There is a pretty famous idiom that says "seeing is believing". And unfortunately we have grown up thinking that. That we will believe "whatever" when we see it happen, or see it in front of us, or are receiving the benefits of it. And then as if that isn't warping out thoughts bad enough, we also live in a world where what we see isn't necessarily real. With CGI (computer generated imagery) and Photoshop we can make anything look real now. So we have also become a society of skeptics. Even when we do see something that may be incredible, the first thing we do is doubt that it's real.
I believe that the enemy loves the place that the world has gotten to because it is helping him create disbelief all over the place. We're in a time when we can pretty much see anything on the big screen or television now. So things that you used to seem like a "miracle" or "supernatural" are being falsely produced in Hollywood. And things that are happening for real, because God is still doing miracles and healings, are being doubted. We almost dare not talk about a healing that happened or something miraculous that God did because if people can't see the proof they just don't believe. And sadly enough I'm not even talking about people who don't know Jesus, I'm also referring to the church. Whether it be that God came through for someone in a financial way...or through a physical healing....or worked something amazing out in their life in His perfect timing...the first thing a lot of people do is doubt. Seriously, if we in the church are doubting the power of the God we serve, then how are we demonstrating our faith to those outside the church?
Because of the ministries I have become involved in throughout 2014 I have been able to first hand see some pretty amazing works of God. I have first hand witnessed a little girl born deaf in one ear regain her hearing through a healing. I have watched people who have been seriously oppressed by a demonic presence in their life get set free. And I have personally experienced God doing things financially for me that on paper the numbers never should have worked out. And the only reason any of these things happened is because the faith was there. And I don't just mean my faith, I mean the faith of the little girl that was healed and her family, the faith of the people who showed up for prayer and got set free, and my faith that if I stayed faithful in my giving to God (tithing) that He would faithfully take care of my family and I. All of those things involved "believing before seeing". And believing before seeing IS faith. It is saying to God that I am going to pray for what seems to be the impossible and I AM going to believe that you are a God that can do it! Then we lay it at His feet and trust Him. We don't hold on to the thing we are praying and believing for and tell God what the answer needs to look like. We tell Him that we trust that His ways are best and we want the answer according to His will.
God wants to show us how powerful He is when we call upon His name. He knows that when we let Him show us it will build our faith even more. And then when we go and tell out story, it will build the faith of others. If you are sitting on a story of how God showed up big for you...don't. Tell your story and don't worry about others needing "proof" of what you are telling them. Let your belief show and stand firm on what you know.....and stand on God's word. You don't always have to "see to believe"...but with God you do have to believe if you want to see it.
God, thank you that you are the same miracle working, healing and providing God today that you were 2,000 years ago. Forgive us for the times we have doubted that. Help us increase our faith in you, even before we see the results of our prayers. Then give us the courage to go and tell others without fearing that they will not believe. Your Word says that we are to plant the seed and you will water it. Help us do our part. In Jesus name, Amen
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