Lack Of Faith Will Destroy What Little You Have Left
If You Feel You’ve Lost It All Prepare to Lose More
Why not go out on the limb where the fruit is?
- Mark Twain
According to the Holy Bible “ Now faith is the assurance (the confirmation, ]the title deed) of the things [we] hope for, being the proof of things [we] do not see and the conviction of their reality [faith perceiving as real fact what is not revealed to the senses].” Hebrews 11:1 Amplified Bible, Classic Edition
For a definitive explanation of faith as well as examples in the Holy Bible, take a moment to explore Lack Of Faith Will Cost You Everything - Doubt Is Too Expensive.
James chapter 1
AMP 5 If any of you lacks wisdom [to guide him through a decision or circumstance], he is to ask of [our benevolent] God, who gives to everyone generously and without rebuke or blame, and it will be given to him. 6 But he must ask [for wisdom] in faith, without doubting [God’s willingness to help], for the one who doubts is like a billowing surge of the sea that is blown about and tossed by the wind. 7 For such a person ought not to think or expect that he will receive anything [at all] from the Lord, 8 being a double-minded man, unstable and restless in all his ways [in everything he thinks, feels, or decides].
KJV 5 If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him. 6 But let him ask in faith, nothing wavering. For he that wavereth is like a wave of the sea driven with the wind and tossed. 7 For let not that man think that he shall receive any thing of the Lord. 8 A double minded man is unstable in all his ways.
James 1:5-8 gives us insight into the level of faith we need to have when asking God to accomplish things in our lives. In these verses, the Book of James discusses the act of asking God for wisdom with unwavering faith.
What particularly stands out are these two sentences: "But let him ask in faith, nothing wavering... For let not that man think that he shall receive anything from the Lord."
Now, let us combine these verses with Hebrews 11:6. It reads as follows: "But let him ask in faith, nothing wavering... For let not that man think that he shall receive anything from the Lord... (For) without faith, it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him."
It is useful to read parts of the Holy Bible, but it is best to read the entire work. As you can see, putting these sentences together provides us with a benchmark, criterion or standard that informs us of the level of faith we need to have.
Having faith is crucial because it directly impacts our ability to function effectively in different areas of life. If we lack the required level of faith for a specific aspect, we are more likely to experience significant difficulties and struggles in that area. Therefore, cultivating faith is essential for our overall well-being and success in various aspects of life.
In other, more veracious but equally disciplined words, if we demonstrate faithlessness in our relationship with God, we won't get the results we desire. If we demonstrate faithlessness in our finances, the same is true. Wherever we demonstrate faithlessness, we will receive very little return on the investment of our efforts or outright failure. The same is true of FAITHFULNESS. You will always thrive in the aspects of your life where you are faithful, diligent, disciplined and utilize wisdom to go forward. If you focus on and nurture a specific aspect of your life, that's the area where you'll experience growth and success.
A Harsh Truth - Nothing Wavering
Don't ask if you haven't decided to believe God. 'Nothing wavering' is a biblical requirement. There is a difference between believing in God and believing God for what you've asked Him for. While we believe that God exists, we must also believe that 'if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us' (1 John 5:14 NKJV).
The Bible makes it very clear that if you are not ready to increase your knowledge, understanding, belief, etc., and have faith to believe God for whatever you're requesting, then simply don't ask. Don't ask God for anything you don't have faith He will give you."
Go Out on The Limb to Get The Fruit
Irrespective of how much you may need God to fulfill a request, how much loss you've already experienced, or the amount of pain you're experiencing, you must have faith as small as a mustard seed and believe God for what you've asked Him for.
Furthermore, in demonstration of your faith, it is necessary for you to take the appropriate steps toward what you believe in, or else you will remain without what you need and continue to experience loss.
Why does God require us to believe in Him despite the odds, even when we face the worst circumstances? Ask yourself this: how often do you make plans, seek godly guidance, and invest time and money into pursuing something you don't truly desire? If you genuinely want what you're asking God for, you will dedicate quality time and thought to obtain it.
You can stand on the ground and collect whatever falls off the tree. However, you can also expedite the process of obtaining ripened fruit by venturing out on the limb to retrieve it.
God Cares About Our Suffering, Our Pain, And Our Losses
Matthew 5:3 "Blessed are the poor in spirit, For theirs is the kingdom of heaven."
Psalm 34:18 "The LORD is near to those who have a broken heart, And saves such as have a contrite spirit."
Psalm 51:17 "The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit, A broken and a contrite heart— These, O God, You will not despise."
