I Know Whom I Have Believed

November 3

Another bout with another problem. Financial woes. Relational difficulties. Illness. These things precipitate a sense of powerlessness which often results in a sense of hopelessness and despair. They sometimes cause faithlessness where the believer knows he should have faith.

The cycle seems endless. The enemy proverbially, ‘’comes in like a flood,’’ and the Lord, ‘‘raises up a standard against him’’ Isaiah 59:19, according to His promise. The believer has experienced the faithfulness of God many times, through many circumstances, but he is weary.

The evil one plays upon his understanding of the human propensity to become exhausted under the pressure of trial—and he understands that if he can simply remind a believer of how many battles he’s already fought, he can wear him down to the point of rendering him unfit for the current battle!

Jesus understands our frame far better than His old nemesis the devil, for He has Himself walked in a tabernacle of flesh. He knows what it’s like to be weary—without bending. Jesus knows what it’s like to be tempted—without succumbing. Because He’s borne our grief and sorrow, He can succor us when we are bowed under the weight of all that besets us.

In I Peter 2:21, the apostle reminds us that, “You were called to this because Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example so you should follow in His steps.” Peter couldn’t overcome his problems alone. He needed Jesus to attain victory.

The Lord knows you can’t gain mastery alone over your many battles either. As He helped Peter, Jesus will help you—no matter what you face. Hold fast, Believer, to the assurance given in Galatians 6:9, "Be not weary in well doing, for in due season you shall reap if you do not faint."

Always remember that His character and His honor are intrinsic within His promises. You may therefore say like the Apostle Paul in the throes of his suffering, "I know Whom I have believed and am persuaded that He is able to keep that which I've committed to Him," II Timothy 1:12.