Dare To Believe

        Mark 9 records the story of a man who brought his son to the disciples to be delivered. They were unable to help the man, and a crowd gathers. When Jesus shows up, He says, "Bring him to Me." The man brings his son, and asks, "If You can do anything, have compassion on us and help us" (Mark 9:22).
Look at Jesus' reply: "If you can! All things are possible for one who believes."
How many times have we prayed this way, "Lord, if you can do anything." We might have even used more faith-filled words, but deep down in our hearts was that little seed of doubt – "if." We're often like the father with his son. He'd already tried out the disciples and nothing happened. As if to punctuate his fear, the spirit threw the boy on the ground in a fit right as Jesus showed up on the scene. The father didn't realize that this demonstration was the demon's last stand when it saw just Who had come. In the same manner, we look at our circumstances, wonder if our prayers are working when it seems that things are getting worse instead of better and wonder "if."
Jesus' answer makes that "if" sound almost comical – "If I can do anything?" The Creator of the Universe stood before His creation. He is the One of whom Jeremiah exclaimed, "Ah Lord GOD! Behold, You have made the heavens and the earth by Your great power and by Your outstretched arm! Nothing is too difficult for You" (Jeremiah 32:17).

Your focus will determine what you believe. "When everything was hopeless, Abraham believed anyway, deciding to live not on the basis of what he saw he couldn't do, but on what God said He would do." God is not slow in keeping His promises, but the enemy will try to attack you in the interim as you wait. Don't get focused on the negative. Don't let fear overwhelm you. Even Jesus was tested by satan with the question, "If...", but Jesus did not focus on Himself, He focused on what God said about Himself. Like Jesus, we have a defense to guard our hearts and our minds and stand firm in faith – the true Word of God's promises.
Standing on His Promises

Armin Gesswein wrote, "Promises predict the answers to prayer. They are the molds into which we pour our prayers. They foretell what to expect... This makes Christian praying different! How? In a very real sense we pray from the answer... This is the way of the Lord, the way of faith. He promises – we believe."

Caleb had one promise, and he lived on that promise for forty years until he possessed it, "Give me my mountain!" The strength of that word sustained him through the wilderness and gave strength to his aging body when he had to face giants to lay claim to his promised inheritance. It was never an "if" but "when" for him.

All God's promises are "Yes and Amen" in Jesus. He is the First and the Last. Everything begins and ends with Jesus. You have more than 8,000 promises that have been delivered to you in the exchange at Calvary.

The more you get in tune with His Word, meditate on Scripture, beholding Jesus, the Lamb of God, the more you will become congruent with the One who can and is faithful to fulfill all His promises. As you do so, you will have less and less room to consider "if." As you step out of your possibility, the level of your prayer will immediately go to a higher level because you are now believing for things that only God can do.

Our journey is a journey like our father Abraham's. At each step of the way as we move forward in response to God's promise, we discover the faithfulness of God as He meets us there. At each crossroad we blaze a trail that not only becomes part of our testimony of faith, but opens the way for our children, our loved ones and others to partake of the blessings there. This living testimony is filled with the anointing and power of God to "do it again."
Yes, He Can
Abraham was first named "father" and then became a father because he dared to trust God to do what only God could do: raise the dead to life, with a word make something out of nothing. When everything was hopeless, Abraham believed anyway, deciding to live not on the basis of what he saw he couldn't do but on what God said he would do. Romans 4:17-18, The Message
Abraham became a father because he had child-like faith in His Father. He understood that when God makes a promise, He is as good as His word. When He gives a promise, He will make it happen. Abraham held onto those promises and used them as the road map for his journey and the mold for his every prayer. His faithfulness to believe God's promise became the vehicle through which we all have become heirs through Christ.

Abraham is the model for our faith. He believed God for the impossible! What promises are you hanging on to today? What dreams seem to linger in the world of impossibilities? What miracle do you need for your breakthrough today? If you have started to waver because the natural circumstances aren't measuring up, the Lord is saying to you today, "Bring them to Me."

      God wants to come in this hour and show Himself strong on your behalf. He wants to demonstrate His glory and faithfulness through you. Are you ready? Then dare to believe!!