Questions & Answers
by Editor(s)

In the following interchange, Norman Grubb stresses the obedience of faith and the importance of consistently affirming our faith. It first appeared in the May/June, 1991 issue of The Intercessor.

Q: What does Ephesians 6:12 mean when it says, "We wrestle not against flesh and blood but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world"?

A: First of all, it’s not "Oh, I’d better wrestle; all these things are happening to me here; I’d better handle them as if I’m just a human person." That’s really independent self. You say, "Wait, I’m not independent. Christ is the victor and I’m expressing Christ-Victor. Stand in the victory and say to Satan, "You were knocked out 2000 years ago; I don’t wrestle against you."

Q: How do you wrestle then?

A: All my wrestling is the affirmation of Christ. It’s simply receiving, and I do that by affirming the facts of what Christ has done to Satan. That’s the value of the Lanyon books-"Believe, believe, believe, you silly person." We have all the keys all the time. "Why didn’t you believe when there was no bread?" "Why didn’t you believe when you saw sickness?" What does faith mean? It means I’m saying He’s the one who’s got the thing in hand.

Q: That could sound like bread always appears and everybody gets healed. What about suffering?

A: The answer is in Hebrews 11, where the whole of life is faith. There is a level of enduring faith. Some of the people listed in Hebrews 11 endured and suffered, but in it all, God was in the suffering and they took their suffering, even to martyrdom. Others lived in dens and caves, and the world wasn’t worthy of them. Then there was Joseph who said, "This is God in my situation, and I’m where God would have me be." So faith is the answer.

Q: What does it mean in Hebrews 12:26, 27 where it says God "removes those things that are shaken, as of things that are made, that those things which cannot be shaken may remain"?

A: The whole of Hebrews is shaken faith-saved people having shaken faith. Now we are here to have a confirmed faith, aren’t we? How is it confirmed? By practice, and tribulation gives you practice and works patience. Patience is sticking at it, sticking about, sticking at faith. It means the trial of your faith and counting it all joy when you fall into divers trials. The trials force you to say, "God, You’re doing it." And faith works patience. God comes through. And you get matured in that operation of faith.

Q: What happens when someone doesn’t see it that way, but gets shaken away from their faith?

A: My only sin is to move back to unbelief, which means I’m believing more in Satan than God. Then I’ve been tricked into an independent-self outlook, which is unbelief, as if I’m just a human person. I’ve slipped out of believing God and into independent, negative faith. Instead of being in positive faith that God is operating, there is confusion and you’ve got a little slip-off. You’ve forgotten you’re Christ as you.

Q: How do I get out of this when I do it?

A: When you’re not free inside, self’s got you. That self is independent self. Somewhere you’re crowded. You come back and say, "I don’t understand this. All right, Christ this is Your show. You meant it." And you begin to see where Christ is in it or wait until you do see Christ in it. There’s a light in you. We walk in that light. When you walk in the light, you have fellowship with God and you’re free.