God’s Economy in Faith
Message Seven
Taking Up the Shield of Faith, Experiencing the Proving of Our Faith,
and Receiving the End of Our Faith—the Salvation of Our Souls
OPENING WORD OF THE PROPHESYING MEETING
Reading the verses in each day.
Reading the main points in the outlines.
Pray-reading the verses:
Eph. 6:16 Besides all these, having taken up the shield of faith, with which you will be able to quench all the flaming darts of the evil one.
1 Pet. 1:7, 9 So that the proving of your faith, much more precious than of gold which perishes though it is proved by fire, may be found unto praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ; … Receiving the end of your faith, the salvation of your souls.
Word of Appetizer
No one who has believed in the Lord and has received grace can avoid the testing of faith. Why is all faith must be tested?
God tests our faith in order that we may grow in faith and in life. No Christian can grow without first having his faith tested. When our faith is tested, we spontaneously grow.
God tests our faith to satisfy Himself—proving that we have genuine faith. A faith that is approved is a glory to God’s name.When we pass through tribulations, persecutions, obstacles, and darkness, and we still believe after these tests and still stand fast after these trials, this faith will glorify God’s name.
Spiritual Burden
The proving of our faith being found unto praise, glory, and honor results in receiving the end of our faith—the salvation of our souls. We must deny our soul, our soulish life, with all its pleasures in this age so that we may gain it in the enjoyment of the Lord in the coming age. the power of God is the cause of our being guarded, and faith is the means through which the power of God becomes effective in guarding us.
CONCLUDING WORD OF THE PROPHESYING MEETING
The Revelation of the Truth
As members of the Body of Christ engaged in warfare “against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenlies,” we need to take up the shield of faith, with which we “will be able to quench all the flaming darts of the evil one”.
First Peter 1:7 speaks of the proving of our faith. The Bible shows that there is no faith without testing; all faith must be tested.
The proving of our faith being found unto praise, glory, and honor results in receiving the end of our faith—the salvation of our souls.
The Experience of Life
We are put into trials because our faith needs to be tested, approved. When our faith is tested, we spontaneously grow. When we pass through tribulations, persecutions, obstacles, and darkness, and we still believe after these tests and still stand fast after these trials, this faith will glorify God’s name.
Practice and Application
As members of the Body of Christ engaged in warfare “against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenlies,” we need to take up the shield of faith, with which we “will be able to quench all the flaming darts of the evil one”. We need to have faith in God, faith in God’s heart, faith in God’s faithfulness, faith in God’s ability, faith in God’s word, faith in God’s will, and faith in God’s sovereignty.
We must deny our soul, our soulish life, with all its pleasures in this age so that we may gain it in the enjoyment of the Lord in the coming age. We should eagerly expect this marvelous, full, and ultimate salvation and prepare ourselves for its splendid revelation.
PROPHESYING TOPICS—TWELVE TOPICS PER WEEK
Day 1
T1 The truth to gird our loins, righteousness to cover our conscience, peace as the standing for our feet, and faith to shield (Eph. 6:14-16)
(Please illustrate that for us to stand firmly in the battle, we need to be equipped with all these four items of God’s armor.)
T2 The shield of faith a safeguard against the flaming darts of the enemy (Eph. 6:16)
(Please illustrate that the flaming darts are Satan’s temptations, proposals, doubts, questions, lies, and attacks.)
Day 2
T1 Several aspects of the shield of faith (Mark 11:22)
(Please illustrate that our faith must be in God and have faith in God’s heart.)
T2 Several aspects of the shield of faith (1 Cor. 1:9; Eph. 3:20)
(Please illustrate that our faith is faith in God’s faithfulness, God’s ability and God’s word.)
Day 3
T1 All faith must be tested (1 Pet. 1:7; 4:12)
(Please illustrate that there are two reasons that faith has to be tested.)
T2 The Greek word rendered “proving” means testing for approval (1 Pet. 1:7)
(Please illustrate that it is the trying, the proving, of faith, not the faith itself, that may be found unto praise.)
Day 4
T1 The end of our faith, that is, the salvation of our souls (1 Pet. 1:6-7)
(Please illustrate that The salvation is in three stages—the initial stage, the progressing stage, and the completing stage.)
T2 The enjoyment of joy is particularly related to the soul (Matt. 16:25; 25:21)
(Please illustrate with experiences that whether we experience joy or suffering, these are particularly felt in the soul.)
Day 5
T1 Although we have never seen the Lord Jesus, we love Him (1 Pet. 1:8-9)
(Please illustrate that the normal condition of a Christian is to “exult with joy that is unspeakable and full of glory.)
T2 Although in our spirit we have been saved, in our soul we are being saved day by day (Heb. 10:39; Matt. 16:25)
(Please illustrate that to enter into the Lord’s joy is the salvation of our souls.)
Day 6
T1 The power of God is the cause of our being guarded (1 Pet. 1:5)
(Please illustrate that if we cooperate with the power of God in faith, we shall be kept in the right position to enjoy our heavenly inheritance. )
T2 The full salvation of the Triune God is in three stages (1 Pet. 1:2; Rom. 6:19)
(Please illustrate that what items are comprised in the first two stages of the full salvation of the Triune God.)
