Faith and Patience

Tuesday 29 August
READ: Heb. 6:12
MORE LESSONS: Heb. 6:13-15

The dictionary defines patience as the ability to endure waiting, delay, or provocation without becoming annoyed or upset. It is the ability to persevere calmly when faced with difficulties. Patience is part of the fruit of the Spirit as listed in Gal. 5: 22. Another word used in the Scripture for patience is longsuffering; so patience means to be long spirited, that is, being able to forebear. The word also connotes the tone of being cheerful or hopeful in forbearance and endurance. Patience is endurance that is characterised by cheerfulness during the period of waiting or in the face of difficulties. Faith is the requirement accessing salvation and other things from God; so every believer has a measure of faith, at least, sufficient to get him saved.
Many believers know that with faith, we can possess what we want but their understanding of faith is incomplete. Patience is what completes faith. The proof that you believe God is that you wait for Him, ...he that believeth shall not make haste: Isa. 28:16. Nowadays, people say if it is truly faith, then it must happen right now. But the Scripture makes us to understand that, Knowing this, that the trying of your faith worketh patience. But let patience have her perfect work, that ye may be perfect and entire, wanting nothing: James 1:3-4. Patience is a test of faith. How long you are willing to wait shows how much you believe.
When God gives a promise and it has not materialised, the person without faith will quickly go out and explore alternatives while the man of faith will keep waiting on God because he knows that God will unfailingly come around for him.
Searching through the Scripture, you will discover that the words 'faith' and 'patience' appear together most of the time because faith without patience is incomplete. Abraham, the hero of faith, was also renowned for his patience as he waited on God for years till God fulfilled the promise made to him, And so, after he had patiently endured, he obtained the promise: Heb. 6:15. One thing proves that your faith has patience, it is praise. While you wait on God patiently, keep thanksgiving and praise to God running in your life. This will always provoke God for you and keep the devil far. Abraham did just that and it worked for him. He staggered not at the promise of God through unbelief; but was strong in faith, giving glory to God: Rom. 4:20.

Prayer/Action
* Ask God to help you patiently wait on Him, in Jesus’ mighty name.
* Pray that as you patiently wait on the Lord you shall not be ashamed, in Jesus’ name.
* Pray that God will attend to all who are waiting upon Him for one thing or the other, in Jesus’ name.

TODAY’S PROPHETIC PRAYER
Today is a great day for me, I see Satan fall like lightning, in the mighty name of Jesus.