We all face issues in life that are beyond our ability to control or even to foresee. Our role in the Kingdom is volunteering to initiate something that is not possible to complete without God’s intervention. Faith always feels a little farther out on the limb than we might prefer. The flip side is that there are some aspects of our destiny that are beyond our own strength and ability… and many simply don’t “believe” it’s possible.
“In every walk of life, we must believe we can succeed or, by definition, we already have failed.” Jon Huntsman
But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him. Heb 11:6 NKJV
It’s impossible to please God apart from faith. And why? Because anyone who wants to approach God must believe both that he exists and that he cares enough to respond to those who seek him. Heb 11:6 MESSAGE
The genius of believing – If we “decide” to believe something is possible we have the motivational engine to diligently seek God and contend for His participation and answer. Belief or faith is not magic. Our mind doesn’t produce answers or change events just because we think it will… that’s a popular New Age tenet. However, if you will grant God the possibility that He could do something extraordinary in your life and then set about to find out how… well that sets up a totally different dynamic in the way we pray and the initiative we’re willing to take. It’s a paradox: to find gold, you have to believe that it exists and then start digging for it. For believers, there is one step in the middle. God can show us where to dig.
- Believe that something is possible by faith (in the character, love and grace of God)
- Diligently set about seeking “why” for your heart and “how” for your mind.
- Take the action, work(s) that will produce the fruit of your faith (1) and direction (2)
Seasons – In each of our histories there are times of fruit and success where our initiatives are multiplied by co-laboring with our Father. There are also periods after some of those successes when there is little fruit, the heavens become brass and it’s difficult to pray. That’s exactly the time to choose to believe that God still has something great planned in our future and he’s waiting for us to seek him for it. The Kingdom seems to “breathe” between public exploits and private intercession.
Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us… Eph 3:20 NIV
Our most basic belief is that our Father loves us and that He has chosen us to walk with Him and play some great role in the Kingdom that is uniquely ours. Worship and thanksgiving are natural responses (and gauges) of the maturity of that belief. God searches the hearts of men for those beliefs and He simply chooses those who understand the depth of His love for us personally and the significance of our role in His plan for the Kingdom.
The Lord looked down from heaven upon the children of men, to see if there were any that did understand, and seek God. Ps 14:2 KJV
Send me (initiative) – If our hearts are really in a place of believing that something great is not only possible, but that the plan is waiting to be conceived, then we are positioned spiritually to hear this phrase, “Whom shall I send?” And we’ll be ready to volunteer with, “Why not me? I was just hoping to be part of this!”
Then I heard the voice of the Lord saying, “Whom shall I send? And who will go for us?” And I said, “Here am I. Send me!” Isa 6:8 NIV
God is sponsoring Kingdom initiatives and doing miracles all the time. We just have to be spiritually positioned to get on one of those buses when it’s ready to leave. It starts with believing there is a bus!
Unbelief – feeling left out, self-pity, left behind, without hope, unable to see the future, wavering back and forth between directions and lethargy, complaining and waiting.
Believing – knowing in my heart that God has something good in store for me, thankfulness, praise, worship, expectation, anticipation, hunger, asking, seeking, knocking, hearing and doing.
Yes you can – If you could pull the curtain back on the list of your heart’s desires, you would be totally amazed at how often God’s answer would be “yes.” It all starts with a simple, small belief, the grain of mustard seed, and a son or daughter who is willing to just ask the question and see where it leads.
But as surely as God is faithful, our message to you is not “Yes” and “No.” 19 For the Son of God, Jesus Christ, who was preached among you by me and Silas and Timothy, was not “Yes” and “No,” but in him it has always been “Yes.” 20 For no matter how many promises God has made, they are “Yes” in Christ. And so through him the “Amen” is spoken by us to the glory of God. 21 Now it is God who makes both us and you stand firm in Christ. He anointed us, 22 set his seal of ownership on us, and put his Spirit in our hearts as a deposit, guaranteeing what is to come. 2 Cor 1:18-22 NIV
