What is your scriptural position in God? You must believe that the history and the account of what God has given in the Scriptures is actually true. You must believe that God made the heavens and the earth. You must believe the accounts concerning the Garden of Eden and the tower of Babel, the story of the three Hebrew children in the fiery furnace and Daniel in the lions’ den. You must believe that Jonah was swallowed by the whale. You must believe that all of this really did happen, according to the historical account in the Word. You must believe that Jesus is the Son of God, born of the virgin Mary, that He lived sinlessly and overcame for us, that He died on the cross, was buried, rose again, and ascended on high.
Most of the fundamentalists agree that all of this has happened, but in this walk with God we believe that Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever, and therefore everything that we read about in the Scriptures is repeatable. All the promises and covenants of God are yea and amen in Christ Jesus the Lord (II Corinthians 1:20). You are fully justified in saying, “Do it again, Lord! Do it again!” It is repeatable.
Our faith stands in not only believing the Bible, but in believing that because of the power and the provision of God and His lovingkindness toward us, He has committed to us the faith that was once and for all time delivered to the saints. This makes everything that we read in the Word repeatable. It is not only repeatable, but the Holy Spirit comes to make it alive to us and to lead us into even greater things, into all the truth. This is the real test of faith: it is easy to believe in the history of the Bible, but to believe that it can be repeated and will be repeated in your lifetime is not as easy. We are to reach in and claim it as a present expression and a present actualizing of the Word of God in our lives right now. It is ours now! We must believe and say in our hearts, “It happened then and it is happening to me now. He is doing it again. He will complete it and perfect it.” If we believe that God protected the people in the days gone by, then we must believe even more that He will give us the immunity and protection we need today.
I do not believe there are any common place answers for the coming economical problems. But one thing is sure: No matter what advice you give and what preparation you try to make, it is like trying to build a little canoe for a tidal wave. It is almost impossible to be prepared for what is coming except for the fact that we are told by God that we will walk through those days and He will preserve us and take care of us. But it is not going to happen automatically. Christ warned us that when these tides of judgment suddenly come upon the earth.
A thousand shall fall at thy side, and ten thousand at thy right hand; but it shall not come nigh thee. Only with thine eyes shalt thou behold, and see the reward of the wicked. Psalm 91:7, 8.
There have to be some keys to this immunity. It will not just happen by accident at the last minute. The Lord will not randomly choose who is to live and who is to die. It is not that by chance some are chosen for judgment and others will escape it. You are told to prepare your heart, and if you have the hope, you will prepare your heart. Get ready for the day. The immunity is something which is built up within you, protecting you from the plagues that will sweep across the country.
Do you understand why you are going through a little of the tribulation period every day? Do you understand what God is doing as He teaches you how to listen to His word and realize every day that man does not live by bread alone, but by every Living Word that He is bringing forth now? He is teaching and preparing you. The day will come when the judgments of God will be in the earth, and many will have no resistance against them. Others will come forth gloriously because God has built His righteousness and His immunity within them. It is good to know that the things which are befalling you are not in vain, but a means to an end.
I am constantly aware of the people who seem to be failing all the time. They seem to fail every test God brings to them. As soon as they get on their feet, a bigger wave of testing hits them and they go down again. From one viewpoint, they are constantly failing, just like a child who is learning to walk. How many times does he fall and bump his head in the process of learning to walk? When he gets a little older, how many times does he almost kill himself learning to skate? Each time it looks as if the failures are multiplied. The failures can be multiplied many times, for the righteous man falleth seven times, but the Lord upholdeth him with His hand (Proverbs 24:16). The righteous man is always placed in a situation that is a little beyond his capacity to walk in.
This is the way you grow, and yet you are not aware that you are growing. You are only aware of trying to learn and always falling on your face. But through these experiences God is building you up. One day you will be able to walk, and a little later you will be running. Keep on going because one of these days you are going to fly. As you are being thrust into situations which appear like defeats, He is making you learn to trust Him. He is building immunities, spiritual skills, and divine attributes. You are appropriating more of the Lord all the time. You are moving into your heritage. You are beginning to possess the things which God really has for you.
I wish there were some way to build in your mind the full significance of the grace of God. If God has taught you some lessons and you refuse to walk in them, you are going to be in trouble. God is really dealing with this walk in the Spirit. In Ephesians 6, we read about the Christian’s armor. There is a breastplate, a helmet, a shield, a protection for the loins and for the feet. It is highly significant that there is no protection on the back. If you will believe God and go on with Him, He will provide for you the full armor to go on in the assault; but in the day you turn your back, you are not fit for the Kingdom of God (Luke 9:62). You will become vulnerable and lose your immunities and protection the day that you become discouraged and begin to murmur and rebel and turn the other way. God will stomp on you until you learn this lesson: No matter what comes to you, believe the word of God. Then you will stand. Do not turn around and run, or God will deal with you. Do not get discouraged and go back to some lust of the flesh. When you fall, get up and seek the mercies of the Lord. He is trying to teach you something about walking as a mature son of God. He is helping you grow up. This is the way immunities really come.
This battle is too rough. You cannot afford to play around with any sin in your life. If you are hanging onto anything, get rid of it. No longer do you dare to make an opportunity for yourself to go out and play with the sin of the world. Turn away from that and cry out to the Lord to help you. Curse the thing that rises up to torment you. Believe God to give you the immunity and deliverance you are looking for in your life.
He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High will abide in the shadow of the Almighty. I will say to the Lord, “My refuge and my fortress, My God, in whom I trust!” Psalm 91:1, 2.
Joshua loved the glory of the Lord. He abode in the tabernacle and did not come out. He wanted to stay where the glory was. Learn to stay in the Spirit continually. Learn to dwell in that shelter of the Most High.
There is a trite old saying, “As the days get longer, the cold gets stronger.” There comes a time when it seems as though you have passed into a certain period, and suddenly there is a climate change. This is exactly what we are facing right now. We are getting into a certain period where the storms are going to be turned loose upon the earth. Now is the time to get ready for it. Geese fly south to avoid the harsh winters in the northern regions.
You may not realize that God’s dealings now are on another level. You do not dare to continue playing around with habits and sins, with the things of the world. Get out of the walk in the flesh and get ready for the days ahead. Do not see this as just throwing off the worldly things you enjoy. You are building up an immunity. The joys of the world are going to be empty and unfulfilling. The days of torment will be upon the ungodly. While they are shivering with the cold, you will be enjoying a beautiful warm coat. When other people are in torment, the immunity will be there for you. The Lord is your refuge and your fortress.
He will cover you with His pinions, and under His wings you may seek refuge; His faithfulness is a shield and bulwark. You will not be afraid of the terror by night, or of the arrow that flies by day; of the pestilence that stalks in darkness, or of the destruction that lays waste at noon. A thousand may fall at your side, and ten thousand at your right hand; but it shall not approach you. You will only look on with your eyes, and see the recompense of the wicked. For you have made the Lord, my refuge, even the Most High, your dwelling place. Psalm 91:4–9.
I think it is very significant that many of the people in this walk have been led to listen to tapes almost continually. Tapes are being played all day long at the various Kingdom businesses. People listen to them in their homes and while driving in their cars. We have to learn that by constantly dwelling in the presence of the Lord, we are provided with a shield and a protection. We will learn how to take one step right into that place where the Lord is our fortress, our refuge, and our shield, our buckler and our protection. If we do not take this step, the torment of fear will constantly be with us. We must stand fast together and believe for the Lord to really bless us. Start claiming that blessing. Stand on the word of God. Do not be full of fear. You have waited all your life to live tomorrow, so live it with faith.