“… Do not be afraid; only believe ...” 
                                                                                                               Luke 8:50
Dearly beloved in Christ,
I greet you in the sweet name of the Lord Jesus Christ. There are fears and troubles in the lives of people today. What the Lord tells us in this state is this: ‘Do not be afraid; only believe.” Fear is terrible. Man thinks of several things and is afraid. They have fear of their future; there is fear in the midst of the problems in the place of their work. People are troubled by thoughts of marriage, studies, protection, travel and several other such things concerning children. In the very things where we have fear, problems crop up. It comes as we feared. It worries us. In Job 3:25, Job recounts, “For the thing I greatly feared has come upon me.” Further, fear eats into our faith. We become people of little faith. We begin to doubt the power and promises of the Lord. When we pray according to the promise, “Ask and it will be given to you,” in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, doubt dilutes the prayer and takes away the blessings of the prayer. The promise, “For everyone who asks receives,” becomes meaningless. Once a ruler of the synagogue came to Jesus Christ with faith and requested Him to come and lay His hands on his daughter who was at the point of death. Jesus also accepted his invitation, but because of the throng of people around him there was delay. At that time, one from his house came and told him that his daughter had died and therefore not to bother the Lord. Hearing his words, the Lord Jesus Christ told him: “Do not be afraid; only believe.” This was to comfort him and to strengthen him. Then He went to his house and raised her to life. Today there are many who deny the existence of God and believe so. His words and works are out of the reach of our knowledge and wisdom. Hence, they think so. Psalm 14:1 says, “The fool has said in his heart, “There is no God.” Thus they lose the blessings and goodness that flow from the Lord. Hebrews 11:6 tells us: “But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him.” Only when we seek Him, He grants blessings and goodness. He makes us prosper in what we do. As they have no such firm faith in Him, they do not receive any such blessings from the Lord and say that we are cheating others saying that the Lord is the source of blessings. They have not tasted that the Lord is good. Hence, they declare falsehood. They think and say that God does not exist without knowing that He is merciful to the merciful, blameless to the blameless, pure to the pure but shrewd to the devious. Today we have faith in many worldly things and, as a result, face defeats and disappointments. To make a journey
we go to the bus-stand and look for a bus with the name of the destination on the board. We know for certain that it would take us to that place and we board the bus. “Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen” (Hebrews 11:1). Similarly, we should believe that Jesus Christ came to this world to save it and the Creator died for our sins and is alive in the midst of us. This is the faith that transforms our lives.  

I. BELIEVE WHAT?

1. Believe in the Name of the Lord

                              “... many believed in His name ...” (John 2:23)

                               You must have faith in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ. In John 1:12, it is said that those who have faith in this name are given the authority to be the children of the Lord. Some people have faith in certain names that would bring luck to them and that having such names would give them prosperity. This is not true. But the Bible says, “The name of the LORD is a strong tower; The righteous run to it and are safe.”(Proverbs 18:10). In Mark 16:17, it is promised, “In My name they will cast out demons; they will speak with new tongues. . . .” Jesus said: “Until now you have asked nothing in My name. Ask, and you will receive, that your joy may be full.” (John 16:24). So let us place our trust in the name of Jesus Christ.

2. Believe Jesus Christ

                                “Then they said to the woman, “Now we believe, not because of what you said, for we ourselves have heard Him and we know that this is indeed the                                      Christ, the Savior of the world.”   (John 4:42).

                                  Some people trust worldly men. Some believe that their dead ancestors are deities and have their photos and worship\ them. But the risen Lord Jesus Christ does not change. He is the same yesterday, today and forever. You should believe Him. Then you will be filled with real blessings and goodness.

3. Believe the Gospel

                                 “... Repent, and believe in the gospel.” (Mark 1:15).

                                    Jesus Christ came to this world to redeem us from our sins. He died for our sake on the cross. He rose again and is at the right hand of God pleading for us. He will come again. We have to believe this. This is the gospel preached throughout the world. Let us believe this truth and be blessed.

II. BLESSINGS OF BELIEVING

                                Blessings would abound as you believe the Lord Jesus Christ. God sees our faith and rewards us accordingly. Matthew 9:2 talks about it. Jesus said, “Assuredly, I say to you, if you have faith and do not doubt, you will not only do what was done to the fig tree, but also if you say to this mountain, ‘Be removed and be cast into the sea,’ it will be done. And whatever  things you ask in prayer, believing, you will receive.” (Matthew 21:21, 22). Jesus said to Martha before the tomb of her brother Lazarus, “Did I not say to you that if you would believe you would see the glory of God?” (John 11:40). About Abraham it is written: “And he believed in the LORD, and He accounted it to him for righteousness.” (Genesis 15:6). 1 John 5:4 says, “For whatever is born of God overcomes the world. And this is the victory that has overcome the world — our faith.” When you live with this faith, the Lord works wonders in our lives.

