FAITH - CHOOSE TO BELIEVE
15th Mar 2023
2 Peter 1:3-4 in The Message says, “Everything that goes into a life of pleasing God has been miraculously given to us by getting to know, personally and intimately, the One who invited us to God. The best invitation we ever received! We were also given absolutely terrific promises to pass on to you—your tickets to participation in the life of God after you turned your back on a world corrupted by lust.”
At the end of Mark 16 we read that Jesus had appeared to Mary Magdalene, but when she told those who had been with Him, and were mourning His death, they refused to believe her. Also, those who met Jesus on the Emmaus Road told this group and were not believed. Later Jesus rebuked the eleven disciples for their lack of faith refusing to believe those who had seen Him alive.
Unbelief is rooted in pride which says, “I know better”, “I’m rational”, “You can’t fool me”. Faith is grounded in trust and knowing that God will never lie. So when He reveals truth which we may not understand or have had experience of, we will accept it because we know Jesus, trust Him and choose to trust His word.
A friend of ours, having received a cancer diagnosis, told of an intense battle with fear. She desperately needed to be able to stand on a promise from God. She took time to hear from heaven and received a scripture from Isaiah 7, which was revelation and became alive to her. She was able to take this word and like a sword counteract all the wicked lies of the enemy. She used it, as Jesus did when confronting the enemy in the wilderness, and satan fled, fear and panic were defeated and peace returned. She chose to believe, and knows she will live and fulfil God’s call on her life.
Another friend told of how he longed to be filled with the Spirit, hear God’s voice and speak in tongues. So he went into a wardrobe to be alone with the Lord, refusing to come out until he received what was promised. His prayer was answered, he was baptised in the Holy Spirit, spoke in tongues, was filled with joy and emerged from the wardrobe!
God’s first word to him was, “Go and wash the dishes”, but that seemed too mundane for this fired up believer. When he greeted his wife, as she returned from work, with this exciting news, her response was, “It’s a pity you didn’t wash the dishes!” He repented of his disobedience and unbelief, he had heard God, but doubted that it came from Him and disobeyed.
The Holy Spirit is our helper in the whole of life. Trust and obey and you’ll be happy in Jesus. His promises encompass life and godliness, and He wants us to develop our faith, to root out unbelief, and to listen intently to the voice of His Holy Spirit.
by Joyce Sibthorpe
