The Limits of Unbelief

 Don’t you think it’s interesting that there were no disciples at the tomb when Jesus rose from the dead?  We read that Jesus told them He would rise, but we don’t read anywhere that they believed Him. 

The thing I find most interesting is that His enemies did believe it, that’s why they placed a crack squadron of soldiers to guard the tomb.  That’s why they sealed it.  That’s why they said, “We remember that that deceiver said, while he was yet alive, After three days I will rise again.”

Even when the women who visited the tomb told the disciples that Jesus had risen from the dead, they didn’t believe them.

Sometimes Christians struggle with believing God.  There’s really no difference between believing Jesus when He said He would rise from the dead, and believing Jesus when He says He will pour out blessing.  Today I want to address something that I think needs to be addressed.  There are things that God has spoken that seem to be easier to believe than others.  So, in this post, I want to look at unbelief, from this portion of scripture:

2 Kings 7:1-2 (NKJV)
^7:1 Then Elisha said, "Hear the word of the Lord. Thus says the Lord: 'Tomorrow about this time a seah of fine flour shall be sold for a shekel, and two seahs of barley for a shekel, at the gate of Samaria.' " ² So an officer on whose hand the king leaned answered the man of God and said, "Look, if the Lord would make windows in heaven, could this thing be?" And he said, "In fact, you shall see it with your eyes, but you shall not eat of it."

Can You Believe the Promises?

This takes place at a very bleak time in Israel’s history.  There has been a famine in the country, so there isn’t much food available.  Things were very tough.  Now on top of that Ben Hada, King of Syria, has placed them under siege.  They’re being held captive inside the walls of the city. 

In fact, people have even turned to cannibalism:

2 Kings 6:26-29 (NKJV)
^6:26 Then, as the king of Israel was passing by on the wall, a woman cried out to him, saying, "Help, my lord, O king!" ²⁷ And he said, "If the Lord does not help you, where can I find help for you? From the threshing floor or from the winepress?" ²⁸ Then the king said to her, "What is troubling you?" And she answered, "This woman said to me, 'Give your son, that we may eat him today, and we will eat my son tomorrow.' ²⁹ So we boiled my son, and ate him. And I said to her on the next day, 'Give your son, that we may eat him'; but she has hidden her son."

This shows how desperate the people were.  All of us go through times of famine like this.  Maybe you’ve never been desperate enough to eat your children, but you have been through times when you didn’t think you had enough.

You’ve got the rent, food, utilities, taxes, gas, insurance, it seems like what goes out is bigger than what comes in.  Then there’s layoffs, semester breaks, down business times.  It seems like a time of famine in your life.

Maybe in times like that you’re less open to the promises of God.  Maybe you’re like the man on whose arm the king leans. He said, “Look, if the Lord would make windows in heaven, could this thing be?”

He’s wondering in light of these desperate circumstances how God can make this happen.  I’ve wondered the same thing myself – a number of times.  How can you open the windows of heaven and pour out a blessing, but that’s one of the promises isn’t it?

In our text Elisha the prophet is repeating what God has promised.

2 Kings 7:1 (NKJV)
^7:1 Then Elisha said, "Hear the word of the Lord. Thus says the Lord: 'Tomorrow about this time a seah of fine flour shall be sold for a shekel, and two seahs of barley for a shekel, at the gate of Samaria.'

That by the next day, about the same time a seah (about 7 liters in volume) of flour for a shekel (about $4.50 USD, 2025 dollars).  That’s a low price for flour, but things are so bad that people can’t believe it. 

When we don’t see a way out of our circumstances, we can’t see how God can deliver us.  We judge God’s abilities by our own, but God can do supernatural things. 

That word super as a prefix means beyond.  So, God can do things beyond the natural, which is what we can do.  We live and operate in the natural, but God operates in the supernatural.  God can do miracles.

