A series of over coming, join me

This is all from Beth Moore.

I want to begin something with all of you out in my net world. It's an "over coming ..." serious. There are introductions and then scripture followed. Every other day I want to send these to you. First , the introduction. Then, 3 scriptures or more at a time depending on length. Know this, I am doing it with you. So times your in awe or crying or singing in joy. So am I more then likely. Just as I am now reading my first one. I am awe struck. A new phrase of faith. Not I believe in but believe. Please stick this out through hard and easy times. And enjoy!
and again none of the below is
Mine but credited to Beth Moore and Christ alone
~ Maggie Krantz

Overcoming unbelief



God seems to work in themes in my life. You know what I mean. Every sermon, morning devotional, and Christian radio program all “coincidentally” speak to me about the same subject for an uncomfortable length of time. I’ll even get a card in the mail from a Christian friend I haven’t seen in ten years and—you guessed it—she’ll share a good word on the exact “theme.”

Soon after my fortieth birthday, everywhere I turned I heard a message on “belief.” I’m humiliated to admit that I became somewhat annoyed not to be hearing more on the subjects I really needed. After all, I already was a believer, and if believers don’t believe, what on earth do they do?

Several weeks passed, and I still didn’t get it. Finally one morning even Oswald Chambers had the audacity to bring up the subject in that day’s entry of My Utmost for His Highest. I looked up and exclaimed, “What is this all about?” I sensed the Holy Spirit speaking to my heart, “Beth, I want you to believe Me.” I was appalled. “Lord,” I answered, “Of course I believe in You. I’ve believed in Youall my life.” I felt He responded very clearly. Adamantly. “I didn’t ask you to believe in Me. I asked you to believe Me.”

I sat very puzzled for several moments until I was certain that the Holy Spirit had faithfully shed light on my pitifully small faith. I sensed Him saying, “My child, you believe Me for so little. Don’t be so safe in the things you pray. Who are you trying to keep from looking foolish? Me or you?”

I don’t mind telling you that my life changed dramatically after God interrupted my comfortable pace with the “theme” of belief. Some of it has been excruciating, and some of it has been the most fun I’ve had in my entire Christian life. I have a feeling this is one theme I probably will run into again and again in the course of my journey. Why? Because without faith it is impossible to please Him. In other words, you and I will be challenged to believe Him from one season to the next, all of our days. And if we have even half a heart for God, He’s likely to shake our perimeters and stir up a little excitement.

Believing God is never more critical than when we have strongholds that need to be demolished. Believing God is also rarely more challenging. Why? Because we’ve battled most of our strongholds for years and perhaps tried countless remedies in an effort to be free with very little success. The enemy taunts us with whispers like, “You’ll never be free. You’ve tried a hundred times. You go back every time. You’re hopeless. You’re weak. You’re a failure. You don’t have what it takes.” Every one of these statements about you is a lie if you are a believer in Christ. You do have what it takes. You have Jesus—the Way, the Truth, and the Life. But you can’t just believe in Him to be free from your stronghold. You must believe Him.Believe He can do what He says He can do. Believeyou can do what He says you can do. Believe He is who He says He is. And believe you are who He says you are.

You may be thinking, “I want to believe! I just don’t have enough faith!” God’s Word records an encounter in Mark 9:14–24 to encourage every person who wants to believe. Christ met a man with a son who had been possessed by the enemy since childhood. No telling how many physicians, witch doctors, religious fanatics, wise men, and foolish men the father had sought to find freedom for his son. Imagine the glimmer of hope that kindled his soul when rumor circulated about the disciples of Jesus who were reputed to perform miracles. Then imagine his devastation when they too were added to the list of the failed. Jesus asked for the boy to be brought to Him. The father’s desperate plea could bring an empathetic lump to the throat to any parent: “If you can do anything, take pity on us and help us.” I love Jesus’ powerful retort: “‘If you can . . . ?’ Everything is possible for him who believes.” The father’s reply comprises one of the most honest, priceless moments in the record of Christ’s human encounters. “Immediately the boy’s father exclaimed, ‘I do believe.’” Then, as if Christ had caught his gaze eye to eye, reading his questioning mind, the father quickly restated, “Help me overcome my unbelief!”

I am convinced that God would rather hear our honest pleas for more of what we lack than a host of pious platitudes from an unbelieving heart. When I am challenged with unbelief, I have begun to make the same earnest plea to the One who would gladly supply. The following Scripture-prayers are for the purpose of fueling your faith in the One who is faithful and fueling your belief in the One who is believable. I suggest praying several of them every day. Please remember: it is always God’s will for you to be free from strongholds. As stated in the introduction to this book, we may not always be sure God wills to heal us physically in this life of every disease or prosper us with tangible blessings, but He always wills to free us from strongholds.You will never have to worry about whether you are praying in God’s will concerning strongholds. “It is for freedom that Christ has set us free” (Gal. 5:1).

Before you begin practicing the Scripture-prayers in this chapter, please read the following segment very carefully:
“I pray also that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which he has called you, the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints, and his incomparably great power for us who believe. That power is like the working of his mighty strength, which he exerted in Christ when he raised him from the dead” (Eph. 1:18–20, emphasis mine).

Please accept and celebrate two awesome truths derived from these Scriptures:
1. God wields incomparably great power for those who choose to believe. Read it again!Incomparably great power! More than enough to break the yoke of any bondage. Our belief unclogs the pipe and invites the power to flow.
2. God applies the same power to our need that He exerted when He raised Christ from the dead. Does your stronghold require more power than it takes to raise the dead? Neither does mine! God can do it, fellow believer. I know because He says so. And I know because He’s done it for me. Believe Him . . . and when you don’t, cry out earnestly, “Help me overcome my unbelief!”