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Firestarters: Ignite the Faith WithinSample

Firestarters: Ignite the Faith Within

DAY 2 OF 5

Wild Dogs

In 1 Samuel 14, we find an incredible story of faith, as two men, Jonathan and his armor-bearer, audaciously step out against their enemies in seemingly impossible circumstances.

The Philistine army was at an advantageous position at the top of a cliff. Jonathan and his young armor-bearer had just one sword between them: two men taking on a whole army with one weapon. This crazy plan gets even better, though; the name of one of the cliffs they were to climb to get to the Philistines was called ‘Sineh,’ meaning thorns. It would be a sharp and difficult climb, and when you got to the top, there would be an army waiting to kill you, as Jonathan’s plan was to show himself to them.

Sometimes we pray for God to move the mountain when God wants us to climb up its jaggedy rockface instead. You might get cut, be sore, or uncomfortable, but God is calling you to apply your faith unswervingly to take possession of what He has called you to do.

I can’t tell you how often people have told Heather and me that we believe ‘too big,’ that we are taking our faith to a bit of an extreme level. ‘You need to be a bit more realistic.’ When was faith ever realistic? When people start speaking doubt over me, it is provocative: it causes me to be more determined to believe in impossible things. There is a fight in me that rises up—a fight to believe. There was a fight in Jonathan and the armor-bearer that day to act audaciously in line with the faith they had in who God was.

  • Are there any areas of your life where you are praying for God to move the mountain, and He asks you to climb the rockface?
  • Where might you need to have a wilder, less-tamed faith?
  • Jonathan and his armor-bearer provoked faith in each other. How can you put yourself in an environment or community where that boldness of faith is encouraged, not flattened?

Scripture

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About this Plan

Firestarters: Ignite the Faith Within

This 5-day devotional will inspire, challenge and provoke you to believe that with God all things are possible. Inspired by one church-planter's journey, see how Scripture can start a fire of faith within us, teach us to believe for more, and change how we live. With one spark a whole forest can blaze. Allow the Holy Spirit to light a fresh spark in you to burn for His Kingdom.

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We would like to thank Freedom Church for providing this plan. For more information, please visit: https://www.firestartersthebook.com