The Quill and Me—Devotional Blog•Oswald Chambers Reflections
In quietness and in confidence
shall be your strength
Isaiah 30:15
July 20
Today's Reading: My Utmost for His Highest
Isaiah 40:31
"Those who wait on the Lord . . . shall walk and not faint"
Walking by Faith:
Trusting God's Presence in Every Step
God sent the Holy Spirit, who took up residence in the believer's heart and never left.
He is here.
As believers, we are to walk daily holding that affirmation in our hearts — it must permeate our entire being so that, by habit, we turn to Him as the source of our life. In times of trouble we do not panic. We walk by faith, in the knowledge that He has us in the palm of His mighty hand.
As a believer I walked for 68 years not being aware of the reality of His presence in my life; but that did not stop it from being true—He was there all the time. I did not really know it, I was not aware of Him, and I did not acknowledge Him as a constant presence in my life. I did not walk in this faith. I did not turn to Him in times of need or trouble. I walked in the physical world. I visited the spiritual world only in times of prayer. I did not walk in the spiritual realm.
After my surrender to the Lord in April, I am now able to walk in the spiritual world. The Holy Spirit gives me this ability. I walk in the spiritual knowing, with a certainty, that He is here with me at all times. I do not see Him. I do not feel Him. I do not hear Him. But I know that He is here. My walk needs to reflect that knowing. This realization did not come from anything I did, but what He did.
In the last six months, He has reminded me of the many times He was there. He has also caused remembrance in me of times when He was the only One who was there with me. He has proved to me beyond a doubt that He is here with me and has always been with me.
Our life with the living God is built on this knowing. We believe something that is beyond the comprehension of others. We have blind faith—belief in the spiritual without any help from the physical world. Nothing in our physical world supports the fact that He is here. That is why we walk by faith in Him alone. "Those who wait on the Lord... shall walk and not faint." We faint not because we fear not.
Physically, this is hard to comprehend and impossible to accomplish—spiritually, it is all based on Jesus Christ. Those without Jesus cannot comprehend spiritual realities. We walk in the Spirit. That becomes easier once you surrender and let the Holy Spirit provide the means by which to do this. And it it not something that comes naturally; it is a learned walk. I am still learning this new walk.
I must keep my mind on the things of God, not seeking physical satisfaction elsewhere that does not fill the emptiness inside me—the emptiness God created.
He created this place for Himself to fill, and nothing else in this world will ever satisfy that emptiness inside of us but Him and Him alone.
Many seek to fill this emptiness with physical adrenaline thrills, dramatic emotional highs, and revival-like spiritual experiences.
But we are to walk.
God said to Abram, "Walk before Me..."
In sincerity, daily.
Just walk—trusting His presence in your ordinary day and your extraordinary day.
Walk steady, be faithful and dependent.
Knowing with a certainty that He is right there with you.
If we make decisions that are not according to His will, He will press through them, bringing restraint to our spirit. We must be quiet and wait for His direction.
Walk without fainting.
In the ordinary... in the chaos.
A strength we grow into.
The highest strength in the Christian life is a walk of faith and trust in the Lord our God.
We cultivate quiet dependence on Him as our only source of strength.
In the valleys we are shaped, molded, and strengthened.
So do not falter, do not faint.
Stay firm in the knowledge—He is with you even now.
Prayer
Lord, we come to You in humble adoration of Your mighty strength.
We know that You are here.
Help us hold this knowledge in our hearts in constant remembrance.
Help us create the habit of turning to You in all things.
Grant us Your grace; pour it out on our lives. You are here.
Hold us up that we faint not; strengthen us with Your faith.
Your grace is like a river flowing all the time,—help us to partake of it.
Forgive us wherein we fail You; help us to always return to You.
Thank You for Your everlasting love and mercy.
In the name of Jesus we pray, Amen.
Selah,
~ Quil
Scripture References
Isaiah 40:31 — Strength comes from waiting on the Lord, enabling us to walk without fainting. Genesis 17:1 — God calls His people to walk before Him in sincerity and steadfast faith. Psalm 46:2 — Because God is present, we do not fear even when the world shakes around us. John 1:35–36 — John points to Jesus as the One we are to follow and walk behind. Philippians 1:6 — God Himself completes the work He begins in the believer’s life. Psalm 138:8 — The Lord fulfills His purpose for us and does not abandon the work of His hands. Isaiah 30:15 — Quietness and trust in God alone are the source of true strength. Philippians 4:7 — God’s peace guards our hearts and minds when we rest in His presence.
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