Help My Unbelief!

 Jesus answered the cry of his disciples, “Lord, increase our faith!” (Luke 17:5)
Faith is the conviction of the truth of anything, belief; in the NT of a conviction or belief respecting man's relationship to God and divine things, generally with the included idea of trust and holy fervor born of faith and joined with it.

• Relating to God, it is the conviction that God exists and is the creator and ruler of all things, the provider and bestower of eternal salvation through Christ
• Relating to Christ, it is a strong and welcome conviction or belief that Jesus is the Messiah, through whom we obtain eternal salvation in the kingdom of God
• It is the belief with the predominate idea of trust (or confidence) whether in God or in Christ, springing from faith in the same. It also speaks to fidelity, and faithfulness, describing the character of one who can be relied on.
• Jesus answered this prayer with a simple teaching. That teaching tells us to begin to use the “mustard seed” faith that we have.

 
Jesus answered the cry of the father in the multitude, “Help my unbelief”” (Mark 9:14-23)

• Jesus cast the spirit out of the man’s son.  
• The spirit got agitated in the presence of Jesus’ authority
• Jesus lifted him up.
• Jesus answered unbelief by demonstrating a miracle. Pay close attention to the miracles in your own life.

 
Jesus answered the cry of his disciples, “Why could we not cast him out?

• The answer? Unbelief (see the same story in Matthew 17:20). This is the root cause of failure in deliverance. It must be eradicated with FAITH.

 
It’s almost cliché. We hear it in many Christian circles: “I am believing God to take care of my situation” or, “I am believing God for a breakthrough.” But, believing God is essential to a relationship with Him. Think about it. Can you say, “I love Randall, but I don’t believe what he says!” Or, “Karen is my friend, forever, but she cannot be believed!” This is why the scripture says, “Without faith, it is impossible to please Him (Hebrews 11:6). When it comes to warfare prayers and deliverance, we have to cross this hurdle, early. We have to overthrow unbelief or our prayers, declarations, intercession, and fasting are all in vain. But, how do we overcome unbelief?
 
“That He is” (Hebrews 11:6)
I assumed this was going to translate as a word meaning “God”, but it did not! It is the Greek word ginomai.
  
It is a verb that actually means:

• to become, i.e. to come into existence, begin to be, receive being
• to become, i.e. to come to pass, happen

Of events

• to arise, appear in history, come upon the stage

Of men appearing in public

• to be made, finished

Of miracles, to be performed, wrought

• to become, be made

 
What does it mean to “diligently seek” Him?

• to seek out, search for
• to seek out, i.e. investigate, scrutinize
• to seek out for one's self, beg, crave
• to demand back, require

 
What does this have to do with deliverance and spiritual warfare?
 
YOUR TURN!