How Big is Big?

“Before the spies lay down for the night, she(Rahab)went up on the roof and said to them, ‘I know that the LORD has given this land to you and that a great fear of you has fallen on us, so that all who live in this country are melting in fear because of you.” Joshua 2:8-9

Our spiritual reputation plays a large part in the spiritual development of our onlookers. If we are truly living in Christ our onlookers know that God is with us and will make us victorious. Many times people who have conflict in their lives draw closer to those who carry Christ in their heart. They know to align themselves with the army of God and to seek refuge from the battle within those who are led by God. Rahab knew intuitively that this was an alignment that would deliver her from the battle. She didn’t really know God but she had faith in God through His reputation and God rewarded her for her faith by sparing her family.

Many times when fear arises we reach out to God through the hope that He can resolve the pending conflict even if He is unknown intimately. We can know God in our lives but limit Him by our lack of faith. When faced with a situation that seems to be unresolvable by our own attempts we rely of the greater faith of those whose God seems to be paramount.

My husband and I began having difficulties with our first born daughter when she was 13 years old. At this time she began turning inward and became an extremely angry child. She abandoned almost all that she had been taught about Christian living and relied on her own understanding through this season in her life. As a result she lived in extreme darkness for eight years and developed a drug dependency. This period of time was a heart wrenching journey for all of my family and friends. Although many who knew us prayed continuously one event stands out above all others.

On a summer day during a family vacation my grandmother came to me with the desire for the family to enter into a prayer time with God for spiritual healing for our daughter. Led by my grandmother, the prayer warrior, the adults sat around a table and for one hour petitioned God for her return to the family, her reconciliation of sins and her spiritual healing. Each family member lifted their request in the name of Jesus Christ and my grandmother ended the prayer time with praise and thanksgiving that through the promises of John 14:13-14 and Matthew 18:20 our petitions had already been fulfilled.

My grandmother always prayed with a spirit of expectancy and claimed victory in a situation before it was resolved based on His promises in His Word. Her faith defined who she was in Christ and I never saw her waiver. Although I didn’t have enough faith to claim victory but much like Rahab, I knew with whom to align myself for victory. I always saw a reflection of Christ in my grandmother and I knew her faith would encircle my faith and God would bring victory to the entire family in this battle.

When we are truly tested our God becomes either smaller through our fear or larger through our faith. Times of adversity will warrant a change in perception of who God is.