Got Fear?

Got fear? No? Maybe you should rethink that. There is a kind of fear we need; the fear of the Lord. The Bible says that the fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge (Prov. 1:7) and the beginning of wisdom (Proverbs 9:10). It says the fear of the Lord is “to hate evil” (Proverbs 8:13). The psalmist wrote that the fear of the Lord is “clean, enduring forever” (Psalm 19:9). The fear of the Lord is something God feels we need to learn (Psalm 34:11).

The fear of the Lord can be a motivation for holiness. When King Jehoshaphat led the reforms of Judah he instructed his judges to, “Take heed to what you are doing, for you do not judge for man but for the LORD, who is with you in the judgment . . . . let the fear of the LORD be upon you; take care and do it, for there is no iniquity with the LORD our God, no partiality, nor taking bribes . . . you shall act in the fear of the LORD, faithfully and with a loyal heart” (2 Chronicles 19:6-7, 9). The fear of the Lord was an awesome reminder of the holiness and perfect justness of the One whom they served. It was an impetus for revival in the nation. How many politicians and judges would change their ways if they took to heart that they serve the Lord? (cf. Romans 13). How many pastors, religious leaders and Christians would act differently if they really took to heart that they serve Holy God? Got fear, fear of the LORD? Oh I wish we did! I pray we will!

The account of Ananias and Sapphira’s sin and the Spirit’s response concludes with the words,

Acts 5:11 – “So great fear came upon all the church and upon all who heard these things.”

This event in the early church produced “great fear” (5:5, 11). Got fear? These people did. The people were in reverent awe of what God had done to expose Satan’s work. No doubt it inspired the rest of the flock to be sincere in their offerings.

What were they afraid of? It was not only the sudden death of Ananias and Sapphira that raised chills up the spines of those early believers and those who heard of these events. No, it was also the fact that the Spirit enabled Peter to expose the sinful strategy of the unholy couple and the sin that was in their hearts. Think of it, Peter exposed an area that people normally feel comfortable hiding. The Spirit saw into and exposed the deep recesses of the sinful heart. There was nowhere to hide. But they were merely seeing manifested a reality and truth people often ignore, the Spirit can see into our hearts.

I wonder if the freedom with which people live hypocritically and deceitfully does not betray and expose a darker truth, that they in reality have little true faith in God or even believe there is a God. At the very least it conveys that people have a mistaken notion of God and His grace since their free sin and deception is done with the belief that “God will forgive me.” God nowhere endorses sin. Instead God says, “I, the LORD, search the heart, I test the mind, Even to give every man according to his ways, According to the fruit of his doings.” (Jeremiah 17:10.

There are many places in the Bible where it states God looks into the heart of people (1 Samuel 16:7; 1 Chronicles 28:9;29:17; 2 Chronicles 6:30; Psalm 7:9; 139:1-2, 23-24; Proverbs 17:3; Jeremiah 11:20; 20:12; John 2:24-25; Romans 8:27; Hebrews 4:12-13; Revelation 2:23). Do we really believe there is a God who searches the hearts of people? Do we believe that the God who searches the heart of people can and does discipline and give them the righteous consequence of what is in those hearts? Do we sin so freely and in such great abundance because we trust the grace of God or because we presume upon it? Are we really struggling against sin? Is sin in our lives and heart something we resist in the Spirit or permit in the flesh? John said the person who consistently sins and lives a lifestyle of sin is not a child of God at all but a child of the devil (1 John 3:4-9).

God does not only eves drop on our hearts. He looks into our hearts with a purpose, “to give every man according to his ways, according to the fruit of his doings.” Once we realize that, it can bring fear to our cheating hearts. The people who saw what happened to Ananias and Sapphira were convicted by the Holy Spirit to consider the reality of their sinful ways. Like Isaiah who became acutely aware of his own sinfulness in the presence of the Holy One of Israel (Isaiah 6), these people were in awe and shaken to the foundation of their being by the reality that God could see into their hearts (on this occasion through the spiritual gift of discernment in Peter). They were in fearful awe of the consequence they saw in this influential couple. Maybe they thought if that happened to them, what might happen to me? What the Spirit did in the case of Ananias and Sapphira led to soul and heart searching amongst the people of God and even those who had yet to receive Jesus as their Savior.

