Daily Journal: 20 August

Believing and Abiding

The outcome of a situation is always determined by whose spiritual power you believe and are functioning in. It's called "abiding". Where you abide is where you encounter the outcome of your experiences.

What you believe in will produce its own outcome.

2 Corinthians 4:4

Satan, who is the god of this world, has blinded the minds of those who don’t believe. They are unable to see the glorious light of the Good News. They don’t understand this message about the glory of Christ, who is the exact likeness of God.

In Mark 5:35-43 is the story of Jairus, a synagogue leader whose daughter died and Jesus brought back to life. He told Jairus, “don’t be afraid. Just believe.” Jesus was the Word in human form and He had the power to speak life to death itself. When He was about to heal that young girl, Jesus only took those who believed into the house with Him. He put everyone else outside. Who would have thought their natural unbelief could have affected the spiritual environment for Him to perform that miracle?

Except, it wasn't their unbelief in a miracle itself, so much as it was their unbelief in the miracle maker.

If we are to function effectively and beautifully in both natural and spiritual environments, we need to acknowledge who the environment we are functioning in belongs to.

The bible says even demons are subject to the Name of Jesus (Luke 10:17). He has the keys to life and death (Revelation 1:18). There is no greater name than the name of Jesus (Philippians 2:9), and He who is in us is greater than He who is in the world (1 John 4:4). That includes us. He has given His believers authority over the enemy (Matthew 10:1; Luke 10:19). At the time of creation God gave man the right to rule over every living thing in the natural environment (Genesis 1:26-28). Through Jesus Christ we rule in the spiritual environment (John 14:12).

We need to recognise the substance of whom we're made. Our heritage is not man-made, or evolution, it's divine.

Colossians 2:8 (ESV)

See to it that no one takes you captive by philosophy and empty deceit, according to human tradition, according to the elemental spirits of the world, and not according to Christ.

Prayer and declaration based on the Word of God brings life. Never death.

Take courage in your life circumstances. Understand as we believe in the power of Jesus Christ that we are equipped to overcome. Believing and abiding in Him brings life into every situation.

It's who we believe in that matters.