What Does It Mean To Set Your Face Like Flint
by Olga Hermans
… I set my face like flint, confident that I’ll never regret this. Isaiah 50:7
or I know that I will not be put to shame.
Have you ever heard that sentence? I heard it a couple of times this last weekend through people and then my pastor mentioned this very sentence on Sunday morning again. It was one of those sentences that stays longer with you than normal. I thought I’d dig in, do some research and write about it.
Setting your face like flint means determination. Do you know that you only can be as passionate as you are determined? When you are determined, you refuse to give up; you set your face like flint. People who have dreams overcome obstacles, because they want to see their dreams fulfilled. They did what they needed to do in order to enjoy what they like to enjoy.
God gave us the fruit of self-control and a free will, but we have to make a choice to use it. The less people use their will to make decisions they know they are right, the weaker they become. Setting your face like a flint and being determined is the decision to do whatever you need to do in order to have what you say you want to have.
We need to be diligent. Doing what is right one or two times or even a few times won’t always bring victory. Being diligent on a consistent basis and doing what you know you need to do over and over for a longer time, is the key.
You need a determined attitude, engage your will and be willing to do that particular thing forever if that is what you need to do. You won’t quit, you won’t stop, you set your face like flint and you are determined.
Real winners don’t put time limits on their commitments. They are committed with no conditions, and when they begin, they have made up their minds to finish.
The Bible says the diligent man will rule and he will be rich. Prov.10:4 and Prov.12:24
You cannot be diligent without being determined, just like you cannot be determined without being passionate. Determination is a mind-set and diligence is the effort that goes with it. You and I know people who decide to do something, but their decision is not a quality decision. They may pick up on something and do it for a little while, but when the first trouble appears, they’re gone and fall off to the wayside.
It is so easy for us to think we will do right than it is actually to do it. The doing makes the difference and it requires the diligence. The last part of our verse today says that God will never fail us if we do our part. God tells us what to do in order to have a good life and He gives us the grace to do it. However, we have to make the decision and realize that nobody can make it for us.
We all have to be willing to grow up spiritually, but we should also be determined not to give up during the maturing process. God tells us in Hebr.12 that when we are taught and corrected by God we should keep a good attitude and not give up. God has a plan for you, but He also must prepare you for the plan, and He will lead you as long as you keep your eyes on Him.
Most of us are determined until something happens that shatters our dream. What we do and how we respond to a crisis in life will make all the difference. Some people party and drink, or take drugs. In my FREE report I talk about the story of Joseph who had a dream of which he thought was shattered, but then he discovered that the very circumstances he thought were stealing his dream were leading him to it.
It is very important to remain positive and not start counteracting with lack of restraint. Some people eat excessively, others spend excessively, and others stop taking care of themselves and their household. A lifestyle of doing whatever you want to do is not going to eliminate your pain. The only thing that will eliminate it is setting your face like flint and being determined to have God’s will in your life and nothing else.
Remember to do all He has called you to do, not what He has called someone else to do. If you do what you are meant to do, you will be doing something that you enjoy and that really fits you.
Martin Luther King, Jr. said it this way: “if a man is called to be a streetsweeper, he should sweep streets even as Michael Angelo painted, or Beethoven composed music, or Shakespeare wrote poetry. He should sweep streets so well that all the host of heaven and earth will pause to say, here lived a great streetsweeper who did his job well.”
Every success requires that you know that God is always on your side. You will be 
confident that you’ll never regret it and know that you will not be put to shame. Isaiah 50:7
Paul said that he was determined to know God. Phil.3:10 Don’t ever be satisfied to know about God, but get to know Him. Develop a deep, intimate relationship with Him for yourself and not through someone else. My background is the Catholic church where I only knew God through the priest. I wrote a book on prayer; check it out. You will learn keys and principles how to relate to God and hear His voice and follow the leading of the Holy Spirit in your time of prayer.
Many of you just need a good dose of determination, a spark of passion that will ignite a steady stream of hope, enthusiasm, and commitment to keep going. That is the only thing standing between you and real victory. Make up your mind regarding what you believe, have God’s word to back it up, and don’t ever back down. Say daily, “I am determined to be all God wants me to be, do all He wants me to do, and have all He wants me to have.”
