“We should not trust in ourselves, but in God who raises the dead, who delivered us from so great a death, and does deliver us; in whom we trust that He will still deliver us” (2 Cor. 1:10 NKJV).
Here is a line from the past to the future: God has delivered us in the past, does deliver us in the present, and will deliver us in the future. This statement makes our confession of faith and our Christian witnessing simply a matter of declaring what the Lord has done, what He is doing, and what He is going to do.
Sometimes, fear suppresses our outward profession because we are hesitant to make any verbal pronouncement about the future. Uncertainty and insecurity tend to shut down our own interior faith and to quell our exterior Christian witness to others.
When some skeptic asks you, “How do you know God is going to heal you (or prosper you, or answer your prayer)?” how do you answer? Do you mouth vague expressions of wishful thinking? Do you make excuses for your own lack of firm assurance? Do you have any basis for expectation that God will intervene on your behalf?
Paul did. He would have answered that question like this: “I know that God is going to heal (prosper, answer) me because He has delivered me in the past and is delivering me in the present. Therefore, I am trusting Him to do the same in the future.”
Since Jesus is the same yesterday, today, and forever (Heb. 13:8), and since our God has said, “…I am the Lord, I do not change…” (Mal. 3:6 NKJV), why not put your whole trust in Him for deliverance? Remember, Paul says that it is not ourselves that we trust, but God – the same Person Who delivered Christ (and us) from death.
Excerpt permission granted by Harrison House Publishers
Dick Mills was ordained at The International Church of the Foursquare Gospel in 1949. He and his wife Betty traveled as evangelists all over the United States, Canada, Mexico, Latin America, Europe, and Australia. Dick and Betty are now home in heaven.
In 1966 Dick and Betty became a part of the then-emerging Charismatic Renewal. Passing through all denominational barriers, Dick has had the opportunity to speak in thousands of churches of varied backgrounds all over the world.
He ministered within several Christian organizations, including the Full Gospel Business Men, Women's Aglow, Inter-church Renewal Catholic Pentecostals, mainline Charismatic groups, CBN and TBN television networks, and many other independent Christian TV stations.
Dick appeared on numerous radio talk shows, written several magazine articles, and spoke at many Bible conferences and universities. He served as an adjunct professor at six Schools of the Bible and Seminaries.
In addition, Dick authored and co-authored several books and tapes. Dick's ministry was characterized by the unique gifts God has blessed him with. His services informed, enlightened, and motivated people to a higher level of commitment to God.