First see then believe is the way of the world. How often do you hear people say, that they have to see it first before they believe? The world won’t believe anything before they’ll see it first. Most people find it difficult to believe something unless they’ll see it with their own eyes. However, there are a few exceptions. When the world says something negative or gives a negative report or forecast, like for example in the daily news, a weather report, an economic forecast, a doctor’s report, or a psychologist’s report, they immediately believe it and share the news and discuss it with family, friends, colleagues, etc.. How weird is it, that they immediately believe the words of the world, but they don’t believe the words of God? But what about Christians? Do Christians see first then believe or do they believe first and then see?
Is a sign or wonder a coincidence?
Someone once said, How can you believe in God? God is invisible, you don’t see Him. I can’t believe I need some kind of sign before I will believe in God. I immediately answered, Ok, you want a sign? You will get a sign (because that person belonged to the unregenerate generation, who always needs some physical proof).
A few minutes later, a beautiful light entered the room. I looked at the sky and was amazed. I said, look! There was a strange light with all kinds of colors. It wasn’t a rainbow, but it had the colors of the rainbow. However, the sky was clear blue and it didn’t rain. The person looked at the sky and was amazed as well.
At first, I did not realize it, but then I said, this is your sign! I was very enthusiastic, but the person wasn’t so much. The person agreed it was special, but despite the sign, the person didn’t believe.
Almost all people are like that. They want to see first and then believe. But when they receive a sign, and are a witness of that sign, they still don’t believe. They say it’s just a coincidence.
Why do people need to first see then believe?
We live in a world, where people want to see first before they believe it. The visible realm of the senses is more real to people than the spiritual realm.
When you become a Christian, you believe that the Bible (the Word of God) is true and that the words of God are the Truth.
You believe the Word of God above what people and science tell you. You believe in Jesus Christ, the Son of God, even when you haven’t seen Jesus face to face.
When you study the Bible, you will get to know God, Jesus, and your (new) self. Because the Word of God is the new you, the new creation you have become in Christ through regeneration.
Therefore, if you want to find out who you really are, all you have to do is open the Bible and begin to read and study the Bible. You will renew your mind with the words of God, so that your mind line up with the Word of God.
If you renew your mind, apply the words of God in your life, and become a doer of the Word, you spiritually mature. The spiritual realm becomes more real to you than the visible realm. (Read also: ‘The hearers vs the doers’).
God’s Word is the mirror of your life
For if any be a hearer of the word, and not a doer, he is like unto a man beholding his natural face in a glass: For he beholdeth himself, and goeth his way, and straightway forgetteth what manner of man he was. But whoso looketh into the perfect law of liberty, and continuity therein, he being not a forgetful hearer, but a doer of the work, this man shall be blessed in his deed (James 1:23-25)
God’s Word is the mirror of your life. Your life should be a reflection of the Word of God as Jesus was the reflection of the Father when He walked on earth. If you are a doer of the Word of God, you shall walk by faith. If you are a hearer only, you walk in unbelief.
How do you walk in the Word of God?
Walking in the Word of God means, that you believe the words of God in the Bible, apply His words in your life and do what He says and keep His commandments. If you believe God’s Word above what you hear and see, and obey and act upon His words instead of acting upon what you hear or your circumstances, then you shall walk by faith. You shall act and walk according to those things, which are not visible in the natural realm yet.
Faith is not passive, but faith is an action. The Bible says, that faith without works is dead. Faith believes in God and believes that He will bring it to pass by you walking in obedience to His will and acting upon His words.
There is no doubt in your mind. You are absolutely per, but and absolute persuasion that something is true and will come to pass.
Faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen
Faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen (Hebrews 11:1)
When you say, that you believe or that you have faith, it means that you believe in the Word of God and walk in the unseen.
Certain things may not be visible in the natural realm yet. But you walk according to what the Word and the Spirit say and call those things which are not into existence. This does not mean that you have faith in the words you speak, but that you have faith in the One, Who said these words.
