engracedmike
Let your conversation be without covetousness; and be content with such things as ye have: for he hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee. So that we may boldly say, The Lord is my helper, and I will not fear what man shall do unto me (Hebrews 13:5-6).
In our opening text, the Spirit gives an important counsel at the beginning of the fifth verse. He says let your manner of life be without covetousness, and be content with what you have. He could have stopped there, but He didn’t. Rather, He went further to tell us the reason He made the statement in the first place, which we find in the concluding part of verse five: “for he hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee.”
Again, He could have stopped there, and that would have meant He just wanted us to see a promise, which would still have been nice. Howbeit, He goes to the next verse and reveals something even more profound; He said, “So that we may boldly say, The Lord is my helper, and I will not fear what man shall do unto me.” That changes everything! It’s not just a promise anymore; a principle is being revealed. He bases the counsel on a principle. The principle is: “God has said, so that you may boldly say….”
God gave us His Word, so that you may boldly say something in response and in consonance with what He has said. That’s what changes your life. The promise doesn’t change your life; the principle does. And the principle doesn’t come into operation, until you act on it.
In applying the principle, you’re not to merely “quote” what God has said. Our theme verse doesn’t say, “He hath said, ‘I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee, so that we may boldly say, ‘I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee’”; no! He didn’t say quote it back. Speaking the same thing in consent means giving your personal faith-response to the Word, on the basis of your accurate understanding of, and confidence in, what God has said. It means giving a response that’s consistent with what He has said. That’s the principle; and that’s what transforms your life. Hallelujah!
Prayer
Dear heavenly Father, I thank you for causing me to experience increased glory in my life as I affirm your Word today. I’m a success, a victor, and a champion forever, because Christ is my source, my ability and my sufficiency.
further study:
1-YEAR BIBLE READING PLAN
Mark 11:27-33- 12:1-17
Numbers 18-19
2-YEAR BIBLE READING PLAN
Matthew 20:24-34
Exodus 15
2 Corinthians 4:13; Mark 11:23
