Skip to main content

**Pressure Shapes Warriors**


## The Forge of Faith: How Pressure Shapes Kingdom Warriors  

*By Harold Mawela*  

The predawn air bites my cheeks as I lace up my running shoes near Wonderpark Mall. Beyond my window, Akasia’s silhouette pulses with load-shedding darkness. My Bible lies open to James 1:3: "*...the testing of your faith produces perseverance*." This truth anchors me as I recall last month’s Wonderpark Road Race . At kilometer 30, my muscles screamed betrayal. Yet when I embraced the burn, something shifted—the agony became fuel. This is the paradox of pressure: **God uses what feels like destruction to forge unbreakable warriors.**  

### I. The Theology of the Anvil  

**Divine pressure is never purposeless pain.** When Corlia, that third-grade teacher reeling from the minibus tragedy that killed 19 children, stood trembling before her grieving class, she asked the raw question: "*Is God wasting our pain?*" . Yet in her decision to teach Precept Bible studies, she embodied James’ revelation: Trials are *dokimion*—a Greek term meaning "the proof of genuineness" . Like gold in a crucible, faith under fire sheds impurities of self-reliance and superficial devotion.  

The biblical pattern is undeniable:  

- Joseph’s betrayal (**Genesis 50:20**)  

- Job’s devastation (**Job 23:10**)  

- Paul’s thorn (**2 Corinthians 12:9**)  

Western Christianity peddles a dangerous lie: that faithfulness earns comfort. Yet Scripture declares storms are *birthplaces* of destiny. As my African elders say, "**Smooth seas never made skilled sailors.**"  

### II. South Africa’s Crucible: Where Faith Meets Fire  

Our nation bleeds from inequality, corruption, and rolling blackouts. Yet in this pressure cooker, I’ve witnessed miracles:  

- **Township entrepreneurs** running spaza shops by candlelight, their resilience mirroring Paul’s prison hymns.  

- **Farmworkers** in Senekal rebuilding torched lands, embodying Isaiah’s "oaks of righteousness" (**Isaiah 61:3**).  

- **My neighbor Mama Ndlovu**, who lost her son to gang violence yet leads nightly prayer marches through Soshanguve’s dusty streets.  

> *"When God leads you into a trial, He’s preparing to put His power on display"* .  

Just as Gideon’s army shrank before victory (**Judges 7:2**), our scarcity becomes God’s stage. The world watches when we praise amid load-shedding, forgive amid injustice, and hope amid Jacob Zuma’s riots. This isn’t passivity—it’s *warfare*.  

### III. Spiritual Warfare: The Unseen Battlefield  

During our church’s AIDS Care Home launch, migraine storms and demonic attacks hit like hailstones . Western skepticism often blinds us to Ephesians 6:12 realities. Yet when a sangoma confronted our prayer team in Mamelodi, we learned: **Some trials aren’t tests—they’re invasions.**  

*How do we fight?*  

1. **Truth over tribal superstitions** (John 8:32)  

2. **Worship as weaponry** (Acts 16:25-26)  

3. **Community as shield** (Ecclesiastes 4:12)  

As the UCKG’s Pretoria pastors taught me, "**Demons flee from saints who know their blood-bought authority.**"  

### IV. The Anatomy of Perseverance  

Joni Eareckson Tada, quadriplegic for 55 years, defines endurance as "*patience proved over time*" . Biblical perseverance (*hypomonē*) isn’t passive waiting—it’s *active fortitude*. Like Akasia’s runners pacing hills at dawn , we develop through daily disciplines:  

| **Practice** | **Purpose** | **Result** |  Scriptural soaking | Renews mindset (Romans 12:2) | Clarity in chaos |  Radical forgiveness | Breaks bitterness (Colossians 3:13) | Freedom from Pharaoh’s grip| Joyful obedience | Builds spiritual muscle (James 1:22) | Unshakeable identity |  

### V. Wet Feet and Parted Seas  

The Red Sea didn’t split until Israel stepped into torrents (**Exodus 14:15**). Likewise, your breakthrough waits where fear screams retreat. Last week, my nephew Thabo faced "impossible" varsity fees. Rather than begging for lighter burdens, we claimed **"stronger shoulders"**—and watched strangers donate R49,000.  

