Hebrews 10:35-36
‘Cast not away therefore your confidence, which hath great recompense of reward. For you have need of patience that after you have done the will of God, ye might receive the promise’.’
• DAILY READING -Mark 5:1-20; 2 Samuel 13; Daniel 7
During Idi Amin’s reign of terror in Uganda, he killed thousands of people. During that time, so many Christians lived in fear of their lives. On Easter morning in 1973, at the Redeemed Church in Kampala Uganda, Pastor Kefa Sempangi, after the service, headed for the vestry to change his clothes. He did not notice the five men that followed him. When he walked through the door of the vestry, these men stepped in quickly after him and closed the door. The pastor turned to find five guns pointing at him. Immediately he recognized the men to be members of the dreaded idi Amin’s secret police.
Their leader told him they were going to kill him. For the pastor it was like a scene from a nightmare. Initially he almost collapsed with fear, but then, suddenly, something arose inside him. He heard a voice speaking with boldness, and was astonished to realize that it was his own voice. He found himself saying boldly to the men “I do not need to plead my own cause, I am a dead man already. My life is dead and hidden in Christ. It is your lives that are in danger. You are dead in your sins.” The men were totally taken aback by his boldness. Usually they were used to their victims crying and begging for their lives, but this was different. Their leader took a step towards him, perhaps to strike him, but suddenly he stopped. It was as if something gripped him. These men stared at the pastor for a while in amazement. Then their leader lowered his gun and motioned the others to do the same.
Then their leader asked the pastor “Will you pray for us now?”
“Yes, I will pray for you,” the pastor answered, still surprised at his own boldness. “I will pray to the Father in heaven. Please bow your heads and close your eyes.”
And this was how this pastor led these assassins to Christ. They became committed members of the church and used their positions to help protect church members whose lives were in danger, even helping several families escape from Uganda.
Hebrews 10:35 Says ‘Cast not away therefore your confidence, which hath great recompense of reward.’
God helped this pastor to show great confidence even in the face of danger. This confidence was key in disarming his enemies. Because he refused to show fear, the enemies had to bow. If you refuse to be terrified, your enemies will be petrified. When you refuse to be moved, the enemy will be forced to move. When your faith remains steadfast, heaven will come to your defense. David refused to be moved by Goliath and that became the end of goliath.
The power of God is released for our deliverance when we express confidence in Him. This is why in every battle the enemy’s first attack is your confidence. If he can get you to bow, then you will be bound.
In a wrestling match, each fighter exaggerates his strength. The purpose is to instill fear in the opponent and drive away his confidence. Because once confidence is lost, victory is lost. Philippians 1:28 Says ‘And in nothing terrified by your adversaries…’
Therefore do not be terrified by the enemy’s reports. All his noise is an effort to get you to lose confidence in your God. But Like Paul in Acts 20:24 you must say: ‘But none of these things move me…’
When the 3 Hebrew boys declared confidently to Nebuchadnezzar that their God will deliver them, God came down and authenticated their confidence in Him. Each time the enemy tries to get you into a fix, remember you serve a mighty God. He is the God of miracles who can break open prison doors and get you out of any captivity. He makes a way where there seems to be no way. Certainly, for Daniel faced with lions in the den it seemed it was over. But God knows how to shut up the mouth of lions and deliver His own.
No matter what situation you are faced with now, do not limit your God. If He can shut up the mouth of lions, cause earthquakes, then be assured that He can rescue you. What He is asking is for you to keep trusting Him. Faith is the link that keeps you connected to Heaven for a rescue operation, don’t break that link.
And you don’t build faith in the day of trouble; you build faith against the day of trouble. What is in you today is what speaks for you tomorrow. What you have put inside of you is what will manifest in the day of trouble. This is why we must spend time in The Word to consciously build up our faith. Prov.24:10 say ‘If your strength fails in the day of trouble, then your strength is little.”
The Word of God in you is what gives you confidence and stamina in the day of battle. Confidence establishes your victory. Therefore do not cast away your confidence.
It is true, the year is fast coming to a close, but your case will not be closed until you decide to close it. The expectation of the righteous shall not be cut short. Therefore keep expressing confidence in your God. He is the God of the 11th hour miracle. There is nothing impossible to Him.
It doesn’t matter the tight corner the enemy may have tried to put you into, you can still come out of it. There is still hope for you. Do not cast away your confidence. No matter the situation, be assured that as long as you remain confident in your God and His abilities to deliver, you will surely win.
PRAYER: Lord, I know with you nothing shall be impossible. Please help me to always focus on your Word so that I can maintain my confidence in You. I know that as long as my trust is in You, I shall never be put to shame in Jesus Name. . .
QUOTE
When God is on your side anything is possible.. – WORDBITE 222.
[ADAPTED FROM THE BOOK ESTABLISHED IN THE WORD OF GOD]