. . . declaring the purpose which He had from the beginning, and that which He intended before all time, and His infinitely powerful and capable wisdom in ordaining these things in Christ Jesus our Lord, for it is in Him that we speak so boldly and clearly, it is in Him that we are ever drawing nearer to God with such perfect confidence and faith . . . (Ephesians 3 St. Paul from the Trenches)
"Believing in the One whom God has sent" implies so much! (see last post: The Work of the New Creation) Its not a formula. Example: I'll just keep saying "My God will supply all my needs according to His riches in glory . . . " until my anxiety subsides. Its not mind "retraining" or "behavior modification" ---- its so much deeper.
The crux of the matter is entering in. If I believe that Jesus was the Messiah, my sins were completely forever removed, I stand righteous and holy in God's eyes, that I in fact DIED with Christ, becoming one with Him on the Cross, was buried and raised up with Him --- forever one, joined to the Lord, one spirit with Him then believing is NOT a formula. Believing is not an act of "thought replacement with scripture". Its going inward to our place of union and being still. Its knowing that He is God. It's knowing Him. Listening. Watching. Abiding. Feasting. Believing is not static, its relational and experiential. To believe that I've been made one with Him and not enter in, not enjoy, not explore Him - is NOT believing. Rather it's some form of mental assent to an abstract philosophical concept. Believing IS KNOWING on a moment by moment basis. Oh, come on! Is that even possible? You might ask. That sounds like "pie in the sky". Get real. That's what I would have thought even a year ago. Oh! But its true! Jesus is offering and invitation to know Him much more closely that we've experienced. To know Him like John who laid his head on Jesus' chest. When I am hearing the Lord's heartbeat - believing is not hard work at all.
I am not describing cultural Christianity. No, the door is open for all who will enter in. Those who through identification with His death will lose their life to find Him. Knowing Him - truly, in reality, for real is life eternal! What a joy! What a privilege!
Dive Deep into the place of oneness, don't pull away. Don't disconnect. Lay your head on His chest. Take Him up on His invitation to come closer. Lay down your independence, your "I central" life, and come close to your Lord. Knowing Him here equals believing. There is no fear when you can sense His breath.
3 comments:
this is great...
i think that when one asks the question, "What is believing?" the person asking is also asking, "What do I need to do?" or "What actions do I need to take?". But like you said here Pastor Lisa, believing is entering in to what Christ did for and says about us. This means that we are to focus on what He's done and is doing as opposed to trying to figure out what we need to do.
Entering in to what Christ did means "using" our union with Him, i.e. - relating with Him on a personal and intimate level. Entering in to what Christ did for us means means "using" the prophetic gift He's given us and others by listening for Him in our spirits and through His Spirit in others to hear what He has to say on a very personal level to us and then taking it to heart. Entering in to what Christ did means accepting forgiveness and continuing to ask for revelation about forgiveness when we still have a hard time receiving forgiveness or forgiving others.
Believing doesn't necessarily mean you're always experiencing the truth; believing is often times a desire, willingness and readiness to experience the truth in our lives as we wait on the Holy Spirit to work in our lives. There isn't as much "doing" to believing as we think. At least not initially.
Believing is rest. Believing is resting in what Christ did. As we rest in Christ, the answers may or may not come, but as we rest, the peace that Jesus promised comes. God's response to anxiety is often not a solution that requires more action, it is usually just plain old peace. God answers anxiety with peace. Peace will sometimes come in the form of a solution, but often times peace comes supernaturally through the Spirit Jesus planted in us. Believing means to abandon the world's solutions and enter in to Christ's death, where peace is truly found.
Believing is stopping what you're doing, looking at what He's done and going from there as He leads. If we move out from what Christ did on the Cross, we move forward in faith. But if we move forward apart from His Cross, it is an action done out of anxiety (perceived or not) and consequently, we are without faith or peace.
This is rich, this pressing into the reality of believing.
From my journal this morning:
Believing is knowing---on a moment to moment basis. What does that look like?
Believing is...
entering
going in
receiving
looking
listening
resting
dwelling
inhabiting
Believing is forever union
Believing is staying in and being still even as we move into the day and into relationships
Beleiving is doing what we have seen and heard and received.
Believing is...
Moving out of our place of union and stillness.
Being a vessel, containing and pouring out.
Carrying the stillness, the secret place even as we enter the world.
Settling in while stepping out.
Maureen,
This is beautiful. Yes, you have captured the essence of what I was communicating about believing. Increase our capacity, Lord!
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