Believe and receive
*To hear this inspiration on Dianna’s podcast—an audio companion to the written devotion—click here to listen.
I was milling around the kitchen late Sunday evening while wearing a hot pink sweat jacket and some blue, plaid, oversized pajama pants. I was quite the fashionista. Ha!
It was nearing the end of a wonderful, laid back Father’s Day at home. By the way, my husband Kenya enjoyed his day. He got a chance to relax, receive his gifts, cards and tributes, and be showered with the love he so deserves for all he is and does.
So, as I was busy in the kitchen Sunday night, engrossed in whatever I was doing, my teenaged daughter Kaiah was in the kitchen too. I believe she was putting away some dishes. Then, I suddenly remembered that the little hooded jacket I was wearing with a zipper up the front belonged to Kaiah.
When the thought popped in my head, I told Kaiah I had borrowed her sweat jacket and would return it to her. Then she said, “Oh, mommy, I think that’s actually your jacket.”
“Wait. It is?” I responded. I was so confused.
Kaiah told me, “Kyla and I took it from you a long time ago, and you just forgot that it was yours.”
As we went on talking, Kaiah explained that she and my oldest daughter, Kyla, are always “stealing my clothes”—her words, not mine—and taking things that belong to me. And over time, as the days, weeks and months go by, I simply forget that these things were ever mine in the first place.
That sounds just like me.
When Kaiah told me, I laughed and said, “Well, at least you’re being honest about it.” And then, I teased her and added, “Wait a minute. Is there any such thing as an honest thief?”
Daily Cup family, I remember when the girls were younger, they would play in my clothes and shoes. You know, as all children do, right? They looked adorable draped in my oversized shirts, dresses, heels, and jewelry, stumbling around the house. Back then, after they were done rummaging through my clothes, later in the day, I would just collect the items they had played in and return them to my room.
But now that Kyla and Kaiah are older, some of the things they borrow fit them so well (And most of the time, between you and me, my stuff looks way cooler on them anyway!), I mistakenly assume that what they have taken from me without me knowing—or knowing and then forgetting— is rightfully theirs.
So, after the enlightening kitchen conversation with Kaiah “Sticky Fingers, Swiper the Fox” Hobbs, I thought about something profound that inspired this devotion today.
In our spiritual walk, we stand to lose far more important things than a few clothing and beauty items. The enemy is out to get our joy, our peace, our hope, our destiny, and rip the word of God right out of our hearts.
In fact, Jesus warned the multitudes and His disciples about this very thing in Matthew 13. At the time, Jesus was preaching to a massive crowd of people from a boat off the shore of the lake of Galilee. During His outdoor sermon, Jesus shared a parable about a farmer, also known as a sower, who went out to sow seed. This is something that the multitude would have understood well, because agriculture was common in those days and in that region.
Jesus said, the seed thrown by the farmer landed on four different types of ground, but there is only one type that I want to focus on today. It is mentioned in Matthew 13:4, where Jesus said, “As he was scattering the seed, some fell along the path, and the birds came and ate it up.”
Jesus then gives an explanation of this in verse19 when He says, “When anyone hears the message about the kingdom and does not understand it, the evil one comes and snatches away what was sown in their heart. This is the seed sown along the path.”
Luke 8:11-12 also explains this parable. It says, “The seed is the word of God. Those along the path are the ones who hear, and then the devil comes and takes away the word from their hearts, so that they may not believe and be saved.”
As you see, the devil desires to steal the word from your heart. But he can only do that if you don’t believe. Without faith, Scripture teaches, it is impossible to please the Lord, to receive salvation, or to reap any of the benefits of the Kingdom. Faith is absolutely essential. You and I must believe God. We have no choice. Otherwise, Satan will no doubt rob us of what is rightfully ours.
In Matthew 13:19, when Jesus said that failure to understand the word makes it possible for Satan to steal it, Jesus uses a specific word in the Greek for understand. That word is “suniémi” (pronounced soon-ee'-ay-mee). It means to be able to comprehend and to put facts and ideas together into a comprehensive whole. This process of understanding, however, is not a rational one; it is a spiritual process that requires faith.
You know, I used to think that Jesus spoke in parables in order to make it easier to understand Kingdom principles, but that’s not true. According to Matthew 13:11-15, Jesus said that the knowledge of the secrets of the Kingdom of heaven were only reserved for true disciples, those who actually believed that Jesus Christ was the Messiah. Although the crowds followed Jesus and listened to Him preach, their hearts were hardened. So then, they could not see, receive, or understand Kingdom truths. Parables concealed revelation. Only faith reveals the hidden things of the Kingdom.