Look at the circumstances of your life.  Are you struggling in one area?  Is there a part of your life that you think can’t be changed?  Maybe a doctor told you there’s no treatment for what you’re suffering.  Maybe, you can’t see an improvement in your finances.  Maybe you think there’s no way you can change.  You are limited in your ability to affect change in your life, by your own abilities and natural laws, but God isn’t affected that way.  God can transcend circumstances and nature.  The limit to what God can do for you is the limit to which you believe God. 

The man in our text limits God to the natural circumstances.  He’s saying that even if God were to open the windows of heaven, our circumstances are so bad that they can’t be fixed.  This is unbelief – It’s a lack of faith. 

Hebrews 11:6 (NKJV)
^11:6 But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him.

Our unbelief limits God.  Look how that is worded.  He who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He rewards them that diligently seek Him.  There is faith in God, that is, that most of us believe in God; We believe that God exists, but is there faith in God’s abilities?  Is there faith that God can do things and will do things to eliminate your suffering?

You believe in God – Do you believe He can heal you?

You believe in God – Do you believe He can provide for you?

You believe in God – Do you believe He can change you?

Those are the promises. 

The disciples believed in Jesus.  They believed He was the Messiah.  They believed He could do miracles.  They believed that He was there to deliver mankind, but they couldn’t believe that He would rise from the dead, even though He promised that He would.

We’re like that, too.  We believe in God, we believe we’ve been forgiven.  So, why can’t we believe God to keep His promises? Let’s examine that.

God Keeps His Promises

Let’s examine a promise that God has made.

Malachi 3:10-11 (NKJV)
^3:10 Bring all the tithes into the storehouse, That there may be food in My house, And try Me now in this," Says the Lord of hosts, "If I will not open for you the windows of heaven And pour out for you such blessing That there will not be room enough to receive it. ¹¹ "And I will rebuke the devourer for your sakes, So that he will not destroy the fruit of your ground, Nor shall the vine fail to bear fruit for you in the field," Says the Lord of hosts.

This is a promise of God.  If we will do something, then God will do something.  We know it’s a promise because God s saying, “Test me.  See if I will do what I have said here.  I promise that I will do this; you can check me on it.  Bring all of your tithes and offerings into the storehouse.  Do this and I will open the windows of heaven and bless you so much you won’t have room for it all."  I wonder, though, how many are really believing God for this promise.  How many are like the man on whose arm the king leaned, "I'm struggling, there’s a lot of expenses.”  “I can’t make enough money to keep up.”  “If I give more there won’t be enough.”  That’s thinking in the natural and forgetting about the supernatural.  “Look if the Lord would make windows in heaven, could this thing be?”  Look at what God did in the day of need for Israel:

2 Kings 7:5-7 (NKJV)
.⁵ And they rose at twilight to go to the camp of the Syrians; and when they had come to the outskirts of the Syrian camp, to their surprise no one was there. ⁶ For the Lord had caused the army of the Syrians to hear the noise of chariots and the noise of horses--the noise of a great army; so they said to one another, "Look, the king of Israel has hired against us the kings of the Hittites and the kings of the Egyptians to attack us!" ⁷ Therefore they arose and fled at twilight, and left the camp intact--their tents, their horses, and their donkeys--and they fled for their lives

God made a promise that would happen the next day, but because people couldn’t see how it could happen, they didn’t believe that it would happen.  That’s how a lot people are.  “If I give more there will be less, so how can there be more if I give more?”  That’s what the promise is, though.  We can’t see how it could happen, but God promises that it can. 

Then we look at this story and we see how God did it in this instance.  He caused the Syrians to hear the sound of chariots when there were no chariots.  He caused them to panic when there was no reason to panic.  He caused them to abandon everything, even though there was no attack.  God moved outside what we think is possible, in order to keep His word, and He will do the same thing with our giving.  God moved in a supernatural way and suddenly there was abundance in the midst of famine.  You may think that if you give more there will be less, but God has promised that if you give more, there will be more.

