Hebrews 4:1-3a ( NKJV )
Therefore, since a promise remains of entering His rest, let us fear lest any of you seem to have come short of it. For indeed the gospel was preached to us as well as to them; but the word which they heard did not profit them, not being mixed with faith in those who heard it. For we who have believed do enter that rest
We have been looking at the parallel between Israel and their inability to enter the promised land of Canaan with our need to enter into the promises of God today. We have a promise corporately of a move of God in the earth. This promise comes to us via the prophetic word and also via the biblical promise of “times of refreshing” in Acts 3. We also have a book full of promises that Paul tells us in 2 Corinthians are “yes and amen” in Christ. We need to posses these promises.
Israel could not because they did not mix them with faith. I believe we are in the same position. What is our response to these promises. When we hear God is going to move in the earth, do we respond by preparing our hearts for the move of God. Do we begin to get excited and search the scriptures for what God says about how He moves in the earth? I think it is more likely we take an “I’ve heard that before” or “I’ll believe it when I see it” attitude. Which one is mixing the promise with faith?
What about the personal promises in the bible. Phil. 4:19 tells me God will meet my need. Do I respond to that with, “That’s great, but God helps those who help themselves.” and lean to my own ability? Or do I look at the Word to find out my responsibilities, act on those responsibilities and begin to thank God for the blessing.
1 Peter 2:24 says I am healed by the stripes of Jesus. What is my first thought when I am sick. I believe doctors have a place and it is fine to use them, but if my first thought is the doctor, the medicine or the emergency room, I am not mixing the Word with Faith. If I am sick I need to put my faith in the Lord first and then decide what roll the medical field plays. I think it would behoove us to begin to leave the medical realm out of our healing in the small things so when we run into something the medical world cannot overcome we will have a precedent for divine healing.
Lets look at one more area of life.
2 Timothy 1:7 ( NKJV )
For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind.
When we are faced with depression or fear or some other emotional distress, what do we lean towards for a solution? If the first thing we think of is the psychologist or psychiatrist we are not mixing the promise with faith. We may even be looking to Christian counsel, which we should do, but we should do so standing on the promise of God.
The bottom line is that to mix the promise with faith is to be predisposed to believe that the Word of God is true despite all evidence to the contrary. When we start there, we will begin to see many things change. The first changes will be inward. We will see life differently. We will expect better things. We will begin to change our behavior naturally as a response to our faith. Then we will see the outward things begin to change. The promises of God will begin to become a reality in our lives.
Mixing the promises of God with faith was a revolutionary thing in my life. When I first began to accept that the truth in the Word of God could change my world, it opened amazing doors for me that I am still exploring to this day. Everything hasn’t been easy since then. Everything hasn’t worked out the way I thought it would, but I have access to a dimension of life that would be impossible if I had not begun this powerful process.
You won’t perfect this overnight, but start where you are. Find a promise that is important to you and begin to mix it with faith. You won’t regret it. After all, what do you have to loose?
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