Call those things which are not, as though they were
As it is written, I have made thee a father of many nations, before him whom he believed, even God, who quickens the dead, and calls those things which be not as though they were (Romans 4:17)
As a new creation, you are born of God and made in the image of God. Jesus Christ has reconciled you by His blood and sacrifice to God. He restored you from your fallen position, into the position which God gave Adam before the fall. Yes, even a greater position. Because you live in Christ, Who sits at the right hand of the Father. Jesus Christ has the highest authority and power in the heavens and on earth.
When you look at the beginning of the creation, God (El-Elohim) called all things into being, through His Words and His Spirit. The whole earth has its origin in Him.
Since you are created after His image, you have been given the authority and power to do the same.
You also call things into being through your words. When you speak His words, then His words will be empowered by the Holy Spirit.
Therefore it is very important to know His Word. So that His words come out of your mouth.
Instead of speaking negative, doubtful, words, which are directed by your feelings, emotions, and senses, you will speak words of life directed from the Word and the Spirit.
You will call those things which are not as though they were. And you will create or change things, circumstances, situations, predictions, etc. But they must be in line with the Word of God and be to the glory of God the Father and Jesus Christ and His Kingdom. (Read also: Joy or pity party?)
The old man wants to see first then believe
When Jesus walked with His disciples on earth, the disciples were still the old creation (the old man). They had not become the new creation yet because the crucifixion and resurrection of Jesus Christ and the outpouring of the Holy Spirit had not taken place. Therefore the disciples had the see first before they believed.
No matter how many signs and miracles Jesus had done, they still didn’t believe.
A good example of this is the stories of the Five Loaves and two fishes and the Seven Loaves and a few small fishes. Both times, Jesus multiplied the food through the hands of the disciples and fed the multitude. They had seen these great miracles. However, when they entered the ship and saw that they had forgotten to take bread with them, they were worried.
Jesus said to His disciples, that they were of little faith. He remembered them about the two occasions when they didn’t have enough food and how Jesus provided in both situations (Matthew 16:6-11).
Jesus constantly addressed the unbelief of His disciples, who belonged to the generation of fallen man. Even after Jesus was raised from the dead and visited His disciples, His disciples doubted Jesus. They didn’t believe that it was Jesus.
People always point to the doubting Thomas, but the other disciples also doubted Jesus. Jesus had to show His disciples His hands and feet to prove that He was not a spirit but that He had flesh and bones. Jesus even had to eat something to prove that He was not a spirit. Because His disciples still didn’t believe (Mark 16:11-14, Luke 24:11; 24-36, John 20:19-29).
The new man will believe first then see
But when Jesus’ disciples were baptized with the Holy Spirit and were born again and became the new creation, they became spiritual. The spiritual realm became visible to them. From that moment, they called those things which were not as though they were.
When you are born again, you have become a new creation. You don’t have to see things first before you believe them. No! You don’t first see then believe as the old carnal man, but you first believe then see as the new spiritual man.
When you renew your mind with the Word of God, you get to know God’s will about things, situations, circumstances, etc. You will see the image of the outcome in your head and then you will call those things which are not as though they were and will bring them into being.
Everything that has a name, must bow to the Name of Jesus
Once upon a flight, the plane began to shake. Immediately the ‘fasten your seatbelt’ light went on. The pilot announced that we entered an area with severe turbulence. He told us, that the plane in front of us dropped a few meters. We had to prepare ourselves that the same thing could happen to us.
Instead of becoming fearful, I said, Turbulence, I command you to go in Jesus’ Name! There will be no turbulence. The turbulence stopped and we had no turbulence for the rest of the flight. That is the authority and power we have in Christ!
Everything that has a name, must bow to the Name of Jesus. Turbulence is a name. Therefore turbulence had to bow. It’s like the fig tree and the storm, which also obeyed Jesus. Jesus spoke and it came to pass.
Don’t be conformed to this world! Don’t think the way the world thinks and don’t walk the way the world walks after the flesh. Instead, walk by faith after the Word and the Spirit.
The world says, first see then believe. But the new creation says, first believe then see!
‘Be the salt of the earth’
