Why Unbelief is Dangerous

By Thomas Denegre

When it comes to our spiritual lives, ignorance is not bliss; it can be dangerous; like unbelief 

Unbelief may appear benign, but like electricity, if you touch it, catastrophic events can occur. As they say, forewarned is forearmed, as unbelief is like a virus that can spread a horrible disease to the community. 

Unbelief is rebellion produced out of fear, pride, distrust, and reasoning upon your own authority; not Gods’. Like a virus, unbelief will spread through an unsuspecting population turning themselves against God. The scriptures makes it clear that God counts unbelief as a grave sin, and He deals with it forcefully. 

On the other hand, large faith is the answer to unbelief. Large faith has complete trust, confidence, obedience, and intimacy with the Lord.  Large faith moves mountains, heals the sick, and delivers people and nations from ruin. So, how do we acquire this large faith? Like planting a crop, we must first clear the land of unbelief and then it will be ready for the seeds of God’s Word. 

In the Book of Exodus, the Hebrews were delivered by God from their Egyptian slave masters, they saw miraculous signs from Him, such as; the Passover of death, God’s pillar of smoke and flame that led their procession out Egypt, the parting of the Red Sea, and the destruction of Pharaoh’s pursuit army.  God offered them the Promised Land, but out of distrust Moses’ leaders wanted to send spies as a scouting party. (Deu. 1:21-22) 

Twelve spies were sent out and they returned with different news.  Ten spies gave an “evil” report filled with their own reasoning, not God's, which led to fear, doubt, and rebellion.  They spread the news to the Hebrew population griping them in fear and rebellion too.  (Deu. 1:34-46) The people wanted to return to Egyptian slavery versus taking possession of their Promised Land.  Seeing their disobedience and insurrection, God denied them the Promise Land and consequentially, they endured the hardships of the wilderness for forty years and died. Ignorance of unbelief is not bliss as it can destroy the person and the affected community. 

Clearly, we see that unbelief was a grave sin that led into rebellion and unnecessary hardship. Here are a few warning signs of unbelief. 

• Based on my own reasoning, I will decide what God can and cannot do 
• I am filled with fear, doubt, anxiety and have no trust in the Lord 
• I give credibility to my physical senses than the written Word of God, the spoken words of faith, or the character of God. 

Conversely, the two spies who gave an excellent report saw the Promise Land as a grand opportunity. We witness how God saved his people who maintained their faith in him.  They will see the Lord fill the earth with his glory (see Hebrews 3:7-19; Psalm 103:8-14). In your struggle against sin and evil, where do you encounter unbelief or rebellion? Ask the Lord for strength to overcome them and to win victory in him. 

Like any loving and good character parent, our Father God desires to have a loving relationship that produces an outcome of blessings and abundant life.  Jesus provides his instructions in the Book of John, “If you live in life-union with me and if my words live powerfully within you—then you can ask whatever you desire, and it will be done. When your lives bear abundant fruit, you demonstrate that you are my mature disciples who glorify my Father!” (John 15:7-8 TPT) 

From my own personal experience of developing a large faith, I had to first repent of my unbelief, fear, and prideful reasoning.  Out of humility, I opened my heart to let God love me and did the love pour in. I gave Him all my trust, confidence, and obedience. Like the Passover that saved the Hebrews, my baptism was the beginning of my true faith journey that lead to more battles and more growth.  Growth occurred as I depended on God, and not myself, to get through the battles and tests in my life. 

I learned that faith was about trusting God, not only in his sovereignty and power, but also in his goodness, mercy, kindness, faithfulness, wisdom, miracles, and unfailing love. The foundation of faith was not built on my own ability to create it, but upon my willingness to receive and act on it.  I realized that great faith produced great obedience.  

My good friend, who is a Catholic priest, once led a group of people to Lourdes France as healing miracles occurred when people entered the natural springs. In his group was an elderly lady with a withered arm.  She had expectant faith and as she entered the springs, my friend witnessed her arm being restored to perfect use.  Since the supernatural was natural in Lourdes, the local staff took her to the next-door medical clinic for x-rays and a doctor’s examination.  The doctor officially claimed the healing a miracle.  Next came a five-year boy with severe bowed legs.  He too came out of the spring with perfect legs.  Again, the doctor claimed a healing miracle.  The Catholic church is very serious about these miracles and uses all due diligence to ensure their veracity.  Since 1858 there have been 70 verified miracles. 

While many people will be skeptical of these miracles because of their unbelief, believers with a large faith know God is always faithful and good to His children.  I have found a good place to start your large faith is to memorize Psalm 18 and Psalm 91 as it contains many promises, protections, and love from God.  By allowing the Word of God to live powerfully in your mind and heart, you’ll come to know Him intimately and faithfully. 

For you save a humble people, but the haughty eyes you bring down. 

For it is you who light my lamp; the Lord my God lightens my darkness. 

For by you I can run against a troop, and by my God I can leap over a wall. 

This God—his way is perfect; the word of the Lord proves true; 

he is a shield for all those who take refuge in him. Psalm 18: 28-31 (NIV) 

Tell us how you faced and overcome unbelief? Leave Comment

Can you share how large faith in Jesus has changed your life.  Leave Comment

Hope for the Broken-Hearted

We began a new sermon series this week on “Thankfulness” using Psalm 138 as our scripture reference.  This psalm is full of good stuff, but I’d like to dig into just a few verses.  Verses 3, 6-7 say, “When I called, you answered me; you made me bold and stouthearted.”  “Though the Lord is on high, He looks upon the lowly, but the proud He knows from afar.  Though I walk in the midst of trouble, you preserve my life; you stretch out your hand against the anger of my foes, with your right hand you save me.” (there is a study note in my Bible that says – He looks upon the lowly “with favor”).  These verses reference back to Psalm 113:5-6 which says, “Who is like the Lord, our God, the One who sits enthroned on high, who stoops down to look on the heavens and the earth?”  Also, Isaiah 57:15 which says, “For this is what the high and lofty One says – “I live in a high and holy place, but also with him who is contrite and lowly in spirit, to revive the spirit of the lowly and to revive the heart of the contrite.”

Are you brokenhearted?  Do you think you are so unhappy that this can’t be what God had planned for your life?  Here’s some good news for you!  God himself will revive your broken heart!  Maybe things have happened to you, so you can experience God himself reviving your heart!  What might this look like?  Is there an example of this in the Bible you ask?  Yes, there is!  Psalm 18:6 says, “In my distress I called to the Lord; I cried to my God for help.  From His temple He heard my voice; my cry came before Him, into His ears.”

The psalmist could have just said, “God helped me.”  But instead, in Psalm 18:9, 16-17, he gives us this great picture of how God helped him:

“He parted the heavens and came down; dark clouds were under His feet.”  “He reached down from on high and took hold of me; He drew me out of deep waters.  He rescued me from my powerful enemy, from my foes, who were too strong for me.” 

Isn’t that fantastic?  God is in His temple and yet our cries come into His ears.  This reminds me of James 5:4 which says, “The cries of the harvesters have reached the ears of the Lord Almighty.”  He is not too big or mighty or busy to hear our cries.  Then, not only does He hear our cries, He takes action in a big way by parting the heavens and reaching down from on high to pull us out of the depths.  Aren’t you thankful to serve such an amazing God?  Let’s give Him praise with all our hearts!!