Title: Faith with God
Text: 1 Samuel 4:1-11
Israel and the Philistines were encamped against each other at Ebenezer and Japhek. When they fought, they brought defeat to Israel, killing four thousand people. They thought that the cause of their defeat was not with God, so they decided to take the sign of the covenant, put it in the camp, and wage war. They took the sign of the covenant from Shiloh and put it in the camp, and they had Eli's two sons, Hophni and Phinehas, to keep it. When the sign of the covenant entered the camp, the people of Israel shouted. They assured that they had already won the war. The Philistines were also frightened. They already knew the hand of God that was working in the wilderness. The morale of the Israeli soldiers and the fearful Philistines all believed that this war would end with Israel's victory. However, the outcome of the war was indeed disastrous and ended in Israel's defeat. Thirty thousand victims were sacrificed, the covenant was taken away, and Eli's two sons, Hophni and Phinehas, died. Israel's defeat teaches many lessons.
However, this alone should not be judged as the whole of faith. Because it can change into a Pharisee-style faith. Also, God must be a God of order, but because He has a personality. Faith should never be mechanical. If a person is excessively perfect, regular, and error-free, it will not be easy to associate with. Perfection is a good thing, but he lacks humanity, and he may become blunt in his repentance and lose his humility. As Job repented when he lost his property, children, and servants, even his wife fled, and was ill, you should know that perfection can sometimes bring great difficulties. Rather than seeking formal perfection, there should always be a personal fellowship with the Lord.
Second, failure has a cause.
Third, the secret of victory lies in repentance and fasting.
You cannot create God's work with vague faith. Patience alone cannot be the best weapon. On the contrary, if you persevere for a long time, you may become helpless. We must repent as soon as our problems are discovered. Although the Israelites had to ask for God to win the war through repentance and fasting, they made the mistake of bringing the rule of the covenant, which resulted in losing the war and losing the rule of the covenant. Only those who repent can win. Job was able to receive double blessings through repentance. Jonah came out of the belly of the fish through repentance and testified of God in Nineveh. Through repentance, Peter received the Holy Spirit and became a servant with the power to convert 5,000 people. In fulfilling the work of the Lord, various sins must be sorted out. I hope you will become a powerful Christian through repentance and fasting.