What is a real believer to you? Is it someone who believes that Jesus the messiah has indeed come? Is it someone who believes that God can answer prayers and perform miracles in people’s lives?
James 2:19, “You believe that there is one God. You do well. Even the demons believe—and tremble!”
Even Satan knows that Jesus is Lord. Why else would the name of Jesus Christ, our loving God, be used in cursing so much? There is power in Jesus. Satan hates this fact and has worked to remove the mention of Jesus in our society except while promoting His name in vain. Various Gallup polls have shown American’s belief in a God is somewhere in the mid ninety percent.
So then, what is it that sets a Christian “believer” aside from a believer? (This list should not be confused with steps to salvation.)
- Asking Jesus to be Lord of their lives by faith, confessing He is Lord, is the first part of being a “believer”.
- Giving our lives over to God means allowing Him to direct us. It means too that we listen to Him through His word and follow Him even when we don’t know where we are going.
- It means sometimes we wait on His timing; trusting His timing is perfect and only He truly knows our future.
- Knowing that God is capable of doing things beyond our comprehension. Even in situations where there doesn’t seem to be a way, if God wills, He can make a way even supernaturally.
- Trusting even when we don’t know who God might put in our lives, what might happen, where we might go, when we might get there, why we are there, and how things will come about.
Ultimately being a “believer” rather than just one who believes means putting our faith into action. It’s not enough to just know that God is real and be a good person. It’s the reception of Christ into your life in faith that makes one stand out from others as a believer.
In Mark chapter 9 a father brings his son to Jesus. His son was demon possessed. Jesus told the father if he would believe, all things are possible. The father cried out to Jesus, “Lord, I believe; help my unbelief!” (Mark 9:24). I have felt this way many times in my life. I know God is capable, but my weak faith has me doubting sometimes.
2 Timothy 2:13, “If we are faithless, He remains faithful; He cannot deny Himself.”
God will be faithful to His word. But if we don’t open our eyes of faith, how will we see? If we don’t open our ears of faith, how will we hear? If we don’t put our faith into action, how are we any different than the majority of Americans?
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