Unlocking the Power of Faith: Transforming Your Present
Faith is the key to unlocking the treasures of God’s promises, both past and future. It gives us a present sense of ownership and connection to the blessings and mercies that have been recorded in Scripture and promised to us.
The Substance of Things Hoped For
The apostle Paul reminds us that faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen (Heb. 11:1). This means that faith takes the promises of God and makes them a present reality in our lives, even if they have not yet been fulfilled. It confirms our minds and hearts, giving us a sense of certainty and assurance that God’s promises are true and available to us.
Faith Makes the Past and Future Present
Faith extends beyond the promises of God to the entire Word of God, making evident and present things that are past and future. It allows us to see the love and goodwill of God in every work that He has done for His people, and to claim that love and goodwill as our own. Whether it’s the victories of Joshua, the deliverances of the Israelites, or the promises of Christ, faith makes them all present and available to us.
Three Ways Faith Makes Mercies Present
There are three ways that faith makes the mercies of God present to us: by giving us a sense of their love, consolation, and use. Faith draws out the love of God in every recorded deliverance and makes it ours, giving us a sense of the goodwill and loving-kindness of God. It also brings us comfort and refreshment, allowing us to feed on the sweetness of God’s mercies and to rejoice in His goodness. Finally, faith gives us a sense of the use and benefit of God’s mercies, allowing us to apply them to our lives and to experience their transformative power.
The Love of God’s Mercies
The love of God’s mercies is the proper object of faith. It looks into the goodwill and loving-kindness of God in every work that He has done for His people, and claims that love as our own. Whether it’s the promise of Joshua, the deliverance of the Israelites, or the glory of the saints in heaven, faith makes the love of God’s mercies present and available to us.
The Comfort and Refreshment of God’s Mercies
Faith also brings us comfort and refreshment, allowing us to feed on the sweetness of God’s mercies and to rejoice in His goodness. We can chew on the blessings of former ages, rejoicing in the preservations of the church and the deliverances of God’s people. We can also look forward to the promises of God, whether general or particular, and experience the sweetness of their fulfillment.
The Use and Benefit of God’s Mercies
Finally, faith gives us a sense of the use and benefit of God’s mercies, allowing us to apply them to our lives and to experience their transformative power. We can use the past mercies of God to transform our present, carrying them with us in every trial and difficulty. We can also look forward to the promises of God, using them to guide and direct us in our lives.
Two Reasons Why Faith Makes Mercies Present
There are two reasons why faith makes the mercies of God present to us. First, faith is a grace that unites its subject and object, the person believing and the thing believed. It is the bond of union between the soul and the thing promised, making it a present reality in our lives. Second, all mercies are intended for every believer, and faith makes them available to us at all times.
Using the Past to Transform the Present
So how can we use the past mercies of God to transform our present? By carrying them with us in every trial and difficulty, and by using them to guide and direct us in our lives. We can learn to eat leviathan many years after his death, feeding on the blessings of former ages and rejoicing in the goodness of God.
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