Only Believe

WHATEVER you are hoping for today, you need to get past the hoping and jump on in into the believing.  Hoping is placing your expectation on something that is not solid or concrete, in short it might or might not come to pass, que sera-sera, you’ll never know.  But if you hook on to believe, then there must be a foundation on which your hope is built upon. 

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

I have been thinking about belief this weekend. 

Believing that God is going to do what He says He will. Believing in His Word. Believing against all odds that dreams can come true. 

And not believing the lies that we are told. Those lies that tear us down, steal our dreams, keep us from running and pushing further ...because we are afraid.

I am utterly convinced that belief is a choice.  A choice that no one else, no matter how hard they try can take the credit for making us believe.  And vice versa.  You can say anything to me but if I have made up my mind that I will not believe or I can’t believe, I may be nodding but deep inside me, I still don’t believe. 

 Believing requires assured confidence that leads to total trust.  When we hear Jesus say to not be afraid but Only Believe, how many of us would have taken just those five words back into the lab and analyse it?  It sounded pretty simple and direct.  Which part of those five little words that we don’t understand? And yet so many are standing at the crossroads of life that took them away from their past, leading them down the uncertain road of destiny.  That’s where they’re stuck.  That’s where they normally broke the first part of that command – be not afraid.  And that’s where somehow regardless of how simple that command may seem at first, they can’t break through to the Only Believe part. 

Uncertainly has a way of gripping the human heart.  It could weigh a person down to such an extent that they refuse to move on.  Refuse to believe.  Believe in what?  That there’s light at the end of the tunnel.  Whatever you are hoping for today, you need to get past the hoping and jump on in into the believing.  Hoping is placing your expectation on something that is not solid or concrete, in short it might or might not come to pass, que sera-sera, you’ll never know.  But if you hook on to believe, then there must be a foundation on which your hope is built upon. 

We knew the world could offer us no permanent security.  We are convinced that people are not our source of refuge.  We are sure that nothing last forever.  Well except for one thing and that’s Jesus, Who is the same yesterday, today and forever.  Yet the knowing and the ability to quote that Scripture is not enough to bring us to the place of Only Believe-ing.  Thus the result of many miracles and breakthroughs stop short at that point of uncertainty which gives place to doubt. 

Whether its believing for healing, for finances, for an unrealistic dream to come true, God has a plan.  He has outlined everything clearly in His Word.  As long as we can grab hold of the promise in His Word, then there is that accountability from God because He cannot lie.  More so as New Testament believers, Jesus has sealed those promises with His blood.  He has provided the means for us to receive.  It’s as if He’s saying, “Come on in.  I have everything in store for you.  I have already made the providence long before you realise you needed it.  And it has your name on it.  It’s just waiting for you to lay claim of it.  It is uniquely yours.” 

He has done it all.  All but one.  He can’t do the believing for you.  And if you can’t believe, you can’t receive. 

Let’s take time this year to deal with issues of your belief.  Invest in your spirit.  Give it time to feed on the Word.  Pull aside to talk and fellowship with the Lord.  Let Him into all your plans and dreams and ask Him to make sense of what you are going through in life.  We are not in this alone.  We have a Heavenly Father who is so absolutely in love with us.  And not for one split second would He be willing to let us go.  Yet for all these to be a reality in our lives, we have to choose to believe.  That right is ours.  There is however a stark difference between dream chasers in the kingdom and those in the world.  That outstanding difference is Jesus.