Believing: Where it All Begins
Believe Defined
be steadfast, to trust in, rely upon, be persuaded
to have confidence in the truth, the existence, or the reliability of something, although without absolute proof that one is right in doing so
to be persuaded of the truth or existence of
New Life and Right Standing with God
You can't approach God unless you believe
Heb 11:6 Without faith it isn't possible to please God. Those who come to God must believe that he exists. And they must believe that he rewards those who look to him. NIrV
Gen 15:6 And he [Abram] believed in (trusted in, relied on, remained steadfast to) the Lord, and He counted it to him as righteousness (right standing with God). AMP
Num 14:11-12 The LORD said to Moses, "How long will these people treat me with contempt? How long will they refuse to believe in me, in spite of all the signs I have performed among them? 12 I will strike them down with a plague and destroy them, but I will make you into a nation greater and stronger than they." TNIV
Believing gains you forgiveness and everlasting life. Your heart and mouth, working in harmony, completes your right standing with God.
Acts 10:43 All the prophets testify about him that everyone who believes in him receives forgiveness of sins through his name." TNIV
John 3:16 For God so greatly loved and dearly prized the world that He [even] gave up His only begotten (unique) Son, so that whoever believes in (trusts in, clings to, relies on) Him shall not perish (come to destruction, be lost) but have eternal (everlasting) life. AMP
Rom 10:10 For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you confess and are saved. NIV
Believing in the good news of Christ is God's power in you. God's power being operational in you is based on believing.
Rom 1:16 For I am not ashamed of the Gospel (good news) of Christ, for it is God's power working unto salvation [for deliverance from eternal death] to everyone who believes with a personal trust and a confident surrender and firm reliance, to the Jew first and also to the Greek. 17 For in the Gospel a righteousness which God ascribes is revealed, both springing from faith and leading to faith [disclosed through the way of faith that arouses to more faith]. As it is written, The man who through faith is just and upright shall live and shall live by faith. AMP
Believing and Faith
Believing starts the process. Believing in your heart precedes effective saying and praying.
Mark 11:22-24 22 "Have faith in God," Jesus answered. 23 "Truly I tell you, if you say to this mountain, 'Go, throw yourself into the sea,' and do not doubt in your heart but believe that what you say will happen, it will be done for you. 24 Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask for in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours.“ TNIV
First believe, let yourself be persuaded.
Heb 11:6 And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him. TNIV
Faith (as an object) is the result of believing. It is having confidence that God is reliable and what He has promised will come to pass. It is the same concept as having confidence in the Postal System or Banking System (have you sent a letter or used your credit card lately?). The word credit comes from the Latin word credere “to believe” It isn't an intellectual process, it is a heart process, a spirit process.
Heb 11:1 NOW FAITH is the assurance (the confirmation, the title deed) of the things [we] hope for, being the proof of things [we] do not see and the conviction of their reality [faith perceiving as real fact what is not revealed to the senses]. AMP
You who are born again, you believed the Gospel message. You stepped out and took a hold of Christ and the redemption available only through Him. That belief turned into a saving faith. Faith is belief put into action.
Eph 2:8-9 8 God's grace has saved you because of your faith in Christ. Your salvation doesn't come from anything you do. It is God's gift. 9 It is not based on anything you have done. No one can brag about earning it. NIrV
It all starts with believing, but believing isn't enough. The demons believe, but they don't follow up that belief with action in harmony with it. Belief in harmony with action produces results.
James 2:19-24 19 You believe there is one God. Good! Even the demons believe that. And they tremble!
20 You foolish man! Do you want proof that faith without good works is useless? 21 Our father Abraham offered his son Isaac on the altar. Wasn't he considered to be right with God because of what he did? 22 So you see that what he believed and what he did were working together. What he did made his faith complete.
23 That is what Scripture means where it says, "Abraham believed God. God accepted Abraham because he believed. So his faith made him right with God."—(Genesis 15:6) And that's not all. God called Abraham his friend. 24 So you see that a person is made right with God by what he does. It doesn't happen only because of what he believes. NirV
Be a DOER of the Word, not just a hearer only. Believing all day long won't produce anything. Believing needs to be turned into faith by doing the Word, walking in the light that you have.
