Satan, who is the god of this world, has blinded the minds of those who don’t believe. They are unable to see the glorious light of the Good News. They don’t understand this message about the glory of Christ, who is the exact likeness of God.
2 Corinthians 4:4 (NLT)
Do you believe that God can unleash his power in your life in such a way that the dormant potential in you will be released allowing you to lead a life full of purpose and abundance?
Pastor, do you believe that your church can unleash God’s power in such a way that you will see your community changing before your eyes like never before? The 1st Century Christians did.
Parents, do you believe that God can bring back your child?
Parents, do you believe that God can bring back your child?
Do you believe that God can heal your deepest traumas and set you free from that disease that the doctors told you it would never go away?
Note that the above verse is not talking about the minds of 'the bad people', 'the non-church goers'. It talks about ALL UNBELIEVERS - including those sitting in church every Sunday.
The moment we choose to see the glorious light of the Good News and understand this message about the glory of Christ, we (the church) will start moving from the side line to the centre. Ephesians 1:23 says, The church, you see, is not peripheral to the world; the world is peripheral to the church. The church is Christ’s body, in which he speaks and acts, by which he fills everything with his presence. The moment we understand the power we carry and start living in faith (Hb. 10:38, Rm. 1:17), we will start moving the mountains that try to stop us (Mt. 21:21).
Where to start
1. Start by realising that there are things in this world that have the potential to blind you, these things also are all temporal and have no eternal value. Money, power, pleasure and control are strong influences that have the potential to blind you.
2. Address unbelief (worry, doubts, lack of faith, atheism). Unbelief was the only thing that truly amazed Jesus (Mk. 6:6). Worry and faith walk in opposite direction. Faith and doubt cannot coexist.
Do the Faith Test
WHAT HAPPENS WHEN YOU DON’T BELIEVE
1. You forget God’s Word. You won’t read it! You ignore 1Co 15:58.
2. You forget that it’s a privilege to serve. When you don’t believe everything becomes too much trouble. Being helpful around the house, serving in church, giving people lifts, hosting home groups, cooking for people, visiting them in hospital, being a true friend... everything becomes too much trouble. Jesus asked Peter to demonstrate his love for him by serving His people (John 21:17).
1. You forget God’s Word. You won’t read it! You ignore 1Co 15:58.
2. You forget that it’s a privilege to serve. When you don’t believe everything becomes too much trouble. Being helpful around the house, serving in church, giving people lifts, hosting home groups, cooking for people, visiting them in hospital, being a true friend... everything becomes too much trouble. Jesus asked Peter to demonstrate his love for him by serving His people (John 21:17).
3. You forget where you belong. You belong in God’s house Rm 12:5.
Do you even value the people you do life with? Do you take them for granted?
Without this understanding you will always start something but never finish. You start something in your community or church but soon run out of steam because you are moved by the air of emotions, when that runs out your are back in the same lazy state you started when in fact you should finish in an even greater way than when you started. Don't give out excuses not to be involved in the body of Christ (His church) Luke 9:57-62, 14:16.
Do you know why people start giving excuses in the above verses?
Because they did not believe that Jesus was who he said he was. THE SON OF GOD! Do you really think that they would dare to even think about giving out lame excuses to the Son of God? Yet so many of us are doing that right now. Your excuses are always proportional to your level of understanding.
4. You forget you have to give up everything (Lk. 14:33). What do you have right now? Would you be willing to give that up? Give up what you cannot keep in order to gain what you cannot lose.
Now What?
1. Understand that the level of your impact is directly proportional to the price you are willing to pay and the faith you have is directly proportional to the sacrifice you’ve made.
2. Aggressively remove unbelief from your life. Read the Gospels and the promises God has for you in his word and claim them!
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