The Relationship Between Believing and Experience
Several years ago a person at church said that she believed certain things because she had experienced them. Then she said that she did not believe certain other things because she had not experienced them. She also gave examples of certain scriptures that she did not believe beause she just did not ever see them come true. She said these things on at least three occasions in group Bible studles. So now I ask you, is this the proper relationship between believing and experience? How about you personally? Is seeing believing or is believing seeing, which is it? Let's forget about religious or spiritual beliefs for a minute and examine common everyday life.
Did the Wright brothers invent, design, and build an airplane because they experienced it first so they believed they could build one or was it the other way around? Did Thomas Edison invent a light bulb because he experienced it first so he then believed he could build one or was it the other way around? We could go on and on with these examples couldn't we. Throughout history people have always believed first. It was and is through believing first that things are invented and discoveries are made. A person first has an idea or concept, then based on their believing in that idea they begin to take action and explore the possibilities of making that idea into a reality. The airplane and the light bulb were invented and experienced only after someone believed that they were possible and then turned their attention, labor, and finances into bring them into reality where they were then experienced by everyone. This is true for not only physical things but also for conceptual things where you are not trying to invent something but only trying to discover something such as in astronomy, medicine, physics and yes even the spiritual truths that lie before us.
If you want to experience and know that God is real, Jesus is real, the Holy Spirit is real, and that the Bible is true you must, just like everything else, believe first, then knowledge of those realities will come to you. Consider these verses from the Bible:
Come and experience the reality of Jesus and the Holy Spirit. Believe fully in him and surrender to him today. Experience what it is like to have the Holy Spirit come and live inside you. Your eyes will be opened and you will then realize what you have been missing all these years. God says, "Without faith it is impossible to please me, for he who comes to me must believe that I exist and that I reward those who seek me." (Hebrews 11:6) Surrender to Jesus today, you'll be glad you did.
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Did the Wright brothers invent, design, and build an airplane because they experienced it first so they believed they could build one or was it the other way around? Did Thomas Edison invent a light bulb because he experienced it first so he then believed he could build one or was it the other way around? We could go on and on with these examples couldn't we. Throughout history people have always believed first. It was and is through believing first that things are invented and discoveries are made. A person first has an idea or concept, then based on their believing in that idea they begin to take action and explore the possibilities of making that idea into a reality. The airplane and the light bulb were invented and experienced only after someone believed that they were possible and then turned their attention, labor, and finances into bring them into reality where they were then experienced by everyone. This is true for not only physical things but also for conceptual things where you are not trying to invent something but only trying to discover something such as in astronomy, medicine, physics and yes even the spiritual truths that lie before us.
If you want to experience and know that God is real, Jesus is real, the Holy Spirit is real, and that the Bible is true you must, just like everything else, believe first, then knowledge of those realities will come to you. Consider these verses from the Bible:
- Faith is the substance of things hoped for. (Hebrews 11:1) This says that the things you hope for arise or come from a substance called faith.
- All things are possible to him that believes. (Mark 9:23) This says that you will see certain things manifested in reality when you believe them first.
- Jesus says, "According to your faith it shall be to you." (Matthew 9:29) This says that you will experience good things or bad things in life according to the way you believe. In other words, first you believe something and afterward you will experience it.
Come and experience the reality of Jesus and the Holy Spirit. Believe fully in him and surrender to him today. Experience what it is like to have the Holy Spirit come and live inside you. Your eyes will be opened and you will then realize what you have been missing all these years. God says, "Without faith it is impossible to please me, for he who comes to me must believe that I exist and that I reward those who seek me." (Hebrews 11:6) Surrender to Jesus today, you'll be glad you did.
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