Prevailing Faith

By: Bishop Arthur F. Mosley

I strongly believe that everyone wants to be successful, achieve, and prevail.  We do not attempt something or embark upon something to fail, lose, or be defeated.  Thank God for the winners we clearly see.  We cannot deny the success of Bill Gates, Albert Einstein, and Oprah Winfrey.  Remember, their success did not come easily.  There were struggles, challenges, and failures.  Successful people are often driven, resilient, and committed to the task.  However, for the child of God, there is an additional factor.  This factor is essential.  That is, believers who are successful in their fields have faith in God.  A child of God who has any success is quick to admit that they have faith in God, and their faith in God is key to their success.  The following verse clearly states that the Lord’s people prevailed because of their faith in God, 2 Chronicles 13:18:

“Thus the children of Israel were brought under at that time, and the children of Judah prevailed, because they relied upon the LORD God of their fathers.”

Judah’s king in this text is Abijah, King David’s great-grandson.  I greatly appreciate Abijah’s leadership and accomplishments.  Still, I am most impacted by his spirituality.  Abijah was serious and intentional about the nation, Judah, being faithful to God.  He refused to abandon or reject the Lord God Almighty who had been so good to His people.  His spirituality did not shield him from challenges.  That is, Abijah and Judah are on the verge of being attacked by a force that outnumbered and out powered them.  They are not expected to prevail in this situation.  Even when our walk with the Lord Jesus is strong and vibrant, there are times we feel overwhelmed.  In some situations, we are hopeless.  When defeat seems inevitable, I want you to remember what Paul says in Romans 8:31:

“What shall we then say to these things? If God be for us, who can be against us?”

The Lord loves us.  He is with us.  We have His support.  While surrounded, outnumbered, not expected to prevail, and under attack, Abijah and Judah did three things that show us what prevailing faith looks like. 

One, they cried out to the Lord (2 Chronicles 13:14a “And when Judah looked back, behold, the battle was before and behind: and they cried unto the Lord . . .”). The cry here is a cry out of desperation or difficulty.  It is a cry for help because things are challenging, and we feel powerless.  It is a cry that is seeking an appeal from God to do something.  Sometimes, we do not have the answers and do not know what to ask God to do.  However, we know that we need Him to do something.  You can trust Him to know exactly what to do. 

Two, they acted on the Lord’s promise (2 Chronicles 13:14, “And when Judah looked back, behold, the battle was before and behind: and they cried unto the Lord, and the priests sounded with the trumpets”). How is sounding the trumpets acting on the Lord’s promise?  This action is attached to the Lord’s promise in Numbers 10:9, which says:

“And if ye go to war in your land against the enemy that oppresseth you, then ye shall blow an alarm with the trumpets; and ye shall be remembered before the Lord your God, and ye shall be saved from your enemies.”

This is amazing!  This simple act brings the Lord’s remembering and saving.  His remembering means He pays attention, and His saving is for Him to rescue or bring out.  I encourage you to walk in obedience in the things you know the Lord is calling you to do.

Third, they gave the sound of victory (2 Chronicles 13:15, “Then the men of Judah gave a shout: and as the men of Judah shouted, it came to pass, that God smote Jeroboam and all Israel before Abijah and Judah”).  They released the sound of joy, celebration, and praise.  Regardless of your season and life experience, I encourage you to release the sound of celebration and praise.  Make sure your words are positive and full of hope.

Prevailing faith cries out to the Lord, acts on His promises, and gives the sound of victory.  Although Abijah and Judah were outnumbered, outpowered, and not expected to prevail, the text is clear on why they prevailed:

2 Chronicles 13:18

^“Thus the children of Israel were brought under at that time, and the children of Judah prevailed, because they relied upon the Lord God of their fathers.”

In short, Abijah and Judah prevailed because they put their trust in the Lord!  Their faith in God caused them to win.  Your faith in God is going to cause you to triumph and overcome.  Remember, Hebrews 11:1 says:

^“Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.”

What do you need God to do in your life?  Think about the matters that are a challenge for you.  Now, take those very things to Him in prayer.  Obey His word.  Celebrate who He is and what He can do.  Your faith will cause you to prevail! 

By Dr. Arthur F. Mosley, Pastor

Cathedral of Faith Church of God in Christ