“For the eyes of the Lord run to and fro
throughout the whole earth,
to show himself strong on behalf of those
whose heart is loyal to him."
2nd Chronicles 16:9
Many believers are glad to take Christ's salvation happily and then just go on with their lives. And that is permissible because salvation is the totally free gift God has given to all who will believe on the Lord Jesus Christ. But if we are under pressure to perform then it's no longer free, so God will allow a believer to be saved without putting any added burden upon him. And that's how it is with many, if not most.
But he bids us come closer.
Jesus had multitudes following him, but he had only twelve walking with him. And among those twelve, there were only three in his inner circle, Peter, James, and John. You can be as close to Jesus as you want to be or ...you can just say “thank you Jesus” and go your way.
But oh the wonders, the adventure, the challenge, the joys, the glory of walking through life in intimacy with the Lord. It's fraught with risk and danger, and sometimes it's an overwhelming challenge, but for those who have walked with him, they wouldn't even think of having it any other way. To experience the incomparable joy of hearing his voice and following his lead - there's just nothing like it in all the world. The world has nothing even close to comparing it with.
There is no way to describe the effect of his presence in those times when he personally comes and makes his presence known to us. Imagine, the King of the universe, the Creator of all that is, Almighty God himself ...comes into one's living room or bedroom or prayer place and graces the believer with the awareness of his presence ...how on earth could there be anything more wonderful than that!
Yes, there is a battle, a never-ending warfare waged against us by an enemy bent on destroying us, and it will strain to the end even the strongest believer and bring him to his knees. Yes, there is loss and disappointment and affliction and pain, this is common to believer and unbeliever alike as we live in this world. But the believer is NEVER ALONE to walk through these things. The believer will find that those are the times when the Lord seems so close, when we feel the constant encouragement of his hand on our backs, his arm around our shoulder. He says, "it's ok, it's only temporary. Just endure for now." And then he gives the believer a huge hug, and it is so glorious that the pain is endurable and even accompanied with joy. How could it be any other way? To be touched by the Lord of Glory, it can only be joy.
But not all will experience this. Those who go their merry way and ignore him for the most part, maybe going to church on Sunday and thinking that's all they need to do - they will miss the depths of this intimate walk and they will never know him as one who is willing to come this close to him. The Lord "shows himself strong on behalf of those whose heart is loyal to him."
Just going to church on Sunday falls sadly short of loyalty. No, loyalty is borne out in the intimate walk, as the powers of hell assail and fears and doubts threaten to consume and overwhelm. When a believer remains faithful in all circumstances no matter what, this is the one whose heart is loyal and this is the one who will experience the Lord showing himself strong.
It's reminiscent of the parable of the man who finds a treasure in a field, "and for joy over it he goes and sells all that he has and buys that field," (Matthew 13:44). He will do anything to have that treasure. Friends, there is a far greater treasure here. If you only knew how great a treasure it is, you would do anything you had to in order to possess it. Jesus Christ is that great treasure in the field waiting to be found. The reward of finding him and walking with him is eternal. And ...it is available for anyone who wants it.
"Do not speak in the hearing of a fool,
for he will despise the wisdom of your words."
Proverbs 23:9
Sometimes it's better to just remain silent rather than to speak truth that you know right well the listener will scorn. When an issue comes up, the knowledgeable one can be too quick to defend his position, but what good is it if the listener does not have ears to hear? He will only argue with you but the argument will go nowhere and will only create hard feelings on both sides.
Judge well before you speak. Consider the ability of the hearer to understand, and if you know he won't, then be silent.
"Do not give what is holy to the dogs,
nor cast your pearls before swine,
lest they trample them under their feet,
and turn and tear you in pieces."
Matthew 7:6
If you know that your words will be trampled on, why pursue it? You will not win. He cannot hear. It's not that he won't, he can't. Let it go. There is far more effectiveness in intercessory prayer when you're dealing with someone who is not able to receive what you're saying.
"The effective, fervent prayer of a righteous man AVAILS MUCH."
