All Along, He had the Answer (Part II)
No matter what we face, what we need, or what is going on, our God has the answer. As children of God, we approach His throne of grace as people washed in the blood of Jesus, clothed in the righteousness of God, and in confidence (faith) that He hears and answers us when we pray. We come to His throne in order to obtain His mercy and find grace (God’s unmerited favor and His ability) just when we need it (Heb. 4:15&16). All along our God has our answer, but will we receive it? …Or is our attitude, “Well, if the Lord wants to answer me, He will, and if he doesn’t, He won’t.” This is double mindedness. God is God, but our faith (our confidence in what God said He’d do, He will do) positions us to receive God’s promises. Too many of God’s children will approach Him in prayer, but they come in double mindedness. James 1:6-8 says, “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. For let not that man think that he shall receive any thing of the Lord. A double minded man is unstable in all his ways.”
God declares to us that we inherit His promises found in His Word, or spoken by Him to us, come by your faith and patience (Heb. 6:12). There is great reward from our God when we do not cast away our confidence; our faith (Heb. 10:35). Do we intentionally do that? Do we set out to say, “God I asked in prayer, but I am not sure that You would answer me?” This is not intentional, but often done in ignorance. So, what do I need to know? I need faith which comes by “hearing and hearing by the Word of God” (Rom. 10:17). A confidence in the Word aligns my thoughts to God’s thoughts (single mindedness). “For ye have need of patience (single mindedness), that, after ye have done the will of God, ye might (that you may be able to) receive the promises" (v.36). We continue to read in verses 38 and 39 that the just shall live by faith; but if we draw back (become double minded), God has no pleasure in us. If we draw back in doubt, we do so to ruin; not receiving the answers we desired. We must continue to believe even when all circumstances scream, “It’s not working for you. God doesn’t want you to have your answer. It’s not God’s will. …” Something is tempting you to become double minded. Who is that “something”? His name is satan/diabolis. Diabolis has the meaning of one who bounces against, like a ball that bounces over and over. He attempts to roar thoughts of doubt over and over against you with an attempt to cause double mindedness.
Remember, faith comes by “hearing and hearing by the Word of God.” Satan knows that fear/doubt comes by hearing and hearing by his words or his thoughts; words contrary to God’s Words or God’s Thoughts. First Peter 5:8&9 says that our “adversary the devil as a roaring lion walketh about seeking whom he may devour: Whom resist stedfast in the faith.” We must not waver from being single minded. I will, therefore, cast down satan’s thoughts (fear, doubt, and unbelief) and speak the Word of God out loud (2 Cor. 10:4&5), in order to continue in faith, that all along my God has the answer. Amen! (cont.)