1. Deliverance from the Clutches of the Devil

“And behold, a woman of Canaan came from that region and cried out to Him, saying, “Have mercy on me, O Lord, Son of David! My daughter is severely demonpossessed.”
                                                                                                                                                                                                                            (Matthew 15:22).

                                           “Then Jesus answered and said to her, “O woman, great is your faith! Let it be to you as you desire.” And her daughter was healed from that very hour.” (Matthew 15:28). Today in our lives too, the devil is constantly working against us. As a result, the children are not able to fare well in their studies. Because of the spirit of deep sleep, some keep sleeping. In the lives of some, the spirit of adultery works and are lead astray. This is the way the devil works constantly against us. Once the family of a teacher reported that their son who used to study well found it difficult all of a sudden to study. At the time of examination, he felt like fainting and was sorely depressed. His parents also were terribly upset. He who had stood first in the class now found it difficult even to write the examination. But he wrote the examination when these spirits were driven away. Then he joined a good engineering college and later he became an engineer. By faith, the family enjoyed deliverance.

2. No Harm

                 “Now the king was exceedingly glad for him, and commanded that they should take Daniel up out of the den. So Daniel was taken up out of the den, and noinjury whatever was found on him, because he believed in his God” (Daniel 6:23).

                                        Daniel belonged to the kingdom of Judah. But he was taken a prisoner with others by the Babylonian King Nebuchadnezzar and was given the privilege of serving in the palace of the king. Such youth were taught the Chaldean language and were given the food of the king for three years. That was the order of the king. Daniel was found to be ten times wiser than others by the king. The king wanted to place him above all the nobles of his kingdom. But the other nobles were jealous of him and they wanted to find fault with Daniel. So they plotted against him and got the consent of the king in a tricky way. The king himself fell a prey to their designs and signed the document which said those who did not obey it would be put into a den of lions. Daniel was accused and brought before the king saying that he sought the Lord God in spite of the decree of the king. They put him into the den of lions. Early in the morning the king came to the den and called Daniel saying, “Daniel, servant of the living God, has your God, whom you serve continually, been able to deliver you from the lions?” (Daniel 6:20). Daniel replied: “My God sent His angel and shut the lions’ mouths, so that they have not hurt me, because I was found innocent before Him; and also, O king, I have done no wrong before you.” (Daniel 6:22). Then the king ordered him to be taken out of the den. As he believed the Lord, no harm was done to him. Today in our lives also, the devil is roaring like a lion against us. If you place your faith in the Lord who saves us from hurt, you would enjoy His protection. Let us believe Him.

3. Healing

                                     “And He said to her, “Daughter, your faith has made you well. Go in peace, and be healed of your affliction.” (Mark 5:34).

These days many new and strange diseases are reported. These diseases afflict persons horribly and render them invalids. They spend all their money on medical treatment on a
continual basis throughout their lives. In the Bible we read about a woman who had suffered for 12 long years because of issue of blood. She had spent all her money on it, but there was no relief. She was greatly worried. She heard about Jesus, and she had the belief that if only she could touch His clothes, she would be relieved. She came after Him and touched Him as she had decided. Jesus Christ understood her faith and said, “Go in peace, and be healed of your affliction” (Mark 5:34). Once one brother stopped the habit of playing on his musical instrument as he felt pain in his hands. He had organised concerts in many places. Now this was impossible for him. He started selling his instruments one by one. He contacted a servant of God who came to his place and prayed with him. That very moment the brother was completely healed. That night he played on his organ all night quite happily. The next day he met the servant of the Lord and shared his testimony how he was healed by his faith. Dear Brother/ sister, if you have faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, He will bless you by healing you too. “He Himself took our infirmities and bore our sicknesses.” (Matt. 8:17). This moment you who are suffering and in worry, come with faith to the Lord Jesus Christ who gave His very life on the cross and rose again; you will be healed.

4. Salvation

                                      “He who believes and is baptized will be saved; but he who does not believe will be condemned.” (Mark 16:16).

                                     Salvation is an exalted state of blessings and happiness. This is what happens when we believe in the Lord Jesus Christ. Baptism is an outward sign of our sins being forgiven. Those who are thus saved are added to the church. We are cleansed and forgiven for all the sins committed by the blood of Jesus Christ. If we say that we have no sin, weare liars and cheating ourselves. Without hiding the sins, transgressions and disobedience to Jesus Christ, we have to confess and decide to give up those sins. This is an act of the righteousness of God. Then to take baptism with the confidence that our sins have been forgiven is fulfilling our conscience. With that all those that pertained to old life is gone, and a new life in Jesus Christ begins. We put on Jesus Christ in this redeemed life. Not only are you saved, but it also leads to the salvation of others at home.

