by Rex Rouis
How would you watch a game if you knew beforehand that your team had already won?
Imagine that a person knew that he was going to miss an important sports event, so he had it recorded to watch at a later time. However, before watching the game, he inadvertently learned that his team had won. How would the knowledge of his team’s victory affect his watching of the game?
How would he react if his team played poorly in the first half? Would he get nervous? No, not if he was confident in his knowing that his team had won. He would know that a turnaround was on the way. He would have the knowledge and confidence that no matter how bad it may look, something would have to happen to give his team the victory. In fact, instead of becoming nervous, he would become excited, anticipating that miraculous turnaround moment. He would know it would have to occur because his team had already won!
He has this confidence because he is now watching the game backward, from the perspective of the known ending. Everything now is being viewed in relation to the knowing that his team has already won. The only remaining unknown is how it will happen. The moment he learned that his team had won, winning stopped being a possibility (a hope) and became a known fact, which is the basis of faith. How silly would it be to watch a rerun of a game where you already knew your team had won and still worry about whether they would win?
Everything now is being viewed in relation to the knowing that his team has already won.
His level of trust in the victory is determined by his level of trust in the news source. If the source was credible, he could be highly confident. If, on the other hand, the source was, say, a stray comment overheard from a stranger, he could have room to doubt. In other words, the weight of the observed circumstances only matters if the information source is not trusted or credible. The only thing that matters is how well he heard and how trusted the source is. Everything depends on that and that alone.
Being in faith is much like watching this recorded sports event. We watch the players sweat and strain and run back and forth. There are moments when things look good and moments when things do not look so good, but in the end, it is all irrelevant; we know who wins.
Faith is not merely being able to watch a game with confidence or with a positive attitude. Faith is not mustering false confidence or trying to ignore the losing moments. It is not trying to speak courageously of victory through personal strength and discipline when all appears lost. This has no foundation. Faith is not something you muster on your own from within; it is something you receive from without.
Faith is determined by what we know before the event. If we know no more than anybody else before the game, then we will be the same as everybody else during the game. True faith knows beforehand what will happen. Faith is a pre-knowledge of the coming victory, and this knowledge produces peace. We may know the coming victory in detail, or we may know it simply by the peace in our hearts. Either way, it communicates a knowledge of victory, and by it, we have faith.
If we know no more than anybody else before the game, then we will be the same as everybody else during the game.
This knowledge of victory that gives us faith is based on a ‘knowing’ Word from God. Faith is God’s Word becoming alive to us in a real and personal way concerning an actual and specific situation or thing. Faith is the result of God speaking the outcome to our heart. And when we hear the outcome, we know the outcome. It is when we stand on this knowing that we are standing on His Word in faith. This Word we heard is now a knowing we must receive and act upon.
This is precisely what happened to Paul in Acts Chapter 27 when the boat was in danger of sinking from a terrible storm. Paul went off to seek and hear from God. An angel told him about a coming shipwreck and that all would be saved. After hearing from God, he announced to everybody on board the following, “…I believe God that it will turn out exactly as I have been told.” (Acts 27:25). He now knew how it would ultimately turn out.
So faith comes from hearing and hearing by the Word of Christ. Romans 10:17
The victory and peace we can walk in during the game are determined by our hearing from God before the game. To have this knowledge of victory, we must spend the time necessary to hear solidly from Him. The stronger the trust in the ‘hearing,’ the less impact the so-called ‘facts’ of the game will have on us. Once we know the outcome, we own the outcome. Then, we are expected to protect and retain the ownership of that ‘knowing’ till the end through patience.
The writer of Hebrews says that ‘by faith and patience (we shall) inherit (or receive) the promises (the collective ‘hopes’ of God’s Word).’ In the story above, Paul had to walk in obedience to receive all God had spoken to him.
If we knew of God’s will in every area of our life, we would have peace in every area of our life. Let us first labor to hear from God, and then we can watch the game of life with peace. The things received from God in private determine the victories accomplished later in public. We are told ‘not to lean to our own understanding.’ Instead, our ears are only to be on what He says. Nothing else matters.
But life is not that simple.
Granted, in real life, it’s not as simple as this. In life, we are not merely watching a game but in the game. We are the ones going back and forth, sweating, straining, and getting hit. Our loved ones are playing, and they are also getting hit. Some may even be playing for another team, which really hurts.
Moreover, our principal opponent (the devil) is a talented player who doesn’t play fair. He is a great deceiver and knows how to use our weaknesses against us. Nevertheless, the principles are still the same, and with God, we can win. The Bible tells us that we are more than conquerors through Him who strengthens us. To win, we must practice until we can play the game of life with love, faith, and peace.
We are more than conquerors through Him who loved us.
The Bible tells us that we win, and that is all there is to it. Now, let’s go out and throw a victory party and give Jesus the MVP award.
Comments
This articlw on Faith has given me strength again as I was falling into the devil’s trap. In my situation I can only hear the word of others that is true to my situation before my victory happens. I believe in God and in whom I’ve trusted to teach me my Faith, Hope, and strength come from the Lord. He is made me and gave me life and breath air into my lungs. And given me true companionship. Nicole Borsello
what an eye opener..thank you Lord
Thank you ,Lord
Thank you ,Lord
its timely.i have seen the exact light i was searching for!PRAISE GOD MY VICTORY IS SEALED!
Thank you for this article it was so helpful and uplifting. I have total faith in God’s word…..it really does work too!
Kathy
This is amazing, it explains faith for even a baby to understand. God bless you all.
I am not just a mere spectator in the game of life. I am the player. But as a believer, I know I will win! I claim victory in all areas of my life! Alleluia!
Im very blessed today:)
You have no idea how much i needed to hear these words!! thank you very much for lifting us up, encouraging us and spurring us on with these words! Victory is mine today!
thank you very very much for this blessing of faith words….very very inspiring..God bless you
Wow; what a powerful article. Jesus is so amazing and gave us the authority to tramp on serpents’ and scorpions’ heads. We have all the power because of our faith! I was born into Islam and somehow knew my entire life that Jesus was a very important. I had a very personal experience with Him in 2008 that just pulled my faith into such a level that I was healed from rheumatoid arthritis! Praise be to Jesus!
beautifully expressed yet easier said than done the carnal mind would say, but the spirit believes all things pertaining to the word of God.
I am in the middle of the game. My faith is being tested. I know I will victory but it is painful right now.
every body should have a little faith just a little it really works!!!!!
im saving this One. it was well said .thank you very much. God Bless you!
The illustration is powerful to move me to continue in the faith, no matter what. Thank You.
Thank you for the gracious comment. Keep reading the Word and building your faith.
Well said – Thank you Jesus.
Thank you for this great article. It has opened my eyes to the wonderful things in the word of God. The Lord is to be praised!!!
with God all things are possible i have just written my exams two subjects were difficult but i did my work very perfectly
i just need God to bless me.
This really blessed me today! Just what I needed.
Thank you. Your comment really blessed me too. I also needed it today, thanks.
I enjoyed reading the analogy. God has the play book and we must respond to his call and directions. Thanks be to God!!!
Well said, iv never looked at what I’m going through like this but I thank u so much
Inspiring.
Amen!!! Thank you Jesus!!