The Power of Unbelief
Jesus performed powerful miracles and taught in ways that challenged all who gathered to listen to his teachings. Everywhere he went, the sick were healed, the blind received sight, those in bondage were freed. Everywhere that is except his hometown. This led to Jesus declaring, “A prophet is not without honor except in his own country and in his own house.” (Matthew 13:57) Because of this unbelief, we are told that Jesus did not do many miracles. Charles Finney once defined unbelief as: “Instances in which you have virtually charged the God of truth with lying, by your unbelief of His express promises and declarations.”
Unbelief hinders growth, destroys courage, and wilts God’s blessings before they have the chance to bloom. Doubt is the tool by which Satan immobilizes God’s army, but it is unbelief that destroys us. When we entertain the notion that God can lie, all is lost. The people of Jesus’ hometown were too familiar with Jesus the man, the son, and the brother. They could not look past the natural to see the supernatural deity standing before them. How often do we do the same thing? If we believe things will always be the way they have always been, what is the motivation for faith?
Faith requires a supernatural belief. To believe in the power of God, we must believe He took on flesh and was born of a virgin. We must accept that everything our senses can perceive was created at the hand of a God who spoke them into being. We must have faith that nothing exists outside of God’s control and that even the natural elements and laws bend to His will. When we accept all of that, everything becomes possible. Miracles exist all around us. Do we limit our experiences with them because of our familiarity with the methods God uses? Have we somehow convinced ourselves that miracles don’t happen unless the ground shakes and an angelic choir bursts through our door, or are we open to God using unlikely candidates to bring about His will? If faith the size of a mustard seed can move mountains, imagine what doubt can do.
(Written by Keegan Harkins.)
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