The Band of Faith
Mark 11: 23-24 (The Amplified Bible)
Truly I tell you, whoever says to this mountain, Be lifted up and thrown into the sea! and does not doubt at all in his heart but believes that what he says will take place, it will be done for him. 24For this reason I am telling you, whatever you ask for in prayer, believe (trust and be confident) that it is granted to you, and you will [get it].
Ponder This: Whether you realize it or not, your trust is always in something—it’s just a matter of who and what?
As a Christian, you should trust in God with all your heart. He is our Creator, our Father and knows even the things that we don’t know about ourselves. Your total trust should never be in human beings because they are limited. Humans reason with logic, emotion and selfish motive, but the Lord works by His spirit.
Commitment & Trust
The marriage covenant is very similar to your relationship with God. For example, a married couple’s relationship should be based on trust. Think about the look of a wedding band. Its roundness represents a bond of commitment that can never be broken. In fact, the acronym BAND means believe all—never doubt. Did you know that doubting God is like cheating on Him with the devil? That’s how violated and hurt that our Father feels when we don’t believe His Word. Your trust and commitment in God should never waiver. God is worthy of all your trust because He has given you His Word that will remain true and never pass away.
Where Do You Really Stand?
You are living what you believe right now. Your conversation and daily habits reflect who you really are. If you were secretly videotaped for a week, what do you think you would see? What would you say about the way you spend your time and the people you communicate with? How do you handle challenges? That camera would tell you the honest truth. It would reflect where you stand in your faith.
Proverbs 3:5 (The Amplified Bible)
Lean on, trust in, and be confident in the Lord with all your heart and mind and do not rely on your own insight or understanding.
The structure of your life should be based on the Word. In fact, your life should line up with the Word of God. Why? Because this is what He intended. Through salvation, the Lord has already given you everything that you need to be successful in the earth. But because you live on earth, you have to deal with earthly challenges from time to time. Therefore, you should dwell in the position of STAND; it’s an acronym for faith that means SPEAK THINK ACT NOW until it’s DONE
These are our instructions from the Lord. When you adopt and apply this principle in your life, you are doing what the Word says. For example, James 4:7 (The Amplified Bible) says, “Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.”
The Lord has given you authority over the devil, but you don’t have it unless you completely believe it in your heart (Mark 11:23).
Faith Infusion
The Word of God should be infused into our lives. We mix the Word in our life by meditating on it. Godly meditation is essential to building your spirit, yet it’s most neglected area of the Christian faith. Sometimes, people like to use politically correct sayings or clichés, but if they are not scriptural, then they are ineffective. Meditate on the Word of God, until you get His revelation. He has a word for you, but you must lock into Him to receive it. Consistent meditation builds your spirit up, and gives you the perfect response to the enemy. A heart full of the Word will block doubt. Remember, doubt is like infidelity. James 1:6 (The Amplified Bible) 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.”
You are What you Eat
If you consume a steady diet of fresh produce, your body will reflect it. On the other hand, if you eat nothing but fast food, your body will reflect that too. This concept is no different with your spirit. If you want a strong, healthy spirit, be consistent about meditating on scriptures from the Word. Your heart has to be so full of the Word that doubt can’t get in. If you worry, the Word is not with you. This is why it’s so important to chew and digest (meditate on) the Word of God. It has to be delivered bit by bit.
Did you know that doubt is like sewage water? No reasonable person would ever consider drinking sewage water because it’s unsanitary and deadly. Doubt is no different. A small amount can severely damage and kill your spirit. Psalms 119:97 (The Amplified Bible) says, “O how love I thy law! it is my meditation all the day.” Nourish your inner man with faith.
Confession & Commitment
Think back about our married couple and how their relationship is comparable to the Christian lifestyle. At the wedding, a man and woman verbally confess their life-long commitment to one another. This is what people do when they receive salvation. They confess that Jesus Christ is their Lord, and they become a part of His kingdom. Your confession—what you say—reflects what you believe.
If you want something from the Lord, get a scripture based on what you want and speak that scripture every day until you believe it. Your belief confirms your faith, and when you live by faith, you will get what you want from the Lord. Romans 10:8 (The Amplified Bible) says, “But what does it say? The Word (God’s message in Christ) is near you, on your lips and in your heart; that is, the Word (the message, the basis and object) of faith which we preach.”
Be committed to your faith in God. Your faith must be enormous! Act like your victory is now done, and ever doubt in your heart.
Love, Dr. Joyce Oliver
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