Hindrances to Full Faith (4)

He did not waver at the promise of God through unbelief, but was strengthened in faith, giving glory to God, and being fully convinced that what He had promised He was also able to perform. Romans 4.20, 21

Power of Word and Spirit
One of the reasons we falter in the presence of God’s precious and very great promises is that we forget that they are His promises, not just matters of wishful thinking on our parts.

Yes, it would be great to know the blessing of the Lord all day long, strengthening us, bringing us into His glory, and filling us with His Spirit and Word, so that we radiate His glory to others. And yes, it would be swell to be a source of constant blessing to others, and to be protected and provided for in every effort we make to live for and serve the Lord. Those are wonderful things to hope for, yet most of us don’t. We do not live in faith toward these promises of God because we regard them as more “pie in the sky” than what we are to expect here and now, increasingly, every day of our lives.

Abraham never lost sight of the fact that these precious and very great promises came to him quite out of the blue – all of grace, we might say – and from a Deity Who proved His greatness and power over and over. The God Who makes promises is certainly able to fulfill those promises; but He requires that, like Abraham, we rest in His power and trust in His wisdom and ways.

Now this can be difficult, for sure, but this is where real faith begins to come into play and engage the unseen power of God in surprising and transforming ways. Our responsibility is ever to seek the power of God for the fulfillment of His promises. That power will always be according to His Word and by His indwelling Spirit.

Search the Word
What does this mean?

Two things. First, in order to seek the power of God we need to search the Scriptures for everything they have to teach us about every aspect of life. This is a daily and ongoing duty, and one that we should engage individually and with other earnest believers.

The Word of God is alive and powerful, the writer of Hebrews reminds us (4.12). Only as we understand and submit to that Word, walking obediently in every area of life, can we expect to increase in full faith and to know the power of God working in and through us toward the realization of His promises.

Rest in the Spirit
But this will require of us things that do not come naturally. If obeying the Scriptures were “natural” there would be no need for faith, and we wouldn’t be so inept at obedience (as we typically are).

But we cannot obey the Word of God in our own strength; we must have the Spirit of God to work in and through us so that we can do what God instructs us to in His Word (Phil. 2.13). This means we have to “go out on a limb” in every area where the Scriptures instruct us, trusting that, when we get there, and things begin to get a little scary and uncertain, the Spirit will be present by His power to do what God has commanded and promised.

For example, when it comes to bearing witness for Jesus Christ. Jesus said not to fret and worry about how to do this. Immerse yourself in the Word of God, and rest in Jesus’ Lordship over your life. When the opportunity comes, just open your mouth intending to talk about the Lord, and the Spirit will give you the words you need to be able to answer with grace whatever anyone may wish to know (Lk. 12.11, 12; Col. 4.6).

Now, of course, on the underside of that promise is the assumption that (a) we are searching the Scriptures regularly, to understand the Gospel and how it speaks to the needs of our neighbors, and (b) that we are actually going to our neighbors with the intention, sooner or later, of bearing witness to Jesus Christ. We are seeking the power of God for bearing witness, in other words, when we seek the wisdom of God in His Word and the presence of God’s Spirit in the actual doing

This is the way it is in all of the Christian life. Whether you want to be a better spouse, or help disciple another believer, bring more justice and love to your workplace, or anything in line with the promises of God, you must learn to seek His power by His Word and Spirit, and move toward the realization of His power, by faith, at every opportunity and by every means.

It is a great hindrance to full faith to think that by some memorized formula, or the screwing up of our wills, or our simple determination to do better we can fulfill God’s will and realize His promises. Only by growing in His Word and walking in His Spirit, in every moment of explicit obedience, can we increase in full faith and know more of the precious and very great promises of God.

For reflection
1.  How can you know when you are “fully convinced” that what God has promised, God will perform? What’s involved in becoming thus “fully convinced”?

2.  “This means we have to ‘go out on a limb’ in every area where the Scriptures instruct us, trusting that, when we get there, and things begin to get a little scary and uncertain, the Spirit will be present by His power to do what God has commanded and promised.” Can you think of a time you’ve done this, and the Spirit has been there to carry you through?

3.  What would it mean for you to “go out on a limb” in the Spirit today?

Next steps: Talk with some fellow believers about how they practice walking in the Spirit according to the Word of God.

T. M. Moore

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This week’s ReVision study is Part 6 of a 10-part series, “Full Faith.” You can download “Hindrances to Full Faith” as a free PDF, prepared for personal or group study. Simply click here.

Except as indicated, Scripture taken from the New King James Version. © Copyright 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.