What Brings a Believer's Faith and Keeps it Strong - Know the Enemy

ENEMIES OF FAITH

Faith is the key to receiving Godly blessings. However, there are hindrances and enemies of faith. There is one fight that Believers are called to do, and that is to fight for faith. It is written in 1Timothy 6:12, “Fight the good fight of faith…”. Satan is defeated but Baby Christians--due to lack of knowledge or not fully knowing who they are in Christ--sometimes believe that Satan has dominion over their lives and they must flee him. This is not true but it is the responsibility of every Believer to put the devil under their feet, and to resist him so that he must flee—run from the Believer as if in terror. One way to resist him is to always confess the Word of God.

Hindrances to Faith

Disobedience is being distrustful of God; so Believers lean to their own understanding instead of submitting to God’s will. According to John 6:29, Believers are simply to believe in Him: “Jesus answered and said unto them, ‘This is the work of God, that ye believe on him whom he hath sent’.” Mark 6:1-6 shows that when Believers do not act on faith, it puts the brakes on their blessings or greatly hinders them--their joy and inner peace. It prevents blessings from manifesting because disobedience provokes God. It puts limits on what He is able to do for the born-again Christian.

It is written in Romans 5:12: “Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned”. This scripture pertains to the fall of Adam; Adam’s choice to be disobedient to God brought curse, judgment, and death to mankind. The fall of Adam allowed sin to enter into the world which brought sickness and disease. Having faith in God’s Word can overcome curse, judgment, death, sickness and disease. God wants to bless all his children so choosing to be obedient to His Word leads to His promises and blessings. Acting on faith also allows God’s power to manifest in every Believer’s life.

Unbelief and Doubt

When there’s doubt in what God can do, this creates fear within the Believer; this fear then leads to discouragement, and discouragement shows up as lack of confidence in God.

• “Fear is a tactic the devil uses to hinder your faith and keep you from accomplishing God’s will for your life, but you don’t have to fall prey to his evil devices. The first step to overcoming fear is to recognize where it comes from.”

Having faith like Thomas, the disciple, is being disobedient to God’s Word. Thomas’ faith was based on his physical senses -- he wouldn’t believe unless he could see it. Abraham doubted that he would become a Father to many nations so he asked God to accept a servant as his heir (Genesis 15). And even with the help of a miracle, Elijah had doubt that the Lord would protect him from Jezebel, so he fled for his life (1 Kings 19). The remedy for unbelief and doubt is to stand on the Word, spend time in the Word and meditate on the Word.

• “Faith is often confused with belief. We have faith in persons, therefore faith is a personal and communal relation. Belief is cognitive attitude which holds certain propositions as being true or false. Properly speaking, we do not have faith that God exists; rather we believe that He exists. Once believing that He exists and in the Revelation through His Son, we have faith in Him.”

Disobedience

Disobedience comes from refusing to act on the Word. For a born-again Christian to say that he believes (when times are good) but turn to the world for help or comfort--in a moment of crisis-- is grave. Disobedience comes from lack of knowledge or ignorance of the Word, and by putting faith in the wrong ideas or things – jobs, salaries and man. Disobedience is second-guessing God's promises, and that has no place in Believers’ lives. They ought to stand on their faith in good times and bad, and do not give in to the tricks of the enemy. Trials often come to make Believers’ grow stronger in their faith by leaning on God, and to have a testimony. Believers ought to praise Him in advance while He's bringing them through their trial.