Doubt and Faith Cannot Coexist

(by Dr. Larry Ollison)

Have you ever prayed and stayed "in faith" for something and it seemed like nothing happened?

When Jesus spoke, things happened instantly. Why did Jesus' faith work instantly, but sometimes it seems like ours doesn't?

Often we fail to take the time necessary to get the revelation knowledge needed to obtain a word from God. We must have the Word of God living in our hearts in order to accomplish our desires and needs.

Jesus put a great emphasis on words. Every time He did something, He spoke. So what's the big difference between Jesus and us? Granted, Jesus was, is, and always will be the Son of God. However, when Jesus was here on earth, He operated with the same power that you and I have access to -- He operated under the power and the anointing of the Holy Spirit. Jesus made it very clear: "Anyone who believes in me will do the same works I have done, and even greater works" (John 14:12 NLT).

Jesus had the living rhema word inside of Him. He told us in Scripture that He never said or did anything unless the Father spoke it to Him first. (John 8:28; 14:24; 5:19). Jesus said, "The words that I speak to you are spirit, and they are life" (John 6:63).

When we hear the Word of God, it must become established in our hearts. Logos is the written Word of God and rhema is the living, spoken Word of God. The Word changes from logos to rhema in our heart, not our mind.

To read and know about the Word is logos. But when that scripture suddenly comes alive to us and we know it beyond any shadow of doubt, then it becomes rhema. When logos becomes rhema, then we have faith, and the words we speak will not be empty words; they will be words of faith and will accomplish the thing they are sent to do (Isaiah 55:11). Romans 10:17 tells us that faith comes from a rhema word.

God does not respond to an echo. He does not respond to a parakeet. God and His angels respond to the spoken Word of God that's alive, coming out of our mouth (Psalm 103:20). God responds to faith, not intellect.

One reason we have problems making the Word come alive in our mouth is familiarity. We become so familiar with a scripture that we assume we know it when actually we don't.

We must speak the rhema Word of God from our heart and act on it in faith in order to have the Word of God produce results.

Doubt and faith cannot coexist. Doubt will keep you from putting action to your belief and hinder your faith.

Remember, when the Word of God becomes rhema word in your heart, then it will accomplish what you send it to do!