Will you set your face like flint from now on for the rest of your life, and never live one more day without determination and passion? Will you determine to be all you can be, and the best you can be? You have what it takes. You can do whatever you need to do though Christ, Who gives you strength.
Let us know what you are going after or what is that one thing that you think stands between you and your Destiny. Will you? It probably will help a lot of readers; thank you!!
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many people does not really know God and thus does not hear His voice, and therefore does not have His dream (nor their own) and are depressed as a result. Then your, and most other messages of goodwill, even biblical truth, only makes those people more despondent…
Do you have hope for those who are bound and oppressed by the forces of darkness and who find it impossible to believe in God (and know Him on a Personal level) ? There might be many of us – most of whom does no longer go to Christian meetings and who finds the bible(s) confusing and of no practical value for today. Few Christians today have the faith and authority to speak for (and thus in the Name of) the Lord Jesus when presented with a “difficult” situation (viz a person with emotional/spiritual/psychological problems) – usually the “counselors” would give up and blame it on the lack of faith (or stubbornness) of the person in need! Jesus NEVER did that!
Indeed Adolf, Jesus never gave up on people; He is the same yesterday, today and forever. You ALWAYS can go to Him no matter what you have done and in whatever state you are. One touch from Him will chage your life forever!
Olga, I enjoy reading your articles! To achieve our goals, we always should think positive and believe that we can do it. Thank you so much for sharing.
Anastasiya Day recently posted..When Delegation Is a Problem
Olga, you are so right. It is so easy to stray from the road that brings us closer to God and our purpose. Determination is absolutely necessary.
Pray a little prayer for me. Thanks. 🙂
Wil recently posted..Deadly Listeria Found in Cantaloupes!
Wil, I so appreciate you and thank you for commenting; and I prayed for you!!
You did it again Olga! I love the lesson you brought here and the fact that we need to always be determined and to not give-up! Those who reach great heights are those who are determined and don’t give up! Thanks for sharing!
Jennifer Bennett recently posted..Letting Your Life Speak!
Jennifer, that’s what’s all about…keep moving forward and finishing strong!
Olga, thank you for your article and the reminders about determination and passion. Yes, they are key to success along with God’s approval.
Pat Moon recently posted..Krill Oil Supplements and Long-Term Health Concerns
Thanks Pat for your encouraging words!
Great article Olga! Determination is what you have when you KNOW you are on the right path! Thanks for always providing such amazing information 🙂
Denny, Ialways love to see your smiling face coming up. Thanks for your encouragement!
Thank you Olga! Yes, it is so important that we know that God is always on our side. Thank you…Hughie
Olga,
Great, awesome, valuable advice!
Keep it up,
AJ
AJ recently posted..The Easiest Way To Explain the Marketing Process
Olga. I must say God bless you for the things you do and the way He uses you. Right from my first reading of your e-book on decision making, i’ve remained convinced that you are a gift to many. I’m inspired by your recent write-up which comes as a timely blessing to me. I have a God dream on my heart and sometimes it almost looks like things are not working. more than ever in the past few days, God has been drawing me to see that as long as i play my part, He is playing His part. I am on a mission to help young people in my generation be better leaders and i’m given to it. your article is yet another boost and confirmation. Grace always
Thanks Demilade; I appreciate your comment very much!
Great post Olga, I so strongly believe that God is on my side, I even feel the presence as a breath, which never leaves me…loved the article! Thank you and have a wonderful day!
Thank u for posting this article…The holy spirit spoke this to me this morning..Set your face like a flint…this stayed with me all day, and I prayed and asked God about this….then I googled this and found this article! I was truly humbled and blessed by this article, it was just what I needed! God bless you, and thank you for being sensitive to his will…I look forward to receiving more daily messages!
That is awesome Angela; that is what God does. Stay in touch!!
I came across this song Like You Jesus by Rita Springer and so I “googled” flint in which I came across your article. It is very encouraging. thanks for sharing.