This whole event takes place in the midst of a famine.  Did you know that there is an underlying purpose for famine?

Amos 4:7-8 (NKJV)

⁷ "I also withheld rain from you, When there were still three months to the harvest. I made it rain on one city, I withheld rain from another city. One part was rained upon, And where it did not rain the part withered. ⁸ So two or three cities wandered to another city to drink water, But they were not satisfied; Yet you have not returned to Me," Says the Lord.

The last line in this scripture gives us a clue as to that purpose.  “Yet you have not returned to me.”  God uses famine to cause His people to return to Him.  He wants people to depend on Him.  He wants people to trust Him.  If God uses famine to cause His people to come back to Him on a national level, do you think He might do the same thing on a personal level.  Maybe you’re in the midst of a financial famine because you’re not trusting and depending on God.  You don’t believe God can move supernaturally on your behalf.  When God is saying, “Try me now in this,” in Malachi chapter three, He’s really saying, “Let me show you what I can do.”  God can’t show you His response to your giving if you’re not giving.

The Reward of Faith

If we look back at our text, we can see the prophet’s response to the man on whose arm the king leaned.

2 Kings 7:2 (NKJV)
^7:2 So an officer on whose hand the king leaned answered the man of God and said, "Look, if the Lord would make windows in heaven, could this thing be?" And he said, "In fact, you shall see it with your eyes, but you shall not eat of it."

He’s telling him that because of his unbelief, he will see God move but he won’t share in God’s deliverance.  Because you don’t believe there’s no deliverance for you.  It’s the same in the promise of tithes in the storehouse, if you don’t believe you won’t receive deliverance.  If you don’t test God’s promise, you won’t receive God’s deliverance.

Do you ever look at other people and wonder why they’re blessed aand you’re struggling?  Maybe it’s the same answer this man received.  You’ll see the blessing but won’t share in it because of unbelief.  You see those who believed receiving the blessing, but you don’t share in it because of your own unbelief.  Look at what happened to the man:

2 Kings 7:17 (NKJV)
^7:17 Now the king had appointed the officer on whose hand he leaned to have charge of the gate. But the people trampled him in the gate, and he died, just as the man of God had said, who spoke when the king came down to him.

This is a direct result of the man’s not believing God’s promise.  He saw the abundance that came about supernaturally.  He saw the promise fulfilled, but he didn’t receive it.  In fact, something much worse happened.  The man was killed.

This is a spiritual principle.  Unbelief will always lead to spiritual death.  Belief and faith brings eternal life, unbelief brings eternal condemnation.  The man who didn’t believe ended up dead, not just that he didn’t get blessed, he died.

Every church has seen this before.  There are people who aren’t there, anymore.  They have died a spiritual death…because of unbelief.

If you’re struggling with this, right now, don’t despair.  The promise is there for you if you’ll just begin to believe God.  Remember Hebrews 11:6:

Hebrews 11:6b (NKJV)
^11:6b for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him.

The first thing is to believe that God is; that God exists; that God is a patient and loving God. Secondly, believe that if you diligently seek Him, you will be rewarded.  If you hunt for God, God will let you find Him. God is the God who blesses.

2 Corinthians 9:6-8 (NKJV)
^9:6 But this I say: He who sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and he who sows bountifully will also reap bountifully. ⁷ So let each one give as he purposes in his heart, not grudgingly or of necessity; for God loves a cheerful giver. ⁸ And God is able to make all grace abound toward you, that you, always having all sufficiency in all things, may have an abundance for every good work.

Do you want to see God’s promises play out in your life?  Do you want to reap bountifully?  This scripture is rooted in faith.  A cheerful giver believes that God will bless.  One who sows bountifully will reap bountifully.  Purpose in your heart to be a cheerful giver and God will bless you.  If you act in unbelief while others act in faith you will see the reward of that faith in them being blessed but you will not partake in blessing.  Unbelief will keep you from the blessings of God.  So, bless God and He will bless you.

