We live in a time where visuals are used to prove or explain a thing. In fact, if one is proficient in the art of visualizing the concepts one is trying to sell across, there is the high probability that your audience will most likely believe you because they can ‘see’ what you are saying. Because of this wind, so many believers are beginning to think they are entitled to ‘see’ the acts of God first in order to believe Him. Now, as good as this may sound, it negates the whole essence of faith. To such, the definition of faith is ancient because we live in a savvy and technological advanced time than when the Bible was written. Without knowing, they advance the erroneous teaching of entitlement. A teaching that says as children of God they are entitled to everything they want or desire! This is true, but when it is not mixed with humility, obedience to God’s Word, it produces spiritual arrogance with the end result of making the people dependent on the hand of God rather than on God Himself. These will not grow in their knowledge of Jesus Christ; the little they get to know they will forget once they face any adversity just as the children of Israel in the wilderness did: “He revealed His ways to Moses, his deeds to the people of Israel” (Psalm 103:7), and “They forgot what He had done, the wonderful works He had shown them”(Psalm 78:11).
Friend, faith cannot be modernized neither can it be replaced by the spirit of entitlement, it remains what it is: “Now faith is the reality of what is hoped for, the proof of what is not seen” (Hebrews 11:1). Faith is the ‘vehicle’ that carries the things we hope for. Having this ‘vehicle’ is a proof that the things we hope for (according to the will of God) will surely come! We do not hope for what is already on ground and within our reach, but for things that are not seen, but we believe we will receive. So many, as a result of the erroneous entitlement teachings believe God owes them and so must deliver because they have been taught to sow something that will make God pay them back in return. This, to them is faith! This teaching negates the true meaning of Faith and Grace. God owes no man because no man does business with God and loses. This ‘entitlement’ teaching has made so many disillusioned when they are in situations and circumstances beyond their control. They have turned God into a ‘vending machine’ that vends out whatever they have slotted a coin in to get!
I met a young man recently who declared he was angry with God and has lost faith in Him: Not only because he didn’t get what he had asked for even the things he had, he had lost. His argument was if God truly loves him, He would have taken into cognizance his tithing, sowing, offerings and so many more that he does. All of these, according to him, amounted to a waste since he didn’t get what he felt he was entitled to. In his conclusion, he believes God owes him! We must understand that our sowing, tithing and offerings to God should not be because we want something from Him but should be as a result of our love and obedience to Him. The friends of Daniel captured this belief clearly when Nebuchadnezzar threatened them and felt there was no god capable of rescuing them from his power. In their reply to the king, they didn’t claim they were entitled to God’s divine protection because they were serving Him: “…Nebuchadnezzar, we don’t need to give you an answer to this question. If the God we serve exists, then He can rescue us from the furnace of blazing fire, and He can rescue us from the power of you, the king. But even if He does not rescue us, we want you as king to know that we will not serve your gods or worship the gold statue you set up” (Daniel 3:16b-18). This answer enraged hell but delighted Heaven and God stood up and came to their rescue.
Furthermore, to counter the feeling of entitlement, Jesus replied His Disciples when they asked Him to increase their faith: “Even so on your part, when you have done everything that was assigned and commanded you, say, We are unworthy servants [possessing no merit, for we have not gone beyond our obligation]; we have (merely) done what was our duty to do”(Luke 17:10, AMP). Friends, our faith in God should not be based on the things we see and must have. We must see beyond these to see the Awesome and Amazing God we serve: The Centurion whose servant was paralyzed understood this truth and declared it. God’s answer was swift on the basis of his faith. The Lord then said: “I tell you that many will come from east and west, and recline on the table with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob in the Kingdom of heaven. But the sons of the Kingdom will be thrown into outer darkness. In that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth” (Matthew 8:11-12).
Beloved, in conclusion, as we await the Return of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, we must learn to walk in childlike faith, knowing and being fully convinced of one fact, He that called and saved us never lies. We must equally have the mind of Christ that did not seek His own rights, but sought only to do the will of God and bring pleasure to the Father’s heart. May God bless you as you reassess your faith in Him, in Jesus Christ name.
