Here is a wonderful section of a autobiographical book by Hannah W. Smith titled, "The Unselfishness of God" from the 18th chapter called, "The Way of Escape." Someone made several copies of this chapter and it's circulating around our fellowship right now. It is a simple, yet powerful and practical example of how
the Lord saves us right where we are and no matter how we feel! We had some awesome fellowship around it in this morning's brothers breakfast. I've read and reread this watering little piece several times . . .
And this has been my experience too. That is, in the middle of a "hot" situation when the feelings and/or temptations are erupting, I've said "Lord help me! I can't do it, but I give it to you." And no matter how weak and unfeeling of any faith whatsoever that I am at that point, He is faithful to save - He changes my heart and/or the situation to create a way of escape. And, in these instances,
the enemy always tells me something like, "That weak speaking of yours is not of faith and He won't honor that." But that's Poppycock! Just the very breathing of the name of Jesus is something out of faith, and I know the Lord honors even those weak and feeble cries to Him! Praise Him! Praise Him! Praise Him!
Quote:
I remember that I was so boiling over with provocation that I could
not walk quietly, but fairly ran up to my bedroom, slamming the
doors after me. When safe in the seclusion of my room, I kneeled
down and said, "Lord, I am provoked, I want to be provoked, and
I think I have cause for being provoked; but I know I ought not to
be, and I want the victory. I hand this whole matter over to Thee. I
cannot fight this battle. Thou must fight it for me. Jesus saves me
now." I said these words out of a heart that seemed brimful of rebellion.
According to all appearances I was declaring a lie when I said the Lord
saved me, for I was not saved, and it did not look likely I could be.
But by faith I laid hold of it, and declared even. in the midst of
turmoil that the Lord could and did save me now. The result was
that immediately a summer morning of peace and happiness spread
over me. All my resentment and provocation vanished, and I felt as
happy as a bird in the sunshine at the thought of the very thing
which before had made me so angry. My faith had laid hold of a
divine fact. I had proved that God was able to deliver, and that He
did deliver the soul that trusted Him. I realized that it was a won-
derful truth that I had no need to fight my own battles, for the Lord
fought for me and I could hold my peace.
Many hundreds of similar battles have been fought and won for
me since by the Captain of my Salvation, and the secret I learned
then, of handing over the battle to the Lord, and .leaving it in His
hands, has never failed to work when I have acted on it. It has been
to me over and over a practical illustration of Christ's words, "Be
of good cheer, for I have overcome the world," He has overcome it,
not we; and He will always overcome it when we will put the mat-
ter into His hands, and will stand aside and let Him fight. Never
once, when I have done this, have I been disappointed; for it is
blessedly true, although so few seem to know it, that He is able to
save them to the uttermost that come unto God by Him, seeing He
ever liveth to make intercession for them. He was able then, when
the Epistle to the Hebrews was written, and He is able now; for He
Is not dead but “ever liveth” to make intercession for us.
I had discovered that faith is the conquering law of the universe.
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