Our primary call in life (as Christians) is to believe. BELIEVE, not perform, Believe. Many people have been duped into thinking that our call in life depends on our performance. That’s an old covenant mindset. The new covenant is all about believing.
“And this is his commandment, That we should believe on the name of his Son Jesus Christ, and love one another, as he gave us commandment.”
1 John 3:23
Interestingly love is described in this manner:
“Love is patient, love is kind, it is not jealous; love does not brag, it is not arrogant. does not act disgracefully, it does not seek its own benefit; it is not provoked, DOES NOT KEEP AN ACCOUNT OF A WRONG SUFFERED, it does not rejoice in unrighteousness, but rejoices with the truth; it keeps every confidence, it BELIEVES ALL THINGS, hopes all things, endures all things. Love never fails…”
1 Corinthians 13:4-8
If we love one another we would believe in Christ which is in each other. We would not keep an account, measuring each other up to see if we fit the mold of a child of God. Love believes in a person before the person’s exterior looks like a child of God. “For we walk by faith, not by sight” (2 Cor. 5:7) and “From now on, therefore, we regard no one according to the flesh” (2 Cor. 5:17).
Surround yourself with people who believe, and try to limit your time with those who do not. Performance-based Christians will only make you feel heavily burdened (see Luke 11:46), but those who believe will lighten the load by pointing to Jesus. Surround yourself with people who believe in Jesus in you, not those measuring you by your performance.
“…which is Christ in you, the hope of glory”
Colossians 1:27
It was while we were yet sinners that God gave his son (see Rom. 5:8). He wasn’t waiting for you to measure up to a standard. He believed in you (that is Christ in you) before you even knew a standard. Remember he is the one that justifies the ungodly (see Rom. 4:5), and the same one who calls those things that be not as though they were (see Rom. 4:17). He calls and he qualifies (justifies). Surround yourself with those who believe in the God who is at work in you, not those who are more concerned about your performance than your trust in the Creator.
Trust in Him, Jesus is the salvation of your soul. God bless you all! Our Father loves you!
We desire to walk in faith, but sometimes we do not even know what faith is. We do not even know how to measure it. I used to think very rigidly when it came to the definition of faith because what was written in Hebrews 11:1
“Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.”
Hebrews 11:1
I thought, Well if we had faith then the things that we hoped for would manifest in our lives because the substance of our hope is faith. Substance being the material in which a thing is made of.
Substance: 1. In a general sense, being; something existing by itself; that which really is or exists; equally applicable to matter or spirit. 3. The essential part; the main or material part.
Webster’s Dictionary 1828
To a degree, this is true just look at the people in this world. New agers manifest things for themselves by their own belief. Secular people get the things they hoped for by believing in themselves (actors, athletes, business owners, etc…). It’s all based on their belief because Jesus’ words remain true.
“Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and you shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you: For everyone that asks receives; and he that seeks finds; and to him that knocks it shall be opened.”
Matthew 7:7-8
This is a spiritual law. It cannot be broken. Jesus is the Word of God and what He speaks is. The children of this world have been able to receive things because of faith, and they don’t even acknowledge the Creator they pay homage to the universe or their hard work. Why? “…[God] makes His sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust” (from Mat. 5:45). AND they had asked, sought, and knocked…
Some of them have great stories of personal trials that they overcame to get to where they are at. And most people honor them for their diligence and grit to not quit even when times got tough. They aren’t even paying respect to God and yet they attained what they sought after… Let that sink in.
Jesus Demonstrating Faith To Teach Us.
I was asking the Lord today if He knew Lazarus was going to die or if He was just walking in faith? I believe He has shown me it was both. He both knew Lazarus would die and He was walking in faith. Let’s dive into it.
Jesus receives a message from Mary and Martha, "Lord, behold, he whom you love is sick."
When Jesus heard that, He said, "This sickness is not unto death, but for the glory of God, that the Son of God might be glorified by this."
Then a couple days later Lazarus dies. After Lazarus died Jesus knew it in the spirit and told His disciples.
Then said Jesus unto them plainly, "Lazarus is dead."
From John chapter 11.
Messengers were not sent in that day unless the person was on their death bed. So when Mary and Martha sent Him that message it was to notify Jesus that His friend that He loved was about to die. But what does He do when He hears the message? He spoke!
