“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” (Hebrews 11:6).
Anxiety is not unrelated to feeling incapacitated, where the mind bully’s self with the constant sense of inability or impossibility to a challenge, for which everyday living is one. The individual perception may relate to the suspicion of people saying I cannot, unfit, not up to the measure, people are, etc….. (to the negative). This kind of anxiety tortures to low self-esteem. The enemy within had been man’s battle. He drove the human out of their original comfort zone, and he has not stopped his scheme ever since.
Who Said You Are Naked?
The Lord asked Adam and Eve, who told them they were naked? A voice contrary to who He made them.The enemy likes to portray deficiency, inability; “you can do better”, “you’ll feel good if you join them”, “this is not trendy.” He uses similar tactics to sway or capture His impending victim, he presents his in subtle ways to deceive.
An illustration of the lie of the enemy was directly on Moses, at the burning bush scene during his encounter with the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. Moses held on to his helplessness despite God’s expression about His ability; “But the Lord said to him, “Who has made the human mouth? Or who makes anyone unable to speak or deaf, or able to see or blind? Is it not I, the Lord? Now then go, and I Myself will be with your mouth, and instruct you in what you are to say.” But he said, “Please, Lord, now send the message by whomever You will” (Exodus 4:11-13, NASB)
Why Did Moses See Himself as Naked?
Brainstorming reason for Moses’ doubt after experiencing God, may suffice to say He did not understand or know Him yet. However, after being in relationship with the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, Moses entered into the realm of being in a pal relationship with God. Our knowledge and confidence in God are dependent upon a daily walk with Him. A daily walk with the Lord exposes us to understand who He is, His plans toward us, and He Himself. A reader of the Bible knows it’s an avenue through which we get an in-depth information of the God we serve; to grow in confidence, and empowerment. The scripture tells us about our legacy, “as His divine power has given to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of Him who called us by glory and virtue, by which have been given to us exceedingly great and precious promises, that through these you may be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust” (2 Peter 1:3-4).
Therefore, faith is not about all we see, but knowing it’s by the power of His Word spoken or promised, as it was, and is, “Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen” (Hebrews 11:1). It is the realization and belief that if God said it, it is true, even if there is delay, believing it will materialize. The book of Hebrews chapter 11 gives the account on men and women who exercised faith all through their lives.
What Strengthens the Christian Faith?
On the day we asked Jesus to be the Lord of our lives, we believed what he said in Revelations 3:20, “Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and dine with him and he with Me.” After believing the Word, we took the step, and we received the promised in dwelling of the Holy Spirit. “In Him, you also, after listening to the message of truth, the gospel of your salvation—having also believed, you were sealed in Him with the Holy Spirit of the promise” (Ephesians 1:13).
As a newborn in Christ, we are to get rooted and built up in the activities which build our faith such as, daily reading and meditation of the Word, praying at all times, living our lives in obedience to the Word, avoiding sinful practices. These spiritual practices keep us alive in the things of God, with a new mindset, and increased confidence in the promises of God.
When we pray, we are at peace He hears us. “Now this is the confidence we have in Him that if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us. And if we know that He hears us, whatever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we have asked of Him” (1 John 5:14-15).
The Lord delights in us when we trust Him and delight in the truth of His Word; living the life of faith a secret to sustaining intimacy with God.
Link to Hebrews Chapter 12 “Faith” below