Crisis of Belief
Memory verse: Without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to Him must believe that He exists and that He rewards those who earnestly seek Him (Hebrews 11:6)
The word crisis comes from a Greek word that means decision or judgment. A crisis of belief is not a calamity in your life but a turning point where you must make a decision. You must decide what you truly believe about God. The way you respond at this turning point will determine whether you become involved with God in something God-sized that only He can do or whether you will continue to go your own way and miss what He has purposed for your life. This is not a one-time experience. It is a regular occurrence. The way you live your life is a testimony of what you believe about God.
Read the scriptures and notice the crisis of belief
And the Lord said to Gideon, “With the 300 men who lapped I will save you and give the Midianites into your hand and let all the others go every man to his home.” (Judges 7:7)
Now the Philistines had come and made a raid in the Valley of Rephaim. And David inquired of God, “Shall I go up against the Philistines? Will you give them into my hand?” And the Lord said to him, “Go up, and I will give them into your hand.” …And the Philistines yet again made a raid in the valley. And when David again inquired of God… (1 Chronicles 14:9-10, 13-14)
When they came to Capernaum, the collectors of the two-drachma tax went up to Peter and said, “Does your teacher not pay the tax?” He said, “Yes.” And when he came into the house, Jesus spoke to him first, saying, “What do you think, Simon? From whom do kings of the earth take toll or tax? From their sons or from others?” And when he said, “From others,” Jesus said to him, “Then the sons are free. However, not to give offense to them, go to the sea and cast a hook and take the first fish that comes up, and when you open its mouth you will find a shekel. Take that and give it to them for me and for yourself.” (Matthew 1724-27)
Gideon must have struggled with his crisis. Joint forces of the Midianites, Amalekites, and other eastern peoples were prepared to attack his people. Gideon started with 32,000 men, but God had Gideon send 31,700 of them home. He was going to give victory with only 300 soldiers. Do you see what a difference it made from God’s perspective? When the battle was won, everyone knew God did it!
David, a faithful servant of the Lord, refused to rely on human wisdom for guidance. He asked for God’s direction. Even though God said He would give David victory over the Philistines, was this a crisis of belief for David? Yes! David still had to decide what he believed about God, and he had to trust God to do what He said He would do.
An important characteristic of David’s walk with the Lord is that he stayed in a close relationship with God. He didn’t rely on yesterday’s guidance for today, and he didn’t use human wisdom to decide whether to attack this second time. This is a good example of how God wants you to depend on Him—-through an ongoing relationship with Him, not a method or a program. What worked yesterday or in another church may not be what God wants to use today. Only He has a right to tell you what to do next.
Peter was a fisherman. Never before had he found coins in the mouth of a fish. Great faith was required to go and catch one fish to find the exact amount of money needed to pay their taxes. When he acted in faith, God provided.
The Crisis of Belief
An encounter with God requires faith
Encounters with God are God-sized
What you do reveals what you believe
True faith requires action