If It’s Not Faith, It Is Sin (Part II)

I have often asked individuals, “Do you have assurance in your heart that if you died today that you would go to Heaven?” Sometimes, they respond, “I hope so.” Well, “hoping so” is not enough. We must know so. We must be confident. We have to know in our “knower.” Please read the following verses slowly and think carefully about what it is saying to us: “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]” (Heb. 11:1). We receive hope from the Scripture. We see what God desires for us, but we must receive His promises as fact for us without seeing, hearing, or feeling it.

Jesus spoke to His disciples in Mark 4:35, “…Let us pass over unto the other side.” With that command from the Lord, all was available for them to fulfill what He asked. Oftentimes, the Lord will lead us to do something. It will always be Biblically based. He may call you into a particular ministry; to give money, things, and/or time to another ministry, group, or individual; to go and pray for someone-- Whatever God calls us to do, He will equip us. “Faithful is he that calleth you, who also will do it” (1 Thes. 5:24). We must by faith, step into the direction of our call, knowing that God will “do” it. He will give the wisdom, knowledge, the finances, the strength, etc. to “do” it.

The disciples believed the Words of Jesus enough to get into the ship and begin their voyage. …But what happened? Satan came immediately to steal the Word from their hearts (Mk. 4:15). A severe storm came causing the waves to fill the ship. The disciples were filled with fear and ran to Jesus, Who was asleep in the back of the ship. “Master, carest thou not that we perish?” Notice how they blamed Jesus for their dilemma. They obeyed His call to pass over the sea to the other side. Why would the Lord ask them to do something when their lives were now in jeopardy? Just because we obey God’s call, man should not think it strange that demons attempt to stop us.

Jesus arose from His sleep and “rebuked the wind and said unto the sea, ‘Peace, be still.’ And the wind ceased, and there was a great calm” (v.39). Jesus spoke in faith (a confidence) to the wind and sea, and they had to obey Him. The Lord had a mission; a call from the Father to go to the other side, and nothing was going to stop Him. Jesus looked at his disciples and asked, “Why are ye so fearful? How is it that ye have no faith?” (v. 40). Based on the Words of Jesus, we could say that being full of fear equals no faith. We have already established from Scripture that “whatsoever is not of faith is sin” (Rom. 14:23). So, what is Jesus saying to His disciples? If I call you, you can do it as you place your trust in Me. Nothing should be allowed to stop you; so you rebuke the enemy in My name and he will flee.

Do you ever have fear to flood your heart? Yes, we all have. So what do we do? I believe sharing with you a short testimony will help you to know what to do. We knew before Micah (my grandson) was born that he had three heart defects. His mother, Chaunta, was anointed with oil and prayed for. We believed God for Micah’s life. I wrote down healing Scriptures, we fasted, and we resisted satan’s attacks against Micah. Micah was born and soon rushed via ambulance to Vanderbilt Hospital. Surgery was performed on his heart. We found out that he died on his way back to his room, following surgery. The physician quickly opened his chest again and initiated CPR until he was breathing again. He was placed on an ECMO machine (acts as a heart and lungs). His little body began to swell. I felt fear flood me like a tidal wave. I literally felt that I would pass out. I told the spirit of fear to go in Jesus’ name (1 Tim. 1:7). I came against the spirit of death that was attempting to destroy Micah. I kept reading the healing Scriptures out loud. If it had not been for the Word of God, the anchor of our soul, I may have not had the faith that I needed. I saw my family’s faces flushed with fear. All we could do was read the Word. To make a long story short regarding all the periods of touch and go with Micah, his recovery, and other surgeries, he is very much alive today and doing well. Praise Jesus! We must war against fear at all cost. Fear enables satan to steal, kill, and destroy. Faith in God’s Word and declaring it combats the enemy’s strategies and deceits. Amen! (To be continued.)