The Power of Believing

Read Time: 12 Minutes

The keys that we have learned in the previous two lessons can be seen in every record in the Bible where there was a miracle or healing.

We must know:

• what's available
• how to receive it
• what to do with it after we've got it
• get our needs and wants parallel
• believe God's ability equals His willingness

These keys enable us to receive the promises of God that He has so liberally given us in His Word. These are the keys to unlocking the door to the more-than-abundant life.

In Mark chapter 3 there is a record of a healing that exemplifies all of these truths.

Mark 3
:1 And he [Jesus Christ] entered again into the synagogue; 
    and there was a man there which had a withered hand.
:2 And they watched him, whether he would heal him on the sabbath day;
    that they might accuse him.
:3 And he saith unto the man which had the withered hand, 
    Stand forth.
:4 And he saith unto them, 
    Is it lawful to do good on the sabbath days, or to do evil? 
    to save life, or to kill? 
    But they held their peace.
:5 And when he had looked round about on them with anger, 
    being grieved for the hardness of their hearts, 
    he saith unto the man, Stretch forth thine hand. 
    And he stretched it out: 
    and his hand was restored whole as the other.

Here is a man that had a need; his hand was withered, it was drawn up and useless. This man was in the synagogue where deliverance is supposed to be available. 

There is one more thing going on here; 

:2 And they watched him, whether he would heal him on the sabbath day;
    that they might accuse him.

The Pharisees are looking to accuse Jesus of working on the Sabbath day. The Pharisees are not interested in healing this man. They were only interested in catching Jesus doing something wrong because he was exhibiting the power of God. People were following him. The man had a need and had gone to the synagogue where he was supposed to be delivered. This day Jesus had come to the synagogue and the man with the withered hand was expecting to be healed no matter what the Pharisees thought.

:3 And he saith unto the man which had the withered hand, 
        Stand forth.

Jesus knew this man had a need and a desire to be healed. How would he know this? God must have told him. This is really going to single him out and separate him from the crowd. If this man, whose hand is withered and useless, wants healing he is going to have to take that step toward Jesus, he is going to have to come to Jesus to be healed. He has the need but he must also have the desire and believe that Jesus is going to heal him.

:4 And he saith unto them, [the Pharisees] 
    Is it lawful to do good on the sabbath days,  or to do evil? 
    to save life, or to kill? 
    But they held their peace.

They held their peace. They were not interested in a philosophical debate. They are still trying to accuse Jesus of wrongdoing.

:5 And when he had looked round about on them with anger, 
    being grieved for the hardness of their hearts, 

Did he look at the Pharisees with compassion? No! He looked at them with anger. He wasn't acquiescent and accepting their view. The Pharisees were off the Word. Their hearts were hardened, they were no longer interested in the things of God but their own positions and their own power in the synagogue. Their hearts had become hardened against God and Jesus was a threat to their lives. That is why Jesus was angry; the leaders who were supposed to be teaching God's people and ministering to them were off the Word.

What did the man do?

:5  . . . he saith unto the man, Stretch forth thine hand. 
    And he stretched it out: and his hand was restored whole as the other.

There is the promise of God, stretch forth thine hand. This man couldn't stretch it forth up until this time. He had to know what was available which was healing. We cannot receive anything from God unless we first know what is available. He had to know how to receive it, do what Jesus told him to do he had to step forward. He had to know what to do with after he got it--he had to stretch forth his hand even though it was impossible for him to do because his had was withered. Yet, he did it, he stretched forth his hand. How did he do it? He believed. He believed the promise of God and stretched his hand out.

The word 'believe' is a verb. A verb connotes action. Believing is an action. It is something we do. Believing fulfills the key of how to receive anything from God. The man stepped forward, he believed. What was he to do with the promise after receiving it?  He was to stretch forth his hand. He took action, believed, and stretched his hand out. What happened? The man's hand was restored whole just like the other. The man didn't receive the wholeness first and then he stretched forth his hand, he acted on the promise and he stretched it out and at that time received the deliverance. That is absolutely tremendous. 

These keys are evident in every healing and miracle that is written in the Word of God. Do you have a need? Would you like to see deliverance in some area of your life? Here are the keys: 

• Find out what is available, find the promise of God
• How to receive it is to believe
• What to do with the promise is to act on it, act like you've received it
• Your needs and wants must be parallel and inline with the God's Word and
• You must recognize that God's ability equals His willingness 

You find the promise, you believe, you act like you have received it (for you have!). Your needs and wants must be parallel and you know beyond a shadow of a doubt that God's ability equals His willingness. 

There are signs, miracles and wonders happening today because God has not changed. God does not lie and he doesn't take back what He has promised. I have seen healings in my own life and others because God's Word is true and he has given us the power and authority to bring it to pass. 

When we believe Romans 10:9 and 10:

:9 That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, 
    and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, 
    thou shalt be saved.
:10 For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; 
    and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.

When you are saved you are made whole. You are now complete.