Rom 2:13 For it is not merely hearing the Law [read] that makes one righteous before God, but it is the doers of the Law who will be held guiltless and acquitted and justified. AMP
James 1:22 Don't just listen to the word. You fool yourselves if you do that. You must do what it says. NirV
Believe God's Words, not empty words. Imitate how God does things. Operate in love. Being deceived is simply believing empty words. Words which are not full of God and His Truth, words which don't produce obedience to God.
Eph 5:1-2,6 1-2 Watch what God does, and then you do it, like children who learn proper behavior from their parents. Mostly what God does is love you. Keep company with him and learn a life of love. Observe how Christ loved us. His love was not cautious but extravagant. He didn't love in order to get something from us but to give everything of himself to us. Love like that. The Message
... 6 Let no one deceive you with empty words, for because of such things God's wrath comes on those who are disobedient. NIrV
Receiving from God
The Centurion's understanding of authority enabled him to believe and receive from God.
Matt 8:5-13 5 When Jesus entered Capernaum, a Roman commander came to him. He asked Jesus for help. 6 "Lord," he said, "my servant lies at home and can't move. He is suffering terribly."
7 Jesus said, "I will go and heal him."
8 The commander replied, "Lord, I am not good enough to have you come into my house. But just say the word, and my servant will be healed. 9 I myself am a man under authority. And I have soldiers who obey my orders. I tell this one, 'Go,' and he goes. I tell that one, 'Come,' and he comes. I say to my servant, 'Do this,' and he does it."
10 When Jesus heard this, he was amazed. He said to those following him, "What I'm about to tell you is true. In Israel I have not found anyone whose faith is so strong.
13 Then Jesus said to the Roman commander, "Go! It will be done just as you believed it would."
And his servant was healed at that very hour. NIrV
When you believe, you don't stop at the first, second, or third road block—unresponsiveness, arguments why you shouldn't receive, insults—you keep you mind's eye on the goal of your believing.
Matt 15:21-28 21 Jesus left Galilee and went to the area of Tyre and Sidon. 22 A woman from Canaan lived near Tyre and Sidon. She came to him and cried out, "Lord! Son of David! Have mercy on me! A demon controls my daughter. She is suffering terribly."
23 Jesus did not say a word. So his disciples came to him. They begged him, "Send her away. She keeps crying out after us."
24 Jesus answered, "I was sent only to the people of Israel. They are like lost sheep."
25 Then the woman fell to her knees in front of him. "Lord! Help me!" she said.
26 He replied, "It is not right to take the children's bread and throw it to their dogs."
27 "Yes, Lord," she said. "But even the dogs eat the crumbs that fall from their owners' table."
28 Then Jesus answered, "Woman, you have great faith! You will be given what you are asking for." And her daughter was healed at that very moment. NIrV
Mark 9:17-27 & Matt 17:19-21
(Mark 9)
17 A man in the crowd answered. "Teacher," he said, "I brought you my son. He is controlled by a spirit. Because of this, my son can't speak anymore. 18 When the spirit takes hold of him, it throws him to the ground. He foams at the mouth. He grinds his teeth. And his body becomes stiff. I asked your disciples to drive out the spirit. But they couldn't do it."
19 "You unbelieving people!" Jesus replied. "How long do I have to stay with you? How long do I have to put up with you? Bring the boy to me."
20 So they brought him. As soon as the spirit saw Jesus, it threw the boy into a fit. He fell to the ground. He rolled around and foamed at the mouth.
21 Jesus asked the boy's father, "How long has he been like this?"
"Since he was a child," he answered. 22 "The spirit has often thrown him into fire or water to kill him. But if you can do anything, take pity on us. Please help us."
23 " 'If you can'?" said Jesus. "Everything is possible for the one who believes."
