FROM WHENCE COMETH MY HELP? (Psa 121:1)

During your times of light, moderate or severe trials do you look unto self to find what you may have of the Lord to endure, or have you learned that there is nothing within you personally—not even the new nature—that delivers through trials. Knowing what to do in our times of stress is only half the resolution; knowing how to practice what is known brings the answer, and “Casting all your care upon Him” (1Pe 5:7) is always the proper procedure.

Any other means is looking unto self for the answer, and regardless the appeal that self-reliance may possess, it’s always nothing more than a temporary delay at most. It’s also important to note that the “trying of your faith” needs the proper response—so you’ll be able to continue to be properly trial-conformed (1Pe 1:6), as this gradually increases in difficulty, but never beyond “that you are able.”

Consistently putting all that we care about, pleasantries and difficulties, into God’s keeping means you’re believing His Word concerning everything in your life, that “He careth for you.” So, the protocol is first “what”; cast everything on our Father. Then “how”; trusting that He is using “all things”—“to work together for good” to you (Rom 8:28). The greatest significance in this truth is in knowing that it is solely dependent upon our position in Christ, and never the condition of our walk, which will always be progressing “in the Spirit.” The maturity of our “walk in the Spirit” varies between all and is merely an indicator of where we are concerning the level of conformity to His Word, and not a means of His deliverance, because the point of deliverance through a trial proceeds from Himself, in providing its understanding to us.

You will eventually know you’re not following God’s protocol when the resolution-times for closure often seem too lengthy. Sure, God’s teachings of conformity concerning our lifestyle (walk) are hard, but not “grievous” (1Jo 5:3), because He will always “make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it” (1Cor 10:13); and the relief (escape) is always a matter of faith in His written Word.

It’s from the trials we learn the most concerning our walk. The two primary factors concerning their application are that they will always come and go; and they contain in one degree or another the element of “hardness,” which continues to conform and manifest our walk of faith “as a good solder of Jesus Christ” (2Ti 2:3). It is in the difficulties that we are brought to see if we are trusting in the “arm of flesh” (2Ch 32:8) or the arm of God. Myself, I’ve learned the former always eventually leads in succession to the latter, as God will have it no other way for us.
NC

 

Hi Walt, and thanks for the moving and instructional comments! It's been said that "the lost need saved, and the saved need deliverance." The believer's deliverance is different from the lost, in that it has nothing to do with our eternal redemption, but deliverance from self (old nature), Satan and society (unbelievers, which is always the majority of mankind). But our deliverance is mostly from self--our old nature--which is always opposing us in our new nature of Christ and the Spirit (Gal 5:17), and thus is the closest enemy and the most useful ally of the devil, but most useful to God's glory as He causes us to learn how to deal with it.

God's blessings to you!

 

Hi and thanks for the reply! God bless!