What does God see when He looks into your heart? Many in church today say, “Oh, if only we had the power of the early church!” If we did, I wonder how many would fall down, literally slain in the spirit, and have to be carried out! Are we really truly guarding our hearts, or are we presuming on the grace of God. Paul said in his inspired discussion of God’s grace, “Shall we continue to sin that grace may abound?” (Romans 6:1). And with him we must cry, “Certainly not!” (Romans 6:2) And yet, a disregard for the seriousness of sin and casual indulgence in it is the mind and heart attitude of many in the church today.

But there is another aspect of the fear. Let me illustrate. I love my wife very much. I would never want to do anything to hurt or cause her sorrow. My love for her produces a healthy fear to not do anything that would harm her. My love produces holy fear. And our love for God should produce a similar holy fear toward our God. We should fear doing anything that would cause Him sorrow, regret, or pain. We need to reacquire a holy fear of sinning against God.

But doesn’t perfect love cast out fear? (1 John 4:18). Yes that is true. We need not fear God’s judgment when we enter by grace through faith in Christ an abiding loving eternally saving relationship with Him. But perfect or mature Christian love would never endorse sinful living. God knows our hearts and wants them clean. We too often allow Satan to step into the foyer of our heart and tune us into lascivious and lustful words and images. Instead we should resist him in the Spirit with all our might. It’s as though on the outside we present a good show of resisting Satan and his temptations, but on the inside, in our hearts and minds, we crave, lust and indulge his tempting tidbits of lust, pornography and immorality. We should guard against such attempts to infiltrate our hearts and the church. But we should also thank God for His patience and grace and be watchful that we do not allow Satan to infiltrate our hearts as he did with this hypocritical couple. Confess the sins of your heart and be cleansed by God! (1 John 1:7, 9). Got fear, fear of the LORD? I do. Do you?

Faith Like a Demon

“I know who You are—the Holy One of God!” – Mark 1:24

Do you have faith? What kind of faith do you have? Is it an informed faith? Do you take comfort in defining your faith as knowing who Jesus is? Do you think that is sufficient faith for eternal life? If so, I have to inform you that you are relying on demonic faith. The demons believe in God. Demons know quite a lot about God. In the gospels they knew more about Jesus than the religious people of the day. They believed and knew that Jesus was: “Jesus of Nazareth . . . the Holy One of God!” (Mark 1:24; Luke 4:34); “the Son of God” (Mark 3:11); and “the Christ, the Son of God!” (Luke 4:41). Demons demonstrated their knowledge by identifying the apostles as, “These men are the servants of the Most High God, who proclaim to us the way of salvation” (Acts 16:17-18). Their proclamation was annoying and counterproductive to the ministry. Paul eventually cast them out of their human vessel. But demons believe in the existence of God and know who His ministers are.

This demonic faith in God is more than a lot of people have today. Today many people deny the existence of God or that Jesus was a literal historical figure. Many deny that Jesus is the Son of God or that He is “the Christ,” the Savior of the world. Many deny that Jesus is God, the second Person of the Triune Godhead. This is because the god of this age has blinded unbelievers (2 Corinthians 4:4-5). He has blinded the lost and deluded them into thinking either there is no God (e.g. atheism), that there are many gods (e.g. polytheism), or that God is everywhere and in everything (e.g. pantheism). There are those who have been deceived into thinking “God” is who they conjure Him up to be. This is nothing more than idolatry; God in man’s image. God is who He says He is, not who we say He is. Still others follow false religious views of God (e.g. Islam). The god of this age, Satan, has deluded people into misinterpreting faith in God and in particular the genuine saving faith of the gospel. This should not surprise us. Scripture warns, “Now the Spirit expressly says that in the latter times some will depart from the faith, giving heed to deceiving spirits and doctrines of demons” (1 Timothy 4:1).

The deceptive doctrinal teaching of demons seeks to strike at the core of genuine saving faith. It pitches the idea that saving faith is merely the accumulation of knowledge or assent to certain things. But such a definition is no better than the faith the demons themselves hold! And they are not going to heaven. They are destined for an eternal existence in hell. Is that the kind of faith you want? Is that the kind of faith you are relying on? The apostle James spoke of such faith saying, “You believe that there is one God. You do well. Even the demons believe—and tremble!” (James 2:19). In these words James enlightens his readers in telling them that not even belief in a monotheistic God is enough to save them. No, demons have a theology; and much of it is correct theology; but they are still destined for hell. What’s your theology? What kind of faith are you relying on for your salvation? “Examine yourselves as to whether you are in the faith. Test yourselves. Do you not know yourselves, that Jesus Christ is in you? - unless indeed you are disqualified” (2 Corinthians 13:5).