James 5:16
Learn to be in control of your tongue.
"See how great a forest a little fire kindles!
And the tongue is a fire, a world of iniquity."
James 3:5-6
This is exactly what we need to avoid. When each one is arguing in defense of his own position, it profits nothing and leads only to anger and the bitterness that anger will produce, truly "a world of iniquity." Be the first to back down, even when you're sure you're right. Don't let PRIDE and arrogance cause you to press on until you can put your opponent down. This is where you cross into folly.
vs 17-18:
"But the wisdom that is from above is first pure,
then peaceable, gentle, willing to yield,
full of mercy and good fruits,
without partiality and without hypocrisy.
Now the fruit of righteousness is sown in peace
by those who make peace."
Pray for control of your tongue, to control one's tongue is one of the hardest things we're called to do. Pray for wisdom to know when to speak and when to be silent. Pray for strength to have control over not only what you say but when to say it. Pray for the ability to present your case in a gentle way, to avoid rising voices which will get you nowhere. Pray to know when to stop.
The Scriptures counsel us to defend the faith, and every believer should be able to do that and do it well. But we must always be watchful whether the one we're speaking to has the ability to receive what is being said. If you know that this argument is not going to be received, just be silent. Wait on the Lord! Always be ready to give an answer, but wait on him to know when to speak and when to be silent.
"Now the serpent was more cunning than any beast of the field which the Lord God had made. And he said to the woman, 'Has God indeed said, ‘You shall not eat of every tree of the garden’?'" Genesis 3:1 Satan, in the form of a serpent, approached Eve in the garden of Eden and asked her about what God told her and Adam concerning the trees there. vs 2-3: "And the woman said to the serpent, 'We may eat the fruit of the trees of the garden, but of the fruit of the tree which is in the midst of the garden, God has said, ‘You shall not eat it, nor shall you touch it, lest you die.’ ” Next, Satan presents the temptation that begins with just a thought. He brings attention to what God said to Eve, and then he tells her that what God said isn't true. vs 4-5: "Then the serpent said to the woman, 'You will NOT surely die! For God knows that in the day you eat of it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.'” Jesus said of Satan that he is a liar: "When he speaks a lie, he speaks from his own resources, for he is a LIAR and the father of it." John 8:44 Has Satan lied to you? Yes he has, more times than you have any idea. That is his profession - to destroy with lies. To turn hearts against God - with lies. Satan has used this technique from the very beginning and continues the same even to today. He speaks to the hearts of people and tells them that what God said is not true. He shows them the pleasure in what he is tempting them with, and then convinces them that it's really ok, nothing bad is going to happen, what God has said about it is old news that isn't relevant today, look at what an advantage this will gain you, look at how appealing it is, never mind the ancient old Scriptures, just go for it. Adam and Eve did not physically die the day they took what was forbidden, in fact they went on to have children. So did God lie about this? No, of course not. Contrary to Satan, God does not lie. The definition of death is separation. At physical death, the soul is separated from the body. Adam and Eve did die physically later on, but here was something far worse that took place when they believed Satan's lie and rebelled against God. When they sinned, they experienced the separation of the spirit from God. On the day Adam and Eve sinned, their spirit died. Not only was their spirit separated from God, but the change was so all-encompassing that all the children they would bear, all human beings in each succeeding generation - will be born in the same condition of spiritual death. Oh yes they did surely die that day, and all of us are born in the condition of spiritual death because of it. This is why Jesus said, "you must be born again." Until a person is born again, he remains in a condition of spiritual death. He has no interest in the things of God, that part of him is simply dead. Jesus was very emphatic when he said, "you MUST be born again," it wasn't a suggestion, he didn't say it would be better to be born again, that it would help, no - he said you MUST be born again. When one is born again his spirit is restored to new life. “Most assuredly, I say to you, he who hears my word and believes in Him who sent me has everlasting life, and shall not come into judgment, but has passed from death into life.
John 5:24
What IS the born-again experience? See:
"Born Again - What Does That Mean?