FAINT NOT!
Isa 40:28-31
28 Do you not know? Have you not heard? The LORD is the everlasting God, the Creator of the ends of the earth. He will not grow tired or weary, and his understanding no one can fathom.
29 He gives strength to the weary and increases the power of the weak.
30 Even youths grow tired and weary, and young men stumble and fall;
31 but those who hope in the LORD will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint.
HAVE YOU EVER FAINTED? I did for the first time about two years ago at church dinner.
Other examples:
• Groomsman
• Frank Olds
Many of us have faced the problem of spiritually fainting
as we labor, fight, and enter the heat of the battle for the Lord.
Proverbs 24:10: “If you faint in the day of adversity, your strength is small.”
The Hebrew for “faint” here literally means, to become feeble, idle, or lazy; to lack stamina. In some translations it is rendered, “to be disheartened, to falter, to lose heart.”
In I Samuel 30:21, we are told that 200 of David’s men were so faint, “they could not follow David.”
There are many professing Christians that get so weak that they cannot seem to remain consistent in their walk with Christ. They lack spiritual stamina!
In II Corinthians 4:15,16, Paul writes, “For all things are for your sakes, that the abundant grace might through the thanksgiving of many redound to the glory of God. For which cause we faint not, but though our outward man may perish, yet the inward man is being renewed day by day.”
Illus.: “To Build a Bridge”
The Brooklyn Bridge is truly a miracle bridge. In 1863, a creative engineer named John Roebling was inspired by an idea for this spectacular span. Bridge-building experts throughout the world told him it was a crazy idea and that he should forget it. It couldn’t be done. But Roebling wouldn’t forget it. It was his dream. So he convinced his son, Washington, who was a young up-and-coming engineer, that the bridge could be built. So the two of them developed a plan of attack. With unharnessed excitement and inspiration, they hired their crew and began to build their dream bridge.
The project was only a few months under construction when a tragic accident took the life of John Roebling and severely injured his son, Washington. He was left with permanent brain damage and was unable to talk or walk. Everyone felt that the project would be scrapped, but even though Washington couldn’t speak or walk, his mind was as sharp as ever. And he still had a burning desire to complete the bridge. An idea hit him in his hospital bed and he developed a code for communication. All he could move was one finger, so he touched the arm of his wife with that finger, tapping out a code to communicate to her what to tell the engineers who were building the bridge. For 13 years, Washington tapped out his instruction with his finger until the spectaculor Brooklyn Bridge was finally completed.
Lord, give us that kind of determination, that kind of stamina.
WHEN A CHRISTIAN FAINTS, AT LEAST 3 THINGS TAKE PLACE:
1. They become spiritually weak
• least little thing detours them
• become as limp as a dish rag
• lose control of their bodily functions
2. There is darkness. If you want to hear some of the most gloomy, pessimistic, negative things in the world, hang around someone who is in a state of “spiritual fainting.”
A wise man once said, “We become what we think about.” The Bible says, “As a man thinks in his heart, so is he.”
Illus.: “The Whole World Stinks”
One Sunday afternoon, a cranky grandfather was visiting his family. As he lay down to take a nap, his grandson decided to have a little fun by putting limburger cheese on his grandpa’s mustache. Soon grandpa awok with a snort and charged out of the bedroom saying, “This room stinks!” Through the house he went, finding every room smelling the same. Desperately he made his way outside only to find that the “whole world stinks!”
So it is when we fill our minds with negativism. Everything we experience and everybody we encounter will carry the scent we hold in our mind.
One more thing takes place when a Christian faints.
3. There is a losing touch with reality. They go off into their own little world. Don’t ask them any important questions. They can’t help you. In fact, they can’t even help themselves.
SOME CAUSES OF FAINTING
Medically speaking, fainting occurs when not enough oxygen gets to the brain. But what bring this upon? Actually, many, many things can cause one to pass out. Here are a few common ones.
1. Wrong Diet. Our bodies require certain nutrients. That comes from eating a good, balanced diet. You have to eat the right food in the right proportions. Too many sweets and starches will drive your blood sugar up. Too much food with high amounts of acid will give you a stomach disorder.
The reason many Christians faint is right here. They’re not eating the right food. The Word of God is the food we need to give us strength and stamina. I Peter 2:2 says, “Desire the sincere milk of the Word that you might grow thereby.”
