_When you see the end you win in the present_
The seemingly hopeless situations some believers face are not the problem; the real problem is that they don’t know and therefore cannot see the glorious future ahead of them in Christ. Many believers remain stuck in their current situations because they’re unable to see beyond the present. They become overwhelmed and weighed down by their circumstances. However, when we look beyond our current situation and see the glorious future we’ve been called to in Christ, the sight gives us strength and an assurance that the current situation is fleeting, and that victory is already ours.
Abraham’s experience illustrates a powerful principle: knowing the future gives strength for the present. When God asked Abraham to sacrifice Isaac (Genesis 22:2), Abraham’s prior revelation of his son’s future (Genesis 17:19) gave him the strength to obey, even in the face of immense difficulty. Because he knew what God had promised, Abraham trusted that his son’s future was secure, and that gave him the courage to move forward. Even if Isaac’s life was required, Abraham knew God could raise him back to life to fulfill the promise God had made to him concerning Isaac’s future (Hebrews 11:17-19).
Just like Abraham, Jesus’ experience illustrates the power of seeing beyond the present. According to Hebrews 12:2, Jesus endured the cross because He kept His eyes on the glory that lay ahead: “For the joy set before Him, He endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.
Likewise, when believers face challenging situations, instead of focusing on the problem and praying for God to change their circumstances, they should follow Jesus’ and Abraham’s example by looking beyond their current situation, leveraging on the promises of God concerning their future to fill their heart with faith and do exploits in the present.
As children of God, we have access to all truth through the Spirit (1 Corinthians 2:10-12, John 16:13). The Holy Spirit unveils the end from the beginning, helping us see beyond the present situation to the assured outcome of triumph.
So, what do you see? What have you set before your eyes? Do you see the situation as a problem and dwell on it, or do you see the glory that lies ahead and walk in the reality of it?
Olaitan Adesanmi