TRUST IN GOD The only fight that a believer is called to fight is the fight of faith. There are many definitions of faith. My favorite is: "Just taking God at his Word." God said it, I believe it, and that settles it! Another favorite is: "The proof of things not revealed to the senses." The Bible's definition is: The substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen (Heb. 11:1). The Bible also says that it is impossible to please God without faith, but don't let that get you down because a simple prayer IS an act of faith. Faith grows! Let me show you what I mean. In Matt. 15:38 it says that He (Jesus) did not do many mighty works there because of their unbelief. Notice in Mk. 6:5,6 it says that Jesus couldn't do any mighty work there and that He marveled at their unbelief. All through the gospels Jesus talks about, "no faith," "little faith," "great faith," and "where is your faith?" Also, He says, "be it unto you according to your faith." In Matt. 17:20 Jesus says that if we have faith the size of a mustard seed we can move a mountain (a big hindrance or problem). Rom. 12:3 says that God has given to each one of us a measure of faith and in II Thess. 1:3 it talks about faith growing exceedingly... So now how do we get more faith? The Bible says that faith comes by hearing and hearing the Word of God (Rom. 10:17). When you get into the Word and get the Word into you it becomes easier to trust in God. In the beginning when I was hunting, chasing and searching for God I went to sleep with headphones on listening to God's Word. I would always pray before I went to sleep asking God to fill me with His Word, consciously and subconsciously. I was really serious about finding God and I needed faith badly (I still go to sleep with my Bible Cds just not with the headphones). Another way is to exercise the faith you do have, practice it!Because when a simple prayer is answered it helps you to trust in God even more.For instance, I am a warehouse equipment operator. Years ago I went through this temp. service to work in a warehouse as a stand-up fork-lift driver. There are three different manufacturers of stand-ups. Raymond, Crown and Yale. I prefer the crown. The Word of God says to delight yourself in the Lord and He will give you the desires of your heart (Ps. 37:4). Before I went to orientation to take a tour of the warehouse, I said a little prayer. "Father, You know how much I like Crown over Raymond & Yale" (the world calls Him God, I call Him Father). Anyway, I wasn't even trying to trust in God, I just said a little prayer. Now, at the warehouse during the tour I heard the horn of a fork-lift, I looked over the shoulder of the others in our group and it was a crown. I had forgotten all about the prayer. Right then and there I started thanking God. Most people would say that it was just luck. That is how worldlings do talk. But this happens to me all the time. I just trust in God. When you have a relationship with God there is no such thing as chance, luck or coincidence! Sorry, for running off on this rabbit trail but this is one of the ways to exercise your faith, to practice it. You have to read and feed upon it. You have to listen to it. You have to act upon it and do it. The Word of God is faith food!The faith fight I like this little illustration, most people don't know how close to the truth it really is! Have you ever been watching a cartoon and all of a sudden a little angel and a little devil appears on his shoulders trying to convince him to do this or that? That is so close to the truth!Have you ever thought to yourself, "I don't feel saved." That's the devil! Or have you ever thought to yourself, "I need to pray." That's the Holy Spirit! Who has control of your thoughts? Your mind is the battlefield. If satan can capture your thought life, he can defeat you. Don't let satan control your thinking. Don't reason with him! Resist him steadfast in the faith. If satan can hold you in the arena of reason in your mind, he can defeat you every time. But, if you hold him in the arena of faith - you will defeat him every time! Enemies of faith A lack of knowledge of God's Word is one of the greatest enemies of faith. You cannot believe beyond your actual knowledge of God's Word. For instance, if you don't know that the Bible says that faith comes by hearing the Word of God (Rom. 10:17), then your lack of hearing will produce a lack of faith. Our faith grows as our knowledge and understanding of God's Word grows. In this fight, you've got to fight all of your physical senses and just trust in God. Believe His Word.
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