“By faith Sarah herself also received strength to conceive seed, in spite of her age, because she judged Him faithful who had promised.” Heb. 11:11. 1. In spite of the very laws of nature being against Sarah, she received strength to overcome them and lay the foundation of the generation to which we, as God’s children, belong. What was the secret of Sarah’s strength? The secret was that she judged Him faithful who had promised. Confidence in God is the power of faith to break through and remove all difficulties, so that we can establish—build further or complete—what God has ordained and promised. If you have confidence in God, you can go forward in spite of all kinds of hindrances—in spite of the impossible, in spite of anything whatsoever! Trusting God gives rise to a courageous determination which God always rewards with victories. Every victory you gain is for your and other people’s blessing. Sarah’s victory is your blessing, for you are its fruit. The fruit of your victory is your reward. Sarah is among that great cloud of witnesses, which you do well to give heed to. 2. In spite of the fact that the Jordan River had overflowed all its banks in the first month, all the mighty men of David crossed over and put to flight all those in the valleys, to the east and to the west. See 1 Chronicles 12:15. If you trust God, you will break through in spite of the fact that opposition and difficulties seem to go beyond all limits just as the Jordan overflowed all its banks. What can stop you if you are willing to let God lead you? “When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and through the rivers, they shall not overflow you.” Isa. 43:2. Jordan means death. God leads you on against the enemy by a more profound death to your self-life. Then you are victorious. The difficulties reveal that your own strength is weakness. Your strength fails and vanishes so that in your helplessness you can be strong in God. Your strength is your weakness, and your weakness is your strength. You can overcome others when God has overcome you. God leads you through a purifying fire that tests your faith, so that you, with perfect power, can fight against powers and principalities, against the rulers of this age and every spirit (human spirit) that oppresses the truth in unrighteousness. Therefore do not fear if the Jordan should overflow all its banks. Even if you were to go through the valley of the shadow of death, the result will still be that God will prepare a table for you right before the eyes of your enemies. Just go boldly through everything, and God will give you such strength that you will appear as an unforeseen and unexpected power in the presence of all the terrified enemies of the truth. 3. In spite of the fact that Samson was bound with two new ropes by three thousand of Judah’s men, his brethren, so they could deliver him as a prisoner to the Philistines who were his and their enemies, he tore the bonds asunder like burning flax, so that the bonds melted from his hands. Then he found a fresh jawbone of a donkey and killed a thousand men, not of his brethren who had cowardly bound him, but a thousand men of the Philistines. Judges 15:11-15. Even now when you go into battle against all of Satan’s deceptions, you will find that many of them, who as brothers should help and support, ally themselves with the enemy against you. They will attempt to hinder you in every possible way with old ropes and with new ropes. They expend all their strength to make you ineffective. As a rule they do not disapprove of your life; they usually consider you as a brother, but you must be firmly bound so that the extent of your activity and your ministry before God will be circumscribed. There are many “Judah’s men” in these days. They do not want to go into battle themselves; o the contrary, they put obstacles in the way of those men who do want to go. As their works are, so their end will be if they are not converted from their folly. Your work for the Lord will arouse the enemy’s powers so much that it will cause unrest everywhere. Then Judah’s men will also awaken from their slumber, emerging from their egotistical, sleepy Christian life, not to help you—not at all—but rather to bind you and immobilize you. They don’t like war with their enemies—sin, self-life, and Satan—or to fight for the church of God. They prefer to sit by themselves in pleasurable enjoyment. They shout when the trumpet gives a clear call to battle, “God does everything,” or on the other hand, “Alas, we cannot do anything!” And so they desire to continue to sleep in their false teachings or in their self-imposed religion. Such people abound in these days. Satan and his hosts rejoice if they can bind you, just as the Philistines shouted with joy when the men of Judah had bound Samson. Even in these days the spirits from the pit shout with joy when “Judah’s men” are using their ropes. Start to fight against all Philistines who build and dwell “safely” in the assemblies, and you will discover that there are many “Judah’s men” who will not tolerate you. Then they will swarm out of their caves, and you will realize that there are many “Judah’s men,” but few Samsons. Nevertheless, do not fear! In spite of the Philistines’ howls of rejoicing that your brothers provide for them, in spite of the brothers’ bonds and chains, you can, in the power of the Lord, break through all of it like flax that is burned with fire, and the Lord will crown your courage with victory. You will discover that “Judah’s men” will, as a rule, clothe themselves in words of love, tolerance, and forbearance; but if you examine things more closely, you will see little of the armor of righteousness and the sword of truth. The Philistines have taken away their armor and their swords. Therefore they speak much about the first things, but little about the latter, because they desire to be peacemakers—according to the flesh. However, the Lord wants to have men who burn with zeal, who stand in His armies with hearts that are without guile. We have a right and an obligation to apprehend everyone in order to, if possible, take them along into battle. If they love the sleep of the slothful, they will wake up as your enemies; but they, in turn, will become slaves of their enemies—false doctrines and carnal religiosity. Religious leaders in particular do not like men who are manly and strong for war. They themselves are unfit for battle, which makes them totally unfit to lead others into war. They are best at leading when the sheep sleep their lives away in old forms and customs. History tells us that religious leaders have been the worst enemies of newly emerging truths, for the authority of most religious leaders is based on the sleep of the sheep. One dares to judge such people in the light of history, because then they can be viewed from a great distance. However, this generation does not know how to judge the men of our times. If you go to war against sin and Satan, beginning in the church of God, these leaders will often be the first to hinder your work. However, in spite of the fact that many of them will go along with the great enemy of the truth, “That Old Serpent,” and even if you have to fight alone, remember that there are more with you than with them. 4. In spite of the fact that Jonathan was alone with his armorbearer, he went out against the Philistines’ thirty thousand chariots, six thousand horsemen, and people as the sand on the seashore in multitude. He slew them and gained a glorious victory, saying, “For nothing restrains the Lord from saving by many or by few.” 1 Samuel, Chapters 13 and 14. Advance in spite of being alone in the battle. God rewards your boldness with victory. Dragging along a multitude of cowardly people who fail on the day of battle is unprofitable. If you seek support from the many, those supports will fail, and you will suffer loss. God replaces the many. Learn to stand alone. Learn to go alone when God calls. A man who opens up a way will have many followers. It will be the entire host of God. The Lord says to Gideon, “Whoever is fearful and afraid, let him turn and depart at once from Mount Gilead.” A man of faith accomplishes more than a thousand doubters. A tried man of faith is strong; doubters are cowards. They can see a truth but they dare not proclaim it. A truth is a flaming torch. A man of faith lays hold of it and charges into the enemy’s darkness. He is not afraid of people. All of the world’s darkness is not able to quench his light. You are victorious in the light wherever you bear it. You are like a fire among the people. If you put the light under a basket, you will remain in darkness yourself, together with all the enemies of the light. That is your punishment. “Put on the armor of light,” is what Paul calls out in Romans 13:12. “The full armor of God . . . .” Eph. 6:11. Better to fight a war in the light with God’s peace and purity of heart than a corrupt peace in darkness. Take this seriously to heart so you can be preserved pure. All those who shy away from the light call out, “Be careful!” Satan warns (usually through brothers) to “Spare yourself.” But observe the following: When Satan says, “Spare yourself,” he means “Spare me and what is mine.” Never be sparing with light and the truth—never spare Satan’s darkness. If you spare the first, you will also spare the latter. In spite of the fact that you must often stand alone in the battle, endure until bloodshed. Consider the cross and tribulations as nothing compared to the joy that awaits you. God said to Joshua, “Have I not commanded you? Be strong and of good courage; do not be afraid, nor be dismayed . . . .” Josh. 1:9. A strong faith in God creates a holy defiance against everything that is not from God. Jesus says, “Therefore I have set My face like a flint.” Isa. 50:7.Aksel Smith

