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                          The Crime of Unbelief!

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By David Wilkerson
November 11, 1987
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          Unbelief grieves the heart of God more than any other
          sin committed on earth. He considers it a crime to
          doubt His word or to question His faithfulness. We
          Christians cry out against the sins of the flesh --
          homosexuality, alcoholism, drug abuse, adultery. We
          call them vile abominations, and they are! But God is
          mostly concerned about the sins of the heart. The real
          issues of life and death have to do with how a person
          thinks -- with what goes on in his mind.

          Unbelief is the sin of the heart -- the curse of the
          inner man. I have known Christians who forsake every
          besetting sin of the flesh. Some quit their secret
          affairs. Others stop smoking, drinking, or using drugs
          on the sly. But in spite of cleaning up their act, they
          are still restless and dissatisfied. They thought God
          would be so pleased they had finally forsaken their
          secret sin, that the blessings would flow
          automatically. But at times it does not happen that
          way. Instead, problems continue and the heavens seem
          brass.

          The reason is that sins of the flesh are only part of
          the problem. They have not yet struck at the root of
          their discontent. They are unaware of a deep-seated sin
          -- unaware they are guilty of a far worse crime in
          God's sight. They learned only to fear the Lord -- but
          not to trust Him, and fear nearly always gives birth to
          unbelief.

          God's people engage in a continual battle against the
          sins of the flesh. They fast and pray, calling on God
          to deliver them from satanic flesh traps. But most are
          totally blind to the dangers of unbelief! They don't
          even consider it in the same category with adultery,
          fornication, lying, drunkenness, etc. Yet God's Word
          puts the sin of fear and unbelief above all other
          crimes!

          "But the fearful and unbelieving, and abominable, and
          murderers, whoremongers, sorcerers, adulterers, liars
          -- shall all have their place in the lake of fire..."
          (Revelation 21:8).

          God gave the prophet Ezekiel a vision of the
          abominations of the house of Israel. The Spirit took
          him to the door of the temple court. Inside that door,
          seventy elders of Israel were going through their
          priestly motions.

          "Go in," the Spirit said, "and behold the wicked
          abominations that they do here..."

          "So I went in and saw; and behold every form of
          creeping things, and abominable beasts, and all the
          idols of the house of Israel, portrayed upon the walls.

          And there stood before them the seventy men of the
          ancients of the house of Israel... with every man his
          censer in hand...and a thick cloud of incense went
          up...

          Then said he unto me, son of man, hast thou seen what
          the elders of Israel do in the dark?" (Ezek. 8:9-12).

          And what were these venerable old elders of Israel
          doing that was so wicked and abominable? Were they
          smoking opium? Were they having a sex orgy? Were they
          gambling? No! The abominable crime was committed in
          their minds: "...what they do in the dark, every man in
          the chambers of his imagination?..."

          What were they thinking that so grieved God? What was
          this terrible abomination of their minds? They were
          indulging in unbelief -- turning to their own ways, to
          idols -- because they had completely lost faith in God.

          "For they said, the Lord seeth us not; the Lord hath
          forsaken the earth..." (Ezek. 8:12)

          Think of it! These were priests, holy men of God -- who
          for many years had seen miracles. God had revealed
          Himself to them time and again, but now their faith in
          Him was shattered. They no longer believed their
          prayers were being answered. They could no longer sense
          His presence, and had given up hope of any divine
          guidance. Oh, they still hoped God was there, but they
          no longer believed He was involved in their lives!

          "He doesn't care!..:" they surmised. "He is not at work
          with us! He has forgotten us. We give up. Why serve Him
          when there is no evidence of His working? We have been
          neglected, yea, forsaken by God." Are we too becoming
          unbelieving priests of the Lord?

          How it must grieve the heart of God when His
          enlightened children still doubt Him so!

          Unbelief not only grieves Him, but it provokes Him to
          anger and wrath. It is to be expected that the enemies
          of God will disbelieve Him, but how tragic when
          unbelief turns God's chosen people into enemies as
          well. Micah laments: "Even of late my people is risen
          up as an enemy..." (Micah 2:8).

          There was a time the children of Israel believed God.
          They once trusted their Lord. They had just been
          delivered from Egypt and Pharaoh after crossing the Red
          Sea.

          "And Israel saw the great work which the Lord did unto
          the Egyptians, and the people feared the Lord, and
          believed the Lord..." (Ex. 14:31).

