Genesis 3:1-6: The serpent was the shrewdest of all the wild animals the Lord God had made. One day he asked the woman, “Did God really say you must not eat the fruit from any of the trees in the garden?” “Of course we may eat fruit from the trees in the garden,” the woman replied. “It’s only the fruit from the tree in the middle of the garden that we are not allowed to eat. God said, ‘You must not eat it or even touch it; if you do, you will die.’” “You won’t die!” the serpent replied to the woman. “God knows that your eyes will be opened as soon as you eat it, and you will be like God, knowing both good and evil.” The woman was convinced. She saw that the tree was beautiful and its fruit looked delicious, and she wanted the wisdom it would give her. So she took some of the fruit and ate it. Then she gave some to her husband, who was with her, and he ate it, too.

Where was God while Satan was in the garden tempting Eve? Where was God while Satan was afflicting Job? He was and still is present in His Word. Didn’t God give them specific instructions concerning what they should eat and the tree that they were not to partake of in the garden? Therefore, God was present with them, but in Word form. He wasn’t physically with them because He wanted them to trust in His Word. “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the WORD WAS GOD!” If they had the Word in their hearts, then He was in their hearts with them. However, they could only know this by faith. The same applies to us. If we have the Word in our hearts, then God is with us—though not in a physical, tangible way. Therefore, we must believe that He is with us through faith. Why must we believe? Jesus, the Word incarnate said, “If you have seen Me, then you have seen the Father.”

If we hide the Word of God in our hearts, then it is with us when we need it. Now, if Satan can get us to doubt the Word, or be hearers of the Word and not doers, then he can use this to his advantage. David wrote a psalm to the Lord; in it he declares a truth that we all must know and practice as children of God. He proclaimed, “Your Word have I hidden in my heart that I might not sin against it.” If the Word isn’t hidden in our hearts through obedience, then we can fall prey to temptation and sin against His Word. It is very obvious that Adam didn’t keep the Word that God spoke into his hearing because he didn’t keep the serpent out of the garden, nor did he stop Eve from eating the fruit. He was standing beside her while she looked on the fruit, took the fruit from the tree, partook of it, and gave to him and he ate. Since they didn’t bother to obey God’s commands, the Word of God wasn’t in their hearts. This opened the door for Satan to bring doubt into their hearts. If we separate ourselves from God by ignoring the Word of God through the act of omission, we will begin to feel as though God has somehow forsaken us—although He has promised us that He will never leave us, nor forsake us in both the New and Old Testaments. Let’s look at an example of where it seemed as though God just didn’t care about someone and allowed them to die without any help.

When Lazarus died, Jesus waited four days to return. Martha chided Him for His negligence. She was angry at Jesus because He had ignored her request for Him to come in person and heal her brother. Why didn’t Jesus come to heal Lazarus while he was sick? Why did He ignore Mary and Martha’s request and allowed their brother to die and lay in a tomb for four days?  The answer has been there all this time. However, apparently we’ve been so distracted that we missed it like they did that day.

John 11:11-15: He said, “Our friend Lazarus has fallen asleep, but now I will go and wake him up.” The disciples said, “Lord, if he is sleeping, he will soon get better!” They thought Jesus meant Lazarus was simply sleeping, but Jesus meant Lazarus had died. So He told them plainly, “Lazarus is dead. And for your sakes, I’m glad I wasn’t there, for now you will really believe. Come, let’s go see him.

Jesus didn’t go to Lazarus’ tomb so that He might cause the disciples to believe in Him once Lazarus was raised from the dead. Jesus used a “death” situation to teach His disciples (and us) to have faith in His Word, to use His Word in the same manner that He does, and to expect the same results. When we live by the Word and activate the power of God’s Word in our death situations, the Word will reassure our hearts through faith that God is with us. We might not be able to see or touch Him, but He is just as present, powerful and real.

Romans 10:6-11: But faith’s way of getting right with God says, “Don’t say in your heart, ‘Who will go up to heaven’ (to bring Christ down to earth). And don’t say, ‘Who will go down to the place of the dead’ (to bring Christ back to life again).” In fact, it says, “The message is very close at hand; it is on your lips and in your heart.” And that message is the very message about faith that we preach: If you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. For it is by believing in your heart that you are made right with God, and it is by confessing with your mouth that you are saved. As the Scriptures tell us, “Anyone who trusts in Him will never be disgraced.”

Are you living by faith through obedience to God’s Word? If you’re not abiding in His Word through active faith, then you will give a place to the enemy to cause doubt and unbelief in your heart. We don’t need Jesus in the flesh in order to have a victorious life. We already have Him in our hearts when we believe and obey His Word on a daily basis. With God all things are possible.  —submitted by Asa Dockery, US