Three Enemies of Faith

One of my favorite scriptures is found in Hebrews 11:6.  “Without Faith it is impossible to please Him; for he who comes to God must first believe that HE IS GOD and that HE IS A REWARDER OF THEM WHO DILIGENTLY SEEK HIM!” I recently heard a profound statement that brought such revelation.

“The Spirit –realm is reality.”

 So often in life, we receive a promise from the Lord.  They arrive in many different ways: when we read the Bible, in quiet time with the Lord as He quietly speaks to our spirits, or even through a word of prophecy spoken from another member in the body of Christ.  Many times, after we have received the promise as our own and begin the journey to fulfillment, LIFE and other VOICES begin to speak against our promise, declaring it impossible.  I have learned to live by “what saith the Lord” and not by “what saith Jeneen, or what saith my emotions, or what saith my circumstances, or even by what my eyes are beholding in this tangible, natural realm.”  All of these can be deceiving if we rely on their declaration instead of the voice of Almighty God.  Rarely, will the promise of God look anything like your present circumstances.  Thus, the very reason God commanded us to, “Walk by faith and not by sight.” 

Scripture clearly points out three enemies of Faith:

1.     Unbelief- God gave Abraham the promise that he would become the father of many nations, but in the natural realm there was just one problem.  His age!  Abraham was one hundred years old and past the age of producing even one child, let alone a nation of children. Nevertheless, I love what Romans 4:20-21 says, “Abraham staggered not at the promise of God through unbelief; but was strong in his faith, giving glory to God and being fully persuaded that what God promised, He was fully able to perform.”   Like us, Abraham had a choice to believe or not believe!  Never look to your circumstances for assurance of the promise!  Just believe God!

2.     {C}Wavering Faith- James 1:6-8 warns, “For He that wavers is like a wave of the sea driven with the wind and tossed. Let not this man think that he shall receive anything from the Lord. A double minded man is unstable in all his ways.” Like a wave, wavering faith is driven by belief one day and doubt the next.  Wavering faith believes God until the battle gets tough.  It will believe God until outside voices and circumstances drown out truth.  Wavering faith rises high and falls hard. The promise will never be fulfilled through wavering faith.


3. Faith without endurance- You may not suffer with unbelief or wavering faith, but there is yet another enemy lurking in our midst.  Trusting in God’s timing is a crucial element to receiving the promise.  Promises are assigned to seasons in your life. Sometimes, God gives you a promise in one season that is meant to be fulfilled in another. Often, when the promise is not fulfilled in "our proper timing" we give up and when we give up, we forfeit the promise. Hebrews 10:35-36, “Cast not away therefore your confidence, which has great recompense of reward. For you have need of patience(endurance); that after you have done the will of God, you might receive the promise.”

2 Peter 3:9 promises, “The Lord is not slack concerning His promise as some consider slackness to be...

Habakkuk 2:3, “Slowly, steadily, surely the time approaches when the vision will be fulfilled.  If it seems slow, wait patiently.  For it will surely come.  It will not be delayed.”

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  God longs to fulfill His promises to you and as His beloved children we must understand this is a partnership.  We have a part to play.  We have to be relentlessly proactive in our faith.  Never give up.  Keep pressing.  Continue to believe and proclaim what God promised you.  You will see it come to pass if you do not doubt, waver or give up.  

 

Blessings,

Jeneen

Faith is the key element of Christian Living.

Ephesians 2:8 tells us…”By grace you have been saved through faith.”

Galatians 3:26 says… “For you are the children of God by faith in Christ Jesus.”

Romans 5:1 declares… “Therefore, being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.”

Romans 3:22 confirms… “Even the righteousness of God which is by faith in Jesus Christ unto all and upon all who believe.”

Our entire salvation experience is wrought by FAITH!

Faith is the substance of things hoped for; the evidence of things not seen. Hebrews 11:1
Therefore, faith is the firm belief in something for which there is no proof.

So, I ask you today, have you at any time seen Jesus Christ?  Did you witness His atoning death on the cross as proof for your belief? Were you present when He arose from the dead and ascended to the right hand of the Father?

No!  We receive Jesus and these acts by faith.

So, IF we possess adequate faith for salvation why do we find it difficult or next to impossible to exhibit faith on a daily basis - trusting God to meet our needs and offer direction for our lives?

I have discovered that faith for daily living is rooted in intimacy with God.  Intimacy is a product of quality time spent alone with another. True intimacy is not developed quickly.  It is acquired through prolonged association. Intimacy will eventually breed trust and I have learned that whatever people trust, they will also have faith in.
My husband, Steve and I have been married twenty-four years this year.  In our twenty-four years of intimacy and taking time to really get to know and understand each other, I have discovered exactly what he desires; his likes and dislikes.  He has proven to be faithful to me in all of his ways.  I can believe what he says.  I can trust him to do what he says he is going to do. I have faith in Steve.

Equally as important, Steve has also learned to trust me. He has discovered that I am for him and not against him and that I long to be good to him all the days of my life. He has developed a keen sense of what I like and dislike and not only has he discovered my desires, but lives to fulfill them. Steve has faith in me.

My intimacy with God is much like my relationship with Steve.  I know God intimately through His Word. I am acquainted with His heartbeat,His pleasures and dislikes.  I have discovered what He thinks of me and that His plan for me is good.  He exists to bless ME with all goodness and fulfill His Word through MY life. He is closely acquainted with my desires because He gave me those desires first. The God of the universe has proven to be faithful to me personally.

Intimacy with God has produced a trust and a confidence that allows me to take Him at His Word. This trust provides the faith I need to read the Bible and accept God’s Word as provision for MY journey.  

People are always saying to me, “Jeneen, I just wish I had more faith!”

And I say to that - spend daily, quality time with God. Become intimately acquainted with Him.  Discover who He really is and who He longs to be in your life on a personal level.  Soon, that intimacy will produce a faith that allows you to believe that God is for you - not against you - and that all of His promises belong to YOU personally.

Blessings,
Jeneen