What then is the nature of the faith that saves us? What is the difference between the genuine saving faith of gospel and the faith of demons? The apostle John addresses this very question of distinction when he is inspired by God to write:

1 John 3:7-10 - 7 Little children, let no one deceive you. He who practices righteousness is righteous, just as He is righteous. 8 He who sins is of the devil, for the devil has sinned from the beginning. For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that He might destroy the works of the devil. 9 Whoever has been born of God does not sin, for His seed remains in him; and he cannot sin, because he has been born of God. 10 In this the children of God and the children of the devil are manifest: Whoever does not practice righteousness is not of God, nor is he who does not love his brother.

From these inspired words of God’s revelation truth we see that genuine saving faith, faith that is of God, is faith that “practices righteousness.” It is faith that is applied to life. It is faith that makes a difference in the way we live life. It is faith that leads to measureable change in a person claiming to be a Christian. Genuine saving faith does not practice sin. “He who sins is of the devil.” A “faith” that does not lead to righteous living is not a saving faith. This is not a works righteousness statement for the faith that genuinely saves merely opens the door to God’s working in and through us for righteousness’ sake (Philippians 2:12-13).

These verses tell us that the purpose for Jesus coming was to destroy the works of the devil. That would include all his false and deceptive doctrines about the nature of faith. Jesus came to establish the sincere truth that “Whoever is born of God does not sin” (cf. John 3:1-21). The person with genuine saving faith hates sin. They have received spiritual eye transplants so that like their God they have become “of purer eyes than to behold evil, and cannot look on wickedness” (Habakkuk 1:13). You can’t claim to be genuinely saved if you are living in a sinful state contrary to the word of God. You aren’t genuinely saved if you live in contradiction to God’s holy word which He esteems more highly than His own very name! (Psalm 138:2). You can’t be a walking contradiction to God’s word and be a true genuinely saved Christian. If you think you can, you have fallen prey to the pernicious deceptive influences of Satan and his demons.

There is one distinguishing characteristic of those who are genuinely saved. There is one evidence that separates the child of God from those with mere demonic faith. There is one point of clarity that reveals the truth about who you are and whether or not God sees you as an opponent or ally. That one all determining characteristic that exposes the truth is love. It is not the love of the world. It is not love that saves. But it is love defined by God and it is love that is the fruit of the enlivening Holy Spirit in a person (Gal. 5:22a). Without the Holy Spirit indwelling you, you aren’t genuinely saved (Romans 8:9-11). And when the Spirit is in a person, so is His love. “Now hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured in our hearts by the Holy Spirit who was given to us” (Romans 5:5). John says this is the message given by Jesus from the beginning (1 John 3:11). He states, “We know we have passed from death to life, because we love the brethren. He who does not love his brother abides in death” (1 John 3:14).

God defines and illustrates that love through Jesus’ atoning work. It is a love that acts. It is a love that makes a difference (1 John 3:16-18). He demonstrates “His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us” (Romans 5:8). It is a love that even loves its enemies (Mat. 5:44). The kind of love that distinguishes godly from demonic faith is particularly illustrated by God in the cross of Christ. Demonic worldly “love” can sit by and complacently watch those in need without moving a finger. Demonic worldly “love” refuses to give glory to God. Demonic worldly “love” is a tool for getting glory for yourself. Demonic worldly “love” is self-centered. It can give the appearance of being selfless. Demonic worldly “love” uses emotions to justify selfishness or inaction. Demonic worldly “love” can even seek to show the world that “good” can be done apart from God. Such demonic “love” manifests itself in secular or false religious humanitarian efforts (few as they may be). This demonic worldly love proves one is not of God. This is not God’s true love.

But what we need to understand is that demonic faith is faith that resides solely in thought. Demonic faith believes but continues with a rebellious heart. Genuine saving gospel faith is a matter of the heart. God pours out His love in our hearts. “If you believe in your heart” is where genuine saving faith resides (cf. Romans 10:9). “For with the heart one believes unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation” (Romans 10:10). Demons believe and tremble because they have and continue to rebel against God in their hearts. They want people to settle in the anti-salvation state of mere cerebral faith. Demons preach a doctrine of assent to knowledge that is cut off from any actual application to life.

The bottom line is the faith that saves; the faith that is all God intends it to be, is faith of the heart. Genuine saving faith involves giving Jesus your heart. It is total surrender. It is forsaking all alternatives and trusting completely in the saving work of Christ for salvation. It is knowing Him, fully surrendering to Jesus, IN YOUR HEART. It is faith that relinquishes control and lordship to the King of kings and LORD of lords, Jesus.

