Why do so many believers panic when unexpected things happen in the world and/or in their lives, that deviate from ‘the normal’ and are not according to their expectations and will? Is God a God, who stays silent and keeps all things hidden and has secrets and keeps His children ignorant and let them wander about on earth? Why do so many Christians don’t understand God and can’t answer questions of unbelievers, but panic just like them and listen to the world and walk by faith, in submission and obedience to the world on the broad way? Why do so many Christians panic?
Is God a mysterious God, who keeps all things hidden?
I will go before thee, and make the crooked places straight: I will break in pieces the gates of brass, and cut in sunder the bars of iron: And I will give thee the treasures of darkness, and hidden riches of secret places, that thou mayest know that I, the Lord, which call thee by thy name, am the God of Israel (uIsaya 45:2-3)
He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches; To him that overcometh will I give to eat of the hidden manna, and will give him a white stone, and in the stone a new name written, which no man knoweth saving he that receiveth it (ISityhilelo 2:17)
God is not a mysterious God, who keeps all things hidden, nor does He have secrets. But God is a loving, righteous, and transparent God, who has revealed everything in His Word, what people need to know, so that His children would know His will and be equipped and prepared.
God has revealed in His Word, a.o., His nature, Intando yakhe, the law of the Spirit, the coming of His Son Jesus Christ, His Kingdom and power, the kingdom of darkness, the way of salvation, the coming of the Holy Spirit, ukuzalwa ngokutsha, the resurrection, the walk, works and destination of the new man (saint), the works (isono) and destination of the indoda endala (umoni), the future on- and of the earth and the coming of the new earth.
Ezo, who are born again and have an experiential relationship with Him, know His Word and because of that they know His thoughts and His ways (Funda kwakhona: ‘Are God’s thoughts our thoughts?‘ kwaye ‘Is God’s way your way?‘).
The wisdom of God is revealed by the Holy Spirit to the new man
Howbeit we speak wisdom among them that are perfect: yet not the wisdom of this world, nor of the princes of this world, that come to nought: But we speak the wisdom of God in a mystery, even the hidden wisdom, which God ordained before the world unto our glory: Which none of the princes of this world knew: for had they known it, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory.
But as it is written, Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love Him.
But God hath revealed them unto us by His Spirit: for the Spirit searcheth all things, yea, the deep things of God.
For what man knoweth the things of a man, save the spirit of man which is in him? even so the things of God knoweth no man, but the Spirit of God. Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the spirit which is of God; that we might know the things that are freely given to us of God (1 KwabaseKorinte 2:6-12)
UMoya oyiNgcwele, who dwells in the new man, knows the deep thoughts of God and teaches the new man in the Word and reveals His will in every situation, and makes the mysteries and treasures of the Word known to the new man.
Ngoko ke, the new man shall not be surprised and shall not panic, since the new man knows the Word and knows, among others, that there will be storms in life and persecution of the world, and knows what will happen in the last days of the end times and what the sign of His coming and the end of the world will be.
The storms in the lives of people
In everyone’s life, there shall be storms, because Jesus has told us that. And since Jesus speaks the truth, there shall be storms in life. Jesus didn’t say, that believers are excluded and that there will be no storms in the lives of believers. Nangona kunjalo, Wathi uYesu, that if a life is built upon the Rock and the person is rooted in the Word and does what the Word says and keeps standing in faith on the Word, the storms won’t do any damage (UMateyu 7:24-27, ULuka 6:46-49 (Funda kwakhona: ‘Saying and doing are two different things‘)
Ngelishwa, there is a gospel that contradicts the words of Jesus and convinces people and makes them believe that if you guqukani to Jesus Christ everything goes well and you shall experience no setbacks, resistance, and persecution and that you only have to pray and God will give you all the desires of your heart.