We will not faint if we get a Word from God every day. Some folks feed on soap operas and the like. No wonder they fall apart when a difficulty of some sort comes their way.
Illus.: “Go get the book we read so much around here.” The little boy brought the latest TV Guide.
Many professing Christians are up on the latest news, gossip, and sports, but cannot tell you much at all about the Bible. If we deprive our souls of the spiritual nutrients we need, then we may faint.
2. Getting Over-heated. (sauna experience) Working too hard without taking time periodically to rest. Even the Lord took breaks–If He had His recesses, who are we to think we can do less? We need our times of drawing aside from the cares of life and resting upon Him.
3. Inactivity–the body requires exercise. If it doesn’t get it, then our system may rebell and shut down. Have you ever been in a prone position for a long time and get up quickly? What happens? You become lightheaded. You could faint. If you haven’t exercised for some time and you go out and run 5 miles, guess what? Staying busy for the Lord on a consistent basis will keep your soul in shape and you will have the stamina you need.
4. Hyperventilating–breathing too fast or too deeply. Rapid, shallow breathing causes a loss of carbon dioxide and the gaining of too much oxygen. Some have hyperventilated over anxiety–worrying about the future. What did Jesus say about taking care of the birds?
5. Getting Upset. The result of bad news or becoming angry. It raises our blood pressure. Folks have passed out because of it. Jesus came to bring us His peace in trying circumstances.
6. Getting the wrong medicine. Be careful what you take into yourself when it comes to truth. If you want to be a stable, healthy Christian, you had better test the spirits to whether they are from God.
CHARACTERISTICS OF FAINTING
1. Stop functioning. We’re still alive, but immobile.
2. Become a burden to others. If you faint, someone has to attend to you. We use up other’s time and energy.
3. May faint in the wrong place. On a ladder, behind the wheel of a car. It’s a dangerous thing to faint spiritually. The devil wants to destroy our reputation, and degrade God’s.
4. We waste time. Can’t get anything worthwhile done for God if we have passed out. We must live with Eternal values in mind.
5. May cause others to faint. Psychological effect. When President Clinton was in Kazoo, someone fainted and then suddenly others went down. Deut. 20:8: “Then the officer shall add, ‘Is any man faint-hearted? Let him go home so that his brother will not become disheartened too.’”
CURE FOR FAINTING
1. Find someone to lean on.
• The Lord. Verse 31 of our text: “But they that wait upon the Lord will renew their strength.” Job 2:7: “When my soul fainted within me I remembered the Lord.”
• Saints–God’s people will pray for you and hold you up.
• Family–they will stand by you when others won’t
• Friends
2. Sit down for a while (rest in God)
3. Get a drink. Drink deeply from the Word of God
4. Get some fresh air. Ask the Holy Spirit to breathe over your soul.
THE LIFE OF ANDREW JACKSON, 7th president of the United States, was marked by adversity from the very beginning. A few days before he was born, his father died. According to historians, Jackson got into so many fights as a schoolboy that his teachers didn’t know what to do with him. However, he became a good reader and when the Declaration of Independence was approved, they chose 9-year-old Andrew to read it to his illiterate neighbors.
Just 5 years later, when British General Cornwallis’ troops raided the South, they captured 14-year-old Andrew and put him to work cleaning their boots. Jackson, full of indignation, stood up to the British soldiers, declaring his rights as a prisoner of war. This so infuriated the British commander that he swung his saber at Andrew, slashing his head and hand.
Soon afterwards, his mother died of smallpox and Andrew felt utterly alone. Instead of wallowing in self-pity, this determined orphan read voraciously, found some mentors to help him and made his way through law school. He was admitted to the bar in 1787 at the age of 20.
Jackson faced many other adversities in his colorful career. He would certainly be the first to admit he was angelic and his fierce determination and volatile temper made him a fearful opponent in any fight.
But he became a man of solid faith in God. When his wife, Rachel, died on the eve of his inauguration as president in 1828, it was a sever test of his faith. Nevertheless he wrote, “We who are frequently visited by this chastening rod, have the consolation to read in the Scriptures that whomever He chasteneth, He loveth.”
Remember, when faced with adversity, you aren’t defeated unless you quit. Press on in God’s strength!
