And He said to them, be careful what you are hearing. The measure of thought and study you give to the truth you hear will be the measure of virtue and knowledge that comes back to you — and more besides will be given to you who hear (Mark 4:24 –Amplified).
According to 1 John 5:4, it’s our faith that will help us navigate through life’s tough places: For whatever is born of God overcomes the world. And this is the victory that has overcome the world—our faith. Since that is true it would be wise for us to pay attention to keeping our faith as strong as we can every single day. And that takes effort.
We are bombarded these days with so much negativity everywhere we turn. In fact, the only way I know to escape the constant negative drip is to just turn away on purpose! It’s essential for you and I to take plenty of time each day to feed our faith. Faith rises when we feed, or slowly read and meditate on the Word of God. Don’t just read, but feed or meditate on the Word. Chew it up. That is, read it slowly, or say it slowly over and over. Take a verse and just repeat it to yourself over and over again. That’s how you meditate. When you can, speak the Word out loud.
Faith doesn’t come by praying or fasting. It only comes by ingesting the Word. What we have faith in will be determined by what we feed on in the days ahead. Let’s make sure that we have a personal answer from the Word for the unbelief and negativity that abounds from media sources.
Jesus told us to let the Word live big in us: If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you, you will ask what you desire, and it shall be done for you (John 15:7). Then Jesus said to those Jews who believed Him, “If you abide in My word, you are My disciples indeed. And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free (John 8:31-32). Jesus answered and said to him, “If anyone loves Me, he will keep My word; and My Father will love him, and We will come to him and make Our home with him (John 14:23).
Paul tells us to let the Word be our constant meditation. Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom, teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord (Colossians 3:16).
Here’s a thought: If we’re not being absorbed in what the Father has already said to us in the Word, why would He even take time to speak something to our spirit by the Holy Spirit? If we’ll listen to, be occupied with, and obey what He’s already said to us in the Word, then we’ll be in a position for Him to speak to us by His Spirit in these dangerous days. But if we ignore what He’s spoken in the Word, then there will be no additional help available! That’s not an option I’m willing to live with!
Let’s take time today to feed our faith and starve our doubts.