Receive by Faith

The past few weeks and even months I was engaged in a mental battle concerning how God sees me. Although I had many encouraging me, I could not shake this lie that I was not pleasing to God. This unfortunately colored how I received from God and with that lie, I found there was a blanket of heaviness that remained over me. Some days I could shake it away, other days it was entangled all around me, head to toe. During this battle, I understood that faith was required for me to break free of this lie, faith in the truth of who God is and who He says I am. Although I knew that intellectually, I wasn't sure how to apply it to my situation, not until one particular night...

For weeks I was crying out to God, "I want to please you, if there is anything displeasing in me, point it out and lead me. I surrender all of my heart, all of my life. I just want to be with You." Yet, the heaviness remained, and I felt trapped. The image I had of myself during this time was balled up in the middle of a storm, waiting for rescue. It was debilitating and I became desperate for breakthrough. One Thursday night, I was worshipping at our church's youth group when I hit my limit. Have you ever reached this point? It's when nothing at all seems to be working and you've got nowhere to run and nowhere to hide. In this moment, I had two choices: One choice to give up spiritually and emotionally and one choice to believe and cry out. In this moment, something clicked! I thought to myself, my actions in this moment, by faith, will set me free. With that, I cried out in worship, faith was rising up from the deepest part of my being, and suddenly I was experiencing freedom.

Following this night, I could tell something was different in me, not that everything was magically better, but I knew my faith was increasing. In deep evaluation I uncovered a powerful truth. One main way I displease God is when I don't live by faith. Then I remembered this scripture, Hebrews 11:6, "And without faith, it is impossible to please him, for whoever would draw near to God must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who seek him." (ESV) How ironic that the very thing I was concerned about, was only true if I do not believe by faith. It became apparent that my wrestling match could be won if I simply believed that God loves me despite me and has made a way for my freedom through His grace.

To give some backstory, I did recognize that faith in God's Word was my problem weeks before this night, so I began to recite scriptures over myself because, "Faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ." (Romans 10:17 ESV) I was also crying out for God to increase my faith, but there was another element I was missing until worshipping that Thursday night. The element is so simple and yet so hard to truly do. It is to believe with your heart. After all, isn't that was faith is? Hebrews 11:1 says, "Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen." (ESV) My problem was I did not truly believe in my heart, even though I was saying the truth. So, what made the difference for me? During worship I made a choice internally to cry out while believing in my heart. I had to make an active choice to believe against my own evidence and feelings.

In what areas of your life are you believing a lie and waiting for breakthrough? Maybe breakthrough begins with an active choice to believe against all evidence you may have. To be free, you must believe who God is and what He says. You may have all the evidence logically against who He is, who He says you are, and what He has for your life. If that's you, I encourage you to follow these next simple steps: 1. Write down your evidence for whatever you're facing, 2. Tell yourself that your evidence is wrong, 3. Throw the evidence away. Your evidence is based on your goodness, your abilities, your misunderstandings, and ultimately it will not stand in trial. I know your brain and your heart are telling you that everything you think and believe makes sense, but your heart and your brain cannot be trusted. There is a loving and holy God who has declared the verdict over who you are and how your life can be!

To grow my faith, I found so many scriptures helpful and have shared them below. I believe through childlike faith in who God is and who He says you are, freedom is available to you too!

Romans 5:2

Through him we have also obtained access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and we rejoice in hope of the glory of God.

Romans 10:10

For with the heart one believes and is justified, and with the mouth one confesses and is saved.

Galatians 2:16

Yet we know that a person is not justified by works of the law but through faith in Jesus Christ, so we also have believed in Jesus Christ, in order to be justified by faith in Christ and not by works of the law, because by works of the law no one will be justified.

Matthew 21:22

And whatever you ask in prayer, you will receive, if you have faith.

Mark 11:24

Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours.

1 Timothy 6:12

Faith the good fight of the faith...