Believe

What does it mean to believe?

I'm reading John now for my devotion time and it really stuck out to me how many times Jesus talks about believing in him. I decided to do a little study on the word believe to see what I could learn. I encourage you to read john and underline ever time you come across the word believe.

Believe who Jesus says he is...

He claimed to be one with the father, the Son of God...our Savior...the Messiah...the Christ...you have the choice to either look at his life and words and believe his claim of who he is or choose to think he was a liar and a lunatic. He left no gray area for us, he either is who he claimed or he isn't, we either believe him or we reject him.

Believing there is a God is not enough.

Jesus makes it clear that you must BELIEVE in him.

John 14:6
Jesus answered, "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.

John 4:21, 25-26
Jesus declared, "Believe me, woman, a time is coming when you will worship the Father neither on this mountain nor in Jerusalem.

The woman said, "I know that Messiah" (called Christ) "is coming. When he comes, he will explain everything to us."

Then Jesus declared, "I who speak to you am he."

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Believe in him for eternal life: (Look how much scripture there is with the word believe in regards to our salvation...how could we miss that we have to believe in him.)

John 1:7
He came as a witness to testify concerning that light, so that through him all men might believe.

John 1:12
Yet to all who received him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God.

John 3:15
that everyone who believes in him may have eternal life.

John 3:16
"For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.

John 3:18
Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because he has not believed in the name of God's one and only Son.

John 3:36
Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life, but whoever rejects the Son will not see life, for God's wrath remains on him."

John 5:24
"I tell you the truth, whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life and will not be condemned; he has crossed over from death to life.

John 6:29
Jesus answered, "The work of God is this: to believe in the one he has sent."

John 6:35
Then Jesus declared, "I am the bread of life. He who comes to me will never go hungry, and he who believes in me will never be thirsty.

John 6:40
For my Father's will is that everyone who looks to the Son and believes in him shall have eternal life, and I will raise him up at the last day."

John 6:47
I tell you the truth, he who believes has everlasting life.

John 7:38
Whoever believes in me, as the Scripture has said, streams of living water will flow from within him."

John 7:39
By this he meant the Spirit, whom those who believed in him were later to receive. Up to that time the Spirit had not been given, since Jesus had not yet been glorified.

John 8:24
I told you that you would die in your sins; if you do not believe that I am the one I claim to be, you will indeed die in your sins."

John 9:35
Jesus heard that they had thrown him out, and when he found him, he said, "Do you believe in the Son of Man?

John 11:25
Jesus said to her, "I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in me will live, even though he dies;

John 11:26
and whoever lives and believes in me will never die. Do you believe this?"

John 11:40
Then Jesus said, "Did I not tell you that if you believed, you would see the glory of God?"

John 12:44
Then Jesus cried out, "When a man believes in me, he does not believe in me only, but in the one who sent me.

John 12:46
I have come into the world as a light, so that no one who believes in me should stay in darkness.

John 14:11
Believe me when I say that I am in the Father and the Father is in me; or at least believe on the evidence of the miracles themselves.

John 20:29
Then Jesus told him, "Because you have seen me, you have believed; blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed."

John 20:31
But these are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name.

Acts 10:43
All the prophets testify about him that everyone who believes in him receives forgiveness of sins through his name."

Acts 13:39
Through him everyone who believes is justified from everything you could not be justified from by the law of Moses.

Acts 15:11
We believe it is through the grace of our Lord Jesus that we are saved, just as they are."

Acts 16:31
They replied, "Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved—you and your household."

Romans 1:16
I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God for the salvation of everyone who believes: first for the Jew, then for the Gentile.

Romans 3:22
This righteousness from God comes through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe.

Romans 10:4
Christ is the end of the law so that there may be righteousness for everyone who believes.

Romans 10:9
That if you confess with your mouth, "Jesus is Lord," and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.

Romans 10:10
For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you confess and are saved.

Galatians 3:22
But the Scripture declares that the whole world is a prisoner of sin, so that what was promised, being given through faith in Jesus Christ, might be given to those who believe.

