razzelflabben said:
For those who are saying Yes only are interpreting what the will of God is. I choose to allow the Lord Jesus Christ to interpret His perfect will in my life.
So we finally come to the question: When does one start to believe? And what is it that is finally believed? Nothing! Sitting back and saying "God, whatever your will is for my life... go ahead and do it"
This most certainly is not faith. It is the same thing any unbeliever could do. In this a person is not doing anything but resigning to the inevitable. Whatever happens is simply accepted as from God and let go. I know this is the sad faced depressing gospel that is spued out at many fluff-headed churches today... but it is certainly not what Jesus Peter and Paul taught.
For me to interpret His will takes NO faith.
Heb. 11 tells us that "Faith is the substance of things hoped for and the evidence of things not seen..."
Faith comes by hearing and hearing by the WORD of Christ. It does not come by sitting back and just accepting everything that happens as the will of God and then calling that "faith". This is a pseudo faith that never receives anything from God, and most certainly does not please God. To please God one must believe that He is
and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him. It is nothing more than religious dogma that glorifies man for his "ability" to suffer in silence and pretend he is being spiritual while doing it.
First off we see the word substance, tangable, something of substance.
Secondly, we see hope. I can not hope for anything if I have all I could possibly want. If I am born (again) with a silver spoon in my mouth, then I have nothing to hope for and according to Heb., Faith is substance, the tangible of what I do not have, Hope for.
So a whole life is spent hoping for everything getting nothing and calling that faith? And we were born again with a "silver spoon" that was purchased by the blood and body of Jesus our savior. Believing what He did and accepting it as finished is faith. Wondering if it is really for you is not.
Thirdly, the evidence of things not seen. I can see health, and wealth, and all kinds of other things, but what I cannot see is the resurection. That is what I must believe in, have Faith in, that the Lord Jesus Christ is God, perfect in every way, caring what happens to every part of my life. It does not mean that He will give me everything that I want, but rather that whether or not I have these things, I still have faith that God is in control of my Life. That what is in my life is His will.
Of course we believe in these things. Nobody every denied this. But at the same time He never said we had to choose. He never said that we could have salvation or healing.... but not both. He never said being so poor that we could not feed our children somehow makes us spiritual and better Christians. It is His will for us to have all these things... seek His righteousness first, and they will be added to us. There is nothing spiritual about being sick, hungry, or dirt poor.
Faith means that God's will dictates my life, not my life dictating God's will.
If this is not the reference you are making, then please let us know what the reference is.
We have consistently and thoroughly pointed out again and again that we determine the will of God by His word... not by feelings, wants, or desires. We are certainly not guessing it. We believe we have these things because of His word. It is not dictating to God to take Him at His word. It is obedience.
God will answer yes to everything that is in His will, the interpretation comes when we try to guess what His will is. The point I have been trying to make is that God is the author and finisher of everything, including what His will is.
And what we are saying is that His will is not a guessing matter. It is spelled out exactly and specifically in His word.
When He said to call on the name of the Lord and you would be saved, did you sit back and say:
"gee, I wonder if He is talking about me.... well if he is then He will save me, if He was not, then He won't"
Do you think that this kind of "faith" would save anyone? No it would not. And it will not get people healed, prayers answered, or demons cast out either. At some point, we have to begin to stand on the word and stop all the wondering and guessing about all this. At some point we are going to have to take a stand on His word and cast all the religion aside.
When I believe, Phil. 4:19, "and my God will supply all your needs according to His glorious riches in Christ Jesus",
I do not have to question or dictate to myself, God or anyone else what my needs are because the Lord Jesus Christ already has that under control, in His will.
Needs are simple and basic. We are not talking about a private jet here. We are talking about basic needs. Bills paid, a vehicle to get us to work, food for the kids, clothing, clean decent shelter.
Therefore, whatever the circumstances I am living in, Faith says that it is God's will.
That is probably the most dangerous stance to take. The devil can throw anything he wants at us and we just accept it. Where is there room in this stance for doubt, for error, for missing it, for human failure. We are just assuming that everything we have is from God and we call that "faith". That is not faith... it is resignation and assumption. We are not standing on His Word when we do this. We have to have something to stand on. If we believe in this "general, nothing-in-particular gospel" then that is exactly what we are going to get, generally nothing in particular.
So I guess the question is, how much Faith do you have, it doesn't take much faith to believe for things that you can see. It does require a great deal of faith to believe in what you cannot see.
Phil 4:12:13 NIV I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well feed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. I can do everything through Him who gives me strength.
Paul speaks these words from a point of faith, not lack of faith.
But Paul had needs met, healed hundreds if not thousands, performed miracles, and wrote half the NT. He did not sit around and just accept everything that came as from God. When do we fight the good fight of faith? What we see being described is not good or even a fight.. it is just a wholesale resignation to the inevitable. The same thing that any unbeliever would get who knows nothing about God and faith at all.
