Greetings Saints! The 7th occurrence in the King James Version of the word believe is found in Exodus 4:31. For clarification purposes, we will also begin with verse 30. And Aaron spake all the words which the LORD had spoken unto Moses, and did the signs in the sight of the people. And the people believed:… Ex 4:30-31A From the time I first read Mark 9:23, I have been intrigued. Jesus said unto him, If thou canst believe, all things are possible to him that believeth, If all things are possible to a believer, then nothing is impossible. You have, in a sense, a blank check, IF you can believe. All things are possible. Sure we say we believe, but do we get the desired results? There must be positive results or we are deceiving ourselves, for God cannot lie. In our passage they confessed a belief in the Word of God and acted upon it. It was not just empty words. They actually began to believe. But something happened. When opposition burdened them more, they soon lost their belief in God’s promise and began to give in to the situation instead of standing firm in the faith. This is likened to our present day as well. We begin to believe until some hindrance comes along. Some obstacle denying our promise flaunts itself until we faint in unbelief. It is easy to say we believe. It is easy to begin to act our belief. It is not easy to stay the course when severe opposition arises in a satanic effort to defeat us. Pharaoh made life more difficult for the believers in an attempt to quench their spirits. He took away the straw originally provided for them in brick making and required them to gather their own while maintaining the same quota. Obviously this did not work and when they complained he beat them physically. Put yourself in their position. Even the most spiritually mature would have to battle some questions! Here is the key. We must continue to believe no matter what we see, feel or hear. If God promised, then it is sure. The only thing that can hinder the manifestation is if I quit believing. I must be fully persuaded. Satan knows this. That is why he puts up a fight. Orchestrating discouraging circumstances to make things look worse. The purpose is to make you doubt. To convince you of the natural instead of the supernatural promises of God. Moses told this to the Israelites, but they refused to listen to Moses because of their impatience and anguish of spirit and because of their cruel bondage. Ex 6:9 AMP Circumstances that stopped them from believing the right way and made them succumb to believing the wrong way. Believing is a decision. It is not an emotion. Too long the church has confused the two. We hear the Word of promise, we choose to believe by an act of our will. It is a choice. Then once we make that decision, we stay the course, nothing wavering. No negative thought allowed to stay, no action contrary to it, no words out of my mouth except in line with what I have decided to believe, the promise of God. You do this and God will do His part. Together we cannot fail. It does not matter what anything looks like, feels like, or sounds like, God’s word is the final authority and no matter how far it goes or how long it lingers, it has to turn around and ultimately give God the glory by alignment with His Word. Just stay with it. Let’s determine to work on this. Just as the Olympic athlete becomes skillful by continual practice, so must we in our believing. Practice and practice some more. Let the Holy Ghost correct you, mold you and shape you. Obtain skill in handling the Word of God. Put the negative circumstances to flight. You can do it, determine the victory is yours today. And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not. Gal 6:9 So Jesus was saying to those Jews who had believed Him, “If you continue in My word, then you are truly disciples of Mine;” John 8:31 NASB All things are possible to him who believes. Mark 9:31b NASB So we are without excuse, everyone can choose to believe. It is available to all. There is no limits. It is time for the church to arise and take the land! What are you waiting for? Love you! See you in church! Pastor Chuck Kennedy P.S. We are asking you to visit our message board and ASK THE PASTOR (http://www.ficcwordchurch.org/messageBoard.htm/ |
Archive for May, 2008
AND THE PEOPLE BELIEVED…OR DID THEY???
TO GET THEM TO BELIEVE
Greetings Saints! JESUS IS LORD! No matter what happens to the economy or our governments, we are victorious because He is risen and satan is defeated! Hallelujah! Do you believe that? Let’s take a look… And it shall come to pass, if they will not believe thee, neither hearken to the voice of the first sign, that they will believe the voice of the latter sign. And it shall come to pass, if they will not believe also these two signs, neither hearken unto thy voice, that thou shalt take of the water of the river, and pour it upon the dry land: and the water which thou takest out of the river shall become blood upon the dry land. Ex 4:8-9 God is a miracle working God. He always has been and He always will be. He never changes. For I am the LORD, I change not; Mal 3:6 Seems neither does mankind. Although Father God does miracle after miracle for us, we still have difficulty believing Him. This is what happened with Moses. God gave him a command in Ex 4:1 and he argues that maybe the elders and the people will not believe. God then does the miraculous so they will believe. I do not know why it is so hard for mankind to really believe God. Yet I see it everyday. We say that we believe him, but then our actions show differently. It is according to what one really believes that determines their actions. In other words, what you really believe is what you will do. You are what you believe. You make decisions according to what you believe. Your life is an example of what you really believe. Here God was showing Moses the miraculous in order to get the people to believe so they would act. In this way He could deliver them from bondage! It is always for our good that God does something. His desire is to gain our trust so He can lead us out of bondage. It is no different today. He does miracle after miracle to get us to believe Him instead of satanic circumstance. When we really do believe Him, we act, and He delivers. You can say you are trying to believe, but that will not get the job done. Reason is you will continue to act what you really believe. If you are merely trying to believe, then you are actually believing something else instead of the Word and arguing with yourself about it. This is unbelief in disguise. When one confesses they do believe, but actions do not agree with their confession. The circumstances will not change except for the worse. To believe is to act, all else is deception. Saints, this is life and death material. If you think you are believing but acting in accordance with unbelief, you will die. You cannot afford to be even a little bit wrong in this. I have seen too many go to their grave saying they believe. How can this be? We know it is not God’s fault. He cannot lie. …God, that cannot lie, promised before the world began; Titus 1:2 The problem lies with us. We think we are believing but in reality we are not. The way we know this is by what we say and do. It is just that simple. The Word of God has untold numbers of examples with God doing the miraculous in order to get His people to believe. He did the greatest of all miracles when He sent His Son Jesus. He was born of a virgin, the Word made flesh, the unseen God now seen, so we would believe. How many say they believe this but continue a life of sin? For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. John 3:16 The same Jesus that came to earth and defeated sin, sickness and the grave still does the miraculous today. It is for His people to know. He did not stay dead on that cross, He arose with power and authority and Lord of all! Proving every promise in order for us to believe our way out of this present day bondage. Now, check yourself. What are you believing. I mean what are you really believing? The circumstances, the pain in your body, the report of a loved one, a doctor, a bank account, or the Word of God backed by the power of the resurrected savior? Your actions and your words tell all. Think about it. If you need correction, allow the Holy Spirit to minister to you. In reality, we all do. This is something we must become more and more skillful in. It is a process, a lifelong process. Yield to it saints. Allow the God of the universe to mold and shape you into that victorious image He created you for. Make the decision to believe Him no matter what it looks like, feels like, or sounds like. It is not an emotional feeling. It is a choice you make. Do it, the greater one lives within you. I love you and bless you! SEE YOU IN CHURCH! Pastor Chuck Kennedy PS please visit our newest addition to the website at where we invite you to ask the Pastor a question as well as make comments on those already posted. Thanks!— Pastor Chuck |
