As Christians, we are encouraged when we see God at work. In our busy life, we often feel uncertain of the future, and sometimes we are bound by our past. But we are not meant to be constrained by our circumstances or the time we live in. Recently, Pr Jack Piong shared a heartfelt message in Faith Oasis about the essence of seeing God at work. A lot of it has to do with a posture of faith and intimacy with God.
One of the passages in the Scripture that has always encouraged Pr Jack is from Mark 21: 21-43. The passage is one of the most powerful testimonies in the Bible of God at work. In it, we read of how Jairus, though he was a leader in a synagogue, came to Jesus to ask Him for His help. The thing to note was that he was not asking Jesus to heal a sick person, he was looking to Jesus to raise his daughter from the dead. Right here is an element of faith from a person in a class of people who were not usually receptive to Jesus.
As we read further, we notice other elements of Jairus’s faith. It was such that he was certain that his daughter would be raised if only Jesus would come and lay His hand on his daughter. Many questioned Jairus why he was troubling Jesus; that his daughter was already dead and it was too late. Jesus only replied to them and Jairus, “Don’t be afraid, only believe.”
Pr Jack conveyed that this “only believe” was one of the crucial things in Jairus’s story and in our own lives. As Jesus came to Jairus’s house, there was a commotion from a large group of wailers. Jesus saw the commotion, asked the group to leave the house, and the only living persons who were in the room with Jesus when He did His work were Jairus and his wife; the apostles, Peter, James, and John; and Jesus Himself. They were people who believed, had great faith, and a living hope that something was going to turn around. Jesus held the daughter’s hand, and she not just rose from the dead but instantly walked around!
There are times when it seems we are in a hopeless situation. Jesus is saying to us, “Only believe”. This “only believe” is a thing of the continuous present tense. God is not restricted by circumstances around us, and faith is the substance of things hoped for and evidence of things unseen. Pr Jack expressed that God is delighted by people who rest upon His word without wavering (James 1:6-7) and that He has not given us a spirit of timidity. Fear is a common condition of life – many of us fear different kinds of things, the uncertainty of our future being most common – but the Bible teaches us that God has given us a spirit of power, love, and a sound mind (2 Timothy 1:7). We therefore have the authority to reject fear, bitterness, and things that are not of God. Embrace it and God will turn the situation around. Jairus believed despite all the scoffers and naysayers around him.
‘The Bible says when God sets us free, we are free indeed (John 8: 32, 36),’ Pr Jack encouraged. ‘We are free to live in the abundant life that comes through Christ. Though the devil comes to steal, kill, and destroy, God Himself has given us abundant life.’ When David faced Goliath, it was not the weapons and armour that helped him in his battle. It was his assurance and confidence that the spirit of God was with him. David knew that the victory was going to come from the Lord. Just as it was with David, we are defined by the spirit of power and of sound mind. This is crucial if we are to see God at work in our situations – that we may be unwavering in our faith, like Jairus.
There are other times when we are at a crossroads. Multiple doors will be before us and we wonder which door is the right one to open. Pr Jack conveyed that the right door will always be the one that leads to a deeper dependence on the Lord, which will help us walk closer to Him. In our dependence, we can see how God works out our situations and we can grow in our faith. The examples of Jairus and David, as well as John 10: 9-10, illustrate this to us:
John 10: 9-10
Yes, I am the gate. Those who come in through me will be saved. They will come and go freely and will find good pastures. 10 The thief’s purpose is to steal and kill and destroy. My purpose is to give them a rich and satisfying life.
Jesus is not only the gate but also the Good Shepherd. He gives us His wisdom so that we can live an abundant life. There is no lack for we are in a right and secure foundation. Not only do we have a foundation in Christ, we need to anchor ourselves in Him as well. He has given us access to Him and He loves us and is eager for us to have a relationship with Him.
Besides a firm foundation, Christ has also given us the blueprint for life through the Bible. Everything we need to know in how to navigate life has been given to us in it. The blueprint is the key to building our house, our families, and our lives. Sometimes we may make mistakes in our lives but God has promised us that nothing can separate us from His love. We must have the same conviction that Paul had in Romans 8:31-39 and come back to Christ.
We are not fighting against flesh and blood, but against principalities and spiritual forces (Ephesians 6:12). And while we have a new being and nature in Christ, we are still constantly warring against our old flesh. We cannot fight on our own and through our own strength. But the ways of the Lord are higher than ours and our minds are like fertile soil. Plant fear and fear will grow. Plant hope and love, and love and hope will grow instead. Plant the word of God and we will grow and be spiritual giants.
Pr Jack shared many other stories in his sermon, like those of Joseph, Job, Elijah, and the widow at Zarephath. There are lessons to learn from the Biblical people in seeing how God works out our situations. But ultimately, it is all about our faith and obedience. Cultivate intimacy with the Lord and seek His help in your time of need. Jesus is light and where there is light, darkness has to flee.
‘I would therefore encourage you to submit to the Lord, and let God turn the situation around,’ Pr Jack encouraged. “When the enemies come to us like a flood, the Spirit of the Lord Himself shall lift up a banner against them. As it is written in Romans 8:28; “For I know that God will work all things for the good of those who love Him, who has been called to His purpose”’.
Note: This is an adaptation of a sermon shared by Pr Jack Piong at Faith Oasis on the 9th of July 2023. You may access the full sermon from Faith Oasis’s YouTube page at https://www.youtube.com/live/6xzsf9hQSkU?feature=share The writer of the article would like to thank Pr Jack for his great hospitality and help throughout its production.
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