"Do You Really Believe.....?"
-God
May 2016
"But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he that cometh to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of them that diligently seek Him." Hebrews 11:6 KJV
"Do You really believe Me?" "Of course I do, Lord." "No, do you really believe that I reward those who diligently seek Me?" "Yes Lord, I believe." "No, do you really believe that I will reward YOU as YOU diligently seek Me?" -------- This is the conversation that the Lord and I had while I was getting ready one morning. I absolutely love Hebrews 11:6, and oftentimes quote it on Facebook, on here, while ministering, etc., but two months ago when the Lord asked me this question, I knew the "right" thing to say, but I also knew in my heart what I "believed." We've all faced disappointment of one sort of another in life. Some a tad bit "harsher" than others, but nevertheless. disappointment is still disappointment. |
I heard a minister once say that disappointment Is the "feeling" of a "missed appointment."
Boy have we all "felt" that way. Maybe you thought you would be there by now, or have that by now, but again regardless of your story, disappointment is disappointment. It's one thing, to face disappointment, get back up and "try again." But it's another thing to face disappointment, and instead of "trying again," or "believing again," you entertain fear, worry, and anxiety and then end up with the spirit of disappointment. The spirit of disappointment can be very deceiving. It will have you thinking that you're walking by faith, when you're really not. It will have you in a place where disappointment has so long ago became the norm, that you don't truly expect, believe, or hope for anything different....that anything can change. It will have you beating the doors of heaven down in prayer for everyone else, but not for yourself. But friend, this is not the way God called us to live. He called us to live with a spirit of faith, expectancy, and hope. He called us to live believing that ALL things are possible.
So friend, do you really believe God?
Are you really walking by faith?
Hebrews 11:1 AMP says, "Now faith is the assurance (title deed, confirmation) of things hoped for (divinely guaranteed), and the evidence of things not seen (the conviction of their reality---faith comprehends as fact what cannot be experienced by the physical senses)."
Faith is your assurance of the things you hope for and it's the evidence of things that you cannot see. It's easy to walk in faith when all the "necessary parts" have fallen into place. It's easy to walk in faith when you're on the top of the mountain. But faith, real Bible faith steps out there on the water, [amidst the finances not being there, the people not being there, in spite of being knocked down several times before or doors being slammed in your face] with eyes fixed on Jesus (the author and the finisher of our faith) and musters up enough gall to say, "I STILL BELIEVE GOD!" Friend, that's faith. That's what pleases God.
Friend, many of us look at Hebrews 11:6 and wave our hand and shout "Hallelujah!"
We say we believe that God is God, but oftentimes our actions relay a different message.
We strive and work and self promote and depend on our own ability, way more than we do God at times.
And if we are aren't "openly" striving, working, self promoting and depending on our own ability, we're "privately" worrying and stressing out about the circumstances that stare us in the face as if God is not God and is not greater than anything that could come against us.
And then there are those of us that believe and know that God is God.
We're not striving and anxiously working to "build the house," because we know that if we build the house, we will also be responsible for maintaining it. And if we open the door, it will be our responsibility to keep the door open. But instead, we're letting God be God because we know that He is really good at His job. We're looking to, depending on, and trusting Him to be the architect, the financial backer, the owner, the foreman, the building crew, and pretty much everything else because we know that unless the Lord builds the house, they that labor, labor in vain who build it (Psalms 127:1). We're learning how to be still and know that He is God (Psalm 46:10). We're resting in the truth that when God builds the house, He's the One who maintains it. And when He opens the door, He will be the One who keeps it open.
The pressures all off of us.
BUT....there's a big BUT....
Some of us, although we're learning to be still, rest, and believe that God is and let Him be God, we still haven't mastered the second part of faith.
The part that believes that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him.
Friend, it's not enough just to believe that God is or just to rest, be still, and let Him do it. But while you're believing that He is, and while you're resting, being still, and letting Him do it, you also have to believe that He will reward YOU....not just your momma, your pastor, your favorite Bible study teacher, but YOU too, as YOU diligently seek Him.
That's faith.
Even after you have diligently sought Him for so long....to what seems to be to no avail.
For you to still believe that HE will reward YOU is FAITH.
So what does that look like?
There may be no men in the church that you attend (*wink), but by faith, you must rest, be still (don't try to go and find him or worse yet, chase him), AND believe that in God's perfect timing, as you diligently seek Him, that He will connect you to the perfect man of God designed for you.
You may have tried and tried again to get into a particular school, but to no avail. Don't just rest, be still, and let God do it, but also believe that as you diligently seek Him, He will open a door for you that no man can shut.
You may have a desire to go into full time ministry, but you feel a tad bit overlooked. Don't just rest, be still, and let God do it, but also believe that as you diligently seek Him and study, and prepare, that amidst countless adversaries, an effectual door for you is open to do whatever it is that God has anointed and appointed you to do.
You may not be happy in this season of life, or maybe you haven't been happy for a long time. You maybe lacking peace, joy, or contentment or maybe you just feel hopeless. Don't just rest, be still, and let God do it, but believe that as you diligently seek Him, that the "God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that by the power of the Holy Spirit you may abound in hope." Romans 15:13 ESV
Whatever your "it" is, friend, yes, rest, be still, and let God be God, but also believe that He is STILL a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him. Believe that He will indeed reward YOU as YOU diligently seek Him. Believe that as YOU delight YOURSELF in the LORD, that HE will give YOU the desires and secret petitions of your heart.
