Through Faith

Through Faith

I will put breath in you, and you will come to life. Then you will know that I am the LORD.

Ezekiel 37:6

IN WORD Every desperate situation in your life implies a critical moment of decision. There comes a point when you either believe that God has promised what He has promised, or you believe that His promises for you aren’t understandable, applicable, or true. Those who are able to believe in the life-breathing God will know that He is the Lord. They will see the evidence of His wisdom, power, and love. Those who are not able to believe in the life-breathing God will not know that He is the Lord. They may accept His lordship at an intellectual level, but they will not see it or experience it. They will not receive faith’s reward for faith they did not have.

That’s a consistent principle of the Kingdom of God. Witnessing God’s power results in greater faith, and missing His power results in weaker faith. Those who see dry bones get up and dance have fewer struggles with doubt in the next crisis situation. Ezekiel believed—he didn’t dare say no when God asked him if dry bones could live (v. 3)—and he saw a miracle unfold. The vision God gave him would be dramatically fulfilled when God restored the chosen people to the Promised Land. Ezekiel’s faith in the prophetic word would lead to Israel and Judah’s knowledge of the Living One.

IN DEED What has God spoken about your life? The answer may be obvious to you, or it may be obscure. You may have never considered that He has a specific plan and purpose for you, though you’ve probably sought His will on a number of issues. What you need to remember, however much knowledge of His will you have, is that God’s plan for you is to discover His purposes; to believe His promises, no matter how unlikely they seem; and to know Him as a result of the process. Your heart is designed to connect with His and to experience His loving agenda for the rest of your days.

Faith tells us of things we have never seen and cannot come to know by our natural senses.

—JOHN OF THE CROSS