"Do you believe?"

[Brad Fox]

In the book of Matthew, the story is told about two blind men who pursue Jesus in order to be healed.  They cry out "“Have mercy on us, Son of David!”

 ²⁸ When he had gone indoors, the blind men came to him, and he asked them, “Do you believe that I am able to do this?”

   “Yes, Lord,” they replied.

 ²⁹ Then he touched their eyes and said, “According to your faith let it be done to you”; ³⁰ and their sight was restored.

 

One of the earliest books that changed the faith culture of my church was Experiencing God, written by Henry Blackaby and Claude King.  In the introductory chapter of the book, they write about Henry's church having to make a financial commitment to begin a missions program that was audacious in scope and especially in scale.  Basically, his congregation felt God calling upon them to make a commitment to evangelize and plant churches throughout the Northwest.  As Blackaby recalls, there was no way the church could succeed on its own.  The program they envisioned could only be successful if God intervened. 

 

Later in the book, they write about the "Crisis of Belief."

 

Summarizing, they write:  "When God invites to to join Him in His work, He has a God-sized assignment for you.  You will realize that you cannot do it on your own.  If God doesn't help you, you will fail.  This is the crisis point where many decide not to follow what they sense God is leading them to do.  Then they wonder why they do not experience God's presence and activity the way other Christians do." 

 

Continuing:  "The crisis of belief is a turning point when you must make a decision.  You must decide what you beieve about God.  How you respond at this turning point will determine whether you go on to be involved with God in something God-sized that only He can do, or whether you will continue to go your own way and miss what God has purposed for your life.

 

This is not a one-time experience.  It is a daily experience.  How you live your life is a testimony of what you believe about God."

 

In my view, the blind men experienced this crisis of belief.  They had no doubt heard about the renowned healing powers that Jesus had; His fame was spreading like wildfire throughout the country!  "He taught as one who had authority (not like other human teachers)"  Matt. 7:29.  So when their moment with the Messiah arrived, they had to make a fateful decision about whether they believed He could heal them.  It is worth noting that Jesus never expressed doubt about His ability to heal.  He was tapped in to the supernatural power of God, His father.  And so He was able to say to them, you will be healed according to your faith.

 

What crises of belief do you have?  What daily or long-term things do you perceive that God is asking you to do that are absolutely beyond your ability to accomplish?  

 

Assuming God brings you through a crisis of belief, how would this affect the way you live your life?

 

"It's not that Christianity has been tried and found lacking; it's that it's been found difficult, and largely left untried."  G.K. Chesterton

 

"God did not direct His call to Isaiah— Isaiah overheard God saying, ". . . who will go for Us?" The call of God is not just for a select few but for everyone. Whether I hear God’s call or not depends on the condition of my ears, and exactly what I hear depends upon my spiritual attitude."   Oswald Chambers