Living Victoriously in Perilous Times Habakkuk 2 4

Living Victoriously in Perilous Times Habakkuk 2: 4

I. Introduction • True Christians are prepared by God for difficulties, trials and tribulations. • These are the crucible for our faith. • We should be relentless in prayer until we see progress.

• In the midst of upheavals, we are expected to triumph over our predicament. • Habakkuk 2: 4 “Behold, as for the proud one, His soul is not right within him; But the righteous will live by his faith. ”

II. Background • Habakkuk prophesied before the invasion of Judah. • He lived during the time of revival and saw the Nation’s slip into spiritual decline. • He had a burden from the LORD regarding the punishment of his wicked Nation. • His name means “embrace” in Hebrew. • He who “clings in faith” in difficult times.

Situation • From vv. 1: 2 -11 Habakkuk is complaining about God’s inaction over wickedness in Judah. “ 2 How long, O Lord, will I call for help, And You will not hear? I cry out to You, “Violence!” Yet You do not save.

Situation • But he got surprised when he learned that God is working to answer his prayer by raising Chaldeans to judge Judah. 1: 6 “For behold, I am raising up the Chaldeans, That fierce and impetuous people who march throughout the earth to seize dwelling places which are not theirs.

• Then in verses 12 to 17, comes his second complain: • How could it be possible for God who is their protector use such evil nation to judge them? “ 13 Your eyes are too pure to approve evil, And You can not look on wickedness with favor. Why do You look with favor On those who deal treacherously? Why are You silent when the wicked swallow up Those more righteous than they? ”

• In 2: 1, Habakkuk’s resolve is to become a watchman and wait for God’s response. “ 2: 1 I will stand on my guard post And station myself on the rampart; And I will keep watch to see what He will speak to me, And how I may reply [a]when I am reproved. ”

• Finally, 2: 2 -3, the Lord answered. • Habakkuk is urged to publicly record his answer. • The vision Habakkuk saw will certainly come to pass. • God is going to destroy the prideful Babylon in His appointed time.

• Habakkuk 2: 4 “Behold, as for the proud one, His soul is not right within him; But the righteous will live by his faith. ” • Two truths 1. Pride fails v. 4 a 2. Faith triumphs v. 4 b

III. Message 1. Pride Fails v. 4 a “Behold, as for the proud one, His soul is not right within him; • Pride is easy to see in others, but harder to see in us. • No sin is more opposed to God than pride. • It manifest man’s deepest depravity. • This is the bare assessment of the LORD.

• “behold”, to look to this graphic and vivid truth with deepening interest. • “as for” - this idiom is often used to provide more insight on the previous statement. • God is going to destroy the proud. • “the proud one” - The Heb. Word for proud is the word “aphal”. • Someone who’s having unreasonable conceit of one's own excellence.

• A condition of the heart in which a person has supplanted the rule of God over his life with the rule of his own will. • His soul or his inner being is not right before God. • “Everyone who is arrogant in heart is an abomination to the LORD; be assured, he will not go unpunished” (Proverbs 16: 5). • James 4: 5; Proverbs 16: 18

• God has reserved fierce judgment against those who are proud. • Application - We must check every proud thought and strive to grow more in humility. - Draw to God through His Word, the more it confronts your self-reliant nature, the more it drives you to find your value in Christ.

2. Faith Triumphs v. 4 b “But the righteous will live by his faith. ” • “But” – God used this very important conjunction to introduce this next phrase. • To indicate His 180 degree objection to the issue of pride. • “the righteous“- persons living in accordance to God’s truths. • “will live” – continual determination.

• “by his” - according to and by their own decision. • “faith”, “emunah” - the assent of the mind to the truth of what is declared by God, resting on his authority and reliability. • It is the understanding to the truth of what God has revealed. Belief of the Scriptures, the being and perfections of God, His existence, character and doctrines.

• The principle of their life is faith, instead of pride that looks to self. • In the NT, this clause is quoted 3 times. • Romans 1: 17, emphasizing the idea that righteousness by faith is for all people. • Galatians 3: 11 - we are justified or made right before God by faith. • This is a component of God’s marvelous redemptive plan. Eph. 2: 8

• Ephesians 2: 8 “For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God; ” • Hebrews 10: 38. “But My righteous one shall live by faith; And if he shrinks back, My soul has no pleasure in him”

• God called us to live by faith, and nothing else. • And without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is and that He is a rewarder of those who seek Him. Hebrews 11: 6 -8 6

• God sees the proud man and how the proud man cannot be satisfied. • The one who is declared just by faith is satisfied, but the proud man keeps on being covetous. • “But the righteous will live by his faith. ”

IV. Conclusion • We may not understand why tragic and heart shaking circumstances are happening around us. • God’s is all-knowing, omnipotent, and He will ultimately triumph over evil. • In His time, He will deal with the wicked, the violent, the corrupt and the idolaters.

• We are to Plead with God in desperate prayer of mercy and revival. • We are to praise the God who is more than able to give mercy and revival. • This places us in proper perspective under God and it builds confidence in the power and works of God. • Knowing God’s strength, we can trust the LORD even in a crisis.

• We wait actively for God’s deliverance. • We act not as unbelievers, not as in resigned defeat, but in faith-filled trust. • God is in full control of His universe. He bends even the worst of circumstances to the good of those who love Him (Rom 8: 28).

• Faith triumphs! • Pray for revival – part of active praying is - Honest assessment of your relationship with God. - Living a lifestyle of repentance and - Making God known to all • Pray for mercy – we should be merciful ourselves, and reach out to those who are in need.

• Praise God. • Give back to God what is due Him, reminding ourselves that God is all-knowing, always present, and all powerful. • When faith overcome fear and uncertainty, • We begin to worship!

• Habakkuk 3: 17 -19 “ 17 Though the fig tree should not blossom, And there be no [o]fruit on the vines, Though the yield of the olive should fail And the fields produce no food, Though the flock should be cut off from the fold And there be no cattle in the stalls, 18 Yet I will exult in the Lord, I will rejoice in the God of my salvation. 19 The Lord [p]God is my strength, And He has made my feet like hinds’ feet, And makes me walk on my high places. ”

• The sovereign power and majesty of God magnifies our frailty and low standing before Him. • In humility, our resolve is to still rejoice in the Lord. • God’s power is not weakened because of man’s desolate difficulties. • He is unchanging.

• God is far greater than all the problems that we and our nation are facing. • Our strength is never in our life, nor in our achievements and resources but in God alone. • God will not allow His people to fall nor slip. • Make Him your strength, humbly live in faith, praise Him for He is worthy. • God is able to make us leap for joy.

My hope lives not because I am not a sinner, but because I am a sinner for whom Christ died; my trust is not that I am holy, but that being unholy, HE is my righteousness. My faith rests not upon what I am or shall be or feel or know, but in what Christ is, in what He has done, and in what He is now doing for me. Hallelujah! Charles Spurgeon