Jeremiah 31:3 "The LORD has appeared of old to me, saying: 'Yes, I have loved you with an everlasting love; Therefore with lovingkindness I have drawn you.'"
Faith Is the Currency You Need To Purchase God’s Promises
If you go to Mexico, you may need Pesos to make purchases.
If you go to Europe, you may need Euros.
If you go to Japan, you need the Yen.
If you’re in South Africa, you need the Rand.
If you go to God, you will need faith.
All Talk and No Action
You can't say you have faith and have no action. For scripture and life tells us and repeatedly demonstrates that " For as the human body apart from the spirit is lifeless, so faith apart from [its] works of obedience is also dead." Amplified Bible, Classic Edition
Your faith is the gasoline of your spiritual life. Selah. You’re relationship with God can’t be on fire if you don’t pour gasoline on it.
Furthermore, you demonstrate your faith based on your actions. "I will show you my faith by my actions!" James 2:18
Jeremiah 29:11 For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the Lord, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end.
The key here is an 'expected end.' God plans to give you the ending you're expecting. God already has good plans for you. Now, all you need to do is align your faith with the good plan that God has. At this point, you should expect God to be good to you. God is going to give you beauty for ashes if you remain faithful to Him.
Isaiah 61:2-4
“To give them beauty for ashes,
The oil of joy for mourning,
The garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness;
That they may be called trees of righteousness,
The planting of the Lord, that He may be glorified.
God Never Forgets
You keep track of all my sorrows. You have collected all my tears in your bottle. You have recorded each one in your book. Psalm 56:8 New International Version (NIV)
God takes our sufferings into consideration, but our suffering does not change our circumstances. Our suffering changes our mindset. Our faith changes our circumstances. Our faith commands God's hands to move on our behalf to bring change into our circumstances. Once again, God is not an invader of the body, mind, spirit, or emotions.
God will not kidnap you and drag you into heaven, neither will he kidnap you and drag you into faith. It really is up to you to decide where you want to be and how much faith you have in God’s ability to get things done for you. God will not rob you of your free will or the opportunity to not believe in Him. Your faith gives God permission to work in your body, mind, spirit, and emotions, and change your circumstances and your life overall.
Read God Will Not Kidnap You and Drag You Into Heaven - Kidnapping Is Illegal on Earth As It Is In Heaven
Faith – The Stop Loss Order
In the realm of financial securities, you can place a particular order called a Stop Loss Order. A stop loss is a type of order that investors or traders use to limit their potential losses in the stock market. It works by automatically selling a security when its price reaches a certain level, known as the stop price. This helps traders avoid larger losses if the price of the security continues to drop ("Stop Loss Meaning and Definition", Forbes).
After you've invested time, prayer, emotions, etc. into your goals, you need to invest time in building up your faith because your faith is the stop loss order of your life. When doubt, unbelief, and other ungodliness creeps in to steal a piece of whatever you're believing for, you need your faith to put a stop to the loss. We all feel doubtful and wonder if things will work out from time to time, but you must not allow your feelings to keep you from believing what God told you about your future achievements.
Never allow your feelings to bully you and rule over you, thus making them gods over your life. Don't bow down to your feelings and worship them.
It's important to point out two very impactful factors that influence your circumstances. Unlike a stop-loss order on a stock, which can yield immediate tangible results, a stop-loss order on your life may not produce apparent or observable changes right away. However, it's crucial to note that the moment you have faith, things begin to change in the dimension of reality that we cannot see.
1.Parents don't give car keys to five-year-olds.
2.If you've been living in faithlessness for years, it may take years to see the results of your faithfulness.
Point 1: God knows what you are ready for and what you aren't ready to handle. Just as it would be irresponsible (if not illegal) for a parent to give car keys to a five-year-old, it would be equally irresponsible for God to put you in a scenario that you are not prepared to handle or give you something you are not yet ready for. This is why you must always prepare yourself for where you want to be. For example, if you are training for a marathon, you can't expect to win or cross the finish line by preparing only a week in advance. You must train well in advance to condition your body to meet the necessary demands even to cross the finish line.
Never force God to provide something or put you in places or circumstances for which you are not ready. For some, it's a lesson learned; for others, it's an unforgettable embarrassment. Practice ending your prayers with "according to Your will, Lord," so that God will always grant your desires when you are ready and prepared to receive them. Many have preceded God and assumed His role, trying to control their own lives. They may have obtained what they wanted, but it often leads them to say, "If only I knew," "Being married doesn't make sense," or "God gave me what I wanted, but I'm still unhappy." Trust God to act in His own timing. He possesses information you lack and can see far into the future. Remember, most of the time, you are not waiting on God. In fact, God is waiting on you to prepare yourself for your goals or life's assignments.