24 Right away the boy's father cried out, "I do believe! Help me overcome my unbelief!"
25 Jesus saw that a crowd was running over to see what was happening. Then he ordered the evil spirit to leave the boy. "You spirit that makes him unable to hear and speak!" he said. "I command you, come out of him. Never enter him again."
26 The spirit screamed. It shook the boy wildly. Then it came out of him. The boy looked so lifeless that many people said, "He's dead." 27 But Jesus took him by the hand. He lifted the boy to his feet, and the boy stood up.
(Matt 17)
19 Then the disciples came to Jesus privately and said, “Why could we not cast it out?”
20 So Jesus said to them, “Because of your unbelief; for assuredly, I say to you, if you have faith as a mustard seed, you will say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it will move; and nothing will be impossible for you. 21 However, this kind does not go out except by prayer and fasting.”
Jesus didn't accept the father's responsibility to believe. It is each believer's responsibility! [I think that is why we are called believers...] God is merciful. His mercy is new every morning. And because of that Jesus helped the father overcome his unbelief and delivered the boy from demonic oppression.
Afterwards the disciples tried to figure out where they went wrong. Jesus pointed to their unbelief. Their level of unbelief required prayer and fasting in order to get rid of it.
Matt 9:20-22 20 And suddenly, a woman who had a flow of blood for twelve years came from behind and touched the hem of His garment. 21 For she said to herself, “If only I may touch His garment, I shall be made well.” 22 But Jesus turned around, and when He saw her He said, “Be of good cheer, daughter; your faith has made you well.” And the woman was made well from that hour. NKJV
She believed even with imperfect understanding. Her belief was put into action (faith) and she received what she believed.
Hindrances to Godly Believing
Starvation
- Lack of the Word
- Ignorance
Sin
- Disobedience to the Word
- Self-Righteousness
- Not walking in the light you have
Ungodly Choices
- Doubt
- Fear
- Complaining/Grumbling/Murmuring
- Deception
Self-Sufficiency
- Soul Power
- Trying to do it without God's help
Cures to Unbelief
Obedience. Obey God's voice. Hone your listening skills. Obey the leading of the Holy Spirit.
Gen 6:22 Noah did everything exactly as God commanded him.
Respect God and His Word enough to obey what He says.
Heb 11:7 Noah had faith. So he built an ark to save his family. He built it because of his great respect for God. ...
Rom 10:14,17 14 How then shall they call upon [him] in whom they did not believe? and how shall they believe [on him] of whom they did not hear? and how shall they hear apart from one preaching? ...
17 so then the faith [is] by a report, and the report through a saying of God, YLT
Rom 8:14-17 14 Those who are led by the Spirit of God are children of God. 15 You didn't receive a spirit that makes you a slave to fear once again. Instead you received the Holy Spirit, who makes you God's child. By the Spirit's power we call God "Abba." Abba means Father. 16 The Spirit himself joins with our spirits. Together they give witness that we are God's children.
17 As his children, we will receive all that he has for us. We will share what Christ receives. But we must share in his sufferings if we want to share in his glory. NIrV
Rom 12:2 Don't live any longer the way this world lives. Let your way of thinking be completely changed. Then you will be able to test what God wants for you. And you will agree that what he wants is right. His plan is good and pleasing and perfect. NirV
2 Cor 10:3-6 The world is unprincipled. It's dog-eat-dog out there! The world doesn't fight fair. But we don't live or fight our battles that way—never have and never will. The tools of our trade aren't for marketing or manipulation, but they are for demolishing that entire massively corrupt culture. We use our powerful God-tools for smashing warped philosophies, tearing down barriers erected against the truth of God, fitting every loose thought and emotion and impulse into the structure of life shaped by Christ. Our tools are ready at hand for clearing the ground of every obstruction and building lives of obedience into maturity. The Message
Gal 5:6 Circumcision and uncircumcision aren't worth anything to those who believe in Christ Jesus. The only thing that really counts is faith that shows itself through love. NirV
Don't get lost in all of the trappings of man-made religion. Focus in on living what you know, learning more about God's word. Living it, loving it, loving God and people.
No comments:
Post a Comment