Are You a Believer

Trust is a definite component of what we as believers are made of.
Jesus however used the word "Believe" way more than the word trust.

To believe: to have faith in; trust; be persuaded; implying knowledge or assent to; confidence in.

We can see that the word 'trust' was used 107 times in the Old Testament; 27 times in the New; but 'believe' was used only 17 times in the Old and 114 times in the New - 69 times in the gospels and 45 times in the other books from Acts onward.

Just some unimportant information really; however what it shows is that to believe has become part and parcel of who we are as "believers". It actually is the distinguishing mark of the Christian. We believe!

Trust, as we saw last time is the really the same thing; but I personally see it as a component of believing.

Matt 8:13(GNB) Then Jesus said to the officer, "Go home, and what you believe will be done for you." And the officer's servant was healed that very moment.

It seems from some scriptures in the gospels that what people believed actually 'directed', in a sense, the ministry of the Lord Jesus. This Centurion was distraught over his servants physical condition, comes to Jesus to implore Him to do something. Jesus states His willingness to go to his home to heal the servant, but the Centurion reveals tremendous confidence and persuasion in the authority and ability of Jesus by requesting that He speak only a word and that would be sufficient to do the job.

Jesus is so impressed with what this man believes and his level of trust and confidence that His answer to the request is "What you believe WILL be done for you."

You see we shouldn't frown upon the 'believer' ie those that make a decision to believe, they are actually directing the ministry of Jesus; directing the power of God toward something; channeling Heavens ability (not man's) toward a focused result.

Jesus said what you believe is what you will have.

Can you see this is a powerful ability we have as believers that we CAN believe and move the power and ministry of the Lord on our behalf?

These Old Covenant saints received from the Lord what they requested, how much more the New Covenant believers who dare to trust in; have confidence in; are fully persuaded and lean heavily upon Him for their all; for focused results.
The fact is this Centurion was not even an Old Covenant saint, but He had heard enough about Jesus to place his trust and confidence in Him.

Will be done...
Will be done...

Mat 9:28 When Jesus had gone indoors, the two blind men came to him, and he asked them, "Do you believe that I can heal you?" "Yes, sir!" they answered.
Mat 9:29 Then Jesus touched their eyes and said, "Let it happen, then, just as you believe!"---

Let it happen JUST AS you believe.

It's time for the believers to believe. This is something that obviously connects us to the ministry and power of Jesus' ministry. We need to believe; We must believe.

Jesus asked the blind men:"Do you believe I am able...?"

What was He looking for?
What their focused result was that they were persuaded about.
What they were connecting to His power and ministry for.
What they expected to result as they trusted and leaned on His resources.

Believing releases the ability of God. It is the measure of what will happen in your life.

Just as ...

You can believe - You are a believer! Its the substance you are made of.