Originally published Tuesday, 26 November 2013.
Peter, one of Jesus’ apostles, walked on water––though it was only for a little while. Peter had faith. Enough faith, in fact, to believe Jesus would enable him to do the impossible. Yet, Peter’s great faith wained quickly. “He saw the wind” we’re told, and fear trumped faith as he began to sink (Matthew 14:30). Peter cried out to Jesus, “Lord, save me” (14:30). And Jesus did, “saying to him, ‘O you of little faith, why did you doubt?’” (14:31).
Why did you doubt?
Peter is known for quick bursts of great faith that would often slowly dissipate into doubt. And I wonder, how many of us are just like Peter?
Just as the apostles cried out to Jesus, “Increase our faith!” so too, we should cry (Luke 17:5). We need great faith––a resurgence of faith. Every one of us.
We need, quite simply, to BELIEVE GOD. We need to believe that He is, in fact, who He says He is. We need to believe that He can do––and does do––what He says He can do. More than anything, we need to stop looking at our circumstances––stop looking at the wind surrounding us––and believe God regardless of what the “natural” tells us, giving more weight to what God’s Word tells us than what our current circumstances tell us.
God’s Word says, “if you have faith like a grain of mustard seed, you will say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it will move, and nothing will be impossible for you” (Matthew 17:20).
Do you believe it?
Do you believe Him?
Jesus says, “Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives, and the one who seeks finds, and to the one who knocks it will be opened” (Matthew 7:7-8).
Do you believe it?
Do you believe Him?
Jesus says, “Have faith in God…. I tell you, whatever you ask in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours” (Mark 11:22, 24).
Do you believe it?
Do you believe Him?
Jesus said, “With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible” (Matthew 19:26).
Do you believe it?
Do you believe Him?
Jesus said, “Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever believes in me will also do the works that I do; and greater works than these will he do, because I am going to the Father” (John 14:12-13).
That’s astounding, but do you believe it?
Do you believe Him?
Now, this is not some prosperity Gospel I’m writing about here. We all need to understand that God is not some cosmic genie in the sky we can manipulate into granting our every wish. He does, after all, work toward our best interest, and the granting some of our requests would not be in our best interest at all. Matthew 6:33 tells us to “Seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things will be added to you” (Matthew 6:33). And I believe this is the key. If we seek God and His righteousness above all things, our prayers will begin to align with God’s will. Then and only then, will we see these scriptures come alive in our lives and will begin to see the power of God displayed. But first, we must believe.
We must believe God. And we must believe that God is still God Almighty, the same God––full of power, full of wonder––portrayed throughout Scripture. God is unchanging. He is the same yesterday, today, and forever.
He still works miracles.
He still answers prayers.
He still heals.
He still moves mountains.
There are countless accounts in the Bible of Jesus healing those with many afflictions, saying, “Go; let it be done for you as you have believed” (Matthew 8:13), or “According to your faith be it done to you” (Matthew 9:29), or “Your faith has made you well” (Mark 10:52). So belief––faith––is of primary importance to seeing God work mightily in our lives. Jesus said to a father, who had just heard of his daughter’s death, “Do not fear, only believe” (Mark 5:36). Believe!
Faith can move mountains.
Faith is the catalyst that stirs the workings of mighty wonders in the heavenlies.
Faith is power.
So where do you need God’s power in your life? What is that mountain you need moved? That impossible situation you feel powerless over?
Do not believe what you see in the natural, God recently whispered to me. I am not confined by the natural. You see, God created all things. Everything is in subjection to Him. Now, let’s stop allowing our circumstances and what we deem impossible to paralyze us, and let’s begin BELIEVING GOD!
He is, after all, our only hope.
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