“…For nothing restrains the Lord from saving by many or by few.” – 1 Samuel 14:6

Whenever we are faced with a spiritual opportunity, i.e. a divine appointment, invariably we tend to pause and ponder the what if’s.

What if I fail?

What if I can’t defend my faith?

What if I cannot give a reason for the hope that lies within me?

This reaction is merely responding in the weakness of our flesh.

When we lean on our own understanding, we are limited to our own strength and our own abilities to solve the problem at hand.

But when we pray and bring Jesus Christ, the Lord of Hosts into the moment, everything changes because He has never lost a battle!

I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me. – Philippians 4:13

Nothing is Impossible With God

In 1 Samuel 14:1-14 Jonathon, the son of Saul, Israel’s first king, found himself and his armor bearer in a place where he believed God could do a work.

He was at the bottom of a cliff.

Looking up, he realized that a Philistine garrison was on the ridge above them.

So he sought a sign from God.

If the Philistines say they will come down to them, God’s not in it.

But, if the Philistines say, “Come up to us” then God will give them the victory.

Sure enough, when Jonathon and his armorbearer showed themselves to the Philistines, the enemy responded, saying, “Come up to us and we will show you something.” (1 Samuel 14:12)

Jonathon received the confirmation he was hoping for.

In the moment, Jonathon saw an opportunity for God to work a miracle, deliver the Philistine garrison to him, and receive the praise and glory.

Nothing Restrains the Lord

Keep in mind, Jonathon was at the bottom of a cliff.

He could not see his enemy.

The Philistines had the high ground.

In warfare, the high ground is a distinct positional advantage.

Fighting from above your enemy, you have the forces of gravity and perspective working with you.

Worse yet for Jonathon, verse 13 tells us he had to climb the hill on his hands and knees!

Talk about being vulnerable to attack.

But God had a plan and was going to use Jonathan in a very powerful way.

Boldness in Faith + God’s Power = Victory!

“For we walk by faith, not by sight.” – 2 Corinthians 5:7

I recall the one time I went rock climbing.

I was hooked up to a harness with a guide pulling on a rope to help me.

The first half of the climb was a ridge that I could walk up.

But at the end of the ridge was a bald-faced rock with no footholds or handholds.

I quickly realized this was a leap of faith type of climb.

A leap of faith I knew I had to take.

Because when God tells you to take a bold leap of faith, you can’t be too afraid to jump.

So I spread my arms and legs across the face only to be entirely dependent upon the guide tugging on the rope below.

But I learned that with every effort I made upward, I got a tug on the rope to help me up the rock.

A lunge forward…a tug on the rope.

A scooch upward…another tug on the rope.

Inch by inch I worked my way up the rock face until bloodied, bruised and battered I reached the top!

A daunting 30 feet above the ground!

Later I realized the life lesson in this rock climb.

In the midst of life’s trials, sometimes we will be left “hanging” with apparently no solution in sight.

But, if we make an effort to inch forward, the Holy Spirit is there every time to give us a “tug on the rope” and encourage us to ascend and reach our own mountain top.

But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all things that I said to you. – John 14:26 

Jonathon knew this experience full well.

He knew the Philistines were an enemy of God and Israel.

He knew it was God’s perfect will for this enemy to be defeated.

Therefore, Jonathon’s boldness in faith combined with God’s power won the day.

In whom we have boldness and access with confidence through faith in Him. – Ephesians 3:12

Key Takeaway

So, how bold is your faith?

Now when they saw the boldness of Peter and John, and perceived that they were uneducated and untrained men, they marveled. And they realized that they had been with Jesus. – Act 4:13  

After Peter and John had healed the lame man in Acts chapter 4, they were questioned by the religious leaders.

But Peter and John took a bold stand for Jesus and could not be denied.

Are you facing a dilemma that is so daunting it seems impossible to figure out?

Or, do you lack boldness when your faith is challenged?

Jesus says in Mathew 7:7, “Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you.”

Ask God for a bold faith.

Seek His good counsel.

Knock on the door of His heart to know His perfect will for you.

And live out your faith with boldness!