Shockwaves of Obedience

There is more at stake in this moment of faith than what meets the eye.

The battle carries meaning beyond you. The coming generations will stand against sin because you said “Yes” to the Father and “No” to the flesh.

When you choose faith over fear today, you’re not the only one who benefits. Your brothers and sisters do, too. They grow better and bolder because you stood against Satan in Jesus’ name.

It might feel like you’re alone in the arena. But look before and behind, and you’ll will find witnesses standing there.

Look ahead, and you’ll see a cloud of witnesses, eager to show what faith has done (Hebrews 12:1-2).

Look behind, and you’ll find an army of believers coming after you, ready to rise in the wake of what your faith will do.

Israel was once afraid of giants. Going all the way back to the ten fearful spies (Numbers 13:28-29), God’s people used to shrink under the pressure of tall enemies.

Until a single shepherd boy stood against a giant named Goliath (1 Samuel 17:1-58). David’s moment of faith reversed Israel’s history of fear and turned giants into an easy foe.

Years later, King David watched as the giants who once brought Israel to their knees fell down, one by one.

“And there was again war with the Philistines, and Elhanan the son of Jair struck down Lahmi the brother of Goliath the Gittite, the shaft of whose spear was like a weaver’s beam. And there was again war at Gath, where there was a man of great stature, who had six fingers on each hand and six toes on each foot, twenty-four in number, and he also was descended from the giants. And when he taunted Israel, Jonathan the son of Shimea, David’s brother, struck him down. They were descended from the giants in Gath, and they fell by the hand of David and by the hand of his servants.” (1 Chronicles 20:5-8)

The apostle Paul stood strong in imprisonment because he knew that through it, the church would become “much more bold to speak the world without fear” (Philippians 1:14). Paul knew well the power of obedience—that it was by “one act of righteousness” that Christ made many righteous (Romans 5:18-19).

The enemy loves to make you think you’re alone—both in the action and the aftermath. But you’re not the only one fighting, and you’re not the only one who will share in the victory.

Envision the shockwaves of your single moment of obedience today.

Who will stand without fear someday because you stood through your fear today?