Things looked really hopeless for Israel’s tiny army. Thousands of Philistines marched against King Saul, whose army numbered only about 3,000. Saul hesitated to attack his vastly superior adversary; day after day he talked himself out of trying to defeat the enemy. Because his defeatist attitude affected his men, many deserted. he ended up with a mere force of 600.
Are you talking yourself out of trying to witness? Have you convinced yourself that there’s no need to try for a job promotion? Has life convinced you that you’re unqualified to try anything worthwhile?
We want to become Christians who never talk themselves out of trying the impossible. We want to exercise faith in God, and faith in God talks us into trying.
As Saul continued talking himself out of trying to attack, his son Jonathan talked himself into striking the Philistine forces. In spite of his father’s cowardice, in spite of the army’s smallness, in spite of the lack of weapons, Jonathan talked himself into trying.
“Come, let’s go over to the Philistine outpost,” 1 Samuel 14:1. With all the odds against him, Jonathan refused to talk himself out of trying. Where did he acquire such faith?
He considered God his partner. “Perhaps the Lord will act in our behalf. Nothing can hinder the Lord from saving, whether by many or by few,” 1 Samuel 14:6. Faith in God propelled Jonathan to take action.
What about you, dear friend? God is your partner on the job, in leading the family, in living the Christian life, in performing Christian service and in facing both pleasant and unpleasant times. Why not try achieving your dreams? Spend time talking yourself into trying!
Notice a word Jonathan used when he referred to the Lord. “Perhaps the Lord will act,” 1 Samuel 14:6. Jonathan knew God would act; he just didn’t know how God would act. Jonathan’s word perhaps merely indicates that he was willing to take a risk rather than talk himself out of attempting the impossible. We cannot remove the element of risk whenever we move ahead with our plans, our dreams or our ambitions. People who talk themselves into trying the impossible accept the risks attached to going on with life.
Jonathan chose to place uncertainty in God’s hands. His trust in God overcame his fear of risk-taking. He could not see the precise outcome of trying to succeed. He could see the Lord, who controls whatever happens when we are willing to try.
When Jonathan acted on his desire to attack the enemy, God moved in his behalf. The Lord brought about a tremendous victory over the enemies of Israel.
Talk yourself into trying to achieve your own desires. God stands ready to “fulfill every good purpose of yours and every act prompted by your faith,” 2 Thessalonians 1:11.
Faith in God never permits ignorance of the future to impede forward progress. Faith focuses upon God’s complete knowledge of all upcoming events.
“O my Father, at the end of my earthly life, may your Son present me to your as one conformed to his image!”
Be greatly encouraged,
Pastor James Fields