**This is the warrior’s rhythm:**  

1. **Face** the Pharaoh (injustice, diagnosis, betrayal)  

2. **Step** into the sea (obedience amid terror)  

3. **Watch** God weaponize the flood (Exodus 14:27-28) 

### VI. The Forge’s Finale  

Trials aren’t your tomb—they’re your **tempering fire**. Every chisel strike carving you into Christ’s likeness (**Romans 8:29**). As the Comrades Marathon teaches us: **Ultra-endurance transforms runners into legends** . So let your pain propel you, your scars tell stories, your tears water hope.  

> "**The furnace isn’t your end—it’s your forge. Step forward; your victory is waiting.**"  

**Prayer:**  

> Father, baptize us into Your strength. Where we beg for lighter burdens, demand we build stronger shoulders. Where Pharaohs pursue, part seas. Where darkness falls, ignite Your forge. Make us Akasia-tested, South Africa-toughened, Christ-embodying warriors. In Jesus’ name—Amen.  

 

Comments

Popular posts from this blog

The Firm Foundation of Faith

## The Firm Foundation of Faith **Scripture:** Hebrews 11:1 "Now faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see." **Thought:** Life's journey is often marked by uncertainty and challenges. This faith allows us to persevere, knowing that God is working, even when we can't see the immediate results. It empowers us to step forward with courage, knowing we're not alone. Embracing this understanding allows us to live with a peace that surpasses all understanding, a peace rooted in the unshakeable truth of God's love and faithfulness. **Action Plan:** Spend 15 minutes today in quiet meditation on Hebrews 11. Reflect on a specific area in your life where you need to strengthen your faith. **Prayer:** Heavenly Father, I come before You today acknowledging my need for a stronger faith. Help me to truly grasp the meaning of Hebrews 11:1, to trust in Your promises even when I cannot see the outcome. In Jesus’ name, Amen. My story  Th...

**Restoring Relationships**

Last Tuesday, during Eskom’s Stage 6 load-shedding, I sat in my dimly lit Akasia living room, staring at a WhatsApp message from my cousin Thabo. Our once-close bond had fractured over a political debate—ANC vs. EFF—that spiraled into personal jabs. His text read: *“You’ve become a coconut, bra. Black on the outside, white-washed inside.”* My reply? A venomous *“At least I’m not a populist clown.”* Pride, that sly serpent, had coiled around our tongues.   But as the generator hummed and my coffee cooled, Colossians 3:13 flickered in my mind like a candle in the dark: *“Forgive as the Lord forgave you.”* Unconditional. No asterisks. No “but he started it.” Just grace.   **II. The Theology of Broken Pipes**   South Africa knows fractures. Our Vaal River, choked by sewage and neglect, mirrors relational toxicity—grievances left to fester. Yet, Christ’s forgiveness isn’t a passive drip; it’s a flash flood. To “bear with one another” (Colossians 3:13) is to choo...

The Power of the Mundane

## The Power of the Mundane **Scripture:** "And not a sparrow falls to the ground apart from your Father's will. But the very hairs of your head are all numbered. So don't be afraid; you are more valuable than many sparrows." - Matthew 10:29-31 **Thought:** We often focus on the big moments, the grand gestures, believing those are the only things that truly matter to God. But Jesus reminds us that He cares deeply for even the smallest details of our lives. The way we approach our daily tasks, the words we speak, the thoughts we harbor – all of it is important. God sees it all, and He values each detail. This understanding empowers us to see purpose in the mundane, to find meaning in the seemingly insignificant. **Action Plan:** Today, choose one small task that you typically rush through or do without much thought. As you do it, consciously pause and offer it as a prayer to God. Thank Him for the opportunity to serve Him, even in this seemingly insignificant act.  **...