WHAT DO YOU BELIEVE?

By Brother Godwin

Beloved,

Scripture: 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: John 1:12
When anyone believes the substitutionary death of Jesus Christ, and receives him as lord and savior the person would be empowered to become a son. In other word the person is given the power (the Holy Spirit, Romans 8:9) to become what he believes. This is why Galatians 4: 6 said And because ye are sons, God hath sent forth the Spirit of his Son into your hearts, crying, Abba, Father. So we are empowered to become whatever we believe. Jesus told the blind men, according to your faith be it unto you (Matthew 9:29). We are what we believe. Look at this, if you do not believe in the word of God, you believe in not believing the word of God. There is no middle ground, and whatever you believe is what you will become. Since the just shall live by his faith (Habakkuk 2:4), the just shall also die by his lack of faith. The fact that you are justified is not enough; what you become is a function of what you believe. The question is what do you believe?
In the account in Luke 16:20 -31, Lazarus was justified (that was why he got to Abrahams bossom) but all that he desired was to eat crumbs from the rich man’s table. That was the degree of his hope, and so reflects his faith. Of course all he had was crumbs. He was a seed of Abraham but he lived like a beggar. The rich man had his faults but Lazarus had a bigger fault vis-à-vis his taking delivery of the blessings that God gave to all seed of Abraham. If you believe that God is allowing lack, sickness and all sorts of things to come your way because he is teaching you, that is what you are going to get in abundance. If you really think that God is teaching you, either you are a very slow learner or you are simply lying against God. I think the later is true. God teaches through his word (2 Timothy 3:16). Blind Bartemaeus could have sat down and enjoyed the cheering, to learn what happens when crowd follow Jesus. He refused and put his faith on the line and immediately received his sight. The woman with the issue of blood could have enjoyed the company of the crowd, and gone back with her problem. No she used her faith and got her freedom, even without the express knowledge and permission from Jesus. Look at what Jesus said at another instance: ought not this woman, being a daughter of Abraham, whom Satan hath bound, lo, these eighteen years, be loosed from this bond on the sabbath day (Luke 13:16)? This means that it is not in the program of God for any seed of Abraham to be bound even for one day. Jesus is with us always. He will attend to us just the same way he attended to that woman. Hallelujah!  I want to ask again, what do you believe?
There are 3 characters I would want us to examine. The first is the woman with the issue of blood, the second is Jairus who had a very ill daughter and the third is the centurion who had an ill servant. While Jairus’s faith was hinged on Jesus getting to his house, the centurion thought that that was not necessary.  You would have noticed that it was on their way to the house of Jairus that the woman with issue of blood got her healing without prior consultation with anybody. She took time out to tell the story of what happened over a twelve year period. Imagine for a moment what was going through Jairus’s mind. Needless to say that he must have been in torment because his daughter was almost dead and here was a woman telling all the stories in the world. Do you think that the centurion would have suffered all that torment? No. He got his miracles immediately he saw Jesus but Jairus wanted Jesus to get to his house. The woman with the issue of blood did not think that it was necessary to call the attention of Jesus before she can be healed. Friend, what do you believe? You and I are living according to our faith. I mean the level of life you and I are enjoying today is a function of our level of faith. It really had nothing to do with our religion. It is by grace; yes but faith is required.
I want you to notice that each of these three characters chose how they will receive their miracles. The woman said, if I touch the herm of his garment, I shall be made whole (Mark 5:28). She touched and was made whole. Jairus said, come and lay your hand on my daughter and she shall live (Mark 5:23). Jesus went and laid hands on her, and she lived. The centurion said, speak the word only and my servant shall be made whole (Matthew 8:8) and Jesus spoke the word. Each received according to what he believed. Although their degree of faith varied, each believed in a miracle. They were specific on how they will get them and that was how each got his/hers. What do you believe? You are praying, but what do you believe? Some folks prayed in Act 12 and did not even believe that the answer will come.
Look at Jesus’s commentary on the centurion “many shall come from the east and west, and shall sit down with Abraham, and Isaac, and Jacob, in the kingdom of heaven.  But the children of the kingdom shall be cast out into outer darkness: there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth (Matthew 8:11). Isn’t it sad? Friend, you can only become what you believe. What do you believe? Is what you believe in line with the Word of God?

You shall be favoured.