Never Lose The Hope That Is Ours in Jesus

A.W. Tozer devotional from today.

1 Peter 5: 8-9 NKJV

Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour.

Resist him, steadfast in the faith, knowing that the same sufferings are experienced by your brotherhood in the world.


If unanswered prayer continues in a congregation over an extended
period of time, the chill of discouragement will settle over the
praying people. If we continue to ask and ask and ask, like
petulant children, never expecting to get what we ask for but
continuing to whine for it, we will become chilled within our
beings.

If we continue in our prayers and never get answers, the lack of
results will tend to confirm the natural unbelief of our hearts.
Remember this: the human heart by nature is filled with
unbelief....

Perhaps worst of all is the fact that our failures in prayer
leave the enemy in possession of the field. The worst part about
the failure of a military drive is not the loss of men or the loss
of face but the fact that the enemy is left in possession of the
field. In the spiritual sense, this is both a tragedy and a
disaster. The devil ought to be on the run, always fighting a rear
guard action. Instead, this blasphemous enemy smugly and
scornfully holds his position, and the people of God let him have
it. No wonder the work of the Lord is greatly retarded. Little
wonder the work of God stands still!


"Lord, show me Your power today. Increase my faith. Don't ever
let the enemy claim any territory because of my doubt and
unbelief. Amen."

Never think that the desires and prayers of our hearts in whatever congregation of the saints we find ourselves in, are not being answered in one way or another because our One True God who loves as much as He does would never not hear the prayers of His children, but He chooses the time and place to answer and sometimes that answer is not what we like but just what we need. Never lose hope, because our hope always must be in Christ and the finished work of the cross. What a glorious truth!