Faith speaks. “…I believed, and therefore I have spoken…” (from 2 Cor. 4:13). He spoke the word concerning this man. He refuted the message of these women and said, “this sickness does not lead to death…” He confessed! “…with the MOUTH confession is made unto salvation” (from Rom. 10:10).
The reason why I was asking the Lord if He knew if Lazarus would die or not is because I know how the devil operates when a person moves in faith. He tries to go against the very word or thing they were believing for. So when Jesus said the sickness is not unto death the devil was like, we’ll see about that… and then went and killed him.
I believe what God has revealed to me is that Jesus was goading satan into it. Because He knew His enemy too and knew that the devil wouldn’t be able to help himself except try and make an attempt to say that he has the power. That usurper…
“Faith subdues the facts to the truth”
Then when Jesus knew about Lazarus’ death He tells His disciples plainly, “Lazarus is dead.” Notice here Jesus didn’t refute the fact that Lazarus was dead. Faith does not ignore the facts. Faith subdues the facts to the truth. And what was the truth? “This sickness is not unto death, but for the glory of God, that the Son of God might be glorified by this” (John 11:4). Then He goes and resurrects the guy.
What was Jesus’ hope? That God would receive glory by the Son being glorified in this. Was His hope fulfilled? Yes. How did His hope get fulfilled? By faith. His faith manifested the hope which He had.
So faith is definitely what our hopes are made of! But God showed me that faith is more than this for the one who believes in Jesus. It is believing in who God is.
“But without faith it is impossible to please Him: for he that comes to God must believe that HE IS, and that He is a rewarder of them that diligently seek Him.”
Hebrews 11:6
God showed me that for the follower of Jesus faith is believing in the revealed nature of God. Not just the Jehovahistic names (which is good), but in who Jesus has revealed Him to be.
“No man has seen God at any time; the only begotten Son, which is in the bosom of the Father, He has declared Him.”
John 1:18
“Philip said unto Him, “Lord, show us the Father, and it is enough for us.” Jesus said to him, “Have I been with you for so long a time, and you have not known me, Philip? He that has seen me has seen the Father; and how is it that you say then, show us the Father?”
John 14:8-9
The Sad Truth of Religion
Not many people look for faith in the Christian religion. A lot of people have been duped into thinking that Christianity is about being a “good person”, but I am here to tell you it is about faith in Jesus! It is about Faith in the Word of God and manifesting His Word in and through our lives! Not about trying hard to be righteous through our own human effort, but through believing in Him!
While believing in Him we will endure hardships. But when we go through hardships our faith should not rest in our ability, but in who God is. As I said before many people have endured hardships in this world and received what they desired in this earth by believing in themselves and the world honors them for their endurance. But for us, our endurance is not a self-centered belief. It is a belief and trust in who God has revealed Himself to be through the face of Jesus. If we endure it is proof that our faith in God is genuine when we do not quit when times are tough. And our endurance actually brings praise and glory to God!
“Who are kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation ready to be revealed in the last time. Wherein you greatly rejoice, though now for a season, if need be, you are in heaviness through manifold temptations: That the trial of your faith, being much more precious than of gold that perishes, though it be tried with fire, might be found unto praise and honour and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ.”
1 Peter 1:5-7
I love you guys and God bless you in the knowledge of Him through His Son Jesus!
A BRIEF TAKEAWAY FROM THIS POST:
Faith is what our hopes are made of.
Faith speaks.
Faith does not deny facts.
Faith brings facts in submission to the truth.
Faith endures.
Faith believes in the revealed nature of God through the face of Jesus Christ.
Pointing out a problem without giving a solution always leads to one or more of the following: discouragement; anger; bitterness; hopelessness; fear; anxiety; helplessness; unworthiness… the list goes on. The thing is, pointing out a person’s problem doesn’t really help them, it just leaves them wanting. With no solution, facing these problems seems daunting and turns into fear and discouragement.
These problems scoff and laugh at us. They blaspheme the armies of the living God as we sit on the sidelines shaking in fear, too afraid to say anything against the insults and blasphemous slander. Just like Goliath, they stand in the way of God’s kingdom, openly opposing its advancement.
David believed in the Solution more than the problem. He didn’t ignore the problem and act like it wasn’t there. He addressed the issue by faith. He knew there was an issue, but he knew his God was bigger than the problem. David when looking out at this giant saw an enemy of God’s people and knew “if God be for us, who can be against us” (from Rom. 8:31). He gave his fear to the Lord instead of fearing this Philistine. He glorified the living God and said, “Who is this uncircumcised Philistine, that he should defy the armies of the living God?”
