“No weapon that is formed against thee shall prosper; and every tongue that shall rise against thee in judgment thou shalt condemn. This is the heritage of the servants of the LORD, and their righteousness is of me, saith the LORD.” Isaiah 54:17
As a young minister that had just surrendered to the call to become a minister, this is the first scripture I was introduced too. My Pastor and mentor Elder Harace Hammond showed me this verse and said, “never fear those that fight against you, although they be many and they be powerful, God is our sustainer” (paraphrased) God promised in Hebrews 13:5 “Let your conversation be without covetousness; and be content with such things as ye have: for he hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee.” The sad part about this verse is that most Christians can quote the last 8 words and have no idea what the other part says. The last 8 words gives us strength and stability in the rest of the verse, “Let your conversation be without covetousness” meaning let your – style in deportment or character – the way we conduct ourselves in our Christian stability also as Ministers our ministry. Then the Lord continues “and be content with such things as ye have” If we are strong, steadfast, faithful, to the truth and God, we should be CONTENT it our service to the Lord, churches, and His word. Being content is not allowing anyone or any form of substance affect you. Never want more than God provides, if you do it will drive you to lust, and lust will cause you to fall from truth. Our entire life, ministries, and churches are built on the foundation of truth. We all must understand that God controls ALL, not a partial, nothing is out of God’s control. Therefore, how do we remain faithful to God and His word which is absolute truth, by understanding that God, “will never leave thee, nor forsake thee.” These words are our entire foundation to understanding our security in our faith to God, His word of truth, and His church. It Christians, ministers, or churches, fall off this content foundation it could cause them biblical ruin. The absolute key to our success is being content with God’s work in our life, because desiring more only leads to failure. If you are poor, it is God’s will for you, if you are lacking in anything it is God’s will for you, if salvations have slowed it is God’s will, if churches are getting fewer and fewer it is God’s will, whatever it is in life it is God’s will, and we should be content with it. Being content, satisfied, and grateful, with what is in life, as a gracious gift from God thanking Him for what He goes give. God said, “Therefore I say unto you, Take no thought for your life, what ye shall eat, or what ye shall drink; nor yet for your body, what ye shall put on. Is not the life more than meat, and the body than raiment?” Matthew 6:25 That is, don’t worry about these things in life but be content and learn to live with what God has given you. God is able, He is not weak or incapable, He controls everything, and everything is His predetermined will. “In whom also we have obtained an inheritance, being predestinated according to the purpose of him who worketh all things after the counsel of his own will: That we should be to the praise of his glory, who first trusted in Christ.” Ephesians 1:11
Therefore, as Christians, churches, and mostly as ministers and pastors we can be faithful to God, His word, and the churches, even to God promised us that “No weapon that is formed against thee shall prosper; and every tongue that shall rise against thee in judgment thou shalt condemn…” Therefore, we can have the faith to stand firm, and accept that whatever happens is God’s ordained will for us. Let them have their weapons, let them use the, but in the end it will not prosper. Our success as Christians, churches, and ministers is not earthly rewarded but heaven rewarded, our standing firm is our victory. Our victory is that the world that hated Jesus crucified Him, without the crucifixion there is not victory for us. The death of so many Christians in our history is not a defeat to God or them, it’s a victory. And so can we have victory if we do not allow Satan’s weapons defeat us.