1 Timothy 1:16
But for that very reason I was shown mercy so that in me, the worst of sinners, Christ Jesus might display his unlimited patience as an example for those who would believe on him and receive eternal life.

1 John 5:5
Who is it that overcomes the world? Only he who believes that Jesus is the Son of God.

1 John 5:13
I write these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God so that you may know that you have eternal life.

Ephesians 2:8-9
God saved you by his grace when you believed. And you can’t take credit for this; it is a gift from God. Salvation is not a reward for the good things we have done, so none of us can boast about it.

Matthew 10:32
"All those who stand before others and say they believe in me, I will say before my Father in heaven that they belong to me.


Hebrews 3:19
So we see that they were not able to enter, because of their unbelief.

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Believe him for Healing...

Matthew 9:27-29
When he had gone indoors, the blind men came to him, and he asked them, "Do you believe that I am able to do this?" "Yes, Lord," they replied

Jesus Heals the Blind and Mute

As Jesus went on from there, two blind men followed him, calling out, "Have mercy on us, Son of David!"

When he had gone indoors, the blind men came to him, and he asked them, "Do you believe that I am able to do this?"
"Yes, Lord," they replied.

Then he touched their eyes and said, "According to your faith will it be done to you"; and their sight was restored.

Matthew 9:22
Jesus turned and saw her. "Take heart, daughter," he said, "your faith has healed you." And the woman was healed from that moment.

Mark 5:34
He said to her, "Daughter, your faith has healed you. Go in peace and be freed from your suffering."

Mark 10:52
"Go," said Jesus, "your faith has healed you." Immediately he received his sight and followed Jesus along the road.

Luke 8:48
Then he said to her, "Daughter, your faith has healed you. Go in peace."

Luke 18:42
Jesus said to him, "Receive your sight; your faith has healed you."

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What do we do when we are struggling to believe?

Ask God to help you with your doubt.

Mark 9:23
Immediately the father cried out, "I do believe! Help me to believe more!"

Jesus Heals a Sick Boy
A man answered, "Teacher, I brought my son to you. He has an evil spirit in him that stops him from talking. When the spirit attacks him, it throws him on the ground. Then my son foams at the mouth, grinds his teeth, and becomes very stiff. I asked your followers to force the evil spirit out, but they couldn't."

Jesus answered, "You people have no faith. How long must I stay with you? How long must I put up with you? Bring the boy to me."

So the followers brought him to Jesus. As soon as the evil spirit saw Jesus, it made the boy lose control of himself, and he fell down and rolled on the ground, foaming at the mouth.

Jesus asked the boy's father, "How long has this been happening?"

The father answered, "Since he was very young. The spirit often throws him into a fire or into water to kill him. If you can do anything for him, please have pity on us and help us."

Jesus said to the father, "You said, 'If you can!' All things are possible for the one who believes."

Immediately the father cried out, "I do believe! Help me to believe more!"

When Jesus saw that a crowd was quickly gathering, he ordered the evil spirit, saying, "You spirit that makes people unable to hear or speak, I command you to come out of this boy and never enter him again!"

The evil spirit screamed and caused the boy to fall on the ground again. Then the spirit came out. The boy looked as if he were dead, and many people said, "He is dead!" But Jesus took hold of the boy's hand and helped him to stand up.

When Jesus went into the house, his followers began asking him privately, "Why couldn't we force that evil spirit out?"

Jesus answered, "That kind of spirit can only be forced out by prayer."

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Believe him to answer Prayer...

Matthew 21:22
If you believe, you will receive whatever you ask for in prayer."

Mark 9:23
"Everything is possible for him who believes."

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Believing to receive wisdom...

James 1:5-6
If any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to him. But when he asks, he must believe and not doubt, because he who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind.

What amazing things the Lord gives us if we'd just BELIEVE.
Wisdom, Healing, Blessing, Forgiveness, Peace, Eternal Life...

What's holding you back from BELIEVING?