Believe.
Don't let the spirit of disappointment rob you of your faith or hope or the joy and peace in believing.
Believe friend, believe.
All God has in Him is truth. He has no ability to lie or mislead, so no matter how many highs, lows, twists, and turns in life, you can trust that His Word is true. And that what He promised you will come to pass, as you diligently seek Him.
Stay encouraged!
Boy have we all "felt" that way. Maybe you thought you would be there by now, or have that by now, but again regardless of your story, disappointment is disappointment. It's one thing, to face disappointment, get back up and "try again." But it's another thing to face disappointment, and instead of "trying again," or "believing again," you entertain fear, worry, and anxiety and then end up with the spirit of disappointment. The spirit of disappointment can be very deceiving. It will have you thinking that you're walking by faith, when you're really not. It will have you in a place where disappointment has so long ago became the norm, that you don't truly expect, believe, or hope for anything different....that anything can change. It will have you beating the doors of heaven down in prayer for everyone else, but not for yourself. But friend, this is not the way God called us to live. He called us to live with a spirit of faith, expectancy, and hope. He called us to live believing that ALL things are possible.
So friend, do you really believe God?
Are you really walking by faith?
Hebrews 11:1 AMP says, "Now faith is the assurance (title deed, confirmation) of things hoped for (divinely guaranteed), and the evidence of things not seen (the conviction of their reality---faith comprehends as fact what cannot be experienced by the physical senses)."
Faith is your assurance of the things you hope for and it's the evidence of things that you cannot see. It's easy to walk in faith when all the "necessary parts" have fallen into place. It's easy to walk in faith when you're on the top of the mountain. But faith, real Bible faith steps out there on the water, [amidst the finances not being there, the people not being there, in spite of being knocked down several times before or doors being slammed in your face] with eyes fixed on Jesus (the author and the finisher of our faith) and musters up enough gall to say, "I STILL BELIEVE GOD!" Friend, that's faith. That's what pleases God.
Friend, many of us look at Hebrews 11:6 and wave our hand and shout "Hallelujah!"
We say we believe that God is God, but oftentimes our actions relay a different message.
We strive and work and self promote and depend on our own ability, way more than we do God at times.
And if we are aren't "openly" striving, working, self promoting and depending on our own ability, we're "privately" worrying and stressing out about the circumstances that stare us in the face as if God is not God and is not greater than anything that could come against us.
And then there are those of us that believe and know that God is God.
We're not striving and anxiously working to "build the house," because we know that if we build the house, we will also be responsible for maintaining it. And if we open the door, it will be our responsibility to keep the door open. But instead, we're letting God be God because we know that He is really good at His job. We're looking to, depending on, and trusting Him to be the architect, the financial backer, the owner, the foreman, the building crew, and pretty much everything else because we know that unless the Lord builds the house, they that labor, labor in vain who build it (Psalms 127:1). We're learning how to be still and know that He is God (Psalm 46:10). We're resting in the truth that when God builds the house, He's the One who maintains it. And when He opens the door, He will be the One who keeps it open.
The pressures all off of us.
BUT....there's a big BUT....
Some of us, although we're learning to be still, rest, and believe that God is and let Him be God, we still haven't mastered the second part of faith.
The part that believes that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him.
Friend, it's not enough just to believe that God is or just to rest, be still, and let Him do it. But while you're believing that He is, and while you're resting, being still, and letting Him do it, you also have to believe that He will reward YOU....not just your momma, your pastor, your favorite Bible study teacher, but YOU too, as YOU diligently seek Him.
That's faith.
Even after you have diligently sought Him for so long....to what seems to be to no avail.
For you to still believe that HE will reward YOU is FAITH.
So what does that look like?
There may be no men in the church that you attend (*wink), but by faith, you must rest, be still (don't try to go and find him or worse yet, chase him), AND believe that in God's perfect timing, as you diligently seek Him, that He will connect you to the perfect man of God designed for you.
You may have tried and tried again to get into a particular school, but to no avail. Don't just rest, be still, and let God do it, but also believe that as you diligently seek Him, He will open a door for you that no man can shut.
You may have a desire to go into full time ministry, but you feel a tad bit overlooked. Don't just rest, be still, and let God do it, but also believe that as you diligently seek Him and study, and prepare, that amidst countless adversaries, an effectual door for you is open to do whatever it is that God has anointed and appointed you to do.
You may not be happy in this season of life, or maybe you haven't been happy for a long time. You maybe lacking peace, joy, or contentment or maybe you just feel hopeless. Don't just rest, be still, and let God do it, but believe that as you diligently seek Him, that the "God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that by the power of the Holy Spirit you may abound in hope." Romans 15:13 ESV
Whatever your "it" is, friend, yes, rest, be still, and let God be God, but also believe that He is STILL a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him. Believe that He will indeed reward YOU as YOU diligently seek Him. Believe that as YOU delight YOURSELF in the LORD, that HE will give YOU the desires and secret petitions of your heart.
Believe.
Don't let the spirit of disappointment rob you of your faith or hope or the joy and peace in believing.
Believe friend, believe.
All God has in Him is truth. He has no ability to lie or mislead, so no matter how many highs, lows, twists, and turns in life, you can trust that His Word is true. And that what He promised you will come to pass, as you diligently seek Him.
Stay encouraged!