How do you grow your faith? Read Scripture, pray, attend church? These activities help us draw closer to Him.
But have you thought about things we might need to surrender or even stop? Is anything hindering us from walking with Him?
In II Corinthians 10:5a, Paul writes that “We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God,”
Maybe that feels weighty. How could I have the power to eradicate arguments against God? When we look to verse 4 we read, “The weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the world. On the contrary, they have divine power to demolish strongholds.”
Our weapons are spiritual weapons that God wields. We don’t need to understand how God does this, but we need to comprehend how we can employ them, by surrendering to Him.
Step one: Prayer. One of my favorite prayers is found in Mark 9:24. “I do believe, help me overcome my disbelief.” The backdrop of this story is a father begging Jesus to heal his son of an evil spirit. This dad has watched his son from childhood be tormented day in and day out by this demon. It even attempted to kill his son many times. Can you imagine this father’s agony? Can you fathom all the remedies he tried to rescue his son? The prayers, the money, the interventions?
It’s from this place of desperation he goes to Jesus’ disciples. But they had trouble with this spirit and Jesus came on the scene. The father says, “If you can do anything, take pity on us and help us.”
Jesus immediately answers, “if you can? Everything is possible for he who believes.” (Mark 9:23) That is when the father says, “I do believe, help me overcome my disbelief.”
This father acknowledged the truth but surrendered to Jesus for help implementing it.
We can know something in our heads. But when we need to apply it, in this case fully trust it to happen when our experience has been the polar opposite, it’s hard to reconcile the head knowledge with the living in faith.
Step two: Surrender. Ask Him for help. We can access that divine power Paul wrote about in II Corinthians by affirming we believe but honestly acknowledging we need His help to fully get there in faith.
It takes humility. It takes time in His word, so we know what He promises us. It takes prayer and surrender to God.
Don’t let that list overwhelm. We just need to take a small step in each, every day. God will do the rest.
Will you join me in prayer for asking Him to do just that?
Prayer: Dear Heavenly Father, You know my heart is to draw closer to you. I struggle to put into practice the head knowledge of You. Please help me prioritize asking for Your help. Help me access faith through You and surrender to You as You implement Your divine power. Help me let go of my independence, and trust Your help in developing my faith. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
Return next week for a look at the second half of that verse!