Dare to Build a War Chest of Faith This Year
Unlock the power of unwavering faith! Learn to build your own ‘war chest of faith’ and discover how to navigate doubts with confidence.
I still remember the first day we pulled into the driveway of our new home. My heart sank as I watched a big ole fire ant climbing up the garage door.
Most people wouldn’t think twice about it, but my youngest daughter is allergic to them.
These kinds of instances can derail me. I question if we are doing the right thing. My overactive imagination gets the best of me.
Did we buy the right house? Should we move now? How long will we last here?
It was only one ant, but I walked the property and noticed several fire ant hills where I had not seen any before. We live in the South. Ants are part of the deal. I was drawn to this house because ants did not overrun it. Our new neighbor told us she never noticed fire ants in the yard. Spiders, yes; fire ants, no.
So, was this a sign we shouldn’t have moved here?
This is how my mind works. But, over the years, I discovered my “War Chest of Faith.”
What is a war chest of faith? Well, it’s simple. It’s a “chest” of my stored memorials—reminders of God’s faithfulness. I keep this chest in my journal. When I reread the memorials, my heart finds strength. I remember that God is for me and will fight for me.
We all need these war chests. Just like financial advisors suggest building up a war chest of money for when the hard times come. Building up a war chest of faith is wise when fear creeps in.
Whenever I see God move in my life, I write it down. It provides the anchor I need when I feel like the waves of doubt and fear are tossing me to and fro.
When I open this war chest, I see how God has intervened in my life in ways I’ve never imagined.
After walking the property, I pulled out my war chest of faith. Within my journal pages, I found verses the Lord had given me that reassured me we were to buy this house. I reread words a friend had spoken over us, confirming that God was preparing it for us. I found a list of specific things the Lord had done that showed us that this was the house he wanted us to buy.
A war chest of faith. A marker of hope to pull out when doubts creep in.
An Unwavering Faith
Hebrews 10:22 reminds us, “Let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith …” (ESV)
The writer of Hebrews shows that it is possible to have full assurance in our faith. This means a confidence that is unwavering. The door is not cracked to let doubt creep in. We can trust what we have written in our war chest of faith because of what Christ has already done for us.
Jesus Himself provides our confidence. We trust in the work He did for us and know that this same God is continually working in our lives. What we witness in our war chest of faith testifies to this truth.
We all struggle with inner certainty at times. There are times we lose confidence when things don’t go how we think they should or when God’s leading is not so apparent. We don’t see the pillar by night or the cloud by day.
It is then we are left with our faith in its rawest form. Will we still believe when the markers aren’t there like they were before?
This is when our war chest comes in handy. We start digging deep. We reread the verses He spoke over us. It’s important at this time to recall the principles He taught us. We look at things we have written down to remind us how He has worked before.
So, how do we do this practically? Here are some simple steps we can take to build a war chest of faith.
- Pray for Wisdom – Proverbs 4:11 says, “I have taught you the way of wisdom; I have led you in the paths of uprightness.” (ESV) God Himself is our guide to wisdom. When we acknowledge Him, He guides us and provides the fodder for our war chest of faith.
- Write It Down – I am so thankful for the countless journals we have scattered throughout our house. Promises within the pages point to a Redeemer who always makes everything new. Even if you don’t enjoy writing, you could type documents into your computer or take notes on your phone. The key is to create memorials along the path that point to His presence. Later, those memorials become markers to continue with Him when things get hazy.
- Look for the Outward Leadings and Measure Them Against the Inward Dealings – Whenever you see an outward manifestation of His presence, for example, someone speaks a particular truth over you or the path suggests a particular route, measure it against the inward promptings of His Holy Spirit. Does what you see measure with what the Spirit settles on your soul? Pray. Search the deep things of God you have written down. It’s amazing what you will see outwardly that will resonate in your spirit inwardly.
So go ahead, build a war chest of faith. I dare you.
In His Word
Meditate on Hebrews 11:1, “Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen.” Hebrews keeps reminding us that faith leads to assurance. Our war chest of faith provides us with confidence God is working for us.
In Your Life
What would it look like for you to begin your own war chest of faith today? Perhaps buy a new journal or start a new document on your computer to begin writing out how you have seen God work in your life. Be creative.
We Recommend
My favorite journal for creating my own war chest of faith is my Growth Roots Journal. It is a beautiful resource for recording memorials of your war chest of faith throughout the year.
Let’s Connect
Find Christine’s weekly writings in her Mend membership newsletter on Substack and on Instagram.