God is Looking for Faith

(2nd Sam 23:11,12) Next in rank was Shammah son of Agee from Harar. One time the Philistines gathered at Lehi and attacked the Israelites in a field full of lentils. The Israelite army fled, but Shammah held his ground in the middle of the field and beat back the Philistines. So the LORD brought about a great victory.

In the last message from this series we took a look at Shammah’s NO QUIT mentality. Personally, I love the Word of God and I have studied the lives of many of the heroes within its pages and what they all have in common is the ability to operate in faith, even when all human hope is gone. The writer of Hebrews said, “It is impossible to please God without faith” (11:6). The word impossible there is not a mistake. You simply cannot please God without faith and since God desires for us to live lives pleasing to him, He is looking for faith in the earth.

If you look at the life of Jesus (who was God in the flesh) you will see the same thing. Jesus was pleased by faith. Jesus got up every morning, prayed, and headed out for the day’s journey. Inevitably he would come in contact with someone who operated in faith, He would meet their need, and they say something to the effect of: “This was done according to your faith.”

One time Jesus encountered Roman man who possessed exceptional faith and He said, “Most certainly I tell you, I haven't found so great a faith, not even in Israel” (Mat 8:10). The words “I haven’t found” tell me that faith is what Jesus was looking for. The reason why He responded to those coming to Him in faith every day is because He got up looking for faith every day.

The Father does the same thing. He wants to work in the earth. Jehovah wants to manifest His glory. He wants to operate in our lives, but to do so He is looking for our cooperation. Can God do anything? Of course He can, but He has chosen to work through man and He has chosen to do His work in and through us with our cooperation – not in spite of us. God is not going to force Himself on us, but when He finds someone who is willing to believe Him, even when all human hope is gone, then it gives Him an opportunity to ‘show up’ and ‘show out!’

This takes us back to Shammah. It was not God’s will that the Philistines come in and take all that the Israelites had worked so hard to achieve. This was an Israelite field of lentils and it was harvest time. The field was full, the harvest was ready, and it was time for the Israelites to reap what they had sown, but as is often the case, it was also the time that the enemy came in the strongest. Sure enough, the enemy came in full-force and God was not pleased. He wanted to help the Israelites defend their ground, but He was looking for human cooperation. However, soldiers were running everywhere. Before you knew it, the only one left was Shammah. But no need to worry, God can work through one man just as easily as He can work through thousands.
Notice that the text says that Shammah did the fighting, but it also says: “The LORD brought about a great victory.” We will discuss that closing point more tomorrow.

So what does this mean to you? A few things:
1. When you are looking for answers, God is looking for faith!
2. Nothing is impossible to him that believes.
3. If you supply the faith, God will supply the Victory!

Father, I declare, with my own lips and from my own heart, that I am a man/woman of faith. I was saved by faith, I walk by faith, I pray by faith, I fight by faith, I live by faith, and I overcome by faith. Like a house is wired for electricity, I am wired for faith. I see every situation through the lens of faith. I speak to every situation with the language of faith. My heart’s desire is to please You and since I cannot please You without faith, I operate in faith every day and in every way. As I do, You respond to my faith and You manifest Your glory in my life. You work with and through me like You did with Shammah and when the enemy brings the attack, You brings the Victory! In Jesus’ name. Amen!