Matthew 13:58 And he did not many mighty works there because of their unbelief.

Nothing kills faith faster than doubt. Now mind you I do not mean dead faith, but the works of faith are killed. This unbelief is tied back to James epistle in the form of doubting nothing. You can believe in part and doubt in another. The two are not mutually exclusive, one being of the world, the other in Christ.

Mark 9:24 And straightway the father of the child cried out, and said with tears, Lord, I believe; help thou mine unbelief.

Here a father expresses the deeper secret of faith, I believe in you my Lord and Savior, but I need you to remove all doubt that I still suffer. In the most simple terms my faith is in Christ and not myself. I will and rightly so, doubt myself. What I should not do is allow self-doubt to be an obstacle to obedience of faith. Thanks be to God that He is a patient God and has no problem at all in repeating Himself. There is nothing wrong with saying to God, “I’m not sure. Are you sure?”

Look to the Old Testament and you will find many valiant men of God who doubted themselves but were used of God in ways that demonstrated God could use the weak things of this world to overcome the enemy. Gideon is a great example, perhaps even more so than Moses or Elijah or Elisha who all moved in great power.

James 1:3 for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. ESV

You never will know what your faith can do without testing it. Every test which produces a good result will help remove doubt. Your failures will teach you just as much as your success if you accept that your doubt had nothing to do with the results. Your success is dependent of the will of God and not our own.

But how does that help my hearing? Is this the test?

James 1:6-8 But let him ask in faith, nothing wavering. For he that wavereth is like a wave of the sea driven with the wind and tossed. For let not that man think that he shall receive any thing of the Lord. A double minded man is unstable in all his ways.

The double mind is teetering between belief and doubt. After Easter this year we walked thru the issues of words and how they hold new meaning according to your positional condition. Now we are exploring the new life in Christ and how we come to understand the meanings according to our new position in Christ. Hearing in this new position in Christ is vital for the abundant life that Christ has promised.

John 10:10 The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly.

What is the abundant life? Remember these are just words, but now take on new meaning according to your “new” position, in Christ. If you think that the abundant life contains money, cars, homes, power and influence, then you are not hearing me. That is the world view of an abundant life.

What if I were to tell you that in this abundant life you would find more and more people who needed you to serve them? That you would become the go to guy to fill their needs, would you feel life is abundant?

Mark 9:35 And he sat down, and called the twelve, and saith unto them, If any man desire to be first, the same shall be last of all, and servant of all.

Can you let go of what you knew when you were in the world and believe the way things are in Christ? Christ will flip your understanding according to world standards and show you a whole new way of thinking. Can your faith overcome your past?