 

Note:  I am not a preacher of prosperity doctrine.  I don’t believe that God exists to make you rich, but I do believe in the principles highlighted in Malachi chapter three.

 

Nevertheless: For the Pioneer Church

Editors Note:  I have been pastor at a pioneer church in Taoyuan City, Taiwan for the last four and a half years.  Over that time we have faced a number of obstacles, not least of which is demonic opposition.  This post is written from the perspective of this church in Taoyuan City, but I think it's applicable to any pioneer setting in any nation.

One thing that we are seeing happen, is that there is a resistance to the church’s efforts to reach our community with the Gospel.  All Hell is breaking loose.  People in the church are struggling, spiritually, financially and in other ways.  People have been leaving the church for reasons that seem to make no sense.  People are living on the edge, one foot in the kingdom of God and one foot in the world.  All of these things happen as the devil tries to rob us of victory.

There is an opposition that faces us.  How many understand that this is warfare?  We are in a battle for souls and we face an enemy that is determined to destroy the works of God.  He fights his battles trying to wear down the soldiers of the opposition.  Here’s the bad news… We are those soldiers.  Today, I want to post on overcoming the opposition and maintaining the victory.

2 Samuel 5:3-10 (NKJV)
^5:3 Therefore all the elders of Israel came to the king at Hebron, and King David made a covenant with them at Hebron before the Lord. And they anointed David king over Israel. ⁴ David was thirty years old when he began to reign, and he reigned forty years. ⁵ In Hebron he reigned over Judah seven years and six months, and in Jerusalem he reigned thirty-three years over all Israel and Judah. ⁶ And the king and his men went to Jerusalem against the Jebusites, the inhabitants of the land, who spoke to David, saying, "You shall not come in here; but the blind and the lame will repel you," thinking, "David cannot come in here." ⁷ Nevertheless David took the stronghold of Zion (that is, the City of David). ⁸ Now David said on that day, "Whoever climbs up by way of the water shaft and defeats the Jebusites (the lame and the blind, who are hated by David's soul), he shall be chief and captain." Therefore they say, "The blind and the lame shall not come into the house." ⁹ Then David dwelt in the stronghold, and called it the City of David. And David built all around from the Millo and inward. ¹⁰ So David went on and became great, and the Lord God of hosts was with him.

Strongholds that Oppose

This takes place after the war between Saul and David has ended.  Saul is dead and the prophecy that Samuel had spoken to Saul at the Witch of Endor’s place has been fulfilled.

1 Samuel 13:14 (NKJV)
^13:14 But now your kingdom shall not continue. The Lord has sought for Himself a man after His own heart, and the Lord has commanded him to be commander over His people, because you have not kept what the Lord commanded you."

I want you to see this because our text parallels for us what I call the “Gateway to Abundant Life.”  Jesus has promised us a more abundant life in Him.  It says in:

John 10:10 (NKJV)
^10:10 The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy. I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly.

This is what Jesus is speaking to us.  The Gateway to abundant life is allowing Jesus to reign as undisputed king in our lives.  We must crown Him king in every aspect of our lives in order to enter into that abundant life.  I’m not talking about a prosperity doctrine here.  I’m not talking about wealth or material riches.   I’m talking about the victory that comes from serving God.  We can take back our lives and take our community for Jesus.  That victory is abundant living.

This is what happened in our text:  The elders of Israel made David, who was king over Judah in Hebron, king over Israel as well.  This made him the undisputed king of the entire nation.  Right at this moment, Israel is poised to step into a new vision for God’s purpose.  They’re ready to step into God’s will for their nation.  The old capitol, Hebron, would no longer serve, so they chose to move into Jerusalem, and this is the moment that they began to meet strategic opposition.

