For the longest time, I had assumed that the foundation of all sins was disobedience because I believed no one would ever sin if everyone just obeyed God’s commandments. But after carefully studying the conversation that transpired between Eve and the serpent, I came to realise that disobedience was just an offspring of a much greater sin — UNBELIEF. (Genesis 3:1-6)
The devil knew fully well that he couldn’t just order Adam or Eve to disobey God. Of course, that would have been a rude and careless approach. So, as the deceiver that he is, he knew he could just plant the seed of unbelief in Eve’s heart and watch everything else unfold. By doing so, he could distort their view of God and His word, which eventually paved the way for disobedience.
What is Unbelief?
Unbelief is the lack of faith or trust in God and His promises. It is that state of scepticism or doubt regarding the existence or credibility of God and His Word. Unbelief can manifest in various ways, such as questioning or rejecting the truth of Scripture, doubting God’s love or provision, or failing to rely on God in difficult circumstances. It hinders our ability to fully surrender to God’s will and receive the blessings and guidance He desires to give us.
In the Christian world of today, Unbelief is such an unlikely enemy. Disobedience, immorality, and blasphemy sound more dangerous and triggering. And that’s why the devil continues to use it — like a slow poison — to steal from people inside and outside of the church.
Is Unbelief Holding You Back From God? Three things to know
1. Unbelief Steals Your Relationship With God
The Bible says in Hebrews 11:6 (KJV) “But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.” Unbelief is the opposite of faith, and faith — among other things — is the foundation of our relationship with God. God is not distant. In fact, He desires an intimate relationship with us. But without faith, we can’t connect! How can you have a cordial relationship or mutual connection with a being you don’t trust or believe in?
One scheme of unbelief is how it makes us project the flaws and deficiencies of our human relationships with God. We think God is like our absent father, unfaithful partner, abusive mother, or distrustful friend. We let our experiences with humans influence our perception of God. But He is not like us! Jackie Hill Perry wrote “If God is holy, then He can’t sin. If God can’t sin, then He can’t sin against me. If He can’t sin against me, shouldn’t that make Him the most trustworthy being there is?”
2. Unbelief Steals Your Miracles
There are many miracles Jesus did in the Bible that either began with “do you believe?” Or ended with “Your faith has made you whole”. The miracles of the blind man, the father with a possessed son, the centurion’s servant, and the woman with the issue of blood mainly stood out because of their faith.
But in the same Bible, you’ll read in Mark 6:5-6 (KJV) “And he could there do no mighty work, save that he laid his hands upon a few sick folks, and healed them. And he marvelled because of their unbelief. And he went round about the villages, teaching.”
Can you imagine reading that Jesus went somewhere and couldn’t do many great miracles because of the unbelief of the people? Their unbelief was so great that it marvelled the Son of God! Can you believe that?
It truly appalling that this happened in Nazareth, Jesus’ supposed hometown, where He is naturally meant to do greater things. Their unbelief was born out of familiarity. They still saw him as the carpenter’s son, the one born in a manger. They saw Him as fully man forgetting He is fully God too.
So when you speak of miracles, unbelief can also deny you from getting the greatest miracle there is, the miracle of Salvation. John 3:16 (KJV) “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.”
3. Unbelief Steals Your Hope
The Bible in Hebrews 11:1 (KJV) defines faith as “the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.” It is not blind or irrational, but an informed trust based on the evidence of God’s faithfulness throughout history and in our personal experiences. It is a choice to cling to what we know to be true about God, even in the face of doubts, uncertainties, or difficult circumstances.
The devil knows that faith is a transformative force, and since his purpose is to steal, kill, and destroy, he uses unbelief as a subtle weapon. It looks harmless, but it is highly destructive. He presents it as caution while making us believe faith is a risky business. He disguises it as logic while coaxing us to imagine the impossibility of miracles. Just like he did to Eve, he makes God a liar in his narrative, making us shift focus to our incapable selves or something less, denying us the hope of the supernatural.
But believing is simply accepting God’s words, not trying to make them happen. It is putting all your eggs in God’s basket without worrying about how they will hatch. So even in the face of suffering and great tribulation, your faith in Jesus is your anchor and hope for deliverance.
In the next part of this topic: Unbelief and Faith, we will talk about how to stop the devil from stealing your faith in God.
