December 18

John 14:1

Do not let your hearts be troubled (afraid, cowardly). Believe (confidently) in God and trust in Him, (have faith, hold on to it, rely on it, keep going and) believe also in me.

When we continually and deeply ingrain our belief in the Word of God, it will be harder for us to be moved. We must practice our faith to see results and not be afraid in times of trouble. When we settle in our hearts that our response to every situation will be according to the Word of God, we will be stable and steadfast. 

December 17

John 20:29

Jesus said to him, “Because you have seen Me, do you now believe? Blessed (happy, spiritually secure and favored by God) are they who did not see (Me) and yet believed (in Me).”

Faith and belief use the imagination to create a vision of God’s promises in our minds. We must see ourselves healed, prosperous, safe, happy, and successful before it comes to pass. Doubt considers everything in the negative and lacks a vision for the promise. We cannot see Jesus, yet we believe and are saved through faith. We are blessed when we believe, even though we have not seen Jesus (yet) or the promise come to pass!

December 16

Hebrews 11:6

But without faith it is impossible to (walk with God and) please Him, for whoever comes (near) to God must (necessarily) believe that God exists and that He rewards those who (earnestly and diligently) seek Him.

We can have faith and still not believe that we will receive from God. If we don’t take the whole Word of God and believe what He says we can have, we will not live in the fullness of His promises. When we diligently seek God and the promise of God, we will not let distractions or doubt interfere with our receiving from God.

December 15

Romans 10:14

But how will people call on Him in whom they have not believed? And how will they believe in Him of whom they have not heard? And who will they hear without a preacher (messenger)?

If we don’t believe that God answers prayer, we will not call on Him when we have doubts and disappointments and no faith to believe, because we have not heard enough of the Word. We will not trust what Jesus said to be true; we will not call on the name of the Lord. Our strength and belief in Jesus come from hearing and believing what we hear as true, reliable, and given to us by God. 

December 12

Mark 9:24

Immediately the father of the boy cried out (with a desperate cry), saying “I do believe; help (me overcome) my unbelief.”

We can have faith and still be in unbelief, especially if the circumstance is larger in our eyes than Jesus, our savior. Jesus needs us to transfer our focus back to Him and prioritize thoughts of the Word over thoughts of the circumstance. The mind will play like a ball bouncing back and forth if we doubt, and we will be double-minded. Belief comes from not having doubts that God can perform all that He has promised us in the Bible. 

December 11

John 14:12-14

I assure you and most solemnly say to you, anyone who believes in Me (as Savior) will also do the things I do; and he will do even greater things than these. And I will do whatever you ask in My name (as My representative), this I will do, so that the Father may be glorified and celebrated in the Son. If you ask Me anything in My name (as My representative) I will do it. 

Jesus gave us the authority to act as His representative here on earth. When we believe that this authority has been given to us, we will speak in accordance with His example and Word. That means we are to speak against lack, sickness, depression, and whatever is plaguing our lives and command it to leave in Jesus’ name. 

December 10

Psalm 103:1-4

Bless and affectionately praise the Lord, O my soul, and all that is within me, bless His holy name. Bless and affectionately praise the Lord, O my soul, and do not forget any of His benefits; who forgives all your sins, who heals all your diseases; who redeems your life from the pit, who crowns you with loving-kindness and tender mercy.

We express our love to God in our affectionate praise. God has given us everything we need to overcome the world order and live in His blessings. We would still be sick in our sins, heading for destruction, without the salvation through Jesus Christ. As the redeemed, we understand and praise God for radically changing our lives for the better. 

December 9

Philippians 4:7

And the peace of God (that peace which reassures the heart, that peace) which transcends all understanding, (that peace which) stands guard over your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus.

Faith plus belief in the Word of God means we are trusting and speaking according to the Word to bring peace to our hearts and minds. If we don’t have peace, we need to check our thoughts and what we are allowing into our minds. Peace comes from a faith-filled life, trusting and walking close to the Lord every day. Keeping our peace requires staying in the Word and being diligent in practicing our faith every day.  

December 8

Philippians 4:4-6

Rejoice in the Lord always; again, I will say rejoice! Let your gentle spirit be known to all people. The Lord is near. Do not be anxious or worried about anything, but in everything by prayer and petition with thanksgiving, continue to make your requests known to God.

When we rejoice in the Lord during our trials, we are centering our faith on God. We are not allowing our thoughts to wander toward doubt, circumstances, or unbelief. Faith requires focus and casting down the distractions that try to make us worried or anxious. Continue to speak our authority given to us through Jesus and proclaim the Word of God over our situation. 

December 5

1 Chronicles 16:34

O give thanks to the Lord, for He is good; for His loving kindness endures forever.

God loved the sinner before they became saved. God loved us when everyone else had given up and walked away. Even though we have our ups and downs, God remains steadfast, waiting, loving, and calling to our hearts. God is good, and we show our love for Him through our praise and thanksgiving. Praise the Lord Most High God!