Colossians 2
:9 For in him [Christ Jesus] dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily.
10 And ye are complete in him, 
    which is the head of all principality and power:

We are complete. We have regained what Adam had lost, that spiritual connection with God. We are now body, soul, and spirit which is the spirit of Christ in us.

Colossians 1
:27 To whom God would make known what is the riches of the glory
    of this mystery among the Gentiles; 
    which is Christ in you, the hope of glory:

Romans 8
:14 For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God.
:15 For ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear; 
    but ye have received the Spirit of adoption, 
    whereby we cry, Abba, Father.
:16 The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God:
:17 And if children, then heirs; heirs of God, 
    and joint-heirs with Christ; 
    if so be that we suffer with [sumpascho-to be affected by] him, 
    that we may be also glorified together.

We are the sons (and daughters) of God and have not received the spirit of bondage which is the Greek word doulia meaning servitude. We do not have the same spirit of servitude that the Old Testament Believers had. We have Christ in us the hope of glory. We can now cry Abba, Father. This is most intense form of endearment. The Old Testament Believers could not say that, they were servants, we are sons. We are also joint-heirs with Christ. This is wonderful!

Ephesians 1
:19 And what is the exceeding greatness of his power to us-ward who believe, 
    according to the working of his mighty power,

That is exceeding greatness of his power to us-ward who do one thing, believe! We must believe to receive. 

Ephesians 3
:20 Now unto him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, 
    according to the power that worketh in us,

Do you believe this? It is true. God is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think according to the power that worketh in us. You reread that verse and consider every word. I'll wait for you. . .

Exceeding     abundantly    above    all    that we ask    or think    according to    the power    that worketh in us.

WOW!! That is available to you and me. All we need to do is believe what God says and walk forth on it. Act like you've got it because it is yours.

I have to show you one more record in the Word about believing:

Mark 11
:12 And on the morrow, 
    when they [Jesus Christ and the 12 apostles] were come from Bethany, 
    he [Jesus Christ] was hungry:
:13 And seeing a fig tree afar off having leaves,
    he came, if haply he might find any thing thereon: 
    and when he came to it, he found nothing but leaves; 
    for the time of figs was not yet.
:14 And Jesus answered and said unto it, 
     No man eat fruit of thee hereafter for ever. 
    And his disciples heard it.

Jesus wasn't hungry in the sense that he needed a full meal, he just wanted a little tidbit, a snack. We read this verse and don't really know what is going on because we don't know about fig trees. In the east there are two trees called the people's trees, that is the coconut palm and the fig. Anyone is allowed to eat from these trees no matter where they are. This species of fig puts on buds that are sweet like candy shortly after it gets it's leaves but before they develop into fruit. Jesus was looking for that sweet little bud but there wasn't any there. He knew it wouldn't bear fruit and he cursed the tree.

Jesus spoke right to that tree. He didn't pray to God about it. He had the power and authority and he specifically spoke to that tree. I bet that turned some heads. Jesus talked to that fig tree. We can learn from this. Jesus was specific and spoke to the problem. I bet the apostles were scratching their heads (wouldn't you?).

Jesus and the disciples then spent some time in Jerusalem teaching the word and healing the sick and casting out devils.

:19 And when even was come, he went out of the city.
:20 And in the morning, as they passed by,
    they saw the fig tree dried up from the roots.
:21 And Peter calling to remembrance saith unto him, 
    Master, behold, the fig tree which thou cursedst is withered away.

That tree did the unusual. First of all it dried up from the roots. Usually a tree dies from the top down, you will notice a tree having trouble in the top first. It also dried up overnight. God told Jesus Christ to curse the tree that wasn't going to produce any fruit anyway so that he could teach believing.

:22 And Jesus answering saith unto them, Have faith [pistis-belief] in God.
:23 For verily I say unto you, 
    That whosoever shall say unto this mountain, 
    Be thou removed, and be thou cast into the sea; 
    and shall not doubt in his heart, 
    but shall believe that those things which he saith shall come to pass; 
    he shall have whatsoever he saith.

In verse 22 the original says "Have the faith of God." Faith is the noun form and 'in' is not in the text. Have the faith of God. He has given it to us. Then, whosoever, (and He means whosoever otherwise He wouldn't have said it) shall say unto this mountain (or whatever your opportunity is) be thou removed and be thou cast into the sea (or whatever needs to happen) and shall not doubt in his heart (be convinced, God's Word is true) but shall believe that those things which he saith shall come to pass, he shall have whatsoever he saith. You speak it, you believe it and God brings it to pass. If you had a need and God told you to move that mountain, when you told it to go jump in the lake it would have to.

The law of believing is the greatest law in the Word of God. Believe and ye shall receive. When we have our needs and wants parallel, know that God's ability equals His willingness, find out what is available, how to receive it (believe), and know what to do with it, we will live the more-than-abundant life. This great law of believing is what makes life what it is. When we believe the Word we will walk in power and confidence. Life will jell and we will give God the glory.