To many Christians, God is seen as a secretive puppet master who pulls their strings—loving and providing one moment and depriving them the next. The Christian life is seen as something you have to endure, hang on, and, hopefully, make it to the end. The promises of the Bible are often met with comments such as: “Not in this life,” “I tried that and it didn’t work,” or, “I don’t know why God won’t do that for me.”
Does this life sound like the abundant life that Jesus came to give us? (John 10:10). Does this sound like a loving God who is the same, yesterday, today, and forever (Hebrews 13:8)?
Sin once separated us from God and all His blessings. But Jesus has restored us to the Father. In restoring our right standing with God, Jesus has restored all of the blessings of God that sin stole from us. Everything God has promised us in His Word has been provided through the finished work of Jesus. The provision is there. We receive what Jesus has restored to us through faith.
Jesus lavished the love of God on you. God loves you and favors you with all He created to be yours. It is your Father’s desire for you to receive the promises that are yours in Christ. Don’t doubt God’s love because you haven’t experienced His promises. Doubt keeps you from receiving from God (James 1:6-8). What you experience in this life often does not agree with what God’s Word says is true. But no matter what you experience, His Word is still true. His promises are still waiting to be received through faith.
When you live by your experiences, you are not living by the Word. When you agree in your heart with the Word—when you truly believe His Word, God’s power impacts your life. His Truth brings life to your mortal body (Romans 8:11). His power works in and through you to accomplish exceedingly and abundantly the truths of your new life in Christ (2 Corinthians 5:17, Ephesians 3:20). It is not your work to make yourself believe. It is His work of faith in your surrendered heart. By His grace through faith, you receive and experience the Truth of God’s Word.
“He (Abraham) did not waver at the promise of God through unbelief, but was strengthened in faith, giving glory to God, and being fully convinced that what He had promised He was also able to perform” (Romans 3:20-21).
For many years I allowed what I experienced to define my life instead of allowing God’s Word to define who I was in Christ. I didn’t realize that doubting God was unbelief. If Abraham, the Father of our Faith, was strengthened in faith and fully convinced God would bless Him with what God had promised him, then how much more can we, who are God’s heirs in Christ, be strengthened in faith and fully convinced God will bless us with what He has promised us.
Over the years, I saw growth in many areas of my Christian life, but in other areas, I was hindered. I was not receiving what the Word said was true. I felt like God was holding back His blessings in my life. I doubted that I was worthy enough to receive His love. Fear directed my life. One day the Holy Spirit revealed that the problem wasn’t with God. The problem was with me. There was nothing more to be done that Jesus had not already done. The problem was that I had not believed in my heart the perfect love God had for me. I simply did not believe that God could love me that much or that He could ever be that good to me.
I finally chose to rid myself of all my negative thoughts of unworthiness, guilt, and doubt. I began to believe in the promise of all God's blessings that I had thought I didn’t have a right to expect. I finally realized that the blessings of God were never about my rights. I had no right to receive God's blessings. Jesus had the right, and He had favored me with His right. His blessings were mine just because of His amazing love for me. If I could believe the Word, I could receive.
When it says that all of His promises are “yes and amen,” (2 Corinthians 1:20), it means just that. His “yes” isn’t the problem. It is our “amen” that is the problem. We often subconsciously change it to “yes and maybe,” “yes and hopefully”, or “yes but probably not.” Unbelief is destroying more of God’s blessings than we can imagine.
What desire do you carry in your heart? What would bless you? What would you love to do for someone else if you could? What would bring you joy? God is for you. He is always, “yes and amen.” Your blessings are not about you. God receives the glory when you are blessed. Don’t feel guilty and doubt God’s blessings in your life. Don’t feel unworthy to receive what Jesus loved you enough to restore to you. Jesus made you worthy. Don’t let unbelief rule in your heart.
In Luke 12:12-34, Jesus speaks of God’s purpose to take care of you.
“But seek the kingdom of God, and all these things shall be added to you. Do not fear, little flock, for it is your Father’s good pleasure to give you the kingdom” (Luke 12:32).
God created everything you would ever need in life before He ever created you. You don’t have to doubt. You don’t have to fear. It is God’s good pleasure to give you the kingdom. It is not just His pleasure. It is His GOOD pleasure. Seek the kingdom of God. Sow His Word in your heart. Protect it from the enemy and all the voices which are not His. Don’t allow the cares of your life to keep you from trusting His provision. Believe His Word in your heart. Ask in faith. The way you receive God’s blessings is by faith. And faith comes by hearing the Word in your heart (Romans 10:17).
“Until now you have asked nothing in My name,” Jesus said. “Ask, and you will receive, that your joy may be full. (John 16:24).
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