God’s formula for faith is:
“Beloved, if our heart condemn us not, then have we confidence toward God.
And whatsoever we ask, we receive of him, because we keep his commandments and
do those things that are pleasing in his sight.” I John 3:21, 22.
God’s power is sufficient for anything we need, but God’s faith for these needs
is given to those who keep His commandments, walk in His statutes, and believe that
ALL his words are true.
Condemnation is perhaps the greatest hindrance to faith, but anything that is of
disobedience, of ungodly or of unholy nature, is a hindrance to faith.
Unscriptural relationships in the home can be a hindrance to faith, In I Peter
3:1, 7, Peter exhorts husbands and wives in regard to their relationship:
“Likewise, ye wives, be in subjection to your own husbands; that if any obey
not the word, they also may without the word be won by the conversation of the
wives;”
“Likewise, ye husbands, dwell with them according to knowledge, giving honor
unto the wife, as unto the weaker vessel, and as being heirs together of the
grace of life; that your prayers be not hindered.” I Peter 3:1,7.
Unscriptural attitudes toward our fellow-men outside the home can also be
great hindrances to faith.
“Therefore all things whatsoever ye would that men should do to you, do ye
even so to them: for this is the law and the prophets.” Matthew 7:12.“ . . . Love your enemies, do good to them which hate you,” Luke 6:27b.
“Be kindly affectioned one to another with brotherly love; in honour preferring
one another;” Romans 12:10.
“ . . . love as brethren, be pitiful (full of pity; tender; compassionate;) be
courteous: not rendering evil for evil, or railing for railing: . . . let him refrain
his tongue from evil, and his lips that they speak no guile: Let him eschew evil,
and do good; let him seek peace and ensue it. For the eyes of the Lord are over
the righteous, and his ears are open unto their prayers: but the face of the Lord
is against them that do evil.” I Peter 3:8-12.
“The liberal soul shall be made fat: and he that watereth shall be watered also
himself.” Proverbs 11:25.
“A man that hath friends must shew himself friendly: . . .” Proverbs 18:24.
An unforgiving spirit hinders faith.
“For if ye forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive
you: But if ye forgive not men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive
your trespasses.” Matthew 6:14, 15.
“ . . . Lord, how oft shall my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? till
seven times? Jesus saith unto him, I say not unto thee, Until seven times: but,
Until seventy times seven.” Matthew 18:21, 22.
“And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as
God for Christ’s sake hath forgiven you.” Ephesians 4:32.
Many professed Christians live under condemnation because they refuse to give
God the tithe that He declares to be His.
“ . . . all the tithe of the land, whether of the seed of the land, or of the fruit of
the tree is the Lord’s: it is holy unto the Lord.” Leviticus 27:30.
People know that the Bible teaches tithing, that a tenth of their income belongs
to God, yet they refuse to walk in the light of God’s Word . THESE PEOPLE ARE
CALLED THIEVES.
“Will a man rob God? Yet ye have robbed me. But ye say, Wherein have werobbed thee? In tithes and offerings. Ye are cursed with a curse: for ye have
robbed me, . . .” Malachi 3:8,9.
Do not expect God to give you His faith if you are robbing Him of His tithes
and offerings. ASK GOD’S PARDON FOR BEING A THIEF, AND BECOME A
CONSTANT TITHER, AND THEN GIVE HIM OFFERINGS ABOVE THE
TITHE.
“Bring ye all the tithes into the storehouse, that there may be meat in mine
house, and prove me now herewith, saith the Lord of hosts, if I will not open
you the windows of heaven, and pour you out a blessing, that there shall not be
room enough to receive it.” Malachi 3:10.
The law required tithing, but THE TITHE IS OLDER THAN THE LAW!
Another hindrance to faith is found in James 5:16:
“Confess your faults one to another, and pray one for another, that ye may be
healed. . . .” James 5:16.
Many people are quick to see the faults of others, but are blind to any faults of
their own. With this spirit, one cannot have faith for healing, for deliverances of any
kind — God will not give faith to a self-righteous person.
Have you ever wondered why people pass through many healing lines and are
not healed? Few people claim to be perfect, yet when confronted with the idea that a
confession of their faults may be necessary before they can get their healing, there is
usually not one fault which they are willing to confess. These people need to call in
help — according to James 5:14, the elders of the church should be called in — and
with much heart-searching and prayer, they should trace out in their lives the reason
the healing has not taken place. Then, when God has revealed to their honest and
seeking hearts the cause of their failure to be healed, they should confess their faults
as they feel God would have them to do. (Whether it is to confess these faults to God
alone, or to the persons that have been wronged, or to confess them to the elders of
the church). Then they should ask for the prayers of those praying for them, that
these faults may be overcome. Then, in answer to the united prayers of the sick, and
the elders who are praying for them, SATAN CAN BE DRIVEN FROM THE
FIELD, AND A DOUBLE VICTORY WON. THE BONDAGE OF BOTH SIN
AND SICKNESS CAN BE BROKEN!
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