Focus: I Believe! (Pt.2)

Text: Jh.4:50

"Jesus saith unto him, Go thy way; thy son liveth. And the man believed the word that Jesus had spoken unto him, and he went his way."

For John, faith is about conviction, and the action that stems from it. It is first a verb before it is a noun. The doing part of faith is extremely vital. Authentic believing results in doing what God requires and living according to His dictates. 

Abraham did not only believe in God; he also did the biddings of God. He believed, obeyed, and stepped out - away from the familiar place to a new frontier. 

Faith never bows at the altar of convenience and comfortability. Faith dreams and dares. It is action-oriented.

Abraham's faith did not begin and end at believing; it issued forth in a life of perpetual obedience to God. There are several words in Hebrew for faith, but the basic one is 'âman.' It is a verbal root. Our word 'amen' is derived from it. It is variously translated in the King James Bible as 'verified, nursing father, nurse, nursing fathers, faithful, long continuance, assurance, trusted, trusty, sure, surely, established, brought up, bringers up, steadfast, stand fast,' and so on. It is a word that refers to something so solid and stable that something else can conveniently and comfortably rest on it. 

By our faith we are connected to God who has the character and capacity to conveniently carry us. We can rely, lean, or rest on His weight. Like a nursing father or mother, God can nurse, nurture and mature us. He sustains those who rely and rest on Him by His infinite strength.

Now look at our text. The noble man believed Christ and went his way. He took Christ by His word and went about his business, trusting that his boy would be made whole just as Christ had said to him. After the business of the day, the noble man went home and discovered that his son had fully recovered. He then made inquiry as to what time his son was healed, and they told him. Then John states, "So the father knew that it was at the same hour, in the which Jesus said unto him, Thy son liveth: and himself believed, and his whole house" (Jh.4:53). 

True faith rests on the word of God. Real faith never frets; it rests on the word of the Lord.

Believe God and go your way, and be rest assured that God is capable of bringing His word to pass. I declare on the veracity and authority of God's word that your 'son' lives.

John writes, "(But this spake he of the Spirit, which they that believe on him should receive…" (Jh.7:39). Those who believe on Christ receive the Spirit of God. You cannot believe and not receive.

The blind man, who was miraculously cured by Christ, said, "Lord, I believe. And he worshipped him" (Jh.9:39). He believed and worshipped. Believing and receiving. Believing and worshipping.

Jesus says to Martha, "Said I not unto thee, that, if thou wouldest believe, thou shouldest see the glory of God?" (Jh.11:40). Martha believed and saw. That is believing and seeing. Those who believe, see.

The Jews asked Jesus Christ, "What shall we do, that we might work the works of God?" (Jh.6:28). Jesus responds, "This is the work of God, that ye believe on him whom he hath sent" (Jh.6:29). 

Believing in Christ is the same thing as doing the works of God. Believing and doing belong together. You cannot divorce one from the other.

John writes, "For whatsoever is born of God overcometh the world: and this is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith" (1Jh.5:4). Faith has its battles, and it overcomes. Faith is armed to win. Faith fights to conquer. Faith is victory going into the battlefields of life, and it never loses the victory. Faith is victory, not defeat. Faith is born of God. Faith is a divine force.

FAITH:

*Forms our character and culture

*Aligns us with God's word, work, will, and ways

*Informs our beliefs and behavior

*Transforms our vision, values, hearts and minds

*Humbles and hallows us

Let us have a firm "belief of the truth" (2Thes.2:13). Don't stop at the starting point of belief! Believe and do! Believe and obey! Dream and dare! Live out your faith! Behave your belief! I believe!

by Bishop Moses E. Peter