Do you have faith? What kind of faith do you have? Is it an informed faith? Is it faith like a demon? Or do you have genuine saving faith; faith that not only knows who Jesus is, but gives your heart to Him in full surrender? “Examine yourselves as to whether you are in the faith.”

StopSB48.com

George Muller and the Will of God

George Muller was born in Prussia on September 27th, 1805. He accepted Christ as his Savior when he was twenty years old. In 1826 he moved to England where he would spend his life in ministry. From the start Muller was moved by the Spirit to be a man of prayer and the study of God’s word. Throughout his ministry he chose to receive no regular salary but to prayerfully trust in God to provide for his every need, including the needs of the ministry he was in such as The Scriptural Knowledge Institution For Home and Abroad. The purpose of this institution was to help Sunday schools, circulate the Scriptures and aid missionary efforts.
Muller’s primary ministry work however was ministering to orphans. It was his ministry to orphans in England that Muller is most noted for. Throughout that ministry he never begged or manipulated people into contributing to the work, he prayed in the resources for the needs of all the thousands of children he ministered to in his lifetime.

But how did Muller know what the will of God was for his life? This praying man, this man of the Word had a very definite practice of discerning the will of God. His way of discovering the will of God involved six parts, which were as follows:

1. I seek at the beginning to get my heart into such a state that it has no will of its own in regard to a given matter. Nine-tenths of the difficulties are overcome when our hearts are ready to do the Lord’s will, whatever it may be. When one is truly in this state, it is usually but a little way to the knowledge of what His will is.

2. Having done this, I do not leave the result to feeling or simple impressions. If so, I make myself liable to great delusions.

3. I seek the will of the Spirit of God through or in connection with the word of God. The Spirit and the Word must be combined. If I look to the Spirit alone without the Word, I lay myself open to great delusions also.

In this last regard, toward the end of his life in 1897, Muller was invited to preach at a Bible Society but was unable to attend. IN his apology for not being able to attend he wrote:

“Will you have the kindness to read to the meeting that I have been for 68 years and 3 months, viz., since July, 1829, a love of the Word of God, and that uninterruptedly. During that time I have read considerably more than 100 times through the whole of the Old and New Testaments, with prayer and meditation, four times every year.”

“It is estimated that he read the Bible through more than two hundred times, one hundred of these times being, as he here suggests, on his knees.”

4. Next I take into account providential circumstances. These plainly indicate God’s will in connection with His Word and Spirit.
5. I ask God in prayer to reveal His will to me aright.
6. Thus through prayer to God, the study of the Word and reflection, I come to a deliberate judgment according to the best of my ability and knowledge, and if my mind is thus at peace, and continues so after two or three more petitions, I proceed accordingly. In Trivial matters and in transactions involving most important issues, I have found this method always effective.

Muller went on to testify, “I never remember,’ he wrote three years before his death, ‘ in all my Christian course, a period now (March, 1895) of sixty-nine years and four months, that I ever SINCERELY AND PATIENTLY sought to know the will of God by the teaching of the Holy ghost, through the instrumentality of the Word of God, but I have ALWAYS directed rightly. But if honesty of heart and uprightness before God were lacking, or if I did not patiently wait upon God for instruction, or if I preferred the counsel of my fellow men to the declarations of the Word of the living God, I made great mistakes. (Italics his.)”


For further biographical information on George Mueller please see the following book from which the above was gleaned: Basil Miller, George Muller, Man of Faith and Miracles, (Minneapolis, MN: Dimension Books, Bethany Fellowship, Inc.)

Can persecution come to America? Is persecution coming to America?

Yes, and all who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus will suffer persecution – 2 Timothy 3:12

Can persecution come to America? Is persecution coming to America? The Bible states a promise of God that all who “desire to live godly lives in Christ Jesus will suffer persecution” (2 Timothy 3:12). Notice it states this of those who particularly desire to live a godly life “in Christ Jesus” are the ones who will be persecuted. Persecution hinges on whether or not a person is true to Christ. It’s not a matter of being religious. It’s a matter of being true to Christ; true to the revealed Christ of scripture.