Plainly put, Kingdom principles cannot be understood by the natural, faithless mind. 1 Corinthians 2:14 says, “The person without the Spirit does not accept the things that come from the Spirit of God but considers them foolishness, and cannot understand them because they are discerned only through the Spirit.”
“Choose faith even when things don’t make complete sense. You cannot perceive in the natural what God is doing in the spiritual. ”
We get into trouble when we try to make rational sense of a spiritual principle. For instance, in Genesis 12:1, God told Abraham to leave everything familiar without knowing where he was going. That doesn’t make sense and honestly seems quite irrational, not to mention irresponsible. But, by faith, Abraham obeyed. Not by reason. By faith.
In Jeremiah 29:11, God gave the prophet Jeremiah a word for those who were in Babylonian captivity. He said, “For I know the plans I have for you, plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.”
For God to give a word of hope to people in a hopeless situation doesn’t make sense. Not to the rational mind. Only by faith could they receive this promise and know that God was faithful to perform His word.
When I was in the hospital, paralyzed on my left side, fresh out of the ICU after a mini stroke, it made no sense to attempt to walk. The only expectation I should have had in August 2019 was to fall on my face and be transported back to the ICU—possibly with a 5150 psychiatric hold added to my charts for attempting something so nonsensical.
But my faith overrode my rationale. And when I took a step by faith, God instantaneously healed my physical body. Immediately, my legs and my feet received strength. Immediately, my twisted tongue that had shifted in my mouth straightened out. Immediately, I uttered words clearly and articulately. Immediately, I lifted my formerly limp arm and hand and worshiped in the hospital room. Immediately, God proved the validity of the Kingdom principle in Matthew 19:26 that says, “With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.”
“God is calling you to trust Him when you can’t trace Him. Know that He is faithful to bring His word to pass even when you can’t see what He’s doing. Faith activates His power and releases His blessings!”
If you can perceive it in the spirit, you can receive in the natural. If you can believe it in your heart, you can see it manifest in your life. That’s why Satan has been attacking your faith and coming after your confidence in God. He knows that without that, you are vulnerable to his assault. If you do not see the word of God through your faith lens, you will give into Satan’s deceptions, and he will rob you blind, because you are blinded to the truth.
Jesus said in John 14:6, “I am the way and the truth and the life.” When you believe in Jesus and trust in His word, when the thief shows up to try to rob you, he won’t be able to snatch away the word. Why? Because it will be too deeply rooted and grounded in your heart. When seed is planted in the soil of faith, now that’s good ground, and it brings forth a bountiful harvest.
But when you abandon your faith, you leave the door open for the thief to devour you, deceive you, depress you, distress you, and devastate you.
Oh, but the devil cannot do anything with a faith warrior who stands on the sure foundation of the word of God. Today, God sent this word to wake up your faith, to tell you believe and receive. Your destiny, your breakthrough, your deliverance is too important to trust a thief. Tell the enemy, “Come what may, my hope is in the Lord. He is my rock and my fortress. He is my shield. He is my refuge. He is my deliverer. He is my healer. He is my provider. He is my everything.”
If you can just remain steadfast in the word, hold fast to the promises of God, and believe in your heart that Jesus is who He says He is and can do what He says He can do, the enemy cannot rob you, because your faith is rooted too deep.
In John 10:10 NKJV, which is what I’m stirring into your cup of inspiration, Jesus said, “The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy. I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly.”
As you drink down the contents of your cup, I believe God is waking up your faith. As you believe, you will receive. That means, that old thief that has invaded your life is about to walk away empty-handed, because he has encountered someone who trusts in the name of the Lord. Proverbs 18:10 KJV says, “The name of the LORD is a strong tower: the righteous runneth into it, and is safe.” Psalm 91:1-2 KJV says, “He that dwelleth in the secret place of the most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty. I will say of the Lord, He is my refuge and my fortress: my God; in him will I trust.”
From this moment on, dig your heels in, stand firm in faith, and believe against all odds. If you do that, I guarantee that you will see God greatly reward you with both spiritual and natural blessings.
Now, let’s pray.
God, even though the enemy has tried his best to throw every negative thing my way, I still believe Your word. I know You are faithful and can be trusted to keep every promise. Please strengthen me, oh Lord. Help me not to give into doubt and fear which are both rooted in the deceptions of the enemy. My desire is to trust in Your word and refuse to doubt, so I will see Your mighty hand move in my life and manifest Your glory. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
If you desire prayer, please allow me, along with my intercessory prayer team, to stand in faith with you for breakthrough. We would be so honored. We have seen God work over and over again. There is power in agreement. Click here to request prayer now.
As always, thanks for reading and until next time... may today's cup of inspiration uplift, encourage, and empower you!
