Trust in the Lord

What is the meaning of Trust?
Trust means reliance, faith, confidence, or dependence on a person for his or her ability to perform. When a person makes a promise and keeps that promise no matter the odds, it means that person is trustworthy or reliable.

Because man is fallible no matter how perfect a person could be, the scriptures tell us to put our trust in God and not in man.

Psalm 118:8 “It is better to trust in the LORD than to put confidence in man.”

Why we should Trust God
Our trust in God should not only be for our eternal salvation but also for every day issues in life. We can trust God because of:

1. His name.
Psalm 20:7 “Some trust in chariots, and some in horses: but we will remember the name of the LORD our God.”

For example when you are faced with imminent danger, e.g. a car accident, and you call the name of Jesus, God sends his angels and miraculously, the accident is avoided.

2. His Word
Although God’s name is important, in terms of magnitude, He magnifies His word above His name. The Psalmist said,

Psalm 138:2 (NKJV) “I will worship toward Your holy temple, and praise Your name for Your lovingkindness and Your truth; for you have magnified Your word above all Your name.”

A person’s name is esteemed when his word is good or the person keeps his promises. God’s name is magnified because He keeps His promises. His word is more magnified than the name because the word signifies His nature and character.

When a person is summoned before a judge, more often than not it is not because of the name but what the person has done (e.g. a thief, a rapist or murderer would need to answer to his or her deed not to his or her name). God’s character or integrity is inherently built in Him keeping his word. In other word’s He magnifies His word above His name. E.g. God’s promise to Abraham:

Hebrews 6:13-18
13 For when God made promise to Abraham, because He could swear by no greater, He sware by Himself, 14 Saying, Surely blessing I will bless thee, and multiplying I will multiply thee. 15 And so, after he had patiently endured, he obtained the promise. 16 For men verily swear by the greater: and an oath for confirmation is to them an end of all strife. 17 Wherein God, willing more abundantly to shew unto the heirs of promise the immutability of his counsel, confirmed it by an oath: 18 That by two immutable things, in which it was impossible for God to lie, we might have a strong consolation, who have fled for refuge to lay hold upon the hope set before us:

The reason why a child of God is not allowed to swear is because his word is not infallible. Only God’s word is infallible (Matthew 5:33-37). On the other hand, God’s promises in Christ are yea and Amen (2 Corinthians 1:20).

Using God’s name to do gospel work and yet living a life of sin is hypocritical, futile and could end the person in hell (Matt. 7:21-23). God’s name and word synchronize so his will is done. If you speak in God’s name, your character must synchronize with His word. The scripture says: “Let everyone who name the name of Christ depart from iniquity (2 Tim. 2:19). This is why some preachers that come in God’s name and yet their lives do not match what they preach bring disrepute to the church. Jesus is coming only for the church that has no spot or wrinkle, a church or people that has not maligned His name.

3. His Power
God is a stronghold for his people

Psalm 18:2 “The LORD is my rock, and my fortress, and my deliverer; my God, my strength, in whom I will trust; my buckler, and the horn of my salvation, and my high tower.”
Psalm 91:2 “I will say of the LORD, He is my refuge and my fortress: my God; in him will I trust.”
Nahum 1:7 “The LORD is good, a strong hold in the day of trouble; and he knoweth them that trust in him. ”

His power is working in you and for you. Trusting the Lord means you trust in His power and ability to see you through a situation no matter how tough the thing is or what you may be going through. When you trust God for something there need NOT be a basis for your trust, because trust is like “blind” faith.

2 things to consider when trusting God are: Your faith on God’s word – it is your responsibility to ensure you are standing solidly on God’s word not on ideas or what the scriptures call “the wisdom of men” or the “wisdom of this world”. The second thing is your understanding of what the Spirit and Power of God can do (1 Cor. 2:1-5; Mark 11:20-24).

Proverbs 3:5-6
5 Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. 6 In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.

The key word of trust in trusting God is all your heart. Half-hearted trust is as good as doubt which does not please God.

Brief Case Study
King Asa (2 Chronicles chapters 14 to 16)

He started his reign on a positive note. He was very zealous spiritually and he enjoyed rest all around for 10 years (2 Chronicles 14:1-7). Thereafter he began to build defenses around the city which the enemies came in their score to test those defenses. The defenses were useless against the enemy. Asa cried to the Lord and he rescued them (2 Chronicles 14:8-15. As long as Asa’s trust was in the Lord, his defense was secured. The Ethiopians had over a million troupes against Asa and God defeated them because Asa cried to the Lord for help

2 Chronicles 14:11-12
11 And Asa cried unto the Lord his God, and said, Lord, it is nothing with thee to help, whether with many, or with them that have no power: help us, O Lord our God; for we rest on thee, and in thy name we go against this multitude. O Lord, thou art our God; let no man prevail against thee. 12 So the Lord smote the Ethiopians before Asa, and before Judah; and the Ethiopians fled.

In 2 Chronicles 15:1-11, we read of the great revival when Asa obeyed the instructions of God through his prophet Azariah, son of Oded.

12 And they entered into a covenant to seek the Lord God of their fathers with all their heart and with all their soul;

Sometimes, there is a subtle line between trusting in God and trusting in your ability and you need to be careful. Scriptures says as many as are led by the Spirit of God they are the son of God. Trusting in the Lord means you rely heavily on His Spirit to lead you.

In 2 Chronicles 16 Asa later began to use his human wisdom to reign. He listened to the king of Syria and broke the league with Baasha king of Israel. He formed a league with the king of Syria almost similar to Balaam aligning with Balak of Moab against Israel (Numbers 22). Asa took it upon himself to let a heathen nation war against his kinsmen. Hanani the seer told king Asa that God is looking for hearts perfect towards Him.

9 For the eyes of the Lord run to and fro throughout the whole earth, to shew himself strong in the behalf of them whose heart is perfect toward him. Herein thou hast done foolishly: therefore from henceforth thou shalt have wars.

Asa’s reign did not end well. He oppressed the people and even imprisoned the seer. He died of a disease in his feet, and yet in the disease he did not trust the Lord but the physicians (2 Chron. 16:12-13). How sad for a king to trust the Lord half-heartedly. Asa was better than many of the kings of Judah and Israel, but His life still fell short of God’s expectation.

When we trust in the Lord, He fights our battles for us and we exude His wisdom. The Lord is pleased with those who trust in Him one hundred percent. I would like to be that person. Wouldn’t you?