I love January because it provides a great opportunity to make all things new. Some people make new year resolutions that may involve lifestyle changes. You sometimes find gyms fill up beginning of the year, as people resolve to loose weight and live healthy. Some may choose to build their Spirit man up, so may join their churches on fasts to start the year.

Whatever the case, one area that Father God highlighted as important to look into and address as the year begins, is our ability to obey Him, so He can perform exploits through us. This is greatly affected by unbelief, lack of faith and love. I will concentrate on unbelief this month.

Unbelief affects so many areas of our walk with the Lord. It is an area that normally goes unnoticed by others so we are under little or no pressure to address it. If one is being all religious, and hypocritical, no one knows there are heart issues that hinders our walk with the Lord and our ability to be obedient. It would be helpful if there was a machine that measured unbelief in our hearts. I am sure that if we could read the level on a meter, we would be more encouraged to do something about it. 

Our behaviour is driven by our belief system. Why we do what we do is affected by what we really belief. Where there is unbelief, faith is affected. Hebrews 11v 6 tells us that without faith, it is impossible to please God. It is our faith that connects us with the grace that Jesus Christ has made available. Grace is explained as God's riches at Christ's expense. To appropriate the riches of our Father God for ourselves, we need to have faith in Father God.

Jesus said (Matthew 21v22 )and( Mark 11v 24) that whatever we ask in prayer, believe that we have received it, and it will be ours. In other words, what we belief, determines our ability to appropriate what we are desiring. Is it possible that we have been unable to appropriate much that should come to us due to unbelief?

John 11v 4- 6 describes Jesus's reaction to the message about His friend, Lazarus. We need to remember here, that Jesus said this disease was not unto death. He also said that He only did what His Father asked Him to do (John 5 v19) so Jesus must have spoken to His Father about it. What Father God said informed His behaviour, so He didn't rush to His friend's side, like you and I may have done. He waited 2 days longer. By the time Jesus got there, Lazarus had been in the tomb for 4 days. Jesus's love and belief in His Father's ability made the miracle of raising Lazarus from the dead possible. 

Jesus said we should believe He was in the Father, or we should believe because of the works He does (John 14v 11-12). When Jesus was in Capernaum, and was asked how to do the works of God, He said God requires that they believe in the One He has sent (John 6, v 28). When we entertain unbelief in our hearts, we are saying to Father God that we don't really trust His decisions, or judgement. We are saying, I don't really trust you, as I have so many doubts about your ways, so I can't obey you fully. In other words, the doubts or lies that Satan introduces inside us, stifle our ability to believe fully, and give opportunity for us to disobey what Father God is asking of us.

Jesus was so relieved in John 16 v 30 and 31 when His disciples finally understand that He was sent by God and believed. Our ability to fully believe, propels us into extravagant love and obedience that we are called to walk in. We are supposed to be those who bring heaven's realities down to earth.

The enemy always wants to attack our belief system, and tell us lies, and half truths. This has been going on since the Garden of Eden, where Satan deceived Eve. If Eve had believed God and not doubted His intentions, we would all not be where we are ! When you aren't really sure what you think Father God is saying, ask Him, rather than assume. Also go to Him to address any doubts, so you don't stay in the place of unbelief. Go to Him with a sheet of paper and ask, and write down what He says. Notice that it's about what Father God said rather than how He says He will do it. A lot of times, we hold back because we don't see the whole picture, or understand how it will happen, but that in itself is unbelief.

Unbelief also affects our ability to walk in the passion and purposes of Father God. It dampens intimacy, and hinders our ability to know Jesus Christ as the Messiah who God sent. It also distorts our understanding of the Holy Spirit as our Helper.

The best way to find out what we really believe is to ask any member of the God Head, for example Jesus during your quiet time.

...Jesus, what lie am I believing about you. You will be amazed at what you hear from Jesus. You can then go unto asking where the lie came from, and who you have to forgive for believing that lie. Then renounce the lie and then ask Jesus to tell you the truth.

May the Lord bless you.