“Mental assent” means intellectually accepting or knowing the Word of GOD to be fact but not receiving and fully embracing it as Truth as the greater reality in one’s life versus the current condition or situation one is in. This person admires The Word and agrees with it but has not received the revelatory element of The Word yet. The current adversity or situation seems more real than the Promise of deliverance and restoration. There is a disconnect with the Spiritual state which is superior than the mental, emotional, and physical states of being. Even though the truthfulness is recognized, the person does not act upon it.
Those who join me on a daily basis are in the midst of moving away from mental assent into a walk of Love and faith. As each of us dwells and meditates daily on these Words FATHER is providing for our growth and maturity, we will increase in faith and unity. Both aspects will increase as our foundation of Love is fully established and solidified.
Hope believes in receiving something in the future whereas faith says “I have it now”. In Matthew chapter 8, Jesus is approached by the centurion:
5 Now when Jesus had entered Capernaum, a centurion came to Him, pleading with Him,
6 saying, “Lord, my servant is lying at home paralyzed, dreadfully tormented.”
7 And Jesus said to him, “I will come and heal him.”
8 The centurion answered and said, “Lord, I am not worthy that You should come under my roof. But only speak a word, and my servant will be healed.
9 For I also am a man under authority, having soldiers under me. And I say to this one,‘Go,’ and he goes; and to another, ‘Come,’ and he comes; and to my servant, ‘Do this,’ and he does it.”
10 When Jesus heard it, He marveled, and said to those who followed, “Assuredly, I say to you, I have not found such great faith, not even in Israel!
11 And I say to you that many will come from east and west, and sit down with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob in the kingdom of heaven.
12 But the sons of the kingdom will be cast out into outer darkness. There will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.”
13 Then Jesus said to the centurion, “Go your way; and as you have believed, so let it be done for you.” And his servant was healed that same hour.
Are we going to be satisfied with anything less than great faith ourselves? Will this generation we are now in be known for little or no faith? Will we be thrown into the same classification as “the sons of the kingdom” who grew up “in the faith” but in reality had no faith? Not in my household! Let us be determined to ascend to a higher Spiritual state at all costs. We must keep The Word before us day and night, not out of duty, but out of Love. As we move our focus to the eternal, we begin detaching ourselves from the temporal. The Bride of Christ no longer focuses on her current house but now focuses on her Bridegroom’s residence where He prepares a place for her.
Sense knowledge faith says “When I see it, I know I will have it.” True faith sees it in the Spirit before the physical evidence arrives, doubting not. We will have the personal, intimate assurance that Our Loving FATHER is providing and fulfilling our need without reservation. Hope is in the future, faith is now. True faith stands on the reality that if FATHER says it is true, then it is… no matter what the current circumstances declare. Those circumstances are temporary and subject to change.
The physical realm is subject to the Spiritual realm for it was derived by FATHER’S Divine Intent. We must not let the physical rule us but it should become subject to us as we walk according to FATHER’S Word and Intent. Great faith will be developed and reside with those who have a firm foundation of unconditional Love. In the passage above, the centurion’s servant, who was dear to him, was sick and ready to die (Luke 7:2). It is clear the centurion was motivated by his Love for his servant. He walked in Love and faith which resulted in the servant’s healing and restoration.
In order for each of us to fully mature, The Word must gain supremacy over all else in our life. In the beginning was The Word and in the end is The Word. Jesus is the Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end. Let our faith become great so that we will be fully capable in dealing with all that is in between. My prayer for you and me:
“For this reason I bow my knees to the FATHER of our Lord Jesus Christ, from whom the whole family in heaven and earth is named, that He would grant us, according to the riches of His glory, to be strengthened with might through His Spirit in the inner man, that Christ may dwell in our hearts through faith; that we, being rooted and grounded in love, may be able to comprehend with all the saints what is the width and length and depth and height— to know the love of Christ which passes knowledge; that we may be filled with all the fullness of God.” Amen!