In every situation we have two choices, to let God handle it through faith or for us to handle it. It doesn't even have to be something big either. We talk about the big choices, like should we take this job or quit another, should we move or stay, should we go on a mission or not but what about the smallest stuff and the everyday things. It's like talking to the spouse about major purchases but the $50 and under ones you say nothing about. Yet multiple $10 purchases add up and can throw a wrench in the household budget. If we think that God wants to be consulted about just the big decisions and left out of all the mundane ones then we are wrong. He wants to be involved in everything.
Now, I used to think that this decision making was me praying over everything I did. Lord, should I do this or Lord should I do that. It becomes ridiculous because you are not letting Him make the choice at all. Your consulting Him in the decision at this point, then making a choice whether or not to follow Him or not. God is not a consultant. He isn't someone you knock on the door and peep in to say, "Hey boss, I'm gonna go ahead with this project but I wanted to see what you thought real quick." He's not that type of God!
I used to pray all the time for one particular thing and it frustrated me to no end that He wouldn't give me a straight forward answer. I knew He would want me to do this but knowing He liked it, versus Him wanting me to do it was two different things. I wanted confirmation on the matter. For years I struggled with it, to the point I got mad at Him and stepped away from Him over it. Of course it was extremely childish of me but in the moment you don't see it that way. Instead you see indecision and then you begin to blame yourself as the enemy throws ideas in your head.
The conflict was simple, I knew that I needed His go ahead but I never got one. I also knew that what I wanted, fell in line with His will. This is the problem a lot of people come up against. They take scripture and try to implement it in their own will.
Does this sound familiar, “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature. 16 Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved, but whoever does not believe will be condemned. 17 And these signs will accompany those who believe: In My name they will drive out demons; they will speak in new tongues; 18 they will pick up snakes with their hands, and if they drink any deadly poison, it will not harm them; they will lay their hands on the sick, and they will be made well.” Mark 16:15-18
So because of this scripture quote, every Christian thinks He is called by God to go fulfill the great commission. I know I'm going to get rebuked for this but hear me out. This commission was given to the eleven disciples that were there. It does not say, whoever you preach to, that comes to me, they need to likewise go out and preach the good news that I taught you. No, it says, go and make disciples of all the nations. Being a disciple means being a follower. Nowhere, that I know of, do any books out of the four Gospels and Acts even mention the word disciple because the one doing the spreading of the news didn't say to them, go out and do what I'm doing. The Apostles only wanted them to come to the knowledge and redemption of Christ. It's through His life living in them that created opportunity to talk about Him. It's His love in them that spread through daily interactions that caused the message to spread beyond the Apostles original message.
What modern Christians do though, is take this piece of scripture and run with it. They think God has called them to go out and preach to all the Earth about Him. However, what happens when tribulations and trials come? What happens when someone spits on you or calls you names? Well, our disenfranchised preacher goes back to scripture and sees, love your enemies and turn the cheek. Reinvigorated, He goes back out to meet nothing but ridicule and hate towards Him. Eventually, He quits and goes back to doing a regular job. He's full of hate and anger and he walks away from God.
When we read scripture, it is to point us to the source and not be the source. Like Christ pointing to the Father, scripture is supposed to point to Christ and show us who He was and what He did, not take it as a guide book for building His kingdom.
When we rely on words to motivate us or someone else's ministry to mimic, we often don't rely on God to order our daily steps. Instead, we take what we see or know and run with it. The opposite needs to be true. When we hear or see, we need to not rely on it as the final authority. Our lives need to be lived in full faith in Him, not in written words or in deeds of others no matter the source. We can chase scripture all day and we can pursue a man of God forever but they do not replace knowing Him personally and walking in faith with Him.
Let me try and simplify this just a bit as I have probably confused you to no end. As in the beginning, there are two ways to follow God. You can do it in your own understanding, which makes you rely on your knowledge, your strength and your interpretation. This way usually makes it appear as though you are following God. You use quotes, words, and you look the part but inside there's a struggle going on. If you try and do this in your own power and strength, you will fail every time. Prayers will not be answered because they are done through self, true and lasting change will not take place either.
Even though you go to church, read your Bible and abstain from known sins, you will not succeed in what God has planned for you.
The second way is by walking in faith, which is a complete and total surrender of all control. We come to Him in faith as we say, we believe you died for our redemption, please Lord forgive me, then we leave it at that. We then do what other Christians do and mimic their behavior. All the while walking in ourselves and not in Him. I have learned walking in faith means a total lose of control over how we do anything. Take sin for example, most churches preach on sin and how we are sinners saved by grace. There's a little padded bench at the front of the church or a little booth that is reserved for those wanting to confess their sins. Yet Christ came to rid you of your sin not just cover them. What are you saying then, we can exist without sin in our lives. Yes, we can! If you try to do anything in your own power then yes it is sin. However, if we walk in complete faith then we no longer sin. I can testify to that in my own life.
When we walk in faith, we release ourselves of doubt, condemnation and fear. We basically are saying, I believe that I am no longer under sin as Christ has raised me up with Him. In doing so, He has given me the power to walk clean and righteous. When you believe this it creates a way for you to stop looking at past mistakes or future ones. It creates in you the ability to grow closer to God like never before. It takes just faith and faith alone to say I am a Son of God and He lives in me. I don't have to struggle anymore or doubt myself anymore, all I have to do is to agree with God in that He loves me. He loves me so much that His Son came to die for me. He loves me so much that He refuses to let me stay in self and He will go years without answering my prayer because I asked it outside of faith. He loves me so much that in the morning I wake up with a smile on my face because of it. I go to bed with a smile and my day is filled with His love surrounding me. I crave knowing Him more and I don't worry about myself and what I might do to cause problems. He convicts me when I do something out of order or I say something wrong. I quickly say thank you and move on. He tells my heart what to do and where to go and what to feel. In faith only I have leaped from a life enveloped in self to a life enveloped in His love.
It's so simple to just have faith and walk in it. We cannot afford to do anything less. Wipe away your doubt and just believe He cares for you. Wipe away your self condemnation and believe you are clean and righteous. Wipe away frustrations and just know He is right where you are at. In faith know He is in you and wants to have a relationship with you. Call out to Him and say I believe in you God. I believe you love me and I want to walk in total trust in you. Know He is going to order your steps like the good good Father He is. Know He is for you and not against you. Just believe, just believe.
Father, thank you for creating me and for loving me. Thank you for your Son as I was without you and now I can be with you always. Thank you Father for your Spirit and His ability to help me, guide me and show me my way to You. Thank you Father for all you have done to draw me closer to you. Thank you Father for making me yours. I am so loved and so blessed. God............. to you be the Glory through me as your love extends outward from me like a bright light. Use me as you see fit God I am yours!
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