“The issue is the faith that obeys, not the faith that wins every short-term battle.”

Best-selling author Dr. Larry Osborne explains why it’s important to be obedient in our faith and rely on God’s strength, especially in Babylon. He shares insight from his book  .

Larry says that so often we forget that God is in control when persecution comes into our lives. At times we even wonder, ‘Where is God?’

Although we might have a hard time believing that God will meet us, Larry reminds us that God never moved an inch.

“He’s in the same place is always been. He said, ‘I told you this is what it’s like. Believe me.’”

For many of us who’ve known safety for so long, it’s tempting to want to cover our heads and hideaway from a terror-stricken culture. We need to trust God and rely on His strength.

“Part of the problem is that we forget God gives dying grace to dying men.”

God calls us to be strong and courageous, rather than cower away in our fears. Instead of worrying about our strength for the future, we need to rely on the strength we are given today.

“Whenever I find people that are in a panic zone or hyper-worried, they’re worried about where things are going. They know that today might be tough, but somehow they’re able to endure it.

What we forget is when we look down the road we’re wondering, ‘How could I endure this in terms of who I am right now?’ and the answer is you can’t.”

The strength we are given is provided on a daily basis, just as our daily bread.

“When that comes like manna, every single day’s strength, mercy and grace will show up on your doorstep. We never get to store it up and put it in a garage so we can go look and say, ‘Things will be okay, I’m all prepped.’ It’s a just-in-time delivery system.”

Larry says this is one of the greatest principles that Christians forget.

“God does not give us storehouses of grace ahead of time; He delivers it out day by day. There’s no trial, no testing, no temptation that is greater than we can take.”

God is our main source of strength. He’s never early, never late, but always right on time.

“If you told me a year ahead it was coming, I would have gone, ‘Oh, there’s no way my wife and I can handle this.’  And yet when it came we were able, each day, to make it through.”

Key Scripture: Colossians 1:28-29

Featured Songs: If I Have You by Vertical Church Band feat. Mia Fieldes; We Will Not Be Shaken by Bethel Music feat. Brian Johnson; No Longer Slaves by Jonathan David & Melissa Helser

Highlight: Relying on God’s strength

Thriving in Babylon