Paul said a time would come when “another Jesus” would be promoted as well as another gospel and another spirit (2 Corinthians 11:3-4). There is a “Jesus” promoted today who is not exclusive but all inclusive. A “Jesus” is being presented today that is not the exclusive way to the Father and His eternal life (John 14:6), but is a “Jesus” that is one of many paths to eternal bliss. This “Jesus” is an avatar, an ascended master of some kind, one who comes periodically in history to help humanity in their evolutionary progress. We see this kind of “Jesus” presented in New Age philosophy. This is the “Jesus” presented by such contemporaries as Oprah and the like. Persecution will come as a result of the world’s view that the exclusive Jesus of the Bible is too narrow and bigoted a view. The “Jesus” the world wants is tolerant of all other belief systems no matter how diametrically opposed to one another they are. The world has left reason and truth behind in an effort to establish a kumbaya world order. Prophetic scriptures tell us this is all part of a world hell bent on rebelling against God.

Biblical faith, scriptural faith, is faith that does not love the world (1 John 2:15-17). Because of this a time inevitably comes where our faith puts us in opposition to the things of this world. Governments are put in place by God to keep the peace and provide an environment for His will to be done (Romans 13). When governments, (especially democratic governments run by people who are sinful in nature) cease to exist for God’s purposes they oppose God and His representatives. The final result is persecution of those representatives.

Our nation was arguably founded on Christian principles. Even if you disagree with this statement a person would have to agree that at least the United States has historically been sympathetic and cooperative with Christian principles. That is changing. We see it every day. As you watch the following brief video excerpt from a message by John Loeffler, pay close attention to what he says about the way persecution comes about. Then ask yourself if such steps toward persecution aren’t already being established in our land. Then prepare by getting into the word of God and making sure you know what you believe. Build your life on the firm foundation of God’s word (Matthew 7:24-27).

Can persecution come to America? Is persecution coming to America? We will see. Commit your way to Him (Psalm 37). Keep it all in prayer (Philippians 4:6-7). Stay the course and stick with the true gospel (Galatians 1:8-9).


Go to - http://worldviewweekend.com/worldview-tube/video.php?videoid=4439

Would You Consider . . . ?

Let a man so consider us, as servants of Christ and stewards of the mysteries of God. - 1 Corinthians 4:1


Dear Friends,

This blog is a ministry. From time to time it is good to assess ministry in order to be a good steward of the time and effort involved in its upkeep and to determine the leading of the Lord.

In order to gauge the direction in which the Lord is leading would you consider joining the membership of the Shepherd of Hope blog site?

Would you consider inviting others to become members of this site? This will enable me to determine the direction in which the Lord is leading.

Joining the blog site will give you an automatic notice when a new teaching or other material is posted. It will also help gauge the audience which the site is reaching. This will give a better indication about what materials are most appropriate to minister to those interested in the site. It will also help in considering how to broaden the ministry field.

To join the blog just click the button on the right side of the blog site and follow the instructions. It's very easy.

I would also welcome your comments and suggestions about how to better the site and make it more helpful and God glorifying.

If you choose not to join the blogsite, would you please give the reason for your decision.


Even if you choose to disregard this request, would you also consider praying for this ministry venture in faith?

You are appreciated and I pray the Lord directs you to join me in this ministry. God bless.

in His service, by His grace, for His glory,

Pastor Claude

Overcomng Faith for Overwhelming Times

For whatever is born of God overcomes the world. And this is the victory that has overcome the world— our faith. - 1 John 5:4

God, in His word, promises to provide the means to overcome the overwhelming times of this world. That means is faith.

There are different kinds of faith. There is a faith that demons have in the existence of God (James 2:19). There is a weak faith like that of the disciples. Jesus referred to this kind of faith as “little faith,” faith that was easily overcome with the things of this world (Mat. 6:30; Luke 12:28), faith that faltered in the storms of life (Mat. 8:26), faith that fell because it didn’t keep its eyes on Him (Mat. 14:31), and faith that was dull of understanding (Mat. 16:8).
But there is also a faith that victoriously overcomes even in overwhelming times. That is the faith I will speak about today.

