Yes it is true, the enemy wants to destroy our faith!
We all face storms at some stage in life. These storms are like waves that continuously crash against you to drown and sink you. Every person’s storm is different and can be in any area of your life your finances, relationships, health or work. The enemy’s plan is to bring on a storm in your heart, to keep you occupied with a sea of troubles that rage inside of you and demands your attention. All to make his plan succeed – to steal your faith!
The thief comes only in order to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have and enjoy life, and have it in abundance to the full, till it overflows (John 10:10).
Maybe your storm has brought you to a place where you cry out to God: ‘now this is just too much! I don’t see a way out of this and I don’t know how much more of this I could take’. Our natural reaction to life’s storms is to try and figure out all the answers and desperately seek to find reasons in order to understand. But the truth is that our walk in faith was never promised to be an easy one. The Word teaches us that you will not be able to overcome the storm in the flesh – we simply do not have enough strength. Only by faith and knowledge of who He is will we be able to continue and overcome. Just like Abraham we should know that our hope is not in our physical abilities but in Yahweh the Great I AM.
Rom 4:19 Abraham did not weaken in faith when he considered the [utter] impotence of his own body, which was as good as dead because he was about a hundred years old, or [when he considered] the barrenness of Sarah's [deadened] womb. :20 No unbelief or distrust made him waver (doubtingly question) concerning the promise of God, but he grew strong and was empowered by faith as he gave praise and glory to God, :21 Fully satisfied and assured that God was able and mighty to keep His word and to do what He had promised. :22 That is why his faith was credited to him as righteousness (right standing with God).
Having gone through the accident last week I was once again confronted with questions such as: Am I willing to die to everything, absolutely everything in my life? Am I prepared to only live by faith and not by sight? (2 Co 5:7). Am I prepared to have true faith - the leaning of my entire personality on God in Christ in absolute trust and confidence in His power, wisdom, and goodness? (Heb 6:12).
I rejoice in His goodness and faithfulness that I can answer: Yes, I know, that I know that there is nothing or no one else that can carry me through the storm except the fact that Yeshua is with me, that He loves me dearly, that I love Him and that Yahweh has sworn to be our keeper when we are overwhelmed in our darkest hour. I thank Him for reassuring me ‘Retah, I will not in any way fail you nor give you up nor leave you without support. [I will] not, [I will] not, [I will] not in any degree leave you helpless nor forsake nor let [you] down (relax My hold on you)! Assuredly not!’ (Heb 13.5)
Yeshua’s disciples were no strangers to storms in their lives. For their faith they endured being mocked, stoned, beaten and thrown in jail - but still there was a song in their hearts. They knew that Yahweh is faithful and true to His own promises. They also knew that His promises are obtained by faith – a faith that is often tested. Paul warned Timothy that Satan would attempt to overthrow the faith of some therefore he charged Timothy to fight a determined warfare, holding faith, and a good conscience (2 Tim 2:18).
Do you remember what the disciples did when the storm threatened to over whelm them? Whilst Yeshua was fast asleep they woke Him and cried: ‘Master, do You not care that we are perishing?’ (Mar 4:38). How similar is our reaction to storms? Yeshua proceeded by calming the storm – but asked them this: ‘Why are you so fearful? How is it that ye have no faith?’ (Mark 4:40).
‘You see, Retah, it is easy to have faith when there are no storm clouds on the horizon or when you have all the answers. Often my children think they can just pray and I will answer them according to their will. It does not take great faith to trust Me when the answers are clear. True faith is trusting Me and waiting expectantly for Me even though you don’t understand the circumstances or don’t have all the answers. Your faith will at times be tested and strengthened so that it may endure. (1 Pet 1: 6,7).You must have faith in Me not in the stability of your circumstances.’
Faith is not something we possess and take pride in. As children of Yahweh it is an integral part of us - our only option when thinking and reacting.In your storm, faith will shine out of your inner being to give you hope and direction for every step you need to take. We are unable to see anything, except through faith in Yahweh. In the flesh we see problems and impossibilities but in the spirit we see faith in our loving Abba Father. So don’t try to see or understand through the eyes of the flesh, go on your knees and seek His presence and see through faith. Don’t try to figure everything out but since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses [who have borne testimony to the Truth], rather let us strip off and throw aside every encumbrance (unnecessary weight) and that sin which so readily (deftly and cleverly) clings to and entangles us, and let us run with patient endurance and steady and active persistence the appointed course of the race that is set before us (Heb 12:1).
I believe in my heart that people like Enoch would be part of the great cloud of witnesses and that he is cheering us on to run this race of faith ’Come on Retah, run with faith, don’t look back, don’t listen to man’s opinions, just do what Yeshua asks you and your family to do, don’t stop, don’t listen to the lies of the enemy – He will keep on protecting you – run – the race is a race of faith!!!!!’
Like all believers – we are going through fire - but I am thankful in the knowledge that this fire brings to the surface and burns away all impurities. Once again, in this storm, I spend so many hours on my face – Lord, please purify me, and show me what I need to repent of. What in my life is not submitted to you?
I want to encourage you. Let us stand – and don’t allow Satan to shipwreck our faith. Maybe he will whisper in your ear – the righteous don’t suffer, you are just not making it, where is God? Is this where faith brings you? I urge you to remember that Satan is a liar– Yahweh cares for you and loves you and me. His love is not determined by your situation, but by the cross. Just look at the cross, see His faithfulness and how much He loves you.
We are all doing OK. Today, Tinus returned to the doctor to see whether the skin and muscle healing process is on schedule. Praise our Abba the doctor is satisfied and no further operations are required – all glory to Yahweh! We prayed and trusted God continuously for this and once again, as always, He is faithful. For the next 10 weeks Tinus will be unable to use his arm. But I know even in this we will see a miraculous recovery. Although Tinus is frustrated by his lack of mobility and still has some pain where the bone and skin were harvested he is enjoying the time with his Abba – a time of rest.
On Monday, I felt very discouraged seeing Tinus’ pain after his second operation. Sitting beside his bed I heard the enemy speaking ‘why don’t you stop ministering Retah, surely your family has been through enough pain? Why don’t you just quit?’ I just sought Yahweh’s face and in His loving kindness He reminded me ‘this is not about you, Retah, it is all about Me. Stand up, and go – I am with you and I love you. Don’t allow the enemy to steal your faith my child, hold on, hold on!
Thank you so, so, very much for all the prayers that went out for us. For all the love, mails and texts, we appreciate every single one. Your prayers helped me to hold on. Thank you and together we can now thank Him that His Word is true: And will not [our just] God defend and protect and avenge His elect (His chosen ones), who cry to Him day and night? Will He defer them and delay help on their behalf? I tell you, He will defend and protect and avenge them speedily. However, when the Son of Man comes, will He find [persistence in] faith on the earth? (Luke 18:7,8)
Let’s humble ourselves before the mighty hand of Yahweh, that is the best place in life!
Love Retah and family.