It’s good to have convictions
I never ever thought that I would hear myself say that “it’s good to have convictions” but I am realising that it actually is!
Before accepting Jesus as my Lord and Saviour, my whole life was about not getting a conviction. No, that didn’t mean I behaved like Miss Goody Two Shoes but it did mean that I would do whatever it took to sway the jury so that I could hear the verdict of ‘Not Guilty’. Honestly, I thank God every time I have to submit an application for a DBS as it is still good to not have convictions in that sense! However I am learning that there are different types of convictions that we as Christians should have.
One of the Dictionary definitions for Conviction is as follows: ‘a firmly held belief or opinion’
Hebrews 11 v 1 English Standard Version also says ‘Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen’.
I’ve been reminded this week as we take time as a church to focus in prayer for our community that I need a greater conviction for the things I cannot yet see. It has caused me to think about how I am speaking when I pray.
Proverbs 18:21 NIV “The tongue has the power of life and death, and those who love it will eat its fruit”.
The way I speak has the power to not only speak life or death but that it will also determine the fruit that I eat. Wow! Whilst I know that this scripture means my talk in general, it has made me think that how I speak when I pray can affect the result of that prayer. My speech has to show a real honest conviction that is a heartfelt expression of the faith that I so often say that I believe. I have to speak above my circumstances and not from the circumstances that I see around me. I have to have a conviction to speak life if I want to see and eat the fruit of’ life’. I have to have a conviction to speak victory If I want to see the fruit of ‘victory’.
Speaking of life and victory, the Battle of Britain is said to have been won by a ‘few’, on whose shoulders rested the fate of a nation. I wonder if a ‘few’ Christ followers could win the Battle of Britain now by each having a conviction of speaking the power of life into the ‘things not seen’ resulting in Revival on our streets.
by Valda Rushton 18th Jan 2023