The place of Jerusalem, at that time was called Jebus.  It was chosen by David to be capitol over all of Israel because of its strategic location.  So David and his men went out to the stronghold of Mt. Zion, this is what is now called the City of David.  At that time it was a fortress city, built within a canyon surrounded on all sides by mountains.  It was built to withstand enemies.  The walls could not be climbed.  They were massive and impregnable.   The city possessed the high ground from which it could be defended.  Trained soldiers were stationed in each precinct of the city to protect it and its water supply.  The city was a stronghold of opposition in the center, the heart of Israel.  It had been a thorn in the side of Israel since the beginning.

God had given them the whole land, yet they had never been able to possess it all. 

Joshua 15:63 (NKJV)
^15:63 As for the Jebusites, the inhabitants of Jerusalem, the children of Judah could not drive them out; but the Jebusites dwell with the children of Judah at Jerusalem to this day.

They couldn't be moved, so Israel coexisted with them.  It was a relationship filled with tension.  Have you ever been in a situation where you were expected to be civil and coexist with someone who harbored great animosity toward you?  There’s a tension that you can feel.  Even as an outsider to the situation you can feel the tension.  You’re on edge.  You’re uncomfortable.  It’s very stressful, isn’t it?  This is the relationship between Israel and Jebus, at the time of our text.  They’re not at war, but it’s hanging just below the surface.  Because of Jebus’ location this is where David has chosen to rule.  It was the most strategic place in the land and yet it was firmly entrenched with the enemy of Israel.

Our church, like Israel is poised to step into all that God has planned, and yet we’re in a place where the enemy is firmly entrenched.  Face it, if he wasn't firmly entrenched in the lives of the people of the city we wouldn't need to be here.  Like David, we have to face that opposition on the enemy’s turf; in the enemy’s fortress.  We’ll have to gain entrance into the stronghold to root him out; to destroy where he lives.  In order to step into all that God has for us, we will have to tear down the strongholds of which he has taken possession.

Nevertheless

In verse six we see the taunting and mocking of the enemy. 

2 Samuel 5:6 (NKJV)
^5:6 And the king and his men went to Jerusalem against the Jebusites, the inhabitants of the land, who spoke to David, saying, "You shall not come in here; but the blind and the lame will repel you," thinking, "David cannot come in here."

Have you ever watched the warm up to a boxing match?  The two fighters are standing nose to nose.  They’re talking smack.  “You’re weak.  I’ll mop the floor with you.” Blah, blah, blah.  They’re trying to gain the psychological advantage over their adversary.  They’re trying to get their opponent to feel afraid; to doubt his own ability and strength.

This is the same thing, going on in our text.  “We’re going to tear you up.  Even the weakest among us could whip you any time.  We’re too tough for you.”  Yet we read in verse seven:

2 Samuel 5:7 (NKJV)
^5:7 Nevertheless David took the stronghold of Zion (that is, the City of David).

Nevertheless…nevertheless, David took the city.  It doesn't matter how much power the enemy has.  It doesn't matter how strong he is; how long he’s been there; what he has done to fortify his position.  None of that matters because we’re not fighting him strength for strength.  It’s not the power that we can muster on our own that tears down strongholds.  It’s the power of the one we serve that matters.

We have engaged the enemy; we are a people at war.  We fight one who seems to be much more powerful than we are.  Even in the face of all that’s against us, there is still that one word…NEVERTHELESS.

2 Corinthians 10:4-5 (NKJV)
^10:4 For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal but mighty in God for pulling down strongholds, ⁵ casting down arguments and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ,

The weapons of our warfare are for the bringing down of strongholds, despite the power that we think we face.  In other words… NEVERTHELESS!  

There will always be opposition to Christ’s sovereignty in our city and even in our lives.  This is what we’re fighting against.  As we make Jesus king and take possession of this city we must displace someone else.  The devil has made a stronghold in this city.  We MUST enter into his dominion and root him out, and I want you to know that doesn't happen without a fight.  It’s the same in our hearts where he has made a stronghold.  He’s not coming out without a fight.