Point 2: If you have run your health into the ground by not getting enough rest, drinking enough water, eating healthy, or exercising, it can take years to maintain consistency in habits to repair your mind and body. It’s the same with living in unbelief. You may have started your walk with God before you were a teenager, but if you have spent years not believing God for specific things or for God to do His best in your life, you’ve run your faith into the ground. It can take years to repair, but if you prefer, it can take days.
When thoughts of disbelief and doubt enter your mind, be purposeful in reminding yourself that they are sent by the adversary. If you want to help the devil in destroying your life, go ahead and believe and allow those thoughts and past hurts to replay in your mind. But if you want to help God rebuild your faith, you can quote scriptures or simply say, “No, thank you. I’m believing God for ___." Go ahead and fill in the blank.
If someone came up to you and knocked you in the face, you would have some kind of response. You may not have a violent response, but you would speak up. Do the same when the adversary attacks your faith.
Tough Love
Go to God believing, or don't go to God at all
But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him. Hebrews 11:6 NKJV
Fight For Your Well-being
Believing in God for something great is not always easy. While it may come easily to some, it can feel like climbing Mount Everest for others. What's even more challenging is when God has designated what you're believing for as your life's assignment. It's at this critical juncture that all the devils come out to do their best and ensure you don't have a smooth journey in starting and finishing what God has entrusted to your care.
Take Action to fight for your Well-being
Fight The Good Fight Of Faith 1 Timothy 6:12
The best way to fight for your well-being is to have faith in God, no matter how grave the circumstances appear. If you saw a random stranger on the street getting attacked and you were in a position to help them, you would. If you can fight for others, you can fight for yourself.
You cannot afford not to have faith. Life is going to continue whether or not you do. You might as well choose to embrace life with high expectations of God's ability. When something doesn't work out as you'd hoped, the conclusion is always that God has something better than what you wanted. Look back over your life and think about anything you've had faith for that didn't work out. Didn't God always have something better?
God has a track record of accomplishing the impossible, and He has no plans of giving up on you or breaking His long-held record, so the naysayers can even remotely feel like they’ve won.
Have fun having faith! God will thoroughly reward you for it.
Prayer Appointment
What prayers has God answered this week? Did God meet or exceed your expectations?
Pray that God will remind you of times when you've asked for something, didn't receive what you expected, but instead received something better than what you expected.
Share Your Progress
Have you practiced, on purpose to expect the best that God has to offer?
How have you been able to handle your emotions and expectations when you believe that God has not answered your prayers?
Answered Prayers Journal
What prayers has God answered recently? Did God meet or exceed your expectations?
Forbes. (n.d.). What Is a Stop Loss? Meaning and Examples. Retrieved 7/15/2023, from Forbes Advisor
Scriptural Evidence
(from the New King James Version except where otherwise noted)
Genesis 4:9 Then the Lord said to Cain, “Where is Abel your brother?” He said, “I do not know. Am I my brother’s keeper?” And He said, “What have you done? The voice of your brother’s blood cries out to Me from the ground.
Psalm 34:18 The Lord is near to those who have a broken heart, And saves such as [a]have a contrite spirit.
Psalm 51:17 The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit, A broken and a contrite heart— These, O God, You will not despise.
Jeremiah 31:3 The Lord has appeared [a]of old to me, saying: “Yes, I have loved you with an everlasting love; Therefore with lovingkindness I have drawn you.
Isaiah 61:2-4 To proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord, And the day of vengeance of our God; To comfort all who mourn, 3 To [a]console those who mourn in Zion, To give them beauty for ashes, The oil of joy for mourning, The garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness; That they may be called trees of righteousness, The planting of the Lord, that He may be glorified.”
Matthew 5:3 Blessed are the poor in spirit: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
Matthew 17:20 KJV And Jesus said unto them, Because of your unbelief: for verily I say unto you, If ye have faith as a grain of mustard seed, ye shall say unto this mountain, Remove hence to yonder place; and it shall remove; and nothing shall be impossible unto you.
Hebrews 11:6 But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.
1 Timothy 6:12 Fight the good fight of faith, lay hold on eternal life, to which you were also called and have confessed the good confession in the presence of many witnesses.
James 2:18 CJB But someone will say that you have faith and I have actions. Show me this faith of yours without the actions, and I will show you my faith by my actions!
1 John 5:14 Now this is the confidence that we have in Him, that if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us.