Uncertainty, A Master-Stroke Of Satan.

                                                                                 

To prevent assurance of faith is the devil's own work, it is his aim to get the Lord's people unsettled; and doubt is one of his most subtle means of working. 

It was so in the beginning, "hath God said?" - Gen. 3:1, and it is still his method.

The way, and the only way, to frustrate this is by being established in the faith, Acts 16:5; Col. 2:7. "Stand fast in the faith." - 1 Cor. 16. 

A true heart in full assurance of faith. 

Heb 10:22  Let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience, and our bodies washed with pure water.

1Pe 5:8  Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour:

1Pe 5:9  Whom resist stedfast in the faith, knowing that the same afflictions are accomplished in your brethren that are in the world.

Rev 2:13  I know thy works, and where thou dwellest, even where Satan's seat is: and thou holdest fast my name, and hast not denied my faith, even in those days wherein Antipas was my faithful martyr, who was slain among you, where Satan dwelleth.

The great need of God's people is to be established in the faith, not just established in doctrine, in an orthodox gospel, or by acquiring knowledge of fundamental truth, but established by an inward knowledge of our standing in the Lord Jesus on the ground of His finished work and complete triumph over the devil and all his works. 

So many of the Lord's children lack this assurance of their position in the Lord;

Yet it is written: Eph 1:4  According as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before him in love:

Eph 1:5  Having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to himself, according to the good pleasure of his will, 

Rom 8:1  There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit. 

He hath made us accepted in the Beloved. 

Eph 1:6  To the praise of the glory of his grace, wherein he hath made us accepted in the beloved. 

This acceptance has to do with warfare, all things in our "so great salvation" are related to God's Eternal purpose in Christ Jesus our Lord."

Eph 3:11  According to the eternal purpose which he purposed in Christ Jesus our Lord: 

2Co 2:14  Now thanks be unto God, which always causeth us to triumph in Christ, and maketh manifest the savour of his knowledge by us in every place.

The people of God are robbed of their fighting power when the enemy has got them to doubt and question their standing in Christ.

God must build His city in certainty, and we must stand in the full assurance of faith. 

The foundations of the wall of the city were furnished with all manner of precious stones. 

Rev 21:19  And the foundations of the wall of the city were garnished with all manner of precious stones. The first foundation was jasper; the second, sapphire; the third, a chalcedony; the fourth, an emerald;

1Pe 1:7  That the trial of your faith, being much more precious than of gold that perisheth, though it be tried with fire, might be found unto praise and honour and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ:

Get the internal troubles settled, then you can get on with the work.

To be established in the faith with full assurance enables us to strike a blow at Principalities and Powers; but the devil and his hosts have much power where there is uncertainty, doubt, question.

When the believer knows the power of the personal "I know" because of full assurance in the Word of God, then that very knowledge is a weapon of defense against the enemy; hence he desires to prevent assurance by inserting doubt whenever he gets a chance. 

Stand on God's facts and not on the quicksands of your own feelings.

Some are doubting simply because of feelings!

Salvation is not a matter of feeling, it is God's fact - "It is written" God hath said

The word of God is "no condemnation".

Rom 8:1  There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.

We are perfect in Christ the day we are born anew, that is as to our standing, we have good reason to be sorry for our state; but the word is "grow in grace and in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ"

2Pe 3:18  But grow in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. To him be glory both now and for ever. Amen.

Gal 4:19  My little children, of whom I travail in birth again until Christ be formed in you,

Yes it is to be a day by day growing in grace. 

Salvation seems for so many of God's children to be a matter of feelings, therefore there is no fighting force that counts against the enemy; 

They have not put on the whole armour of God so as to be "able to stand against the wiles of the enemy").

Heb 10:35  Cast not away therefore your confidence, which hath great recompence of reward.

Eph 3:19  And to know the love of Christ, which passeth knowledge, that ye might be filled with all the fulness of God.

There is an assurance of faith which sets us free from all the power of the enemy and self as well; enabling us to endure and be strong in the Lord.

