Believe for Greater Things

I was talking to a pastor from Ireland recently who told me about his fears for the upcoming year. While he saw some difficulties on the horizon, he also quoted Hebrews 11:1.

Have you ever read that verse? It says, “Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen.” After he quoted it, he said, “Gary, you know the fear is that the things you hope for won’t happen, right? And that the things that are not seen will remain unseen. That’s what fear is. It’s a conviction inside of you. You think that what you hope for is never going to happen. That is fear, and that’s a hindrance to what God wants to do in your life.”

Before this day is over, I want you to ask God to bring you into such a covenant with him that his perfect love and his work of grace on your behalf will cast out all fear. His perfect love—and his love is the only perfect love there is—comes into your heart. You are accepted, and you don’t need any idols to make you feel good about yourself. Once that happens and you lay down your own agenda, all that’s left for you are the promises of God for your life. Hallelujah! That’s good news.

In Genesis 15:7, we see that God brought Abram out from the Ur of the Chaldeans and gave him the promise of “this land to possess.” Abram had a long journey ahead of him, and he was hoping in something that he had yet to see, but he had the promise of God.

When you have a promise of God, it is worth the journey, my friends. When you have the promise of God, he is saying, “Come on, brother. Come on, sister. Come on, daughter. Come on, son. Believe me, and have faith.”

If you’ve never had faith before, have faith in him this year. If you’ve had faith, increase your faith this year. If you’ve believed God for great things, believe him for greater things. “May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that by the power of the Holy Spirit you may abound in hope” (Romans 15:13, ESV).