Living by faith is not a tradition. It is not an act of speech and works. It is an act of complete trust in God for total dependence on Him. Such faith leads to irrevocable actions for amazing and spontaneous results. It is neither a drama. It is an act of walking with God emotionally, spiritually and literally. By such faith we can measure results, draw equations and can bring God to partake in our willful actions. If you have been fighting battles for God and by trusting Him make Him take part in your willful actions for an essential outcome as Jonathan, your faith is just what God has wished. You have access to everything that is His. You are on your way to great heights that bring Him glory. Jonathan said, “But if they say, ‘Come up to us,’ then we will go up, for the LORD has given them into our hands; and this shall be the sign to us” (1 Sam. 14:10).
The faith which Jonathan expressed is similar to the faith which Jesus desires we have, i.e. the faith of a mustard seed. We ought to move mountains by bringing God into action and not by our speech and works. Our actions and speech don’t move mountains; they create them. Jonathan brought God into action by faith and thus, was able to speak those words. To his armor bearer his words might be a chance, but to him it was trusting God. Walking with God emotionally, spiritually and literally helps us understand His presence accurately and more powerfully. We know He is with us and He will seal our words for victory, because we are thinking of His glory. One must know the moment God is willing to fulfill his or her wish and for it they must be in the habit of winning battles through Him. Now-a-days people often mimic the words of their predecessors who spoke by faith and brought God into action than actually be in possession of their faith to cause a difference. They nullify the power and reality of faith and are not satisfied themselves. It is utterly necessary to avoid such mimicking, because it brings spiritual disaster to them and confusion to the naïve. One can avoid it by taking certain steps and prove to himself and to the world the reality of faith in the Almighty God.
- Recognizing Satan. This comes by knowing and practicing God’s ways. The beginning to it is obeying His commandments. Then by fighting battles with trust and dependence on Him you add wisdom to your decision making. Satan always stands up against you when you are working for God. This is where you seize the opportunity to understand him – abide by God’s call and principles. When David did not do the same, he had no choice but to give in to Satan. “Joab said, May the LORD add to His people a hundred times as many as they are! But, my lord the king, are they not all my lord’s servants? Why does my lord seek this thing? Why should he be a cause of guilt to Israel?” (1 Chr. 21:3).
- Offer thanksgiving. “To You I shall offer a sacrifice of thanksgiving, and call upon the name of the LORD” (116:17). At every victory, whether great or small thank God to the fullest. Recollect before Him the events of your battle and praise Him. By it He will help you understand the areas where He intervened and how He was able to maneuver certain situations to your advantage or how He withheld wisdom from your enemies so that you had the upper hand and how He tilted the entire situation to your comfort or how He made you wait so that foolishness would lead them for a wrong move and you are guiltless in your subsequent actions. You have acquired more wisdom.
- Shun multiplicity of thoughts. When thoughts are multiplying in you, realize it is for harm. “For your gods are as many as your cities, O Judah; and as many as the streets of Jerusalem are the altars you have set up to the shameful thing, altars to burn incense to Baal” (Jer. 11:13). Shun all the thoughts forcing upon you. You can do it by faith. At first it will be difficult, but when you stick to faith, you can quickly gain the knack of shunning them right away. Those thoughts if conquer you will act as your gods for loss incurring actions. They will lead you in many directions by which you lose track of your trust in God. You will no longer be like the predecessors, but merely mimic their words. An array of thoughts is always a work of Satan to quicken you for harm. On the contrary, thoughts from God are linear, uncontroversial, courageous and heartwarming.