          Yet in spite of all God did for His people, their
          confidence did not last. In crisis after crisis, their
          faith failed! Moses grew weary of reminding them of
          God's faithfulness. When eight of the ten spies brought
          back an ominous report, immediately the people fell
          into unbelief. They murmured and complained, crying,
          "Oh, that we had never left Egypt!"

          Moses cried out in frustration,

          "I said to you, Dread not, neither be afraid...the Lord
          your God goeth before you, he shall fight for
          you...Remember in the wilderness, how he bear thee
          there, as a man carrieth his son?...

          Yet in this thing (in spite of all this), ye did not
          believe the Lord your God...and the Lord heard the
          voice of your words, and was angry..." (Deut. 1:29-34).

          One could ask, "Why did God get so angry? The
          Israelites were just scared. It was a temporary
          outburst of fear. They didn't mean it. They were just
          confused!"

          Oh, no! God hears every complaint, every murmur against
          His faithfulness. He hears every accusation that He is
          not concerned. Every thought that even suggests He is
          unfaithful, angers God! It angered Him then, and it
          angers Him now. And it provokes His wrath. Let all who
          preach only the love of God hear well the warning of
          David.

          "And they tempted God in their hearts by asking meat
          for their lust...yea, they spake against God; they
          said, Can God furnish a table in the wilderness? Can he
          give bread? Can he provide flesh?... Therefore, the
          Lord heard this and was angry...because they believed
          not in God, and trusted not in his salvation..." (Psalm
          78:18-22).

          Let me show you how seriously God takes this matter of
          unbelief!

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            1. It caused the Lord to reject the entire house of
                                  Israel.

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          "And the Lord rejected all the seed of Israel, and
          afflicted them, and delivered them into the hands of
          the spoilers, until he had cast them out of his
          sight..." (II Kings 17:20).

          And why did He do such a drastic thing? "Because they
          would not hear, but hardened their necks, like to the
          necks of their fathers, that did not believe in the
          Lord their God..." (II Kings 17:14).

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                       2. Unbelief brought upon them
                    a flood of oppression and trouble.

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          "And the children of Israel did evil in the sight of
          the Lord, and the anger of the Lord was hot against
          them...therefore, the children of Israel were troubled
          and oppressed..." (Judges 10:6-8).

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                    3. It caused a "breach of promise".
                         Unbelief voided all God's
                     precious promises to His people.

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          "(Israel) hath tempted me now these ten times...how
          long shall I bear with this evil congregation, which
          murmur against me?... I have heard the murmuring of the
          children of Israel, which they murmur against me...

          As you have spoken in my ears, so will I do unto
          you...each day for a year...forty years...shall ye bear
          your iniquities, and ye shall know my breach of
          promise..." (Num. 14:22-34).

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                4. Unbelief brings on a curse of dumbness.

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          According to the New Testament, the Lord spoke clearly
          to Zechariah, a priest of the holy temple, promising
          him a son who was to be called John. The angel of the
          Lord told Zechariah marvelous things about John
          becoming a mighty man of destiny. None of which this
          great man of God believed. So God said to Zechariah,

          "Thou shalt be dumb, and not able to speak, until the
          day that these things be performed...because thou
          believest not my words, which shall be fulfilled in
          their time..." (Luke 1:20).

          Later, when Zechariah's faith returned, his dumbness
          left!

          "And he asked for a writing table, and wrote, saying
          His name is John. And his mouth was opened immediately,
          and his tongue loosed, and he spake, and praised
          God..." (1:63, 64).

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             5. Unbelief causes leanness (emptiness) of soul.

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          "They soon forgot his works; they waited not for his
          counsel...and he gave them their request, but sent
          leanness to their soul... Thus they were defiled with
          their own works...and went a whoring with their own
          inventions..." (Psalm 106:13, 15, 39).

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                            Israel Limited God

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          Do you remember the great faith of Israel at the Red
          Sea? Do you remember their song of confidence and trust
          in the Lord? They sang, they danced, they shouted the
          praises of God for revealing His mighty arm of
          deliverance.

          "The Lord is my strength and song...he is my
          salvation...I will exalt him...his right hand is
          glorious in power...he has dashed the enemy to
          pieces...who is like thee in holiness?...fearful in
          praises, doing wonders...you led forth thy
          people...guiding them with strength...The Lord shall be
          our King forever and ever..." (Ex. 15:1-18).

