The promises of the Lord are always “yes and amen.” His promises never change — and that includes his promise about saving the lost. When God commanded us to go into all the world to win souls, he didn’t include an exemption clause: “Preach the gospel of my Son Jesus Christ to all nations — except in hard times.” And he didn’t say, “Believe for the salvation of many — except when there is a great shaking in the world.”
This message is for every Christian who is on the brink of exhaustion, overwhelmed by your present situation. You have been a faithful servant, feeding others, confident that God can do the impossible for his people. Yet you have lingering doubts about God’s willingness to intervene in your present struggle.
Think of those in the Body of Christ whom you have given words of faith and hope, people facing seemingly hopeless situations. You’ve urged them, “Hang on! God is a miracle worker, and his promises are true. Don’t lose hope — he is going to answer your cry.”
God’s people need a great outpouring of the Holy Spirit, a supernatural touch even greater than the one at Pentecost. Jesus’ followers at Pentecost didn’t have to fear nuclear weapons. They didn’t tremble as the entire world economy hovered on the brink of collapse.
It is clear we need Holy Ghost power to face these last days. Indeed, the cry that’s called for today was heard in Isaiah’s day: “Oh, that You would rend the heavens! That You would come down … to make Your name known” (Isaiah 64:1-2).
The writer of Hebrews says to his readers, “By this time you ought to be teachers” (Hebrews 5:12). These are strong, bold words. Who exactly is the writer addressing here? In short, who is he rebuking? The book of Hebrews shows us he is speaking to believers who have been well-schooled in biblical truth. In other words, those reading this letter had sat under powerful preaching by many anointed ministers. Consider all that these Christians had been taught:
“[God] said, ‘My Presence will go with you, and I will give you rest.’ Then [Moses] said to Him, ‘If Your Presence does not go with us, do not bring us up from here’” (Exodus 33:14-15).
Moses knew it was God’s presence among them that set them apart from all other nations. The same is true of God’s people today. The only thing that sets us apart from nonbelievers is God’s presence “with us,” leading us, guiding us, working his will in and through us. His presence drives out fear and confusion.
“Therefore, brethren, having boldness to enter the Holiest by the blood of Jesus, by a new and living way which He consecrated for us, through the veil … let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith” (Hebrews 10:19-20, 22).
“Because of the voice of the enemy, because of the oppression of the wicked … my heart is severely pained within me … fearfulness and trembling have come upon me …So I said, ‘Oh, that I had wings like a dove! I would fly away and be at rest’” (Psalm 55:3-6). David speaks here of a satanic attack so severe that it drained his strength and patience and caused him to want to run. He moaned, “There is pain in my soul, a pressure that never lets up. It’s a battle that never ends and it terrifies me.
Today we are living in fearful times such as few of us have ever known. The truth is, only a personal word from the Lord can lead us through such times with the enduring hope we need. And God has always been faithful to provide a word to his people throughout history.
What is it about faith that keeps demanding of us greater testings? Why do our afflictions grow more intense, more severe, the closer we get to Christ? Just when we come through one trial that proves us faithful, here comes another test, increased in its intensity. Many godly saints must ask, “Lord, what is this awful trial about? You know my heart and you and I both know that I will trust you no matter what.”
Most people find it hard to accept that a loving God allows human suffering, but King David said his afflictions came from God’s hand: “Before I was afflicted I went astray, but now I keep Your word … It is good for me that I have been afflicted, that I may learn Your statutes” (Psalm 119:67, 71).