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What Do You Believe?
Description
What does it really mean to believe in God? It’s possible to believe that God exists without allowing His Word to shape the way we think, live, and make decisions. True faith goes beyond acknowledging God—it means trusting what He says and letting that belief change us.
James 2:19 reminds us that even demons believe there is one God, challenging us to examine whether our faith is more than simply recognizing God’s existence. When we truly believe God, our lives begin to reflect that faith through our choices, obedience, relationships, and especially the way we love others. Following Jesus means allowing God’s truth to transform our hearts and our everyday lives.
Highlights
- The difference between believing in God and believing God
- Why genuine faith should change the way we live and make decisions
- What James 2:19 teaches us about simply acknowledging that God exists
- How Abraham’s faith demonstrates what it means to believe God’s promises
- Why our actions can reveal what we truly believe in our hearts
- How unbelief can quietly influence our choices and priorities
- Why loving others is one of the clearest ways our faith in Jesus becomes visible
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Full Transcript Below:
What Do You Believe?
By Lynette Kittle
Bible Reading:
“You believe that there is one God. Good! Even the demons believe that—and shudder.” - James 2:19
What we believe about God is critical, determining how we live our daily lives and also determining our eternal futures.
It’s wise for us to ask, “Do we believe in God or do we believe God?” because there is a difference.
The first is believing there is a God, which is good and a start; the second is our believing God, meaning we believe what He says is true.
The difference they make in our lives is evident, too. Believing there is a God doesn’t mean we believe Him and live out His words in our lives; believing Him changes us.
As 2 Corinthians 5:17 describes, “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here!”
It’s not difficult, either, for others to see what we truly believe in our lives. For example, if we believe what health experts tell us about how to live our lives, then we exercise, eat healthily, and live according to healthy principles.
So it is if we believe God. We’ll live according to His word, incorporating, practicing, and living out His godly principles in our lives.
Believing God Changes Us
In Luke 4:33-34, a demon recognizes who Jesus truly is. “In the synagogue, there was a man possessed by a demon, an impu