How can we overcome unbelief and prevent it from controlling our lives?

How can we overcome unbelief and prevent it from controlling our lives?
                        
Previously, I talked about ways that doubt can come in and hinder our mustard seed faith from bringing what we are believing into fruition. If you have doubt, listen to me carefully: Do not get condemned! God is not condemning you and I am not either, but the enemy wants you to feel condemned. I felt God deeply impressing these words upon me when writing on this topic: Don’t put a burden on them. Don’t condemn them for having unbelief, but show them how they can overcome it. So that is what I will try to do. I believe the first way is by believing the Word of God. Hebrews 4:12 says, “The word of God is living and powerful, and sharper than any two edged sword.” The Bible isn’t just some words written on paper; they are active and alive, life-giving words. Such a transformation has taken place in me when I finally got revelation of that. Before, I was almost reading the Bible like just any other book. At times I would think, “Yeah, that’s what the Bible says, but…” as if it wasn’t always true. I wasn’t properly esteeming it or realizing that this is absolute truth; the Word of God is more real than anything. God cannot lie (Hebrews 6:18). The next key to overcoming unbelief is saturating ourselves with the Word of God through reading it, meditating on it and speaking it out loud over our lives. Proverbs 4:20-22 reads: “My son, give attention to my words; incline your ear to my sayings. Do not let them depart from your eyes; keep them in the midst of your heart; for they are life to those who find them, and health to all their flesh.” Did you see that? The Word of God is life to those who find it, and health to all their flesh. There is health in the Word. Meditate on it and speak it aloud it until becomes become more real to you than anything. Claim those promises as your own. I can’t begin to emphasize how incredibly important that is. Instead of thinking about our problem and speaking about it, meditate on Jesus and speak His word. There is power in the word of God. We can’t stop a thought of unbelief from coming in, but we can prevent it from renting space in our minds by countering it with the Word. Sometimes we may need to fast in order to focus deeper on the Word. After the disciples couldn’t get the epileptic boy healed, Jesus told them, “However, this kind does not go out except by prayer and fasting” (Matthew 17:21). I don’t think Jesus was saying to fast because more power was needed to heal someone in that type of condition. But I do believe He was saying that prayer and fasting, which isn’t getting God to move but denying our bodies and senses so we can tune out the world and tune into God, was needed to get rid of the unbelief. Without being focused on God and mediating on His Word, our physical senses would take over and cause unbelief to come in. Fasting and praying helps us keep our minds on Jesus, and that is the key to it all. Remember how Peter walked on water? When he had his eyes and thoughts on Jesus, he was able to do the impossible. But when he looked away from Jesus to his circumstances he started to sink. He could have continued to do the impossible if he would have just kept his eyes on Jesus. And that is what we need to do as well. Keeping our eyes on Jesus will allow us to do the seemingly impossible and live out the abundant life He died to give us. I love what Jesus told Jairus when he was told his daughter had died. Mark 5:36 says: “As soon as Jesus heard the word that was spoken, he said to the ruler of the synagogue, ‘Do not be afraid; only believe.’” It says as soon as Jesus heard the word that was spoken, He countered it with His words. That is exactly what we need to do. When we hear a word that is contrary to the Word of God, we counter it with the Word of God. I believe Jesus was, in essence, saying to Jairus the same thing He wants to say to all of us today, don’t listen to them and what they have to say. My Word is truth, not theirs. Don’t be afraid; just believe in Me and my amazing love for you. Rest in the healing I have already provided for you. Thank you, Jesus!


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