Young Adults' Group

Faith To Overcome Great Challenges

by Pastor Mark
July 11, 2019

Great challenges

When we have to face significant challenges in life, do we have the faith to overcome them? Let us consider the kind of faith that can triumph over such difficulties. The Prophet Habakkuk saw how the land of Israel would be ravaged by war. Many lives would be lost. The land would be devastated. Habakkuk had to paint a gloomy picture of what was going to happen. He wrote, “Though the fig tree may not blossom, nor fruit be on the vines; though the labour of the olive may fail, and the fields yield no food; though the flock may be cut off from the fold, and there be no herd in the stalls.” (Hab 3:17) These would be tough circumstances to go through. There would be crop failures which would result in a massive shortage of food. People would be starving as a result. The livestock would also be severely affected.

Things would no longer be the same as before. Life for Habakkuk and the people of Israel would change drastically. How did Habakkuk face up to these great challenges? Initially, Habakkuk struggled with these coming realities. However, as he interacted with God, his faith also became stronger and more confident.

A triumphant faith

The Lord had spoken to Habakkuk that “the just shall live by faith.” (Hab 2:4) It was vital that faith should be lived out. Those who walk in righteousness should seek to live their lives by their faith. They should apply their faith in overcoming the challenges of life. Habakkuk manifested a triumphant faith in his response to these adverse challenges.

1. A faith that is able to find joy amid great adversity

“Yet I will rejoice in the Lord, I will joy in the God of my salvation.” (Hab 3:18)

When we go through great challenges, it is most difficult to find joy. However, the faith of Habakkuk caused him to rejoice. His joy was found in the Lord. No matter how adverse the situation was, he could still rejoice.

His faith was in the God of his salvation. The Lord would bring about the deliverance of Habakkuk and Israel. His joy came through focusing on the Lord and His salvation. Through a triumphant faith, we can be enabled to find joy amid significant difficulties. Let us be challenged to cultivate this victorious faith.

2. A faith that is able to find strength

“The Lord God is my strength; He will make my feet like deer’s feet, and He will make me walk on my high hills.” (Hab 3:19)

In facing the adverse challenges of life, it is not easy to cope. We can be thoroughly overwhelmed. Habakkuk had a faith that was able to find strength in the Lord. His source of power was the Lord. He trusted in the Lord to give him the necessary strength to cope with the realities of these adverse circumstances.

Can we learn to walk with strength through such great difficulties of life? The answer is “Yes”. Habakkuk used the imagery of a deer. A deer has strong feet that can climb the high hills. Habakkuk wrote of how the Lord would make his feet like deer’s feet. The Lord can strengthen our feet to become like deer’s feet that we may keep climbing and triumphant over the difficult mountains of life. Let us be challenged to have a victorious faith that can rejoice and find strength from the Lord to overcome whatever adversity that may come our way.

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