It is indeed written in the Word, that He gives the desires of your heart. But there are a few words in front of this promise, which is often not quoted, oko kukuthi: trust in the Lord, and do good; so shalt thou dwell in the land, and verily thou shalt be fed. Delight thyself also in the Lord; and He shall give thee the desires of thine heart (Iindumiso 37:3-4).
Nangona kunjalo, the problem is that many people are not born again and/or stay carnal and therefore their hearts remain unchanged. Ngenxa yoko, they pray out of the lusts and desires and the will of their flesh, instead of praying after the Spirit after His will.
The resistance and persecution in the world
These things I have spoken unto you, that in Me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world (UYohane 16:33).
The world tries to push her agenda and tries to approve everything that goes against the will and the words of God and make it normal, so that the people shall submit to the devil and live in obedience to his words after the will of the devil, instead of submitting to God and live in obedience to His Word after the will of God (Funda kwakhona: Ukuthanda kukaThixo ngokuchasene nentando kaMtyholi).
The more Christians allow the spirit of tolerance in their lives and bow for the world and compromise and approve sin and/or even participate in the unrighteous works of darkness, the more the wickedness shall increase and as a result the true Christians, who have received the Holy Spirit and stay faithful to the Word and keep standing on the Word, shall be considered fools and shall experience resistance and persecution in their lives.
Ezo, who want to be a friend of the world shall not be considered a fool, and shall not experience resistance and persecution, since they belong to the world and do what the world says and the world loves his owns.
But those, who don’t belong to the world, but are chosen and belong to God and love God and His Word and walk in submission to God after the Spirit in obedience to Him, shall not be loved by the world, kodwa shall be hated and persecuted by the world.
Ngoba? Because of the Name of Jesus Christ. Abangcwele, who are born again in Christ, shall just like Jesus, testify that her works are evil.
Wathi uYesu, a disciple is not above his master and nor the servant above his Lord. Ukuba banditshutshisile Mna, baya kunitshutshisa nani, ukuba baligcinile ilizwi lam, nezakho ziya kukugcina (a.o Matthew 10:16-24, UYohane 7:7; 12:25; 15:18-27; 17:14-25)
Wathi ngoko uYesu, to count the cost, because following Jesus will cost you everything! (ULuka 14:28, Phawula 8:35 (Funda kwakhona: ‘Count the costs‘ an ‘Ukulandela uYesu kuya kukuhlawula yonke into'))
Why do all these terrible things come on the earth?
Jesus didn’t keep us ignorant about the sign of His coming and the end of this world. He has foretold everything about the things that will occur, so that the children of God are prepared and stay awake and because of their steadfastness, constancy, and endurance will gain their lives.
Jesus spoke about abaprofeti bobuxoki, the love that shall wax cold, wars and rumors of wars, famines, earthquakes, pestilences (any deadly infectious malady*), signs in heaven, climate change, tribulation, the antichrist, njl. The only thing no one knows, not even Jesus, but only the Father, is the day and the hour of Jesus’ ukubuya. But Jesus has also revealed this, so that no one will be deceived (Owu. UMateyu 24:3-42, Phawula 13:5-37, ULuka 21:7-38, ISityhilelo 1-22).
Kutheni amakholwa amaninzi esoyika?
But because many don’t seek the things, which are above, but on the earth and don’t know the Word personally and haven’t built their faith on the words of God but on the words of people, they are not rooted in the Word, and as a result, many are ignorant and surprised, fearful and even panic when the words of God are fulfilled.
They not only panic, but they allow themselves to be deceived by the world and believe the words of the world above the words of God and leave their faith in the Word and enter a way, which is not according to the will of God.
People may say they believe in Jesus Christ and that they love Him and can confess with their mouths all kinds of things and act piously in front of others. But when trials come and/or the words of God come to pass, only then shall appear if they truly believe in what they confess and believe what is written in the Bible and truly love Jesus Christ and stay faithful to Him and keep walking by faith or not.
‘Yibani yityuwa yehlabathi’
*Vine’s dictionary
