Pastor Lindell Ballenger

“Faith believes in things when common sense tells you not to.”

Imagine that you are engaged to be married. The wedding is just a few weeks away. All the preparations have been made; everything has been bought; all the invitations have gone out. Your anticipation and excitement are at a fever pitch. And then, all of a sudden …your fiancee dies. What would you do? That’s the kind of experience that makes a person want to quit, to give up on life, maybe even curse God. “Why did this happen to me, God? Why did You bring me this far only to leave me devastated?”

This is a true story actually. A man was engaged to be married to a lovely young woman. All the wedding preparations were in place, and everything was in order; they were simply waiting for the wedding day to arrive. Then in a matter of days, his fiancee suddenly took sick and died. The grieving groom went into severe depression. He even considered suicide. He felt ashamed. How was he going to face his friends and family? How could he emerge from such tragedy?

He almost didn’t. His emotional depression became so severe that he was placed in an insane asylum where he received treatment. After a few weeks he began to come around, and after two months was released, having come back from the brink. He buried his sweetheart and went on with his life. Eventually he married and raised a family. But in that time of crisis as a young man, he almost quit; he almost committed suicide; he almost gave it all up.

That man went on to become the president of the United States of America. His name was Abraham Lincoln. Today he is still regarded as the greatest and most effective president in America’s history. He shepherded the United States through a devastating civil war and held the nation together. He emancipated the slaves. Lincoln truly was a great man. Yet he could easily have ended his days in an insane asylum. Faith carried him through.

 Faith in God teaches us that there is life after tragedy, a future after failure.

Who among us hasn’t wanted to quit at one time or another? We all have experienced times of disappointment or discouragement that left us feeling as though we could not go on. That is where real faith comes in.  Faith in God assures us that there is life after failure. It gives us hope, the confident assurance that our trials and troubles are only temporary, and that a greater, fuller, infinite life lies ahead for us. It is this hope, fueled by our faith in the Lord Jesus Christ that enables us to overcome the world. This God kind of faith makes it possible for us to remain true to Him darkest and most difficult times. Jesus said  “I have told you these things so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.” (John16:33)  In other words he is saying, “Take heart, be encouraged, relax, don’t panic.

With faith in God you can overcome the insane asylum and rise to become the president of the United States of America. You can overcome the pain and grief of great loss and be stronger on the other side. You can even come back from the desert after losing your dignity, character, and freedom, like Moses and still become the deliverer of many people. With Faith you will make it because Faith overcomes the world.

Faith Has Power!!