Blessing of Belief

What I love about being a Christian is that no matter how old you are or how long you've known the Lord, He just keeps teaching you, correcting you and drawing you closer and closer to Himself. He reveals more and more of His Word in revitalizing, transforming ways. The Holy Spirit, at any moment, can take a scriptural truth and expose it before your eyes, ears and heart in a way that takes your breath away!

This happened to me recently when it seemed as if I heard this verse for the first time:

"And He did not do many miracles there because of their unbelief." Matthew 13:58

How different would my life and the lives of those around me be if I truly believed God for myself and for them?

If I believed He is who He says He is and that He will do what He says He will do? My pastor recently reminded me that all our spiritual problems stem from unbelief. I can look back at so many difficult times in my life and see that I believed the subtle lies of the world/Satan to define a situation and the probable outcome. I read my Bible and prayed for God's intervention, but I paid more attention to the ongoing destructive behaviors of myself or others, and I didn't fully believe in God's power to change whatever was happening, because I didn't think I or the other person(s) involved, deserved a miracle. Unbelief. How many miracles missed?

In Luke 17, when the apostles called on the Lord to "increase our faith", the Lord replied that "if you had faith like a mustard seed, you would say to this mulberry tree, "Be uprooted and be planted in the sea"; and it would obey you." He isn't saying they needed more faith, they just needed to take the faith they had and believe in His power. When we intercede for someone, we shouldn't bring them before God and tell Him about their merits or their problems, we should simply believe Him on their behalf. How radical would that be? How many unsaved family members, friends, coworkers or acquaintances would know the Lord already if we simply brought them before His throne and claimed/believed His power, promises and great compassion for their lives? How many Christians would live more victoriously, be a better testimony and bear more fruit? How can we expect the world to believe in Christ when even Christians don't fully believe in His power? Unbelief. How many miracles missed?

What about the father in Mark 9 who begged Jesus on behalf of his demon-possessed son? "But if You can do anything, take pity on us and help us! And Jesus said to him, If You can? All things are possible to him who believes. Immediately the boy's father cried out and said, I do believe; help my unbelief." The woman in Luke 8, who had the issue of blood, believed so strongly in Jesus' power to heal, that she dared to touch the hem of His garment, and she was healed instantly. When belief is present, miracles flow forth!

Jesus tells us in Matthew 28 that "All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth." Do I live as if I believe that?

What would my witness be like if I truly claimed God's power for myself and all those around me? Today at church, one of our pastors shared that out of our gratitude, our worship should be passionate and expressive. Our gratitude is a demonstration of our faith. Lord, I am grateful that you have given me the faith to believe that Your power can be unleashed in us all, to change this world for Your glory.

Lord, I believe. Help me in my unbelief.

I can't wait to see His wondrous miracles! Can you?