God gets disappointed when we diminish in faith or lack faith as his children for Hebrews 11: 6 says without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him. Some of us have weakened in faith or do not have faith in the same Lord Jesus whom we allege that we worship and adore. How then do we break our faith in God?
When we turn away from God
We turn away from God when we submit to a contrary spirit. Galatians 5: 16-17 say, so I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh. For the flesh desires what is contrary to the Spirit, and the Spirit what is contrary to the flesh. They are in conflict with each other, so that you are not to do whatever you want. Anything which is in conflict with God’s will constitute rebellion against God. Nothing should take dominance over God’s will or place in our lives. God demands our time and our priorities. 2Kings 17: 35 says, “Do not worship any other gods or bow down to them, serve them or sacrifice to them.
When we do what God detests
We must always seek God’s will. Romans 6: 12 says, do not let sin reign in your mortal body so that you obey its evil desires. We must always have the mind of Christ. Romans 13: 14 says, rather, clothe yourselves with the Lord Jesus Christ, and do not think about how to gratify the desires of the flesh. We read from 2Timothy 2: 22, flee from the evil desires of youth and pursue righteousness, faith, love and peace, along with those who call on the Lord out of a pure heart. Peter also said in 1Peter 2: 11, dear friends, I urge you, as foreigners and exiles, to abstain from sinful desires, which wage war against your soul.
When we doubt or belief God
We must always believe what God says. John 17: 17 says, sanctify them by the truth; your word is truth. The word of God is the truth because God himself is the word for John 1: 1 says, in the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. Jesus said in John 14: 6, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. God does not lie for Numbers 23: 19 says God is not human, that he should lie, not a human being, that he should change his mind. Does he speak, and then not act? Does he promise and not fulfill? Doubting his words makes him a liar. John 6: 63 says the words I have spoken to you will condemn them at the last day.
When we fail to show love
Jesus said in John 13: 34, “A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. Love must be pure from the heart for 1Peter 1: 22 says love one another deeply, from the heart. Love must never end for Paul wrote in Romans 13: 8, let no debt remain outstanding except the continuing debt to love one another, for whoever loves others has fulfilled the law. Jesus said in Matthew 22: 37-39, that love is the greatest of the commandments (paraphrased). Paul said the same in 1 Corinthians 13: 13. In 1John 4: 7, love comes from God. In 1John 4: 12 we show love for God if we love one another. In 1Timothy 5: 8 we are liars if you don’t provide for our relatives or our household.
How do we build our faith in God?
We build faith by asking the Lord Jesus Christ. Luke 17: 5 says, the apostles said to the Lord, “Increase our faith!” We must also exercise the little faith we have. James 2: 26 says, as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without deeds is dead. We can build our faith through prayer. Jesus said to Peter in Luke 22: 32, I have prayed for you, Simon, that your faith may not fail. And when you have turned back, strengthen your brothers.” We can strengthen one another in faith through prayer. 2Thessalonians 3: 2 says, pray that we may be delivered from wicked and evil people, for not everyone has faith.
We must depend on God for our faith for 1Corinthians 2: 5 says your faith must not rest on human wisdom, but on God’s power. We must also encourage one another. 1 Thessalonians 3: 2 says, we sent Timothy, who is our brother and co-worker in God’s service in spreading the gospel of Christ, to strengthen and encourage you in your faith. We must believe what God says as final. 2Corinthians 5: 7 says, for we live by faith and not by sight. Paul said in Acts 27: 25, keep up your courage, men, for I have faith in God that it will happen just as he told me.
We must study God’s word. Romans 10: 17 says faith comes from hearing the message, and the message is heard through the word about Christ. We must hold firm to our affirmation. Hebrews 4: 14 says, let us hold firmly to the faith we profess. Only Christ Jesus perfects faith in God so we need Jesus in order to perfect our faith in God. Hebrews 12: 2 says, fix your eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. Faith does not operate in isolation but with righteousness and goodness. 2Peter 1: 5 says, make every effort to add to your faith goodness, and to goodness, knowledge. Is your faith sound in Christ Jesus?
Prayer
Dear Lord Jesus Christ, help us to know you more so our faith will be sound in you. We pray in your holy name, Amen!!
Send us your prayer request so we may join you in prayer
