Stand Flat-Footed in Faith

2 of the biggest threats to your faith are discouragement and disappointment. Whenever you’re discouraged and disappointed, all of your attention is on what’s going wrong in your life. You’re consumed with the obstacles, problems, and unfavorable circumstances you see and this causes you to give up and cower back. When things start taking too long, you quit right at the brink of breakthrough.

Discouragement and disappointment can sneak into our lives so suddenly that if we’re not conscious, they will creep into our conversations to the point where complaining becomes normalized. Our conversations become dominated with worry, bad news, and comparing our situation to other people’s circumstances. Next thing you know, you’re participating in a pity party and competing to see who has the worst news without you realizing.

When the spirit of discouragement and disappointment controls our lives, you become blind to possible solutions and your hope is hijacked. And above all, you stop believing in God and forget who He is.

The only way to overcome the strong spirit of discouragement and disappointment is to remind ourselves of who God is and encourage ourselves in the Lord. We have to put God and His promises back in remembrance.

Hebrews 13:5-6 (NKJV) says, “Let your conduct be without covetousness; be content with such things as you have. For He Himself has said, “I will never leave you nor forsake you.” So we may boldly say: “The Lord is my helper; I will not fear. What can man do to me?”

In the Bible, Abraham, who was considered the father of faith, didn’t allow his circumstances to impact his faith.

Romans 4:18-21 says, “Who against hope believed in hope, that he might become the father of many nations, according to that which was spoken, So shall thy seed be. And being not weak in faith, he considered not his own body now dead, when he was about an hundred years old, neither yet the deadness of Sarah’s womb. He staggered not at the promise of God through unbelief; but was strong in faith, giving glory to God. And being fully persuaded that, what he had promised, he was able also to perform.”

We have to stop giving so much power to our circumstances. Your situation may seem impossible and as good as dead, but like Abraham, don’t consider or obsess over what it looks like. When you consider the size of your situation, it will cripple your faith. Don’t let what you see trick you out of God’s promises for your life. Set your eyes on Jesus, the author and finisher of your faith. Hold on to the promises that God has given you through His word and what He has spoken to you during your intimate moments with Him. When discouragement and disappointment try to creep in, this is how you stand flat-footed in your faith! God will perform every word He has spoken to you because He who promised is faithful. Wait in full expectation and He will bring it to pass.

Stay encouraged!