By: A Parton
Jan 5, 2018
Most people have a wrong image of God. At least, most of the people I have met.
Usually, people have an image of God in their mind that was put there by mixing a lot of experiences together all the way from their childhood to maturity.
Usually, they have to be taught this wrong image.
Everyone I’ve ever met that brought up “Job” or “Paul’s Thorn” or “Timothy’s Stomach”, had been taught those things in church. They didn’t just come up with them, they were taught unbelief.
I wish I could summarize a right image of God into one statement. Actually, I can, “Jesus!”. Yet, while that does accurately summarize the heart, nature and character of God, it doesn’t clarify things for the average person, without further instruction.
I know that one way to get a better understanding of God is to know and understand the names He told us to that He was to be known by to us.
Names like:
Jehovah Jireh – “The God Who Provides for You”
Jehovah Rapha – “The God Who Heals You”
Jehovah Tsidkenu – “The God Who Is Your Righteousness”
Jehovah Sabboath – “The God of Hosts” (The Lord of Armies)
There are also many more. Each name gives us different insight into God’s nature and character. When taken together we get a clear overall picture of the totality of Who God is. In all of these names we see that God wants to be that to us. We also know that God wants us to know Him as the fulfillment of each of His names.
In the 10 Commandments, we are told not to take the Lord’s Name in vain.
While that is usually understood to mean that we should not use God’s name in a “cussing” way, the literal meaning is that we are not to take His Name in a way that does not allow it to be fulfilled to us. For example, if you claim to be a Christian and yet do not believe in His willingness and ability to heal you, you have “taken His Name in vain”.
To get a correct image of God, we should start with the premise that God is good.
We should start with the premise that God will heal us (until such a time that might find out that He does not want us well).
What I mean by that is this…
If we are God’s people, we should start with a positive image or viewpoint of God.
We should start by believing the best about God not the worst.
We should make someone prove that God doesn’t want to heal us rather than just believing what they may say.
If I had not been out doing the will of God and laying hands on the sick and watching them recover, I might have fallen prey to every wind of doctrine that says God doesn’t always want to heal. Because I’ve been doing it, no one could convince me that healing isn’t for today or for anyone.
This is why it is so important when we share the good news about our Heavenly Father and His son, and their willingness to heal and to bless, that we get the people to actually do what we are telling them. We must be witnesses. We must produce proof, evidence that what we are saying is true.
I wish everyone could start with an accurate image or viewpoint of God.
There are certain steps that we can take to help us get an accurate image of God into our minds.
The first is to hear the Truth. This means that you must decide to listen ONLY to people that are re-presenting the True Jesus. Not a watered down, new age Jesus. The same Jesus that does the same things He’s always done.
The second is to start investigating everything someone says about God. Build a good firm foundation concerning God’s views on every topic. Go through Scripture and see the real picture of God. Begin to notice patterns about The Father as demonstrated through His express image which is Jesus.
The third is to begin speaking about God what God has said about Himself.
Begin meditating upon these things and worship Him while doing so.
Start to see God as a Father, and not just as “God”.
What you look at consistently, you become like.
This is why it is so important to stay in the Word of God as much as possible.
The more you see Jesus, the more you see God, and the more you will know Him and start to become like Him in your attitudes and actions.
God is so much bigger and better than most Christians think He is.
He desires so much more for you. He desires that you walk in health and not in sickness or disease.
Smith Wigglesworth said that “God is more eager to answer than we are to ask.”
God doesn’t want you burdened down with fear or worry. He wants you free so that you can spend time with Him doing more than begging for stuff. He wants you to live by blessing, not by miracles. He wants you to know Him so that you will be ready to deliver a miracle from Him to anyone that needs one. He doesn’t want you to need one. He wants you to be a miracle for someone, just as Jesus was the miracle that brought healing and deliverance to anyone that needed it or asked Him for it.
The scriptures say to “examine yourselves whether you are in the faith.” (2 Co. 13:5)
Beloved, it is time that we examine ourselves. Are we people of faith?
When Jesus returns will He find faith?
When was the last time we stretched ourselves and our faith? When was the last time we truly launched out into the deep with a faith project that only God could bring to pass? Let’s glorify our Father in Heaven. Let’s do things for God we’ve never done before!
