"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
Without faith, we cannot live fully in God's plans. As a result, it is not our financial resources, relationships, or opportunities that hold us back but rather our absence of faith.
1. Our faith determines our destiny.
The closer we draw to God, the stronger our faith will be to honor Him. God never intended for us, Jesus-name, born-again believers, to live faithless lives; He designed us to be faith-filled in all we do, with limitless potential.
Through the baptism of the Holy Ghost, we carry Jesus' DNA within us. There is an unlimited supernatural power of God living inside of us. Therefore, our attitude must be "I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me."
Possibilities are unlocked when we exercise faith and obediently act upon His promises.
2. Intention is a wonderful thing, but it will prove empty without action.
True faith has been and always will be, accompanied by movement. Intentions may get you started, but your faith keeps you going.
"So also faith by itself, if it does not have works (action), is dead."
~James 2:17
Too many believers are all talk and no action. They desire to step out in faith but get caught up in always talking and never doing. They say things like:
- "One day, I'll start that business."
- "Someday, I'm going to serve in that ministry."
- "I'd like to lead a small group sometime."
- "One day, I will talk to my unbeliever friend about God."
- "One day, I'm going to get organized and be more productive in life."
The list goes on and on. You can fill in the blank with your own great intentions.
3. The importance of discipline
The difference between having desires and making decisions is a matter of discipline. We will not make faith-filled decisions without the discipline to follow through with our desires.
I see this happen frequently. I have met with many leaders and even pastors who tell me of their hopes and dreams but never seem to be able to decide to do anything about them. They never turn their desire into action by disciplining themselves to move forward with their intentions decidedly.
Undisciplined believers wish rather than work, play rather than pray, and talk rather than take action.
While driving down the freeway one day, I saw a billboard for a medical organization that said, "Hope for the best is not an emergency plan."
- Believers hope to be healthy but don't want to eat right and exercise.
- Believers hope to be financially blessed but don't want to honor God by giving their tithes and offerings.
- Believers want to be positive but don't want to stop talking negativity.
- Believers hope to acquire wisdom, but they don't ask God, who gives wisdom generously and without reproach.
- Believers want to have God's favor and anointing, but they don't want to pray and fast.
Faith-filled hope is more than just a feeling; it is a call to action.
4. The only way to become better is to act on those things which make us better
God will never fully use us if we are unwilling to be disciplined for Him. Jesus calls us to be disciples. In the Bible, the word disciple primarily refers to a student of Jesus.
Think about what it truly means to be a student of Jesus. A student is striving to achieve something greater and is completely focused on becoming an expert in their studies.
You cannot become a disciple without discipline; they are interlinked and the same. Becoming a disciple, a student of Christ, takes discipline and goes beyond talking about what we will do; It requires us to live it out through our actions.
"Thinking is easy, acting is difficult, and to put one's thoughts into action is the most difficult thing in the world."
~Johann Wolfgang von Goethe
No matter what you are facing right now, you can break through the obstacles and experience the supernatural power of God that causes you to live victoriously. Be empowered, and may your faith be ever-increasing as you put Godly ideas into action.
Have a blessed week,
Pastor (Rev. Elias Limones)
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