Your unfailing love, O LORD, is as vast as the heavens; your faithfulness reaches beyond the clouds.
— Psalm 36:5 (NLT)
When I read that the Father’s faithfulness reaches beyond the clouds, I imagine there is no end to His faithfulness. Therefore, He is going to be faithful to His Word. If God says something, then He will do what He says. He never wavers. Numbers 23:19 says God is not a man, so He does not lie and He will not change His mind. 2 Corinthians 1:20 says all His promises are Yes.
God is trustworthy. We are the ones who waver. The main reason we waver is because of our circumstances and feelings which often are opposite to what God has said. Everything around us is screaming that God is unfaithful because we don’t see Him coming through when we think we have done what He said. Our mind says, “Where are you, God? You’re not faithful or this wouldn’t be happening”.
Now we are at a crossroad. Many times we give in to our feelings of disappointment and defeat. We’ve all been there and it’s no fun. What are we to do? Despair and give up?
No, we gather evidence. Let’s say that we are afraid – afraid of the future, of a disease, of lack, or rejection, of pain etc. We don’t understand what’s happening.
Many times the Bible tells us not to be afraid. Jesus told his disciples not to fear when they were in the midst of a raging storm as well as lots of other times. Jesus knew it was not easy, and he reminded them that they would have difficulties and sorrows on earth (John 16:33). Then he says be encouraged because I have overcome them.
Reminding myself of what he said and seeing him take that problem on himself on the cross down to the grave and leaving it there is what I must do. Then I must picture him rising from death and the grave completely free from whatever the issue is that I am facing. When vain imaginations come ringing in my head saying “this is too hard”, “it won’t work for me” or “I’m not worthy, not good enough”, I have to cast them down – send them away as 2 Corinthians 10:4-5 says. It’s up to me to replace those thoughts with what the word says. Holy Spirit will not do it for me.
Then I begin to say to myself, out loud if possible, what the Bible says about my situation. Verses like: Proverbs 3:5 “Trust in the LORD with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding.” I may remind myself of Joseph and how he trusted God when he was mistreated by his brothers and thrown into prison. God took care of him but it lasted a long time before his circumstance changed. I remind myself that God is for me not against me (Romans 8:31) and I may read that entire passage on through verse 39 to encourage myself.
I remind myself that God is no respecter of persons and that he will never leave me or forsake.
Depending on what I am facing, I get other scriptures pertaining specifically to my challenge.
If it is sickness or disease, I take scriptures and imagine them happening to me – being healed. If it is provision, I gather scriptures about God meeting all my needs. If it is rejection or insecurity, I get scriptures about how much God loves me.
My battle is not with the devil because he has already been defeated by Jesus at his death, burial and resurrection. My battle is with my thoughts and unbelief. And again, I will win by gathering evidence telling me what Jesus has done for me. I have come to realize that just knowing it in my head is not enough. It has to sink down into my heart where I am immovable because I know that I know what God says is truth. My heart has to be convinced.
When I am not there, I tell God and ask Him to help me get it in my heart. He is faithful!
“Plop into the chair of promise and sigh an amen – its done!”
Gather Evidence