“But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you.” Matt. 6:33. If we do this, we will not only receive what we need for ourselves, we will also receive something to give to someone who is in need, besides giving for what is good and right. 2 Cor. 9:8-11. We will thus be able to do what is written in Deuteronomy 15:6: “You shall lend to many nations, but you shall not borrow . . . .” Therefore, first of all begin to pursue righteousness. Pay everyone what you owe him. Do not give gifts to one person while you owe money to another. Be content and frugal, so that you can soon pay off your debt. Pay your duty and tax with a willing heart. God will greatly bless you in this work so that you will receive abundantly for every good work and will not have to give gifts with a bad conscience because you know that you owe money in another place. Your righteous attitude will thus be revealed so that all those who love the good will thank God for it. And the Father, who is the giver of all good gifts, will arrange it so that you can give of what is yours—which is blessed! Read Exodus 35:5, underlining of what is yours. [Old Norwegian Bible translation.] First pay your debt—then disperse of what is yours with joy, and your horn will be exalted with honor! Ps. 112. Also read Romans 13 and 2 Corinthians 8:12-15. Do not think that you are helping to spread God’s kingdom by giving money to the mission work if you owe any money. On the contrary! If you are in that position and want to be along in giving to God’s kingdom, you are doing it by paying off your debt! If you are spiritual, you will know that this is God’s commandment. Its foundation is to desist from all unrighteousness. See 2 Timothy 2:19. Your house will not stand without a foundation. Therefore see to it that your house will stand! If someone wants to conceal his unrighteousness, then take note of this: your attitude will be revealed by all your actions so that you cannot hide in the church where the light shines. Besides, we know that there is nothing hidden that will not be revealed.Elias Aslaksen

“But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves.” James 1:22. James says that you deceive yourself if you only hear the Word but do not do it. How many people live in this deception their whole life—hearing and hearing, but never even trying to do what they hear! Some hear God’s Word their whole life, but when death is near and they are face-to-face with eternity, then, in spite of all their listening, they come into desperate soul-searching battles. You have to ask yourself, when all is said and done, if these people who always seemed to be good Christians were even saved. They heard but they never did what they heard. How could they have deceived themselves the whole time? “My brethren, do not hold the faith of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Lord of glory, with partiality.” James 2:1. [Emphasis added]. How many hear this Word and do it? All worldly people and most Christians are influenced by worldly greatness. You will seldom meet anyone so perfect that he treats the poor with the same interest and esteem as he treats the person who wears expensive clothes and costly jewelry! “Have you not shown partiality among yourselves, and become judges with evil thoughts?” Verse 4. “But if you show partiality, you commit sin, and are convicted by the law as transgressors.” Verse 9.Johan O. Smith

The natural man walks in unrighteousness and demands justice from others. On the other hand, God walks in righteousness and shows mercy to all others. The first step to this is to partake of God (be born again by dying to ourselves by faith, which alone is righteous). After that, He Himself— by His Spirit—will also teach us to sacrifice (be merciful) instead of making demands. James 3:2 James, the servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ, a teacher in the church, tells us in Chapter 3 from verse 1 that none of us is able to bridle the whole body. It is good to consider this, especially for those who have already become rich and full.Elias Aslaksen