How are believers to act in a time of crisis?
He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High will abide in the shadow of the Almighty I will say to the LORD, “My refuge and my fortress, my God, in whom I trust.” For he will deliver you from…the deadly pestilence. (Ps. 91:1-3). Because you have made the LORD your dwelling place– the Most High, who is my refuge– no evil shall be allowed to befall you, no plague come near your tent. (Ps. 91:9, 10). These verses are general truths, not absolute guarantees of safety for every circumstance. But it’s good news, none-the-less.
Example: When a man’s ways please the LORD, he makes even his enemies to be at peace with him. (Prov. 16:7). Jesus who pleased the Heavenly Father experienced barbarity and cruelty. Prov 16:7 is general truth, not absolute truth. Psalm 91 is generally true.
Believers are promised a degree of protection by the Lord that supersedes the natural order. Because of this protection, we then can have liberty to think in redemptive ways, which will impact us personally, as well as the world around us. The Bible explains how we should think about such things. We are to have a pattern of thinking.
If then you have been raised with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. (Colossians 3:1). This verse commands the believer to prioritize. First, seek things above. ‘Seek’ carries the idea of craving. A believer wants to discover what Heaven is doing, where Heaven is leading. Seeking is not problem solving, it’s investigating what the Lord is doing in earthly matters. The Lord has a program. You are on a recon mission to discover the spiritual rationalization behind the issue.
‘Seeking’ has energy behind it. A miner digs and digs to find gold. A believer does the same with issues, but he starts with a Heavenly blueprint. A miner looks at maps to determine where to dig. He’s not just digging with a shovel one foot into the ground, then moving on when he has not had success. He follows maps and data.
‘Seeking’ is a command, not a suggestion. ‘Seek’ in 3:1, is in the present tense meaning it is a perpetual ongoing process. You keep on, keeping on. One must spiritually meditate continually, not just in crisis. You bring heavenly directions to earthly duties, always.
But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you. (Matt. 6:33)
There are (2) commands in Col. 3:1, 2. The first is seeking; the second is concentration. Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth. (Col. 3:2). ‘Set your minds’ means to have understanding, to judge thoughtfully. You understand what Heaven is doing — then you agree with it. It matters not if you like it. The Lord has the bigger picture in mind, and he asks you to trust him whether you like it or not.
Jesus took Peter to task for not thinking like him: But he turned and said to Peter, “Get behind me, Satan! You are a hindrance to me. For you are not setting your mind on the things of God, but on the things of man.” (Matt. 16:23). Jesus, in a sense, slapped Peter upside the head, telling him in no uncertain terms to get with the program. Do you think Jesus might have the same audacity with you? Think of Jesus as a Marine Corps Gunnery Sergeant.
Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect. (Rom. 12:2). These are commands, not suggestions. Stop acting like Peter.
Once a believer has his spiritual thinking straight, then comes other duties. Put to death therefore what is earthly in you: sexual immorality, impurity, passion, evil desire, and covetousness, which is idolatry. (Col. 3:5). Ouch! That hits some of us between the eyes. But how can you kill habitual behaviors? Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth. (Col. 3:2). Correct thinking leads to correct behavior. Simple, not easy. You will need help. A good start is for you to be accountable to other believers.
On account of these the wrath of God is coming. (Col. 3:6). Did your hair just stand on end? God’s wrath is coming because of immoral behaviors? In these you too once walked, when you were living in them. But now you must put them all away: anger, wrath, malice, slander, and obscene talk from your mouth. Do not lie to one another, seeing that you have put off the old self with its practices (3:7-9). Oh my! That’s a whole lot of changing going on. You can’t do these without 3:1, 2. Yeah, this is serious. You gotta have the want to. There are no wimps in this program, this is for genuine hardcore spiritual thinkers and doers.
You change old behaviors with new attitudes. Put on then, as God’s chosen ones, holy and beloved, compassionate hearts, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience, bearing with one another and, if one has a complaint against another, forgiving each other; as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive. And above all these put on love, which binds everything together in perfect harmony. (Col. 3:12-14). This is a new way of life – you cannot do it without partnership with the Lord. If you try by yourself – you’ll flop.
Your heavenly behaviors will give the world hope. Though government can help with some sort term needs, government is a lousy god. The Lord Jesus Christ has everything under control, but someone has got to get that message out to the world. That’s you.
The world must see a higher moral good, to know there is a higher moral being. The world must see hope, because others exhibit hope. The Lord wants to positively impact the world and has one program to do it – you. You do not get to hide your faith, you get to exhibit it. The world must see it, otherwise they will live by earthly guile, which has little hope. Get over your weakness, and boldly display hope to a hopeless world. Start small, Jesus will meet you where you’re at.
The following verse is the Lord talking to Himself about you: “Because he holds fast to me in love, I will deliver him; I will protect him, because he knows my name. (Ps. 91:14). The Lord is bigger than any crisis.
No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. (Rom. 8:37)
“One who is faithful in a very little is also faithful in much… (Luke 16:10)
By Nathan Werner
The Warrior’s Prayer
Dear Heavenly Father,
I know we’re in challenging times, and the world is looking for something, to give them hope. Help them see you, through me. I am hesitant praying this Lord, since I know my failure rate has been high. But my genuine desire is to let people see you. If I am the tool you can use to have that happen, empower me with supernatural insight along with redemptive living, so they can see you. You are the answer, not my behavior, but let my actions conform to my faith in you. Then let those actions be a language that people who have little hope get a glimpse of you through me.
And please Lord, continue to reveal your truth to me from your Word. Let that be my food, my nourishment, my need. May your Word be more and more satisfying and let me yearn for it more and more. May I learn then act in redemptive ways, so people do see you in my actions and choices. Do not let me fall or fail, since your reputation will take a hit. Preserve me from myself, then let my spiritual courage grow so I am not timid to share spiritual truth, pointing others to you. May your reputation receive glorious honor if I merely do obedient things out of my love for you, Father. My desire is for people to become acquainted with you, then grow more and more in love with you, because you are so good and faithful. I pray this in Jesus’ precious name. Amen.