The Trust Factor

(Psalm 119:105 NIV)  Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light for my path.

This morning we continue our series entitled, “Re-Energizing Your Prayer Life.”  This will be the last message of this series before the recap I will provide next week and I am glad the Father led me to discuss trust.  I am currently in Arizona on a ministry assignment.  When I arrived last night the host Pastor picked me up from the airport, we had a great conversation, and one of the things we talked about was trust.  I believe the trust factor is a major factor in our prayer lives.  In this series we have discussed (in several messages) the fact that most of our prayers are not answered immediately.  Since there is a space between the prayer and the performance, we as believers must continue to believe God and remain in-faith while we are waiting on Him.  Well, if we trust God – I mean truly trust Him – then our trust will help us resist doubt.

David wrote our text thousands of years ago.  When most modern-day people think about a lighted path they imagine streetlights.  But David lived before electricity, streetlights, headlamps, or flashlights.  In David’s day most evening light came from the stars or candles.  I am sure there were countless times when David had to travel at night and walking through the desert in the middle of the night can be very dangerous, especially on those nights when the moon was not clear.  This is why many used what were referred to as “ankle lamps.”  Ankle lamps were basically leather straps with a holding device for a candle and something to protect the flame.  The user would tie them around their ankles (on the outside), light them, and attempt to journey into the evening.  These small candles could not light the entire path, but they could provide enough light to see around your next step.  Picture this; you take one step with your right foot.  As you look down, the candle shines enough light for you to safely take one more step.  When you get your left foot down, the candle shines enough light for you to safely take one more step.  You repeat this process over and over until you arrive at your destination.  You could not see down the road, but you could see enough to take one more step.

So what does this mean to you today?  A few things:

1.  Trust God for one more step.  As you pray for your day the Father will give you the light you need for your next step (today).

2.  Trust God for what is down the road.  Like David, you may not be totally clear about what is down the road or around the corner.  You may not know how long it will take for some of the things you are believing God for to actually happen.  But keep your trust intact.

3.  Trust God when you don’t know what is going on.  If you live long enough, even a faith-person will encounter times when they feel like they don’t know what it going on.  Even on these occasions, you must continue to trust God.  Trust Him; even when you don’t know what scripture to stand on (in-faith), what spiritual forces are at work, or what is causing what you are facing.  At the end of the day, if you keep your trust intact, you will be able to get your bearings, get back to a position where you can pray effectively, and get back on the path to God’s desired destination for your life.

Closing Confession:  Father, I trust You with my whole heart.  I trust You for one more step.  I trust You to give me the light I need to walk into this day with divine insight, wisdom, revelation, and understanding.  I also trust You for what is down the road.  I trust You for what I can’t see.  I trust You for what I will face in August, November, next year, and the year after that.  And I declare by faith that I will continue to trust You, even when I don’t know what is going on.  Even when I don’t have the discernment to know why things are happening, I will still trust You and my consistent trust in You helps fuel my prayer life.  I pray from a position of trust and my trust helps me resist fear, doubt, and unbelief.  Living this way helps me to wait on the manifestation of my prayers with peace in my heart and great expectation in my soul!  In Jesus’ name.  Amen!

This is Today’s Word!  Apply it and Prosper!