There are times when I have to be around people who know that I am a teacher of the Word, and who seem to delight in tearing the Scriptures down. Many of these people profess to be Christians. I call them "unbelieving believers," if there is such a thing. They will tell you that they don’t believe the Bible from cover-to-cover. They question God’s laws and commands. They doubt the truth of His Word. This is nothing new. Since the Garden of Eden, our greatest enemy, Satan, has made it his goal to cause mankind to doubt God’s Word. The very first thing he said to Eve was, "Did God REALLY say…?" (Genesis 3:1 NIV) Doubting God’s Word brought devastating consequences back then, and it still does today. Do you know what is my greatest motivator for believing the Scriptures? It’s the fact that Jesus Himself believed them. He called them "the Word of God." (John 10:35 NIV) And He told the Father in prayer, "Your Word is Truth." (John 17:17) He also said, "The Scripture cannot be set aside or cancelled or broken or annulled." (John 10:35 AMP) Jesus clearly believed in the infallibility of the Bible. "I tell you the truth, until heaven and earth disappear, not the smallest letter, not the least stroke of a pen, will by any means disappear from the Law until everything is accomplished." (Matthew 5:18 NIV) The Savior even went so far as to say that those who reject His words as truth will be condemned on the Day of Judgment. (John 12:48)

Hebrews 4:12 (NKJV) says: "The Word of God is living and powerful." As inherently powerful as the Word of God is, it will "not benefit" those who don’t believe it. (Heb 4:2 AMP) For instance, our prayers won’t be effective without a steadfast faith in the Scriptures. Jesus said: "If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you, you will ask what you desire, and it shall be done for you." (John 15:7 NKJV) If we are not grounded in the rock-solid truth of the Scriptures, we will not be able to pray according to the will of God, and our prayers will go unanswered. From the day that I told the Lord many years ago that I was putting my faith in His Word no matter what I heard, saw, or felt, I have seen my percentage of answered prayer skyrocket. Why? Because God honors those who honor His Word.

Another benefit that we could be losing out on without a steadfast belief in the Bible is freedom. Jesus said: "If you continue in My word, then you are truly disciples of Mine; and you will know the truth, and the truth will make you free." (John 8:31-32 NASB) We are not true disciples of Christ if we don’t even believe what He says. As a result, we will be defenseless against the devil’s temptations, accusations, and deceptions. We will live in sin and bondage, being continually plagued by addictions, fear, and depression. On the other hand, the Lord promises that when we "continue" in His Word—believing it, studying it, meditating on it, and acting on it--we will experience the supernatural freedom that He purchased for us on Calvary.

Doubting the Word of God strips us of the power we need to overcome the power of the enemy. The Bible tells us, "Take the Sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God." (Ephesians 6:17 NLT) This heavenly "Sword" is available only to those who belong to Christ and believe His Word. It’s the same Sword that Jesus Himself used against Satan when the devil came to tempt the Savior in the desert. (Matthew 4:1-11) The Lord left us a powerful example of how we can engage the devil in battle, and emerge victorious every time--we declare the Word of God in faith. Satan is powerless against the Truth.

Maybe you think you don’t have the faith to believe the Bible is true from start to finish. You are wrong. God says that He has given everyone a "measure of faith." (Romans 12:3) That means that all of us have the ability to believe God and His Word. Once you make the decision to believe, you begin using the Word as a tool to build on the measure of faith you began with. As Romans 10:17 (NKJV) says: "Faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the Word of God." Your faith will grow every time you listen to the Word or read it. God is prepared to bless you and use you in ways that far exceed your wildest dreams. Be willing to cross the "faith line" today, and step into the divine destiny that belongs to you in Christ!

Prayer: Lord, today I make a quality decision to believe You and Your Word. From this day forward, with the help of Your Spirit, I will resist all doubts that may come against my mind. Thank You that because of my faith, I will become all that You created me to be, and do all that You created me to do!