The Conquerors Heart

As we look at the stronghold before us; the walls of Jebus.  The weak and fearful will see certain defeat.  They utter words of despair and seek a compromise.  “The enemy’s too strong, we’ll never be able to defeat him.”  But a conqueror sees God’s moment and says nevertheless.  This is the pivotal word in our text:   NEVERTHELESS. 

David didn't go into denial.  He didn't say, “Walls? What walls?”  He wasn't mindless of reality.  Faith isn't found in denial of reality.  Faith is found in the word nevertheless.  It’s at this moment that you hear the words of the enemy loud and clear, “Excuse me, can I tell you something?  It’s hopeless.  You can’t get in here.  You can’t defeat me, so you might as well give it up.”

When David was crowned king over all of Israel, Jebus fell:  That which stood all this time from Joshua’s day to David’s.  When David was made king, Jebus fell.  When you make Jesus king over all of your heart the strongholds of sin will fall in your life:  Those strongholds that had resisted you for all those years.  When you put Jesus on the throne, you break down the walls.  When we declare Him to be king in this city, we’ll see the strongholds here begin to break down.  What we’re facing right now are the taunts:

“The blind and the lame will repel you.  If you were doing the right thing, the church would grow. You’ll never be able to reach people.” 

The first time a church was launched out of Prescott, Harold Warner had an accident and broke his back.  The church was almost split over whether sending out churches was the right thing to do.  People thought it wasn't God. 

It was just the opposition.  The devil doesn't fight fair.  It was just the taunts.  “What can one little church in Arizona do to win the world?  That’s not vision; it’s insanity.  Pastor Mitchell and Pastor Warner both, pressed in and our fellowship has reached multiplied thousands of people around the world…NEVERTHELESS!

Fighting the Battle

How do we begin to do that?  I believe that we have to change the way we think.  We need to look at how we do things and be creative.  God will make a way.  Look at how David took this city.  He sent men up the water shaft.  This was the gutter that let water out of the city.  In other words they climbed up through the sewer.  The Jebusites protected all the water that they used but no one thought to protect the gutters from the intruders.  David thought outside the box.  He did things that were unexpected.  We can do that in three simple ways.

1. We must stoke the engine of creativity.  Creativity is Biblical.  It’s the fifth word in the whole Bible. “In the beginning God CREATED…” It’s our challenge to keep God’s unchanging truth the same, and yet find creative ways to communicate it.
2. We need to cultivate a faith that sees a way.  How many know that fear blinds you?  When you’re fearful you’re only seeing the possibility of defeat, but faith opens the eyes.

2 Kings 6:17 (NKJV)
^6:17 And Elisha prayed, and said, "Lord, I pray, open his eyes that he may see." Then the Lord opened the eyes of the young man, and he saw. And behold, the mountain was full of horses and chariots of fire all around Elisha.

           

This is a prayer of faith.  He saw the fear and panic in his servant and prayed for faith for him.  This should be our prayer, too.   Samson, in faith, found the jawbone of a donkey and saw a way to use it to slay a thousand Philistines.  Faith is a way of seeing the possibility of what God can do.

3. Exercise due diligence.  In other words don’t be lazy.  Faith isn't an excuse for laziness.  God isn't going to say “poof” and destroy all that which stands before us.  God didn't just blow down the walls of Jebus, they had to find a way.  They had to step out and allow God to use what THEY did to bring about the defeat of Jebus.

We have to step out in faith, here and perform the best we can, allowing God to bring about the victory.  The devil tries to discourage.  He accuses us of all kinds of things.  He tries to undermine our faith and resolve.  He ridicules and belittles trying to make us back off.  Nevertheless, we have the power to overcome because we have the overcomer firmly placed on the thrones of our hearts.  With Him as our king this stronghold will fall, just as Jebus did before the King of Israel, and He will reign in this Jerusalem, or Taoyuan City depending on your perspective.