and even declare at the same time. Faith is the confidence that what I hope for (everything on my list) will actually happen!! My heart began to beat faster and faster. Really? Really? Really? I can have all this? Oh how my expectations were growing and the fire of intercession was burning within me. It’s time to get on your knees Raly, get to praying, and get ready to act!
In the midst of the world I began to create for myself, I heard a still but yet powerful voice, powerful enough to rise above my created world, the voice of the Holy Spirit saying, “Raly, I do love your spirit but why don’t you continue reading the other verses of that chapter.”
Why not I responded! I will do anything to get me more inspired and motivated. As I got back to reading though, my excitement soon began to dwindle. Why? I began to read the stories of men and women who were examples of what faith in action looks like. David killed Goliath because he was lead by God and he believed God to do this through him. He was also anointed king by God’s choice and desire. God’s desire for Abraham was that he leave his country and people: Abraham obeyed and hence a nation was born. Enoch did not see death because his desires were God’s desires and in this way he pleased God. And similar were the legacies of Abel, Noah, Jacob, Moses, Gideon, Rahab, and Joseph.
You know what? I did not see any evidence of these people creating a list of what they wanted their world to look like and then presenting it before God.
Where are their lists? Where did these men and women put their lists? My goodness, they must have had lists!
To which the Holy Spirit responded, “The ‘list’, Raly, is with Me; I have the list. Learn to listen and God’s plan for you will unfold. Raly, what made these men and women stand out from the crowd, to be called giants of faith was that they sought My ‘list’ for them, My plans, My desires, My goals, My dreams, for them. Moreover, THEY SOUGHT ME.”
In good order, the Word of God came to mind to shed light on this particular message. Here are a few passages to pray and ponder.
In Proverbs 19:21
“Many are the plans in a person’s heart, but it is the LORD’s purpose that prevails.”
In Psalm 139: 13, 15, & 16.
“For You formed my inward parts; You covered me in my mother’s womb.
My frame was not hidden from You when I was made in secret and skillfully wrought in the lowest parts of the earth. Your eyes saw my substance, being yet unformed. And in Your book they all were written, the days fashioned for me, when as yet there were none of them.”
In the well-known verse of Jeremiah 29:11.
“The thoughts (dreams, desires, plans) I have towards you are good and not evil, to give you a bright future and bring you to an expected end.”
In these foreboding, these warning words from Proverbs 14:12.
“There is a way that appears to be right, but in the end it leads to death.” That is to say that the plans we build outside God’ plan or will for us, though may look right and good but the end will be destruction.
From the great prophet Isaiah, 64:5.
“All of us have become like unclean men and women, all our good deeds are like polluted rags. We have all withered like leaves, and our iniquities carry us away like the wind.”
And finally, Paul writes in 1Corinthians 2:9-11.
“What no eye has seen, what no ear has heard, and what no human mind has conceived, the things God has prepared for those who love Him; these are the things God has revealed to us by His Spirit.
The Spirit searches all things, even the deep things of God. For who knows a person’s thoughts except their own spirit within them? In the same way no one knows the thoughts of God except the Spirit of God.”
One last thing Holy Spirit brought to mind was a sermon on faith preached by John MacArthur, in particular this gem of wisdom: “Faith is not the power which you possess to create your own future; faith is a God-given ability to trust Him for the future He has for you.”
You know friends, beloved of God, many have fallen into the trap of the enemy by doing otherwise. With that in mind and on my heart, I took the list I had created and a blank sheet of paper and presented both before the Lord, praying…
“Lord I desire to live a life that pleases You, a life that believes in You, a life that will stand out among the crowd, a life that will see You do great and powerful things in me and through me. I do know now, Lord, I can not live this life unless I seek and trust You for the future You have planned for me.
So Lord, I surrender my ‘list’, my created world to You. Here and now I present myself, an empty vessel, to You. Fill me as only You can. Let Your plans, let Your days recorded for me before the foundation of the world be fulfilled through and in me. Lord God Almighty, Lord Jesus Christ, Lord Holy Spirit, I am Yours, totally Yours, Lord, totally believing, totally hopeful, and totally trusting in You and Your plans for me. In Jesus Christ Name Amen.
What list are you living by, yours or God’s?
- Raly Ewemie