So Jesus answered and said to them, “Have faith in God.  For assuredly, I say to you, whoever says to this mountain, ‘Be removed and be cast into the sea,’ and does not doubt in his heart, but believes that those things he says will be done, he will have whatever he says” Mark 11:22-23.

Are you trying to have faith in the concept of the words written in Scripture or in the God who gave them?  Let me show you what I mean.  We trust that God gave us His word, and that it is true. And we believe His Words have the power to accomplish what they say.   This is true.  However, it is sometimes easy to fall into the trap of trying to relate to or put confidence in the WORDS instead of putting confidence in God about His Words.  There is a difference. Many of us who know and understand the power of believing the promises in scripture spend a lot of time trying to trust the words of God without actually putting time into trusting Him instead.

Here’s an example:

Do you believe you are healed because the Word of God says ‘by Jesus’ stripes you have been healed’? (1 Peter 2:24) Or do you believe you are healed because Jesus took stripes on your behalf?  Can you see the difference?  Are you relating to what Jesus did for you or trying to believe a statement about that truth?  Those WORDS on the page demonstrate to us what is true!  Those WORDS on the page tell us about who God is, and all the promises He’s given us!

But we need to take those WORDS and let them point us directly to the person who gave them!  When our Faith is in God, then we will have no trouble trusting His WORDS!

I sometimes call this trap of trying to believe God by only focusing on the words in scripture as trying to work the mechanics of faith, or trying to have faith in the power (of God) instead of faith in God.  These are traps I have found myself in, thinking that I WAS trusting God.  One way to know if you’ve fallen into that trap is to ask yourself where your focus is.  Is it on God Himself?  Does your confidence and assurance of the fulfillment of the WORD you’re standing on cause you to think more about God and what Jesus did for you?  If not, then you might be thinking about the promise, but not the person of that promise.  And faith in God is the only true way to have faith in His WORD!  You will find it much easier to trust the Words, if your focus is on God.  That happens by spending time with Him, in His Word, and in prayer.  Take your eyes off of the quotable notables, and let God’s words become real to you.  Praise God!