Many Christians today are not seeing the manifestations of God’s promises in their lives because they claim to believe while they actually don’t because they are full of doubt and unbelief. So today, we want to look at “What it means to believe.”
Jesus said, “But as many as received Him, to them gave He power to become the sons of God, even to them that BELIEVE on His name” (Jn. 1:12).
The issue here is that without trust you cannot believe. For instance, a three-year-old boy stands hesitantly on the edge of the pool. His father, waist deep in the water, stretches out his hands saying, “Jump! I’ll catch you! The child might believe his father can catch him, but without trust he will never jump.
It is possible that the father promised to buy him some sweet in the past but did not fulfil it. Now the child may think that his father is “Mr. Promise and Fail,” So, he cannot really trust the father to catch him as he promised.
Here is the lesson: If you don’t trust someone you can’t believe him. If you observe integrity in someone’s life, you can trust him. And if you can trust him, you can also believe what he is saying.
For instance, with all that Peter knew about Jesus, he was able to trust Him enough to believe Him. This confidence in Jesus (that He never fails) was what gave him the boldness to step out of the boat to walk on water, to go to Jesus.
The Bible says, “…when the disciples saw Jesus walking on the sea, they were troubled, saying, It is a spirit; and they cried out for fear. 27 But straightway Jesus spake unto them, saying, Be of good cheer; it is I; be not afraid. 28 And Peter answered Him and said, Lord, if it be thou, bid me come unto thee on the water. 29 And he said, Come. And when Peter was come down out of the ship, he walked on the water, to go to Jesus” (Matt. 14:26-29).
You cannot believe someone that has no integrity. The Bible says, “Confidence (trust) in an unfaithful person (one devoid of integrity) in time of trouble is like a broken tooth, and a foot out of joint” (Prov. 25:19).
What does it mean to trust someone? “To trust” in somebody means to rely on the integrity, strength, and ability of that person.
We can trust God completely because He is completely reliable (dependable). He keeps all His promises (Ps. 145:13b; Ps. 146:16c).
The Bible says, “Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding” (Prov. 3:5).
Nahum 1:7 says, “The LORD …knoweth them that trust in Him.”
Do you trust the LORD? If you really trust Him you will instantly believe whatever He says. And if you really believe, you will act on His Word without any delay.
Now here is the point: God has a craving to be believed. That is His passion. If you don’t trust Him enough to believe Him, you will never receive anything from Him.
2 Chronicles 20:20b says, “Believe in the Lord your God, so shall ye be established; believe His prophets, so shall ye prosper.”
In John 6:64 Jesus said, “But there are some of you who do not believe.”
In Isaiah 7:9 God said, “If ye will not believe, surely ye shall not be established.”
In Matthew 21:22 Jesus said, “And ALL THINGS, whatsoever ye shall ask in prayer, believing, ye shall receive.”
Luke 1:45 says, “And blessed is she/he that believed: for there shall be a performance of those things which were told her/him from the Lord.”
What is the evidence that you believe the promise of God? The evidence is that you act on that promise. The evidence that Peter believed Jesus was that he stepped out of the boat and walked on water.
Therefore, if you want to overcome the world and increase in every aspect of your life, you must choose to believe God’s Word.
Watch out for the next edition of Good news from the Pulpit!
- Your friend: I. I. MADUBUNYI (Senior Pastor)
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