Take-Action

Ps.12:⁶ (TLB & NKJV, emphasis added) “The Lord’s promise is sure. He speaks no careless word; all he says is purest truth… Like silver tried in a furnace of earth, purified seven times.”

The power of prayer is not in our prayers but in His answering. Some people are so confident in their prayers. Have you heard statements like this, “When I pray…”? Who are you? It is good to pray and if you think you pray well, praise God for you. But do not put your confidence in your prayers. Put your confidence in your God who answers prayers. Ps.65:² (NRSV) “O You who answer prayer! To you all flesh shall come.” When we gather to pray or come as individuals, it is not because we are spiritual, or we are holy, or we can pray, or we are perfect. We are gathered to the God who answers prayers. Therefore, our confidence is not in our prowess, our confidence is in His power to deliver and to save. Our confidence is in our prayer-answering God.

Josh.14:¹² “…But if the Lord is with me, I will drive them out of the land, just as the Lord said.” (emphasis added). It sounds like Caleb is making a conditional statement. What is going on here? The New Revised Standard Version is closest to the original text and it reads, “…it may be that the Lord will be with me, and I shall drive them out, as the Lord said.” Is Caleb doubting? Not at all. Caleb knew what every giant killer knows, he knew what every territory taker knows, and it is the same thing David knew when he ran towards Goliath. Caleb knew that the mindset of waiting and sitting will not help. He knew the same thing that Jonathan knew and told his amour bearer in 1 Sam.14:6-10 [please read]. This is the secret: giant killers and territory takers take-action and see God’s faithfulness. Ordinary people want to see God’s faithfulness before they take action. Giant killers and territory takers take-action, God meets them, and they experience God’s faithfulness. Ordinary people pray and fast for God to show His faithfulness before they take action. Mediocre people say, “Show Yourself, Lord!” Giant killer, just take the step.

God does not want us to operate on the back foot, reactively. God wants us to operate on the front foot, proactively. Take the battle to the enemy. The name Caleb means faithful. Caleb was saying, “I know how to follow God wholeheartedly. I know how to be faithful. I am going to take action and see if He [God] is more faithful than I”. A lot of us sacrifice, we give, and we do things for God. But when God expects us to take action to prove Him, we back down. God is saying, “Do you think you are better than Me? If you can be there for Me, don’t you think I will be there for you? Do you think you will take that step and I will not back it up?” The question to you today is, are you going to take action? Are you going to say like Caleb, “Bring-it-on! Bring on the promises and bring on the giants! What is it going to be? Are you assured of His presence with you as you go or not? Wrestle with these questions. Are you going to take action and commit your life to Jesus? Take-action and make Jesus Lord of your life now.

Prayer: Father, I will act upon Your Word because Your Word holds true and You are faithful in all Your ways [Ps.33:4], in Jesus Name. Amen!