This was very encouraging message, the word destiny and thinkn about what stands between me getn there.. Super thought provoking, which I need a lot… A lot a lot, being in missions for about 8 yrs right out of high school was the greatest choice I’ve ever made. I knew God was calling me to the nations and even more calling me to know him at a deeper level. This is what was my destiny, this was my sacrifice not out of obligation or anything else but pure joy of the adventure of listening and following God. Off on a train I found myself to a mission training school, and eventually yrs later training others and believing for revival in the nations. This was my destiny right. The bills got paid, divinely ! I loved my job I love serving those in need and sharing Jesus. I loved and still love Jesus:)
All the while im sitting here today, relating to Joseph .
I don’t know what happened except, I fell in love with a man who has broken my heart countless times, changed the direction of ‘my’ path and has led me home living at my parents house as we are now seperated and have a. Almost now two yr beautiful child together. I’m caught in a place where I never thought IDE be. I can’t blame god, and only blame myself. And my nieve ness. I wonder if Joseph ever wished he wasn’t so dang loud about sharing his dreams… Was he prideful? I’m sure he wasn’t perfect… Could some of his choices got him taken away in prison.
I feel in prison. Waiting for ‘my’ dreams to come true, is it to much to ask for to have a loving husband.. Who isn’t addicted to porn sex ect. I question what went wrong… How did I miss the signs or red flags, or was I really running after God as much as I proclaimed. I look back though it hurts my soul, and see my face wasn’t set like flint on God. It was periodically but the need for love outside of God overtook me. I lived in fear and didn’t know what true love was or to put higher standards for marriage. I wasn’t shown this nor taught it. But knew deep inside that I was settling and allowing a person to fill the void that only God can. Anyways. Now with the weeks filled with counseling and hopes for change, and the days filled with disappoint and setbacks. I carry on, believing God to restore and redeem me, my husband my marriage and my family. My dream of my family in missions together seems far, my hopes in a safe marriage seems desolate, but finding God daily is possible. I can’t see him but I know he s there, the dreams at night I use to get have faded, but the joy in the morning remains. I’ve never been to prison as a prisoner, but I very we’ll feel so. Whether I’m here for a great purpose, or just bc of choices gone bad. I know with outa doubt that God is with me….. So I set my face like flint knowing and encouraged that the God who led Joseph out of prison and raised him up To fulfill his destiny will and can do the same in me an my family.
Surrendering to the makers time and plan for me. The loving God of Joseph who saved the Israelites from famine.
Don’t give up Hope Turner. The Lord doesn’t cast us away when we slip or fall off the track. Just try to get some courage to rise up again. Get the past behind you as much as you can. You can also ask the Lord to help you lay the past behind. Press on towards that which is still ahead of you like Paul will do (Phil. 3:12-15). Look unto Him once again, who is the author and finisher of our faith as Heb. 12:1-2 tells us, and I assure you He will cause your face to be radiant again (Ps. 34:5). Finally, always remember he still cares for you. So cast all your cares at His feet (1 Pet. 5:7). He will never leave you nor forsake you (Heb. 13:5), even when it appears like He is not there. Remain strong and keep setting your face like a flint as you have decided, and you will still fulfill your destiny!
This has encouraged me to act purposefully and determinedly to be the wife God wants me to be…at first i left him (he is unsaved) but the Lord said to go back and submit….even though my flesf is protesting greatly…i am determined to obey God…doers of the Word are blessed..not the hearers…i want the victory Jesus said is mine..instead of living in defeat…if you want that victory it means WAR! With your flesh and with the enemy…..stand up and fight….’in your terror do not stand still’ keeping going until you get what you wanted….that scripture is in Habakkuk 3:19 xxxx thank you for Your encouragement – LT
It is now October of 2018. This article jumped out and encouraged me to confirm what God has been speaking to me. Thanks for being diligent to hear God’s voice and obey. You are touching lives from your work in 2011!
Reading your material has greatly encouraged me! Thank you! I could feel God’s Spirit while reading! God bless you!
Thank you Olga for this encouragement. “To set my face like flint” I felt as though God was speaking this to my heart for 2019. It’s fascinating to read that you were in the Catholic church. I am a child of God within the Catholic Church. Prior I had been attending non-denominational churche with the Assembly of God being the last before attending the Catholic Church where I have grown closer to Jesus Christ. It’s so wonderful to see how God works in our hearts as long as we are willing.