What are you believing for?

Years ago, someone asked me, “How are you doing?” My answer and their subsequent response changed my life forever. I said, “Oh, I’m hanging on.” Their response was, “Don’t just hang on. Stand on the promises of God!” I suddenly realized that my faith wasn’t secure in any foundation. I didn’t know specifically what I was believing God for.

Hebrews 11:6 says, “But without faith it is impossible to please Him.” Faith must be strongly founded on something to work. That foundation is our belief, trust and hope in God’s promises for our lives. God’s promises (His word made real to us) are always “yes and so be it (2 Cor. 1:20).” God’s promises don’t work just sometimes, or if you do everything perfect and right in His eyes. They shout “Yes and amen!” all of the time because His love is unconditional. No strings attached.

I find that even most Christians are skeptical about God loving them unconditionally. Why? Because it’s spiritually discerned, not naturally. They doubt His promises to them because they lack the solid foundation of belief necessary for their faith to work.

He doesn’t do anything outside of your faith. And your faith is not operating if you don’t believe God for a specific promise that He revealed to you in His word. In fact, He commands us to remind Him of His promises, giving Him no rest (Isaiah 62:7).

The reason I responded to “How are you doing?” with “Oh, I’m hanging on” is because:

1. I didn’t know God’s promises to me regarding my present circumstance or condition.
2. I wasn’t convinced that God loved me unconditionally. The people in the church I attended loved one another conditionally. They declared Jesus Christ, but they were judgmental, critical and performance-oriented. So that’s how I perceived God’s love for me.
3. I lacked the assurance that says If God said it, I believe it and that settles it for me! Like many of us, I had no foundation for my faith to work from. Yes, I was praising God, shouting with the best of them, but I wasn’t standing on His promises.

Are you just “hanging on” like I was, hoping for something good to happen? Or is your faith built on the strong foundation of belief in God’s promises personally to you? That’s what allows Him to release blessings into your life. Don’t deceive yourself into thinking that just going to church regularly, reading your bible and living the best you can for God will earn His blessing. Many people live their Christian lives like that, hanging on for dear life, hoping God will see their desperation and move on their behalf.

Know your God! He isn’t moved by your circumstances or condition, but only by your faith. Sure, He cares what you go through and He hurts when you hurt. But His method of blessing is through faith that is based on a strong foundation. So the next time someone asks, “How are doing?” your answer should be, “I’m standing on the promises of God!” Then confess what they are. What are you believing God for?