God's Word says he limits Himself and the prayers He answers by our unbelief - https://www.pexels.com/photo/cute-girl-making-faces-on-sunny-grassland-6300074/
[Three times the Word says God can NOT lie.]
[Num 23:19 NKJV] 19 "God [is] not a man, that He should lie, nor a son of man, that He should repent. Has He said, and will He not do? Or has He spoken, and will He not make it good?
[Tit 1:2 NKJV] 2 in hope of eternal life which God, who cannot lie, promised before time began,
[Heb 6:18 NKJV] 18 that by two immutable things, in which it [is] impossible for God to lie, we might have strong consolation, who have fled for refuge to lay hold of the hope set before [us].
[Mar 6:5-6 NKJV] 5 Now He [Jesus – Creator of Heaven and Earth in the flesh] could do no mighty work there, except that He laid His hands on a few sick people and healed [them]. 6 And He marveled because of their unbelief. Then He went about the villages in a circuit, teaching.
[This is a curious passage in the Word. The Creator of the universe could NOT do something He wanted to do because of man’s unbelief. How can this be? The answer is that God cannot lie. In Genesis 1:26-28 God created man in His image, specifically with the attribute of dominion. He gave man dominion over all the Earth and all living things on the Earth.]
[Gen 1:26-28 NKJV] 26 Then God said, "Let Us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness; let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, over the birds of the air, and over the cattle, over all the earth and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth." 27 So God created man in His [own] image; in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them. 28 Then God blessed them, and God said to them, "Be fruitful and multiply; fill the earth and subdue it; have dominion over the fish of the sea, over the birds of the air, and over every living thing that moves on the earth."
[God would have to violate his Word and take back dominion over the earth by forcing His will and dominion on the earth, over the dominion he gave to man. God cannot lie nor violate His Word, therefore He could do no mighty works in Nazareth—Jesus’ home town because he voluntarily subjugated Himself to man’s will and unbelief. Being all-powerful He certainly could have forced His will and done mighty works in His hometown, but that would turn what He said in Genesis into a lie. We also see man’s dominion short circuited by man’s unbelief.]
[Mat 17:18-21 NKJV] 18 And Jesus rebuked the demon, and it came out of him; and the child was cured from that very hour. 19 Then the disciples came to Jesus privately and said, "Why could we not cast it out?" 20 So Jesus said to them, "Because of your unbelief; for assuredly, I say to you, if you have faith as a mustard seed, you will say to this mountain, 'Move from here to there,' and it will move; and nothing will be impossible for you. 21 "However, this kind [of unbelief] does not go out except by prayer and fasting."
[context here is clearly referring to this kind of “unbelief.” Many teach that “this kind” is referring to a type of powerful demon that requires our sacrifice of fasting and bargaining with God to get rid of it. However, the context clearly shows “this kind” refers to this kind of unbelief.
Fasting is a great tool to bring your body and soul under control of the Holy Spirit. Fasting is telling your body and soul that we do not live by bread alone but by God’s Word/Spirit which is more important than our need to eat—see tip 51) Fasting & Prayer.]
[Luk 4:4 NKJV] 4 …'Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word of God.' "
[Mar 8:22-26 NKJV] 22 Then He came to Bethsaida; and they brought a blind man to Him, and begged Him to touch him. 23 So He took the blind man by the hand and led him out of the town. And when He had spit on his eyes and put His hands on him, He asked him if he saw anything. 24 And he looked up and said, "I see men like trees, walking." 25 Then He put [His] hands on his eyes again and made him look up. And he was restored and saw everyone clearly. 26 Then He sent him away to his house, saying, "Neither go into the town, nor tell anyone in the town."
[This is another curious occurrence recorded in Scriptures. It took the Creator of the universe two tries to heal this blind man. He also separated the man from the people in the town, and after He healed him, He told the man NOT to go back to the town where he came from. Understanding the context of Jesus’ teaching on unbelief, it appears that Jesus was trying to separate the healed man from the unbelief of those in the crowd who were plotting against Jesus, knowing that unbelief of others may affect His will to heal this man. A similar situation happened earlier in Mark chapter 5, where Jesus clearly puts an unbelieving crowd outside away from of the house of the local ruler of the synagogue.]
[Mar 5:35-43 NKJV] 35 While He was still speaking, [some] came from the ruler of the synagogue's [house] who said, "Your daughter is dead. Why trouble the Teacher any further?" 36 As soon as Jesus heard the word that was spoken, He said to the ruler of the synagogue, "Do not be afraid; only believe." 37 And He permitted no one to follow Him except Peter, James, and John the brother of James. 38 Then He came to the house of the ruler of the synagogue, and saw a tumult and those who wept and wailed loudly. 39 When He came in, He said to them, "Why make this commotion and weep? The child is not dead, but sleeping." 40 And they ridiculed Him. But when He had put them all outside, He took the father and the mother of the child, and those [who were] with Him, and entered where the child was lying. 41 Then He took the child by the hand, and said to her, "Talitha, cumi," which is translated, "Little girl, I say to you, arise." 42 Immediately the girl arose and walked, for she was twelve years [of age]. And they were overcome with great amazement. 43 But He commanded them strictly that no one should know it, and said that [something] should be given her to eat.
[The reaction of great amazement by the mourners clearly demonstrates that the crowd was not believing for a raising from the dead miracle. To prevent what happened in Nazareth, Jesus separated himself from the unbelief in the crowd.
Here is another example from the Word. While wandering in the wilderness, Israel did not believe the Word of God given by Moses.]
[Psa 78:41 NKJV] 41 Yes, again and again they tempted God, and limited the Holy One [God] of Israel.
[How does man limit God? In this instance they refused to go into the promised land defying God’s will and command, so God limited what He would do for them because of their fear and unbelief. Scriptures clearly states that God limits Himself by our unbelief.]
[Mat 9:29 NKJV] 29 Then He touched their eyes, saying, "According to your faith let it be to you."
[Jesus would often ask if people believe before He would heal them. He would ask for some tiny word and/or action on their part or the part of those interceding for him to demonstrate their belief. He also taught that all we needed was the tiniest seed of faith—see tip 26) We Have THE Measure of Faith. Here is an example of Jesus acting on the belief of others.]
[Mar 2:4-12 NKJV] 4 And when they could not come near Him because of the crowd, they uncovered the roof where He was. So when they had broken through, they let down the bed on which the paralytic was lying. 5 When Jesus saw their faith, He said to the paralytic, "Son, your sins are forgiven you." 6 And some of the scribes were sitting there and reasoning in their hearts, 7 "Why does this [Man] speak blasphemies like this? Who can forgive sins but God alone?" 8 But immediately, when Jesus perceived in His spirit that they reasoned thus within themselves, He said to them, "Why do you reason about these things in your hearts? 9 "Which is easier, to say to the paralytic, '[Your] sins are forgiven you,' or to say, 'Arise, take up your bed and walk'? 10 "But that you may know that the Son of Man has power on earth to forgive sins"--He said to the paralytic, 11 "I say to you, arise, take up your bed, and go to your house." 12 Immediately he arose, took up the bed, and went out in the presence of them all, so that all were amazed and glorified God, saying, "We never saw [anything] like this!"
[In this instance the faith demonstrated by action of the lame man’s friends, digging a hole in the roof, was seen by Jesus and apparently enough to counter the unbelief of the religious leaders and scribes in the room. Often God wants us not to just pray, but act on what we believe His answer will be. In addition, the lame man also demonstrated his faith with actions by rising up, picking up his bed and walking. The belief of the friends is another reason why we should pray together in unity for one another—see prayer tip 11) Praying Together is Powerful.]
コメント