Hebrews 11:6 Amplified Bible
6 But without faith it is impossible to [walk with God and] please Him, for whoever comes [near] to God must [necessarily] believe that God exists and that He rewards those who [earnestly and diligently] seek Him.
Faith unlocks all that we have in our relationship with God. We cannot be restored into right relationship with God without faith in Jesus Christ. During Jesus' earthly ministry when He returned to His hometown of Nazareth, He was not able to do many miracles because of the lack of faith that existed in the hearts of the people (Matt 13:58). Faith unlocks the power of God in the earth and without faith it is impossible to please God.
This should give us great comfort. Our ability to please God is not based on our performance or our ability to perfectly keep the law and commands of God. It doesn’t mean we are not called to walk in obedience because Jesus said those who love Him will obey His commands. God’s word is not a suggestion, it is given to us by God to dictate the very course of our lives. But it is faith alone that pleases the Lord.
Our faith in Jesus Christ unlocks our ability to walk with God. Before we come to know Christ our lives are broken and mired by sin. But coming to Jesus our lives are changed forever. By walking with Him daily we are supernaturally changed by the power of the Holy Spirit. Christianity is not a journey of checking off things on a list or completing the demands of God, it is a living relationship with the one who loved us so much He gave His life for us.
When we draw near to God we must believe that He exists. He rewards those who diligently and earnestly seek Him. This means that we seek Him on a daily basis. We seek Him with all our heart. It means that Jesus has become the center and priority of our lives. Our lives no longer belong to us, they belong to Him alone. When we begin to surrender all of our lives unto Jesus is when we see the supernatural power and hand of God work in our lives to bring restoration and wholeness.
Many times people want God to move into areas of their lives and bring healing without surrendering to Him. God wants to restore and heal, but what He desires more is an intimate relationship with us. Many times God will wait for us to surrender to Him. For His word says that if we draw near to Him, He will draw near to us (James 4:8). It requires that we draw near to God first and surrender before the Lord will begin to move in our lives.
Today my encouragement to you is to believe and surrender. Without faith it is impossible to please God, but Jesus says all we need is faith the size of a mustard seed. Come to Him believing today and be willing to surrender. May our desire be that our hearts and minds align with His will and purposes for us. He loves us with an everlasting love and whatever we are facing today is by His design to produce within us His character and nature.
Prayer
Father I come today and ask you to help me in my unbelief. Help me to truly believe what your word says and to remove all unbelief and doubt from my heart. May my life truly be surrendered to you and may I truly seek you with all my heart. Father help me in the areas I fall short and forgive me for failing to surrender fully to you. May everything in my life be used to bring honor and glory to you. May I experience and come to know the abundant life you have for me. In the mighty name of Jesus, Amen!
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