When David looked out he saw a problem, but he did not shrink from it. He glorified God and knew the God who delivered him from the paw of the lion and the bear will deliver this Philistine into his hands. We look at David like he had courage in himself to do this great feat, but we so easily forget that David is a man just like me and you. His courage was not in himself, he just believed in God. It’s very easy to exalt a champion of the Lord’s, and they are champions indeed, but their victory didn’t come from themselves it came from believing in God. As we think about the great cloud of witnesses that went before us, let us be reminded that they accomplished everything through faith in the living God. So, we must be victorious through faith in the living God as well.
“Who through faith subdued kingdoms, wrought righteousness, obtained promises, stopped the mouths of lions, Quenched the violence of fire, escaped the edge of the sword, out of weakness were made strong, waxed valiant in fight, turned to flight the armies of the aliens. Women received their dead raised to life again: and others were tortured, not accepting deliverance; that they might obtain a better resurrection: And others had trial of cruel mockings and scourgings, yea, moreover of bonds and imprisonment: They were stoned, they were sawn asunder, were tempted, were slain with the sword: they wandered about in sheepskins and goatskins; being destitute, afflicted, tormented; (Of whom the world was not worthy:) they wandered in deserts, and in mountains, and in dens and caves of the earth. And these all, having obtained a good report through faith, received not the promise:”
Since the dawn of creation the devil’s tactic has not changed. He comes and questions what God has spoken. At the very beginning of creation, he was in the garden questioning the word of God to the woman. It took place something like this:
"And God said, 'Let us make [mankind] in our image, after our likeness: and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creeps upon the earth.' So God created [mankind] in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them" (King James Version, Gen. 1:26-27).
Some time after the devil comes to the woman and says to her, "Has God really said, 'you must not eat of every tree in the garden?"
The woman responds, "We may eat of the fruit of the trees of the garden, except the fruit from the tree in the midst of the garden. God has said, 'You shall not eat of it neither touch it lest you die'."
The devil smirked, he knew that he had her. She added to the word of God, God never said not to touch the fruit. He knew at this moment she did not have a full understanding of what God had said. The devil touched the fruit and said, "You surely won't die! God knows that if you eat it you will be like him knowing good and evil."
**This conversation is paraphrased and artistic license was used. Please refer to Genesis 1-3 for the full picture.**
Have you ever talked to someone about a subject and the more you heard them speak you knew they had no idea what they were talking about? It becomes so evident, especially if you know the subject they are talking about. The moment she added to the commandment of God the devil knew she didn’t have an understanding on what God had spoken This is the same thing Jesus got on to the Pharisees about. They taught the traditions and doctrines of men as commandments. Then rejected the commandment of God (read Mark 7:1-13). More importantly, though, she did not have a full understanding of what God actually said about her identity.
The Pride of Mankind.
I have heard people say that the temptation in the garden was based off of pride. To a degree this is true, but not to the extent that I have heard it preached. What people have said is, “they wanted to become like God, exalted to a place of power and omniscience. Just like the devil himself…” This is a complete and utter misconception of the truth.
Rewind back to what God had said when he created mankind on the earth. “Let us make man in our own image and after our own likeness…” then in the very next verse it says, “So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them” (from Gen. 1:26-27).
So scripture cannot be broken, right? God said that he made mankind in his image and after his own likeness. So who was already like God? That’s right mankind. Is it prideful to admit something that is true? If someone comes to me and calls me a woman I would quickly let them know I am a man. Would I be in pride if I admitted to them the truth about what God made me? No; so why is it prideful for the woman to believe the word that God had spoken concerning her identity? The simple answer is that it is not.
When does pride come in this story? When she does not believe the word of God and believes a lie. Instead of humbly submitting to what God had said, she believed the devil when he made her feel like she was lacking. God made her complete and lacking nothing; but, instead of trusting in God to be true she was deceived into thinking she was lacking. It is not prideful to believe in how God created you, but it is prideful to think that you were created differently than how God created you.
“Woe unto him that strives with his Maker! Let the potsherd strive with the potsherds of the earth. Shall the clay say to him that fashions it, What are you making? or your work, He has no hands? Woe unto him that says unto his father, What are you begetting? or to the woman, What have you brought forth?”
Isaiah 45:9
True Temptation.
