Those who truly know and believe God “keep His commandments”
(I John 2:3 New King James Version). One of His commandments is to listen to His Son, Jesus Christ Whom He made as our Savior  (Matt. 17:5; Acts 5:31). Christ’s instruction to anyone who wants to be saved by Him is to enter the sheepfold or flock, which is the Church Of Christ (John 10:9, 16; Acts 20:28 Lamsa Translation). Thus, Christ assures Church Of Christ members that “whatever you ask the Father in My name He may give you” (John 15:16 NKJV).

We, members of the Church Of Christ, are so fortunate. We have the right to ask for and receive God’s help because we not only say that we believe Him but we also prove it by remaining inside the true Church.

As Church Of Christ members, we have nothing to fear for “God is the one who protects us” and “causes us to be strong” (Ps. 46:1 Translation for Translators). So, even if calamities strike and different hardships come into our lives, there is no reason for us to grow weak.

The Bible also clarifies: “[the Lord], the commander of the armies of heaven, is with us” (Ps. 46:7 T4T).

The kind of faith required
Since by virtue of our being Church Of Christ members we receive God’s help, it is only right that we always pray to Him. That is why the Church Administration always reminds and encourages us to set our personal and family devotional prayers. However, for God to heed us and manifest His power, we must understand that as His people, we must have genuine faith in Him.

Genuine faith is not the kind that dissipates as one experiences hardships. Instead, as Christ reminds us, it is the kind of faith that “grows until [we] truly believe that God will do what [we] ask him to.” In having such a high level of faith, one “will be able to do anything!” (Matt. 17:20 T4T).

One who has genuine faith in the Lord God is “sure of what [he hopes] for” even though he does not “[physically] see” it (Heb. 11:1 Clarified King James Bible). If we are sure of what we hope for, we do not have any shadow of doubt, for doubt is the enemy of faith.

There are many biblical accounts of God’s servants who proved their genuine faith in Him. One of them was Abraham. “When everything was hopeless, Abraham believed anyway, deciding to live not on the basis of what he saw he couldn’t do but on what God said he would do. And so he was made father of a multitude of peoples” (Rom. 4:18 The Message).

Abraham was a hundred years old, and his wife, Sarah, besides being advanced in age was also barren. Yet, he “didn’t tiptoe around God’s promise asking cautiously skeptical questions. He plunged into the promise and came up strong, ready for God, sure that God would make good on what he had said” (Rom. 4:20-21 MSG).

There are many times when people lose hope as their problems pile up. And even though they have been doing their best to alleviate their situation, things still do not seem to get any better. At times, we, too, experience the same. However, like Abraham, we must not waver in our faith. As God’s servants in these last days, there is no room for hopelessness or any reservation. When things get worse, we can expect “that God would make good on what he had said.” Indeed, God has fulfilled and will continue to fulfill His promises to us. He will help us overcome all kinds of difficult situations. We must never think negatively, but instead firmly believe that God is more than capable of helping us.