God uses life circumstances to teach Amy valuable lessons, and in turn, Amy shares her heart in her writing. She's been a contributor to Proverbs 31 newsletter and continues to expand her writing avenues. Everyday analogies between the physical world
and spiritual world inspire Amy to write and share Godly principles in a relevant and dramatic style. She lives and works in Ft. Worth, TX and is heavily involved in her church and close knit family.
I'm Believing God
By Amy Kidd
As Originally Published on Proverbs 31 Online Devotionals - January 14, 2005
“And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him.” (Hebrews 11:6 NIV)
Ok, so I already prayed about this and gave it to you already God, remember? Why am I still struggling with this area of my life? Then there comes the voice many of us are familiar with, “You wimp, you fell again, you will never be a strong Christian!" Do you ever find your mind being attacked again and again by the same old thought patterns leading to the same undesirable behaviors? You just can’t seem to shake them, leading to greater frustration because you have already dealt with this right? You obeyed, laid it all down and you still can’t seem to shake them? You prayed really hard but couldn't seem to control your thoughts and then that put you in a cycle of feeling like a weak person.
Guess what, you’re in a battle! This spiritual warfare thing is not to be taken lightly. Evil wants to take you out because you are a threat! What a beautiful thing to be viewed as a threat by Satan! That means you are one powerful force and he knows it. His time is short and you are making it harder for him when you daily follow the purposes of God in your life by faith.
You are facing the wind head on and going against the ways of the world, destroying works of evil with the love of Jesus Christ! Evil, and its friend called your flesh, will always try to have you focus on self rather than the love of Christ. Those thoughts contrary to God and His truth will always attempt to disguise themselves as truth. But we are not ignorant of the enemy’s tactics and we know he is nothing but a liar and deceiver. The Bible says he is the very father of lies! But to even believe that we have to have faith! You see, I believe one of Satan’s best cards he plays is the one that attempts to convince the believer that he does not really exist and that our battle is against each other instead of his principalities, powers and dominions of darkness.
And because faith is the very catalyst that propels the power of God in your life, guess what Satan wants to steal from you? You got it! Your faith! He also wants your joy because the joy of the Lord is your strength. Keep fighting because you will never be defeated in Christ. Refuse to give in to the lies of the enemy. Take every thought captive to the obedience of Christ. Choose to believe God’s truth. You can believe God for great things and that is what you must do to win this battle.
Choose joy! Happiness is unfortunately constricted to what’s happening while joy is something you can choose to experience despite the circumstance and trial you are in.
Do you recall how Jesus was able to do so many great miracles in the lives of everyday people he encountered? He said it was according to their faith! Yes, he had the power, but they had to exercise their faith in Him. Maybe this is a lesson you have heard a million times, but regardless you need to learn it again.
Every time we lay something down before the Lord, Satan and our own flesh is going to make every opportunity to try and get us to pick it back up again. Just point your finger of authority at him and say, "I've laid this down already and I am NOT picking it up again in the name of Jesus!" Even if you do pick it back up, just remind yourself that you have already given it to God, it’s not a part of who you are anymore and put it down! Focus on the truth that you are a new creation. Old things have passed away and all has become new. Repeat to yourself over and over and over if you have to..."I believe YOU God, I believe YOU God!" Sometimes we have to choose to believe God.
I have come to realize that at every moment of every day we have to choose whom we are going to serve and believe. I believe God today! Every day that you choose to trust God and walk in His ways, you will become stronger. It may sound simple, but it’s so powerful. His word says He puts before us each day blessings and curses and He desires for us to choose life that we might be free. Once you perceive your need for Him and realize even more deeply your dependence upon Christ, then you will begin to experience the joy that is only full from ABIDING in HIM!
"As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Now remain in my love. 10If you obey my commands, you will remain in my love, just as I have obeyed my Father's commands and I remain in his love. 11I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete. 12My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you. 13Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends. John 15:10-13
My prayer for today:
Lord Jesus, I pray you will help me with my unbelief. I have faith Lord, but sometimes waver in my unbelief. I want to be like Abraham who did not waver through unbelief regarding the promises of God, but was strengthened by his faith and it was accredited to him as righteousness. Lead and guide me Lord into all truth and bring the word of God written on my heart to the surface as I need it to strengthen my faith. I know that faith comes by hearing and hearing by the word of God. As I choose to trust you I pray your favor and blessing will follow me, but most importantly I want your peace that surpasses all understanding. I love you Lord. In the name of Jesus. Amen.
Application steps:
Go somewhere quite with a journal and begin to write down the circumstances in your life that you find difficult to apply faith to. You might have believed God for financial provision, but find it really difficult to believe him for a husband and family in the future. Maybe you need to let God have the pen to write your love story? Or maybe you have trouble believing him for the salvation of loved ones or the safety of your children? God cannot work without a seed of faith, but he can do wonders when all we give him is a simple seed of faith. Write these things down and say or write a prayer declaring your desire to believe him in these areas of your life. Declare you will no longer restrict your faith but will believe he is God of all!
Reflection points:
God cannot work on anything you withhold from Him. What have you withheld from God?
If your brother or sister in Christ was having trouble believing God in some of the same areas you struggle to have faith in, what would you say to him or her? Could you not do the same for yourself?
Have you considered the power in your words? Maybe your words and thoughts left unguarded have something to do with your struggle to believe God? Consider your thoughts and words, what you both do and do not say.
Power verses:
If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will he not much more clothe you, O you of little faith? - Matthew 6:30
Some men brought to him a paralytic, lying on a mat. When Jesus saw their faith, he said to the paralytic, “Take heart, son; your sins are forgiven.” - Matthew 9:2
Jesus turned and saw her. “Take heart, daughter,” he said, “your faith has healed you.” And the woman was healed from that moment. - Matthew 9:22
Then Jesus touched their eyes and said, “According to your faith will it be done to you” - Matthew 9:29
He said to her, “Daughter, your faith has healed you. Go in peace and be freed from your suffering.” Mark 5:34
I tell you the truth, anyone who has faith in me will do what I have been doing. He will do even greater things than these, because I am going to the Father. - John 14:12
My message and my preaching were not with wise and persuasive words, but with a demonstration of the Spirit's power, so that your faith might not rest on men's wisdom, but on God's power. - 1 Corinthians 2:4-6
Yet Abraham did not waver through unbelief regarding the promise of God, but was strengthened in his faith and gave glory to God - Romans 4:20