There are only two times in the Bible where it is recorded how the devil tempted an individual. The first being in the garden, and the second is the temptation of our Lord Jesus Christ. They are actually quite similar. Let’s take a look at our Lord’s temptation.
"Then Jesus comes from Galilee to Jordan unto John, to be baptized of him... and Jesus, when he was baptized, went up straightway out of the water: and, lo, the heavens were opened unto him, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove, and lighting upon him: And lo a voice from heaven, saying, 'This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased'." (from Mat. 3:13-17).
Then Jesus was driven by the Spirit into the wilderness and after 40 days the accuser comes to tempt.
The accuser speaks in his ear, "If you are the Son of God, command that these stones become bread."
Jesus answered and said, "It is written, 'Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds out of the mouth of God'."
Then the devil takes him up into the holy city, and sets him on a pinnacle of the temple, and says to him, "If you are the Son of God, cast yourself down: for it is written, 'He shall give his angels charge concerning you: and in their hand they shall bear you up, lest at any time you dash your foot against a stone'."
Jesus, knowing the devil's schemes, said, "It is also written, 'You shall not tempt the Lord your God'."
The accuser is fretting, Jesus knows and understands the word of God. He can tell he is losing and his time is short. He takes Jesus to a high mountain, and shows him all the kingdoms of the world, and the glory of them. Then says to him, "All these things will I give you, if you will fall down and worship me'."
Jesus, in a commanding voice, says, "Get away from me Satan! For it is written, 'You shall worship the Lord your God, and him only shall you serve'."
Then the devil, knowing he lost the battle, left him.
**This conversation is paraphrased and artistic license was used. please refer to Matthew 4:1-11 for the full picture.**
The temptation of Jesus mirrors mankind’s temptation in the garden. God spoke a word concerning their identity, and then the devil comes and questions the very word God said about them. In Jesus’ case, he overcame the wiles of the devil.
We tend to think that temptation is when a sinful desire comes along and we struggle against doing whatever it may be. What true temptation is, is when the enemy tries to get us to believe in something other than what God has said. That was what the temptation was in the garden. Do they actually believe what God has said about them? And that was the temptation Jesus faced in the desert. Does he actually believe what God has said about him? This is what the devil is after in us, our identity.
Identity Is Everything!
One of the reasons the devil wants us to question our identity is because he knows if we do not know who we are, then we will do things that are contrary to our nature. If he can get you to believe that you are a lustful person then you will do lustful things. This is why identity is so important.
The bible says, “For as he thinks in his heart, so is he…” (from Pro. 23:7). If the devil can get us to believe things about ourselves that is contrary to what God has said about us, then he can manipulate and deceive us into all types sin.
But, bless God, if we stand firm in what our God has said about us we will be the righteous children he has always determined us to be. “For whom he did foreknow, he also did PREDESTINATE to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren” (Rom. 8:29). It was always in our Father’s heart for us to shine bright like the Son!
I am talking to those who are believers in Jesus Christ at this point. Those who are not born by water and the Spirit are enslaved to sin and must be born again in order to be freed from the bondage of Satan. I want you to know though, it is our Father's deepest and earnest desire for you to be born again. He loves you and wants you to be born again. Talk to Jesus and ask him to birth you again in him. He will do it for you. Our Father has so much love for you! Trust in his unfailing love.
“For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision avails anything, nor uncircumcision, but a new creature.”
Galatians 6:15
The only thing that matters is the new creation that God has made us, nothing else. Everything stems from what God has done in us, by birthing us again unto a lively hope. We are his masterpiece! And my Dad does not make trash! He is a Master Craftsmen there is none like him! “For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works…” (from Eph. 2:10).
“Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new. And all things are of God, who has reconciled us to himself by Jesus Christ, and has given to us the ministry of reconciliation” (2 Cor. 5:17-18). We are new. We have a new nature, God’s nature (read Col. 3:9-10). He has said that he’s given us a new heart and placed his Spirit inside of us to cause us to walk in his statutes (from Ezk. 36:26-27). Now, are we going to believe the lies of the Devil? That we are still that old sinful person, especially when God has told us that we are a new holy creation?
Be blessed brothers and sisters! Our Father loves us with an everlasting love. He has given us an eternal victory through his Son Jesus. We always win. Especially when we hold firm to our confession. Jesus is Lord!
A desire for all the nations of the earth to be filled with the knowledge of the glory of the Lord. 