Believe With Your Heart
One of the greatest miracles I have experienced in my ministry was at a time when I was doubting in my head. I was invited to pray for a lady who was dying of cancer and the doctors had given her only three days to live. When I saw the state of this lady, just skin and bones, my mind froze up. “Why couldn’t it be just a fever, or flu or something simple”, went the thoughts in my head; as if I was the one who did the healing. I talked to her about her salvation and prayed with her to accept the Lord in her life. Then in obedience to the Word, I anointed her with oil and prayed the prayer of faith. All the time my mind was doubting that she would ever by healed. As I left that hospital room, I was bombarded by condemnation and doubts that I would ever be able to be used by God. In my heart, I believed the Word and was obedient to it, but with my mind I doubted that a healing in this case was possible.
Three days later I received a call from this lady, saying that she was completely healed. She had been sent home from the hospital and was eating and recovering her strength. She lived another twenty years, cancer free. I learned an important lesson that day, that one must believe with the heart and not with your head. Solomon writes in the Proverbs to, “trust the Lord with all your heart and do not lean on your own understanding.” (Prov. 3.5) Your understanding is just your understanding. Faith does not come from human reasoning. You can have faith in your heart and doubt in your head. We must learn to doubt our doubts and live by faith.
It is heart-faith that releases the power of God. Salvation comes by believing in our heart that God raised Jesus from the dead and then confessing with our mouth that He is Lord. Jesus told his disciples that if they would not doubt in their heart, (not head), and believe that what they say would come to pass, it will happen. (Mark 11.23) Many Christians are defeated because when doubt enters their head they begin to confess it with their mouth and it then enters into their heart. Just remember, God’s thoughts are not our thoughts. His ways are higher than our ways. Even though doubts may come in like a flood and try to overtake us, just lean on and trust completely in what God has said in His Word. That is heart-faith.
As I have decided to trust in the Word of God above what the circumstances may be dictating or what my reason seems to be arguing, I have seen God’s deliverance in so many adverse situations. I have learned to confess His Word each day over my life, family and church, and to meditate on what He has said. Sometimes my mind says: “You are crazy to believe things will change”, or “God has given you a mind, you must use it”. But, I would rather His thoughts be my thoughts and His mind my mind. Only God is true. All else is a lie. All else are just opinions.
If you are having trouble with your head, then just trust God with all your heart. Don’t wait until your mind is doubt-free to believe. The brain is a part of the physical body and is not spirit. It believes based on what it sees, hears and feels. Jesus said to Thomas: “blessed are they that have not seen and yet believe.” (John 20.29) Head-faith is no faith. We must believe in God’s Word no matter what the physical senses are saying. Lean on God’s Word and not on your own understanding.
Scriptures to meditate on:
Prov. 3.5; Mark 11.22-23; Numbers 23.19; Rom. 10.9-10; Heb. 6.18