4th March, 2025.
🌿 The Spirit of Faith
Psalm 23:1–6 (KJV)
“[1] The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want.
[2] He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: He leadeth me beside the still waters.
[3] He restoreth my soul: He leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for His name's sake.
[4] Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for Thou art with me; Thy rod and Thy staff, they comfort me.
[5] Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies: Thou anointest my head with oil; my cup runneth over.
[6] Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life: and I will dwell in the house of the LORD forever.”
Whenever you are positioned in prayer and your countenance is set upon the Lord, do you bring with you expectations?
What are your expectations?
The psalmist’s expectation was for goodness and mercy to follow him all the days of his life.
Did mercy find him? Yes.
The Lord Said
Exodus 33:19 (KJV)
“[19] And He said, I will make all My goodness pass before thee, and I will proclaim the name of the LORD before thee; and will be gracious to whom I will be gracious, and will shew mercy on whom I will shew mercy.”
And the Scriptures say:
“The just shall live by faith.” — Habakkuk 2:4 (KJV)
So your faith can have expectations — and it will come to pass.
You can expect God's mercy, and you'll have it.
“The LORD Is My Shepherd; I Shall Not Want.”
Many people believe this means all your needs shall be supplied.
Not necessarily. It means you are not expected to desire.
Your wants are concealed, and you depend entirely on the Shepherd because you trust Him.
The sheep do not stop to drink water except the Shepherd leads the flock to the streams.
Are these statements contradictory? Heavens no!
I implore you to reason with me.
Expectation and desire are not similar.
You do not desire because you expect the Lord to fulfill His divine promises — that is faith.
Expectation vs. Desire
- Expectation is holding onto the hope of the riches of God’s benevolence for your life.
- Desire is for self-plans and self-fulfillment.
It is by the Spirit of Faith you are guided to expect the things of God according to His divine plans, and not want in accordance with your desires.
“The LORD is your Shepherd; you shall not want.”
Faith in Action
Did Abraham want to take Hagar? No!
Because he had an expectation of the Lord.
So whenever he burnt incense and offered a sacrifice on the altar, he had an expectation.
The Scriptures say:
“Against all hope, he believed in hope.”
There’s a Spirit of Faith that makes you dogged and forbearing.
It makes you focused and unrelenting.
It brands your conviction and keeps your sight on the tracks.
Without the Spirit of Faith, you can’t accomplish much for God and His Kingdom.
It is by this same Spirit that you are bold to receive the promises of God.
Faith Is a Spirit — Seize It!
How did Isaac sow in a land where there was famine?
It was by the Spirit of Faith — and he reaped his harvest a hundredfold (Genesis 26:12).
Say It Aloud
“I have the Spirit of Faith.”
“My faith is a coupon with which I obtain promises.”
“I am empowered by God's Spirit to will and to do.”
“The LORD is my Shepherd; I shall not want.”
Now, Begin to State Your Expectations of the Lord
“I’ll fulfill my divine purpose.”
“I will not fail; I will not falter.”
“Through me, the nations of the world are blessed.”
“I’ll heal the sick; I’ll raise the dead.”
“I’ll demonstrate the power of God’s Spirit.”
A Prayer for You
May the Spirit of Faith rest upon you now and forevermore.
Amen.
God bless you.
Shalom.
Comments
Post a Comment