Do Not Be Double-Minded
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August 02, 2009 |
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 "But he must ask in faith without any doubting, for the one who doubts is like the surf of the sea, driven and tossed by the wind. For that man ought not to expect that he will receive anything from the Lord, being a double-minded man, unstable in all his ways" (James 1:6-8).
Not to have double-mindedness is to look up to God and to love God in all situations.
If you truly believe in God, you will ask God for help when you have some problems or desires of your heart. A person who has a heart like this shouldn't have a change of heart until answers are received from God. If you don't receive the answers you expect and you become double-minded between having faith and having doubt, you will gain nothing and become disheartened.
1. Only When You Ask with Faith Will You Receive.
James 1:6-7 says, "But he must ask in faith without any doubting, for the one who doubts is like the surf of the sea, driven and tossed by the wind. For that man ought not to expect that he will receive anything from the Lord," In verse 8 that following it says, "being a double-minded man, unstable in all his ways."
Even though you say you ask God with faith, if you have doubts, it is just like being double-minded. When you want to receive answers to your prayer, you have to believe completely without any doubt that He will answer you.
In Mark 11:24 Jesus said, "Therefore I say to you, all things for which you pray and ask, believe that you have received them, and they will be granted you." Here, He didn't say, "Believe that you will receive them." He said, "Believe that you have received them." If your answer is being delayed, I hope you will consider whether you are double-minded.
2. The Difference between True Faith and Faith as Knowledge
There are two categories of faith. They are 'true faith' and 'faith as knowledge'. In other words, we refer to them as 'spiritual faith' and 'fleshly faith'. True faith is to believe in God the Creator and Jesus Christ the Savior from the depths of the heart. Faith as knowledge is just to have heard and to know about God. But they don't really believe from heart, so they rely on the world. They are unable to rely on God completely. Those who doubt, namely those who are double-minded have faith that is the faith as knowledge. Asking with true faith and asking with knowledge-based faith will lead to completely different results.
When you ask with true faith, first of all, you will be at peace in any kind of situation. On the other hand, those who are double-minded will become anxious and impatient. For example, suppose your little child was in an emergency situation where he had a high fever. In this kind of a case, if you have true faith, you will look for things you need to repent, and receive prayer recorded on the telephone system or receive handkerchief prayer. But if the situation gets worse even after relying on God this way, you may change your mind. If you relied on God with true faith, your heart won't be shaken even in this situation. But if you have asked with knowledge- based faith, you will be nervous and speak out in words of doubt.
Secondly, if you ask with true faith without being double-minded then you will not change your mind. On the other hand, those who ask with double-mindedness will change their mind when the answer is delayed. For example, while they are offering a vowed prayer for something, they just break the vow. Or they change the prayer topic or lower their goal. This is lacking trust in God.
Most people who are waiting for God's answer want to receive an answer immediately and want God to answer in the way they want it to be answered.
But God considers all the conditions together, including the measure of faith of each individual and His justice, and then He gives us the best thing at the best time.
Of course, unchangingly asking does not mean you can just be stubborn about everything you ask for in prayer. You can receive an answer when you ask both without changing you mind and when you ask according to God's will (1 John 5:14). Therefore, when you ask God for something, you need wisdom to discern what God's real answer is. Even though you ask without any change of mind, you cannot receive the answer if you ask from within your lust or selfish desire.
Thirdly, those who ask with true faith will cry out in prayer. You cry out in prayer because you believe that God will certainly answer you (Jeremiah 33:3). Those who ask with faith will cry out in prayer even in most dismal situations. When he heard Jesus was passing by, the blind beggar named Bartimaeus cried out to Jesus saying, "Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!" Because he was sure that Jesus would heal him, he didn't care about other people trying to stop him. Crying out in prayer reflects how faithful you are in your faith.
Without true faith, even if they have a problem to resolve, or even if they want to receive blessings, those who do not ask with true faith will not cry out. They should cry out even more when they don't see any sign of the answer coming, but instead they lose heart. It shows they do not have sure faith that they will receive the answer.
3. How Can You Ask with True Faith without Having Double-mindedness?
Whatever you ask of God, if you want to receive answers, you have to ask with true faith. It is not easy. You don't want to doubt, but doubts arise in you. Or, in the interim you may just change your mind. Sometimes you cannot cry out in prayer.
Before you cultivate true faith, there must be a series of processes that must be met. You must have the will and determination to rely on God in all things. Whenever you have problems in life, or when you have desires of the heart, even when doubts arise from moment to moment and when there are temptations, you must be able to drive them away and just rely on God. Now, you have to practice the truth diligently following the guidance of the Holy Spirit. Of course, even when you act this way, you may not receive the answer as quickly as you want. But God takes into account all your efforts.
Even physical parents are pleased feeling their children are lovely when they depend upon them and try to stay close to their side. Similarly, God the Father also delights in His children when they try to rely on God alone. He causes their souls to prosper through their deeds of practicing the truth.
Romans 8:7 says, "because the mind set on the flesh is hostile toward God; for it does not subject itself to the law of God, for it is not even able to do so." He breaks your fleshly thoughts one by one and pulls out the untruths from your hearts. Then, you will hear the voice of the Holy Spirit, and not be controlled by the enemy Satan. As you hear the voice of the Holy Spirit, you will have the confidence of heart about receiving the answer. Finally You will change into God's children who receive anything you ask for from God (1 John 3:21-22).
Dear brothers and sisters in Christ, not to have double-mindedness is to look up to God and to love God and rely on Him alone in all situations. In the name of Jesus Christ I pray that through this kind of love given to God you may receive everything that you may ask and give glory to God with your whole heart.
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