“How can I be sure this will happen?  I’m an old man now, and my wife is also well along in years.” [Luke 1:18]. This is the question Zechariah asked the angel of the Lord that appeared to him and told him his prayers were answered and he was having a son.

Isn’t it amazing that we can pray, and pray and pray for something and when God comes with the answer we are stuck in unbelief?

What is unbelief? Unbelief is not believing what God has promised us or as defined by Webster “skepticism especially in matters of religious faith”. The bible tells us that the people didn’t believe Jesus because they weren’t His sheep (John 10:26). So who do we belong to if we don’t believe God and his word? It’s imperative that we shift our mindset to believing God, trusting Him especially when He responds to our petitions with a holy yes.

Back to Zechariah, if you read the story in Luke it goes on to tell us that he was in doubt and unbelief when he was asking the Angel how the promise of John the Baptist was going to happen. And what happened as a result, the angel told him “……you will be silent and unable to speak until the child is born. For my words will certainly be fulfilled at the proper time.” [Luke1:20] What is interesting to me is that this was some one who served the Lord in the Holy Temple but yet bound by doubt and unbelief. Which shows me that we as Christians can do the works of serving the Lord, reading His word, yet not having any real revelation of the God that never lies, not having an encounter of the word of truth that declares His word never returns to Him void.

God truly made a believer out of Zechariah, could it be that he was silenced for his protection? I truly believe that God silenced Zechariah, so that Zechariah would not contradict the promises of God.

What has God promised you? And why are you afraid to trust Him? Are you counting your age or accomplishments as a determining factor into what God can do? Are you talking yourself out of the very thing God has promised you because of comparing your current condition to what the world say is the norm? Do you believe to small? Are you trusting in your flesh? What ever the case may be I pray that you and I would repent for doubt and unbelief and choose to trust the living God.

As a result of God fulfilling the promise He made to Zechariah, John the Baptist came and declared the coming of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. So trust God when He says YES!

Happy Hannukah, Merry CHRISTmas, and a Happy New Year!

Shalom

references:

http://www.biblegateway.com

http://www.merriam-webster.com