5. Cleansing

                                ‘And behold, a leper came and worshiped Him, saying, “Lord, if You are willing, You can make me clean.” Then Jesus put out His hand and touched him, saying, “I am willing; be cleansed.” Immediately his leprosy was cleansed’ (Matthew 8:2, 3).

                            Leprosy is a disease that is detested by all in the community. Those who contract that disease lose their beauty and live a life disliked by others. The stink that emanates from their wounds is unbearable. These people have little regard in the society. In this society there are those who live like these leprosy patients. Theirs is a life of untold sufferings. They are set aside as untouchables. They are given to solitude and seclusion. There are people who experience such a life because of defeats and sorrows. Dear Brother/ Sister, if your life is so, today commit to come to Jesus Christ. If you come to Him with firm faith that He has the power to heal you, He will cleanse you and help you to regain all that you have lost so far. Your life, both internal and external, would be cleansed. When you come with faith, you would have that.

III. HOW TO GAIN THIS FAITH?

1. By Hearing the Word of God

                              “So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.” (Romans 10:17).

                              As we keep hearing the word of God, faith will fill our hearts. These days it is a rare thing for people to hear or meditate on the word of God. It is said to be sweeter than honey and honeycomb (Psalm 19:10). Psalm 107:20 declares, “He sent His word and healed them, and delivered them from their destructions.” The word of God is a lamp unto our feet. It is also described as the sword of the Spirit to deal with the devil. The words are spirit and living and can in all situations give comfort and encouragement. It is the counsel of the Lord. Once one sister was assured by a man that he would marry her. But all of a sudden he changed his mind and told her that he would not marry her. She could not bear it. She was sorely worried and wanted to commit suicide. She went to a seashore. She was waiting for the sun to set and darkness to envelope her. She was thinking of so many things and was troubled. As she was walking, she found a person distributing the New Testament freely. She wanted to know about the book and got one and began reading it. The verse “I will not leave you orphans; I will come to you.” (John 14:18) fell on her eyes. It began to speak to her and encourage her. She trusted the word of the Lord and decided to go back home. As she was coming to the bus-stop, she met the man who declined to marry her. He again assured her that he would marry her. Her life became happy. She trusted the Lord Jesus Christ.

2. By Hearing the Testimony of Others

                                            “And many of the Samaritans of that city believed in Him because of the word of the woman who testified, “He told me all that I ever did.”                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        (John 4:39).

                                          When we hear the miracles done by the Lord Jesus Christ in the lives of people, the faith in Him increases. Many bear testimony to the transformation that came to their lives through the Lord Jesus Christ. They have experienced relief and deliverance by the power of the Lord in their lives and they share it with others. Those testimonies make others also taste it and become righteous One merchant in egg business came to our Deliverance Prayer Camp. He was affected by witchcraft and could not walk. In the camp the words of the Lord made an impact on him. He had faith and began to walk. Seeing him walk, the people of his village also began to come to the Deliverance Prayer Camp. His witness made them believe in the Lord.

3. By Seeing Miracles

                         “This beginning of signs Jesus did in Cana of Galilee, and manifested His glory; and His disciples believed in Him.” (John 2:11).

                         Those of His disciples who saw the miracles of Jesus began to believe Him. He went about doing good working miracles. The first miracle made the disciples astonished. Seeing Him perform wonders made them believe Him as Christ.

4. By the Spirit of Faith

                  “And since we have the same spirit of faith, according to what is written, “I believed and therefore I spoke,” we also believe and therefore speak”(2 Cor. 4:13).

                       As we grow spiritually, we are filled with the spirit of faith. In the Holy Spirit there are several qualities or characteristics. In Zechariah 12:10, we read about the Spirit of Supplication; in Psalm 51:12, the steadfast spirit; in Psalm 51:12, the generous spirit; in Isaiah 4:3, the spirit of burning; in Isaiah 11:2 we read about the various attributes of this Spirit. Growing in faith fills us with this spirit of faith. Spiritual growth leads to the attributes of the Spirit manifesting in us. We keep ourselves away from sins, living a holy life, with the fear of the Lord, strengthened in Him. With the spirit of faith, we are filled with the love of Christ and we grow. We want to do ministry. With this spirit of faith, our faith increases.

5. The Gift of the Spirit

                          “to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healings by the same Spirit” (1 Cor. 12:9).

                            In our life as we grow in the Holy Spirit, and are filled with the love of Christ, we are given the gifts of the Holy Spirit in Christ. Of the nine gifts of the Spirit, this spirit of faith is important. Only because of it, we speak prophecy. On its basis, the gifts of wisdom operate. With this spirit of faith, the power of the Spirit is manifest. In our lives, these gifts are given according to the way we use it. With gift, the power of the Lord is manifest in ways beyond our asking and thinking. Let us be blessed being filled with this gift of the spirit.
          

                                                    May the Lord bless us!
                                                 In the service of Christ Jesus,
                                                      Bro. C. Ebenezer Paul.