There is an overcoming faith that victoriously gets us through overwhelming times of natural disaster. There is a comet approaching our planet. It is called Elenin. As it approaches the earth it is being connected with the occurrence of earthquakes of earth shaking proportions. It was first noticed and named in December of 2010. But as it has approached earth it has been connected with ever-increasingly seismic quakes:

February 20 2008 Indonesia 7.4
February 25 2008 Indonesia 7.2
September 09 2009 Sunola Islands 8.1
February 26 2010 Japan 7.0
February 27 2010 Chile 8.8 [Earth knocked off axis]
May 9, 2010 Indonesia 7.2
September 3, 2010 New Zealand 7.0
March 11 2011 Japan 9.0 [Earth knocked off axis]

This last major earthquake that we saw in Japan lasted an incredible five minutes! These earthquakes are often accompanied by tsunamis that add to the devastation. The earth shaking beneath you and a wall of water as high as an office building not only shakes the earth, but it shakes people’s faith. At the end of September early October, perhaps even early November, Elenin will cross earth’s orbit between the earth and the sun. There are very possibly going to be seismic natural effects on the earth. Such natural disaster proves the genuineness of our faith; whether it will stand the test of trials (e.g. 1 Peter 1:6-9). Do you have an overcoming faith that could sustain you and bring you through victoriously in such overwhelming times?

The faith that helps us overcome even in overwhelming times is described in Psalm 33. This is a faith that praises God (33:1-2), Worships God in song (33:3), and is rooted in God’s word of truth (33:4). The overcoming faith described in Psalm 33 is a faith that trusts in God as Creator (33:5-9), trusts in God as sovereign over the nations of the earth (33:10-12), but also trusts in God to care and show His concern for the particulars of individuals throughout the earth (33:13-15). This overcoming faith knows that if we trust in the Lord, in the end we will come through victoriously rejoicing in Him (33:16-22).

There is an overcoming faith that victoriously gets us through times of man-made overwhelming dilemmas. Coinciding with the pending arrival of the comet Elenin is the world economic crisis, the political and social upheaval in the Middle East, the introduction of nuclear arms capability in terrorist supporting nations like Iran, the moral breakdown of society (e.g. rise of homosexuality and legalizing of same-sex marriage), to name a few man-made destructive dilemmas. These situations are cause for much grief for those concerned with righteousness.

There is one particular development that has the potential to ignite the entire powder keg of man-made trouble into a world threatening crisis. In September Palestinians are planning on seeking to establish legitimacy and the creation of their state based on 1967 borders with Jerusalem as its capitol. This will draw supporting nations along with the Palestinians against Israel who will never accept such indefensible borders and has stated its stern and firm resolute refusal to give up Jerusalem as its own historical and Biblical capitol. This will pit the world against Israel just as the Bible says would happen (e.g. Zech. 12; 14). Whether or not we see the culmination of Bible prophecy in connection with this development is not yet clear. What is clear is that to overcome this man-made overwhelming situation you will need overcoming faith. That faith is described in Psalm 37.

Overcoming faith for man-made overwhelming times, according to Psalm 37, is a faith that does “not fret because of evildoers” (37:1-2). It is a faith that trusts in the LORD, does good, and feeds on God’s faithfulness (37:3). It is a faith that delights itself in the LORD, commits itself to the LORD, and doesn’t get angry but rests in the LORD (37:4-8). This is a faith that realizes evildoers will be cut off and dealt with in due time by the LORD; they know God will watch over the righteous (37:9-22). This faith trusts that though a righteous person may fall, God will always raise them up (37:23-26). And so this overcoming faith focuses on doing good and waiting on the LORD, trusting that God will save, strengthen and deliver the righteous in the end (37:27-40).

But there is one more aspect to this overcoming faith and it is the most critically important part of it. Overcoming faith that overcomes natural and man-made disaster is faith in Jesus and the rock of His word. In the Apostle John’s first epistle he is inspired to write:

1 John 5:4-5 - For whatever is born of God overcomes the world. And this is the victory that has overcome the world— our faith. 5 Who is he who overcomes the world, but he who believes that Jesus is the Son of God?

It is faith in Jesus that leads to overcoming the world. Jesus said:

Matthew 7:24-27 - 24 “Therefore whoever hears these sayings of Mine, and does them, I will liken him to a wise man who built his house on the rock: 25 and the rain descended, the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house; and it did not fall, for it was founded on the rock. 26 “But everyone who hears these sayings of Mine, and does not do them, will be like a foolish man who built his house on the sand: 27 and the rain descended, the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house; and it fell. And great was its fall.”

What kind of faith do you have? Do you have a faith that will overcome in the times of testing; the times of natural and man-made disaster? Is your faith in faith? Is it demonic? Is your faith weak, faltering, dull of understanding? Or is your faith an overcoming faith that trusts in Jesus and is built on the rock of His word? There are overwhelming times ahead. Will you overcome such times with God’s overcoming faith? Or will you sink and be shaken in the tsunamis of life? I pray we all receive God’s overcoming faith.