Galatians 5:5: But we who live by the Spirit eagerly wait to receive by faith the righteousness God has promised to us.

Throughout the Word of God, we’re instructed to wait on the salvation of the Lord by faith. The Lord has already done everything in order to see to it that we’re blessed, but sometimes we’re required to wait for a promise to be manifested by faith. It breaks the heart of God when His people give up on His faithfulness because He doesn’t always come in our time frame. God knows that our spirit is willing, but He also knows that our flesh is weak.

God was indeed faithful to the entire nation of Israel during the wilderness experience, but in spite of His faithfulness, they continually doubted Him. Instead of learning through their past experiences of seeing the faithfulness of God, they would murmur and complain against Him when He didn’t respond on their terms. Occasionally, they would become so rebellious that they would rise up against Moses in opposition to God’s will for them.

If we should allow unbelief to rule our hearts during difficult times, it will grieve the heart and Spirit of God because it shows Him that we don’t really trust Him. To avoid grieving the heart of God or His Spirit, who leads us through this wilderness experience, we must trust Him with our entire heart. If we will trust the Lord with all our heart and lean not to our own understanding, and allow Him to direct our paths, then He can (and will) deliver us from our enemies and trials.

In today’s Scripture, Paul mentions three components that must be active in our heart if we’re going to see the righteousness of God and experience the manifestation of His promises in our lives. We’re to operate through the Holy Spirit while waiting on the Lord to reveal His salvation on our behalf. God has given every believer the Holy Spirit; He will endue us with His power to endure until the victory is obtained. Secondly, we’re to wait. When the Word of God commands us to wait on God for our breakthrough or deliverance, it is with the understanding that we’re actively waiting while standing on the Word (Ephesians 6). This reveals to Satan and your flesh nature that you have HOPE in God because you TRUST God more than your flesh nature that wants you to doubt God.

The very reason Satan had the power to deceive Eve was that she didn’t know the character or heart of God. You and I have seen the faithfulness of God in many situations, but sometimes we can find ourselves in a new circumstance that challenges our knowledge of God. When this occurs, you must rely on God’s faithfulness instead of your lack of knowledge in this particular situation. Even if you can’t see God’s hand at work right now, it doesn’t mean that He has forsaken you. It can mean that He is doing a new thing in which you’re not yet familiar, and it can cause you to doubt.

Today, if doubt is trying to convince your heart to give up on God’s Word, and you’re growing weak in your faith, then take another breath and decide not to be moved by Satan’s lies. Remember, the same Spirit that raised Christ from the dead also dwells in you and will give you strength to gain the victory, but you must be willing to lean on Him. Remain engaged in the good fight of faith until God brings you victory in this area of your life.

Do I like everything our family is going through? Absolutely not! Am I allowing these trials and discontentments to cause me to waiver in my faith? Absolutely not! I’ve experienced the faithfulness of God in our lives as a family and as a church, and this has convinced me of one thing (or perhaps two things). Satan is a liar, and God is faithful to His Word. The only other component that has to be brought into this scenario is our faith in God and His Word. When we continually stand in faith, the Holy Spirit can strengthen us daily until our faith becomes sight. The Lord will come, but will He find us waiting? Don’t STOP! Keep STANDING by faith.  —submitted by Asa Dockery, US