Are You a Believer or a Doubter?

Anything is Possible If You Believe… Jesus Said So!

Jesus said, “I tell you the truth, you can say to this mountain, ‘May you be lifted up and thrown into the sea,’ and it will happen. But you must really believe it will happen and have no doubt in your heart.” Mark 11:23 (NLT)

How many of us have read this passage in the Bible, but when we face insurmountable circumstances in our lives, we seem to be a “doubter” and not a “believer.” We call ourselves “believers,” but are we really believers? I think this story from Mark 9 accurately portrays how we ‘really’ feel.

Jesus Heals a Demon-Possessed Boy

¹⁹Jesus said to them, “Bring the boy to me.” ²⁰So they brought the boy. But when the evil spirit saw Jesus, it threw the child into a violent convulsion, and he fell to the ground, writhing and foaming at the mouth. ²¹“How long has this been happening?” Jesus asked the boy’s father. He replied, “Since he was a little boy. ²²The spirit often throws him into the fire or into water, trying to kill him. Have mercy on us and help us, if you can.” ²³“What do you mean, ‘If I can’?” Jesus asked. “Anything is possible if a person believes.” ²⁴The father instantly cried out, “I do believe, but help me overcome my unbelief!” Mark 9:19-24 (NLT)

We want to have faith and not doubt. We truly want to believe God and trust Him, but I think most of us would have to say like the boy’s father, “I do believe, but help me overcome my unbelief!”

One Little Drop Will Ruin Your Faith

If you’ve ever made a meringue topping to go on a pie, you know that even one little drop of egg yolk will ruin the egg whites, and prevent them from whipping up into a beautiful meringue. That’s the way it is with fear, doubt, and unbelief. Just one little drop will prevent your faith from rising. If none of those are present, then your faith can rise like yeast in dough, and you will have some tasty bread in no time!

Do You Have Hope or Faith?

Another question you have to ask yourself is, “Am I actually believing, or am I hoping it really happens?” Thereagain, most of the time, we are operating in “Hope” and not it “Faith.” There is a difference! Faith is not hope, and hope is not faith. I like to explain it this way:

Hope is Wishing…

Faith is Knowing…

The dictionary defines Hope as a feeling that something desired “may” happen; to look forward to with desire and “reasonable” confidence.”

Faith is defined as “complete” confidence or trust in a person.

Hebrews 11 is known as the “Hall of Faith.” All the people that are listed in the Hall of Faith “Knew without a shadow of a doubt” that God “was,” not might or maybe, if I have been good enough, if I do enough good deeds or based upon my performance… God will. No! It had nothing to do with them, and everything to do with God. They simply believed God and took Him at His word!

God Is Not a Man That He Should Lie

Numbers 23:19 (NLV) says, “God is not a man, that He should lie. He is not a son of man, that He should be sorry for what He has said. Has He said, and will He not do it? Has He spoken, and will He not keep His Word?”

Jesus said, “I am the Way, the Truth, and the Life.” The Holy Spirit is also referred to as the “Spirit of Truth.” So if God is Truth, then He cannot tell a lie! On the other hand, John 8:44 tells us that the devil is a liar and the truth is not in him. So who are you going to listen to? Truth or a Lie?

Seed, Feed, and Weed

So how do you increase your faith? Romans 10:17 tells us that faith comes by hearing the Word of God. So how much Word have you consumed lately? How much Word do you consume on a daily basis? Do you “eat” every day?

Hebrews 11:6 (NLT) says we can’t please God unless we have faith. “A man cannot please God unless he has faith. Anyone who comes to God must believe that He is. That one must also know that God gives what is promised to the one who keeps on looking for Him.” Romans 12:3 tells us that God deals out to every man “the measure” of faith. So we all come with built-in faith, but we must grow our faith by feeding it the Word of God. As you eat the Word, your faith grows, and displaces the fear, doubt, and unbelief that is naturally growing in your heart… the weeds! You have to “seed, feed and weed” daily!

How Strong is Your Faith-Meter?

Here is a quick chart to check your progress. As your faith grows, fear, doubt and unbelief are displaced and get smaller.

100% Faith – 0% Fear, Doubt, Unbelief

75% Faith – 25% Fear, Doubt, Unbelief

50% Faith – 50% Fear, Doubt, Unbelief

25% Faith – 25% Fear Doubt, Unbelief

0% Faith – 100% Fear, Doubt, Unbelief

Believers Believe… Doubters Doubt!

Anything is possible to him who believes!