Are You Believing in God?

Are you believing God? John 11:1-44

As we grow in our faith, there will be circumstances that arise that will challenge the things God has told us that He will do. Maybe you are in the midst of the storm wondering if God is going to answer your prayers. Mary and Martha experienced this in John 11. In vs 3, Mary and Martha sent word to Jesus saying, “Lord, behold, he whom You love is sick.” Vs 4: When Jesus heard that, He said, “This sickness is not unto death, but for the glory of God, that the Son of God may be glorified through it.”

Consider how the sisters referred to their brother: “He whom You love.” They knew Jesus loved Lazarus and if he wouldn’t come for them, they thought for sure He would come immediately because of Lazarus, but the Lord didn’t move in the circumstances as they expected. In verse 5, we learn that Jesus loved Mary, Martha, AND Lazarus, just as He loves you and me, but we know that Jesus knew what the outcome would be and He already had a plan. The Bible says He stayed two more days where he was and then decided to go back to Judea. In verse 14, Jesus revealed that he knew that “Lazarus is dead” but the interesting thing is that back in verse 11, He told his disciples that “Lazarus sleeps, but I go that I may wake him up.” He knew before He ever even started on His journey back to Judea what He was going to do, He merely had to wait for the proper time and position – just like our circumstances. Yes, these trials and tribulations are no joke, no laughing matter. In the account of Lazarus, Jesus wept over His friend. He knew He was going to raise him from the dead, yet He wept.

When Jesus moved into action, and ordered the stone covering the tomb to be moved, Martha interrupted, informing the Lord that Lazarus had been dead four days. Isn’t that just like us? When we see the Lord moving, we wonder if it is really Him or we don’t like His methods (they are often VERY unconventional), we try to direct Him in how to answer our prayers.

Perhaps, my most favorite verse in this whole section is His response to Martha. It wasn’t anger or frustration but love and reminding. He simply said, “Did I not say to you that if you would believe you would see the glory of God?”

I believe this is exactly the same question He has for us today. “Did I not say to you that if you would believe you would see the glory of God?”

⁴¹Then they took away the stone from the place where the dead man was lying. And Jesus lifted up His eyes and said, “Father, I thank You that You have heard Me. ⁴²And I know that You always hear Me, but because of the people who are standing by I said this, that they may believe that You sent me.” ⁴³Now when He said these things. He cried with a loud voice, “Lazarus, come forth!” 44And he who had died came out bound hand and foot with grave clothes, and his face was wrapped with a cloth. Jesus said to them, “Loose him, and let him go.”

John 11 – NKVJ

Let Jesus intercede on your behalf as He did for Lazarus. Invite Him into your circumstances today and BELIEVE so you can see the glory of God. Did He not say if you would believe, you would see the glory of God? You can hold him to His word.