So, if one were to examine themselves appropriately and found that they were not a true believer, but rather was operating from this 'mental assent', how would this person go about acquiring saving faith?
True believe is shown by what lives in the heart for real. Faith in God's love we need to exercise before it will produce fruit.
A living faith happens when you know how much you need to be saved and then call upon the Lord Jesus to be saved, and then to trust that you are because He keeps His word.
Intellectual faith is always a danger to us so we need to loose all we knew to gain what we didn't know. The New Jerusalem coming down from Heaven happens in all those lives where Christ renews their minds with the truth of His love.
So if you sincerely want to know God, then trust His word to be true and begin to call upon His name. Bring Him all your loveless coldness and uncaringness with regards to Him, and let Him change your mind.
For me the turning point was praying psalm 51 with all of my heart and understanding that if God could forgive David his sins He would forgive me my sins if i pleaded on the blood of Christ. Since then i have learned to read the word with my heart and see what lives inside of me because of it. Unbelievable what a uproar did the word of God cause in my heart when He was revealed to me.
Oh the things that have changed in my heart since that day i prayed with all my heart. i'm in love with Him, He is my Refuge and my King, and my best Friend, and my Lord and God, all at the same time. He lives in my heart as the Living Word and nothing can beat His love. No wonder for He is the the truth of love Himself.
And the changes from a religious person to a person with faith in His love is incredible for serving God is on the foreground in my life. Every day love for Him grows deeper and stronger, every day He teaches me. He has so much to share with us. His Word never returns empty to me but always achieves what He send it for.
i want to encourage you to seek Him out today. Confess your sins and shortcomings to Him and ask Him to change you. Make it a habit to always consult the word about every decision you make and trust Him to be true and faithful as He says He is.
Faith grows by using it. The more you exercise faith in His love the more you will love Him and neighbour, that is how you know He grows in you when His love and His truth grows in your heart and He begins to serve you as you serve Him. He is the Best Servant of us all.
Peace
This is what happened to me in my religious self when the word was revealed within me as being Alive.
Zion Descending
At first I heard Dad say,
"Son let us make tracks,
its near getting dark now,
the chosen are all asleep,
now would be best,
as darkness reigns its peak,
for arrogance has him blinded,
to what is really going on."
I saw the sunlight darkened,
the moon turn to blood,
and the stars falling from Heaven.
I felt everything shaking in its boots.
I heard about wars and rumours of wars.
I experienced famine and drought,
grand scale living in wantonness,
rulers making a living out of sin,
Satan's forces installed everywhere,
loveless forces ruling untruthfully.
I heard my inner world crying out in her dying pain,
"What is going on?
The Father is leaving us without the Son,
this can only evil mean."
I heard the angels blow the trumpets!
"Woe to the inhabitants of this soul!"
I heard the agonising cries,
coming from underneath the altar,
the dead in God's love, longingly,
awaiting newness of life!
"Yes, oh Lord, pour out their blood as they did ours!"
I heard the thunders rolling throughout my being,
"Let evil brood fear The Truth of God almighty!
Let judgement begin in The House of God!"
I knew judgement had already began,
when I beheld those massive hails stones,
tumbling down on the heads of the wicked.
I watched my enemies flee in terror!
Scorpion stings burning wrong,
horse hooves kicking up dirt,
truthfulness uncovering shame,
honesty baring nakedness,
the dung of the earth warring,
lies sores causing agony,
pestilence threatening,
as grasshoppers devoured,
my enemies food and good life!
It was fascinating to see,
how weak those are...,
.....so strong in lies!
Yes, honest!
Loving truth is like that!
The freedom to be,
true to yourself,
both in good and bad,
in His love to be.
Oh the release of faith!
Heart rendering awe!
Shouts of glorious praise!
Jumping joy - pure ecstasy!
Glorying in God almighty,
my life's tormentors died,
perishing one after the other.
Seeing Jesus on His white horse,
a blazing sword coming out of His mouth,
His all conquering loving truth
my inner world of being to reap.
Casting dead what is so good to have gone,
raising alive that which I had lost,
bringing new life at each dawn,
His kingdom ruling my world of being,
His presence bringing rest and peace.
Time and again He comes past like this,
(terrorising the wicked agonising their mates demise,)
as all His wheels turn into place.
The Word alive in heavenly love.
Costly gifts descending from above.
beholding the temple of the most high,
the truth of His love Himself my Zion.
