Monday, December 6, 2010

Faith Blockers

Welcome back, both to me and you! Work has been busy, but life is good, and so is God! Today, we're going to continue our series on Faith, with a message entitled, "Faith Blockers". This may be one part, or multiple parts, it depends on how God leads.

James 1:6-8 says, "But let him ask in faith, nothing wavering. For he that wavereth is like a wave of the sea driven with the wind and tossed. 7For let not that man think that he shall receive any thing of the Lord. 8A double minded man is unstable in all his ways."

Notice what the Bible calls someone who doubts. Double minded, and unstable. Someone who is double minded is saying one thing one minute, and then the opposite the next. Maybe you know someone like that. They talk the faith talk at church, and get excited about how God wants them healed, rich, and blessed beyond measure. But, when they get home, their tune changes. They start talking about the down economy, and the recession, and how are they ever gonna pay their bills, and the kids are getting worse, and their marriage is falling apart, and...you get the idea.

Well, they're gonna get exactly what you have talked about at home. They're being double minded, and have summarily disqualified themselves from receiving from God.

Doubt is one of the largest hindrances to your faith. How many times have you wanted to do something for God, only to stop yourself, and say, "But what if it doesn't work?" Right there, you have effectively shut the door on God moving in a situation. Doubt will stop the power every time.

Look at Peter for example, found in Matthew 14:28-31. Peter was walking on the water. I mean, literally, walking on top of the water. I don't know if it congealed under his feet or what, but he was doing it! As long as he kept his eyes on Jesus, he was able to walk on the water. The second he took his eyes off of Jesus, he began to sink. Jesus said to him afterwards, "Oh you of little faith, why did you doubt?" His doubt cause him to sink.

You might be thinking, "Now wait just a minute, you mean to tell me that Jesus expected him to walk on the water with him? And then had the audacity to try and correct him when he failed?" Yes.

I want you to notice something about the situation. When Peter doubted, what was he looking at? If you answered, "The wind and waves," you are correct. There was a storm going on out there, and he started looking at it.

Let me ask you another question. What did the wind and waves have to do with Peter's ability to walk on the water? Absolutely nothing! He couldn't have walked on the water if it was perfectly calm, so what does it matter if it wasn't? It didn't matter.

You know, that's the way the devil likes to get you. He gets you looking at something that doesn't change the situation at all, but because it looks scary, it throws doubt in there, and that causes your faith to fail. Doubt will cause a faith failure every time, because doubt cancels out faith.

Back to Peter. According to Jesus, if he didn't doubt, or we could read it this way-if he kept his eyes on Jesus, he would not have sank, and he would have been walking in faith.

That's how we need to be. Every time a situation comes up, don't look at the circumstances, or the wind and the waves, around you. Stay in faith! Keep your eyes on Jesus!

The fact may be that you have cancer, the truth, or highest form of reality, is that Jesus took all your sins and sicknesses on His back for you, so you don't have to deal with it anymore! He took it! So, keep confessing Him as your healer! Don't doubt His will for your life! He is Jehovah Rapha! Then thank Him for it, and watch the healing come.

The fact may be that bills are due, and there isn't any way to pay them off. The highest form of reality says, "I'm a giver, I'm a tither. God promised to increase me, and I believe God for the hundredfold return! I confess Jesus is my provider! He's my high priest and my financier, my Melchizedek! His job is to receive my tithes, and bless them, so I believe God! I refuse to doubt! He will do it!" Then thank Him for it, and watch the increase come.

So get doubt out of the equation. It is poisonous, and dangerous to your faith. Get it out of your life at all costs, and watch the victories pile up!