only believe ...

‘Then the disciples came to Jesus privately and said, “Why could we not cast it out?” So Jesus said to them, “Because of your unbelief, for assuredly, I say to you, if you have faith as a mustard seed, you will say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it will move; and nothing will be impossible for you.’
Matthew 17:20 NKJV

Over a year ago, I read this verse and was filled with guilt and condemnation. Looking at my situations and circumstances, my declaration at that time was, ‘God, I must be really bad because none of my mountains seem to be moving. I don’t even have ‘mustard seed faith’.

But that is when God responded, ‘Oh, but you do. Though nothing is bearing fruit, though all that you experience is running contrary to what you have read in My Word, though everything around you is telling you to abandon your faith and give up – still you come to Me praying, and trusting and BELIEVING that I will respond. THAT is mustard seed faith. Moving the mountain was never your job to begin with. Moving the mountain is My job – your job is to BELIEVE.’

Well, I was led to read this same verse this past Tuesday –
And, God brought it back to me again on Thursday,
Through a conversation with a friend and again later through a book.

Then I found myself meditating on ‘mustard seed faith’ all over again. I found myself questioning, ‘Why a mustard seed?’ A mustard seed is so very, very small.

And this is the thought that came:

FAITH IS …
you either believe or you don’t.

It is much like a pregnancy –
You cannot be a ‘little’ pregnant …
you either are or you are not.

Likewise, you cannot believe a little ... you either do or you do not ... it is all or nothing

If there is any doubt – true belief is not present 
The light of Who God is pushes out the darkness of doubt and insecurity.

If you have a little faith – you have GREAT FAITH,
Because there is a belief and trust IN HIM

Likewise, if you have a little doubt – you have GREAT DOUBT,
For your disbelief has nullified the Person of Jesus Christ, the Power of Jesus Christ, the Promise of Jesus Christ, the Words of Jesus Christ and the Word Who is Jesus Christ.

The Message Version of Matthew 17:20 says, “When the disciples had Jesus off to themselves, they asked, "Why couldn't we throw it out?" "Because you're not yet taking God seriously," said Jesus. "The simple truth is that if you had a mere kernel of faith, a poppy seed, say, you would tell this mountain, 'Move!' and it would move. There is nothing you wouldn't be able to tackle."

Consider this …

There is a faith that believes what Jesus said and did. However, it is overshadowed by a faith that believes WHO Jesus IS. There will ALWAYS come a day when what you see and experience runs so contrary to what you read in His Word that you will question what you believe. WHO you believe will ALWAYS influence and guard what you believe.

Have faith IN GOD – not in feelings, not in dreams, not in angels, not in healings or in miracles. The devil quotes scripture, demons masquerade as angels of light and the magicians performed many of the same wonders that Moses did under the anointing of God. Believe God ...

Only Believe …