turnipg04

                Sometime during this season, when winter was deepening, a brother and I were walking to an area restaurant to have a coffee. When he noticed that I was out in only a flannel shirt, he said,

                "Brother, you've go to believe God for a coat. You've go to confess it, that you're going to get one."

                I looked at him questioningly and said, "Why?"

                "Well, you've got to believe and confess it so that you can get it."

                I shrugged my shoulders and said again, "Why?"

                He explained his position, but I responded, "God knows I need a coat, He'll give me a coat."

                We went, had our coffee and fellowship, and then returned to the church. At this time, another brother came to visit me. The three of us talked for some time, and then the second brother said, "Oh, hold on, I've got something in the car for you."

                I said to the first brother, "Yes! It's my coat! I know it! It's my coat!" and I began rejoicing.

                Sure enough, the second brother returned with not only a brand new winter coat, but with a hat and gloves as well.

                Now I honestly believe in the power of confessing your faith. But I also believe that confession in itself is not faith. Someone's "confessing" can be just as much out of fear and doubt as it can be in faith. In the above example, I was already fully convinced that God knew my need and would take care of it. This was because I knew my God and had faith in Him that He would meet my need.

                If you are standing in faith and "confessing" your faith, DON'T STOP!!! As stated earlier, these elements and teachings do have validity. Someone could be doing all these things in total, genuine, faith. We believe, however; that genuine faith will rise above the mental or emotional faith. Mental and emotional faith will carry us for a time, but eventually, we will find ourselves in a place where these do not work and only genuine faith is left. It is in that time that our true faith will manifest itself.

                Genuine faith not only believes that God exists, but trusts Him implicitly. Genuine faith will be able to be silent and still believe. Genuine faith will be able to identify the circumstances, talk about them, admit to negative problems, and still believe. Genuine faith can be afraid or doubtful and yet still believe.

                Remember the man with the possesed son in Mark 9:14-29. He believed, and yet admitted his doubts or "unbelief" to the Lord, and asked for help in overcoming his unbelief.

                Early in my christian walk, the Lord said to me:

                "Do not listen to what people think, or even to what they say they believe; but watch what manifests when the pressure comes."

                We can say that we believe in God, that He will provide, that He is in control, etc; but it is our actions under pressure that will be a true testimony to our faith. No offense to anyone, but it is not too difficult to have faith when everything is going our way. We will stand and rejoice and be ready to win the world for Jesus. And thank God for those times! But when everything seems against us, or when our lives are being disrupted, or our minds and emotions are screaming out contrary to the Word of God; it is at those times that we desperately need the genuine faith of which we speak.

                And genuine faith is only found in one place:

                The presence of God.