Having the ground of our salvation settled, we now have ground from which we can wield sovereignty in the Lord. 

Here we are passing through trial, adversity, sorrow, suffering, and we are tempted to think the Lord has given us up;

The enemy presses in on every side with accusation, condemnation, question, doubts, fears.

Be ye steadfast, unmovable, for beloved, this is the establishing principle at work, our faith is being exercised.

We know anguish, travail.

Remember the establishing work is done while our eyes are unto Him;

When things are against us, seeking to press us down, then we look off unto Jesus now in the presence of God for us, having all authority in heaven and on earth, and a NAME that is above every other name, a title of Sovereignty above every other title of sovereignty. 

The God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, give unto you a Spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of Him, having the eyes of your heart enlightened (full of light), that ye may know HIM...

And what the exceeding greatness of HIS power to us-ward who believe according to that working (in-energizing) of the strength of His might which He wrought in Christ when He raised Him from the dead, and made Him to sit at His right hand in the heavenlies, far above all rule and authority and power, and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this age but also in that which is to come;

And He put all things in subjection under His feet, and gave Him to be Head over all things to the Church, which is His Body, the fulness of Him that filleth all in all."

Eph 1:17  That the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give unto you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of him:

Eph 1:18  The eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that ye may know what is the hope of his calling, and what the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the saints,

Eph 1:19  And what is the exceeding greatness of his power to us-ward who believe, according to the working of his mighty power,

Eph 1:20  Which he wrought in Christ, when he raised him from the dead, and set him at his own right hand in the heavenly places,

Eph 1:21  Far above all principality, and power, and might, and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this world, but also in that which is to come:

Eph 1:22  And hath put all things under his feet, and gave him to be the head over all things to the church,

Eph 1:23  Which is his body, the fulness of him that filleth all in all.

This is the ONE unto whom our eyes are. 

Faith is thus exercised and enables us in the very midst of pressure and contradictory circumstances to rise upward and stand in Christ Jesus in the position He has given us, "seated together with Him in the heavenlies."

Col 2:9  For in him dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily.

So through trial, the establishing work is done; it is the manifestation of His Victory over all the power and pressure of the enemy,

1Co 15:57  But thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.

Yes, it is HIS victory, a life that has conquered death

1Co 15:54  So when this corruptible shall have put on incorruption, and this mortal shall have put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written, Death is swallowed up in victory.

The City of God is being built, and its very nature is Eternal life, indestructible life, this holds when we break down. 

He abides faithful. He still holds on because He is Eternal, unchangeable.

There is that with us that persists, that goes through,

Rom 8:37  Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us.

It is the same with service; the conflict so great, the experiences through which we pass so strange and weird, so inexplicable, everything seems upside down, promises do not seem to be taking effect. 

Abraham in the land... yet the very promises given him of God seeming to be denied. Was Abraham mistaken? 

Are we not sometimes bewildered with the Lord, and are not His ways past finding out?

It all looks such a muddle, but as faith holds on, one day we shall praise Him, as we see the reason for it all afterwards;

Pro 4:18  But the path of the just is as the shining light, that shineth more and more unto the perfect day.

Note "PATH" not things!

These mysteries of the way contain some secret mystery of God; and are they not another opportunity to show forth His wisdom and power?

When all seems gone, the conflict so great, the experience so strange and there is no key to the situation; we are tempted to question whether the promises were even of God; everything is so contrary to what we expected, we begin to wonder if we are all wrong! 

Just then, is the time for us to stand fast in the Lord and maintain that stand in faith. 

After all, our experiences are very much alike. There is perplexity, there is apparent contradiction, there is conflict; the forms of experience may vary, but it comes to all of us in some way or another - still "He abideth faithful". 

How does this establish us? By the very helplessness of the situation, and ourselves, which causes us to cast ourselves upon Him, and it is then we prove Him.

You are coming to the place where you know the mystery of God, and it is a glorious opportunity for Him to show His wisdom and so you are established.

It is all a matter of endurance.

~T. Austin Sparks~