          But how soon they forgot His works! How soon they
          turned away from His guidance, limiting the Holy One of
          Israel. They remembered not how He delivered them, and
          reverted to doubt and unbelief.

          Listen to the dismay of an incredulous heavenly Father
          -

          "And the glory of the Lord appeared in the tabernacle,
          before all the children of Israel...and the Lord said,
          How long will this people provoke me? And how long will
          it be before they will believe me, for all the signs
          (miracles) which I have showed among them?..." (Num.
          14:10,11).

          What a profound cry from the heart of God! "When? What
          will it take? What do I have to do -- to find a people
          who will fully trust me?"

          We have learned nothing from the tragic unbelief of
          Israel! We see it destroy an entire people of God. We
          see them lose all the promises, and waste away in the
          wilderness -- a confused, depressed people. Yet we
          trudge blindly on in our unbelief! We seem to believe
          the grace of God exempts us from the penalties of this
          abomination.

          We have before us one of the most detailed examples in
          all of history, showing us how unbelief alienates us
          from God. How it provokes and angers the Lord. How it
          causes emptiness, fear, depression, and total
          confusion, opening the door to every kind of evil known
          to man!

          Furthermore, we have a New Testament warning to avoid
          these same mistakes!

          "But with whom was he grieved forty years? Was it not
          with them that had sinned, whose carcasses fell in the
          wilderness...And to whom swore he that they should not
          enter into his rest, but to them that believed not. So
          you see they could not enter in because of unbelief...

          Let us labor therefore to enter into that rest, lest
          any man fail after the same example of unbelief..."
          (Heb. 3:17-19; 4-11).

          The Spirit today is focusing on this sin because the
          Word makes it clear that only an evil heart is capable
          of unbelief.

          "Take heed, brethren, lest there be in any of you an
          evil heart of unbelief, in departing from the living
          God..." (Heb. 3:12).

          Paul is not talking here to reprobates, drunkards, or
          addicts! He is speaking to born-again, Spirit-filled
          believers! "Beware, brothers, of an evil heart of
          unbelief -- in you!:

          Saints of God, are we holding onto our confidence in
          the Lord? Are we clinging fast to our trust in His
          faithfulness? Listen to what the Scriptures say: "For
          we are made partakers of Christ, if we hold the
          beginning of our confidence steadfast unto the end..."
          (Heb. 3:14).

          Sad but true, many of God's people today are losing the
          steadfast confidence they once had. We are in the midst
          of severe end-time testing -- and many have not kept
          the faith.

          Jesus warned of fiery trials of faith that would
          immediately precede His coming.

          "That the trial of your faith, being much more precious
          than of gold...though it be tried with fire...might be
          found unto praise and honor and glory at the appearing
          of Jesus Christ..." (1 Pet. 1:7).

          This young generation is being tested by the hottest
          fires in all of history! The future is absolutely
          hopeless, humanly speaking. The world faces
          unemployment, poverty, depression, and hunger. Careers
          are getting expensive and complicated, and no one seems
          to be able to answer the important questions. Much of
          the rebellion, drunkenness, and drug-taking among our
          youth is the direct result of fear and confusion.

          Even Christian kids are getting scared! Everything
          seems to be spinning out of control. Many young people
          want to give their futures to the Lord in full time
          service, but it's getting so complicated. More than
          ever they need to know they serve a God they can fully
          trust.

          Those of you with secure jobs and homes, and with a
          certain amount of fulfillment -- how would you like to
          change places with teenagers today? They go to schools
          that are mostly drug-infested. Their friends party and
          get stoned because they are afraid of the future.
          Government is corrupt and the politicians are mostly
          liars. Their families are breaking up -- they watch
          their parents cheat and drink and lie!

          What kind of abominable unbelief would the Lord find in
          certain of His saints and ministers should He pull back
          the curtain and look deep into the heart? Do not think
          He spoke these words lightly -- "When the Son of man
          cometh, shall he find faith on earth?..." (Luke 8:13).

          Jesus warned us that some would believe for a while,
          but in time of testing and crisis, they would fall back
          into unbelief:

          "They on the rock are they, which when they hear,
          receive the word with joy...And they have no root in
          themselves...which for a while believe, and in times of
          testing fall away..." (Luke 8:13).

          How long have you believed? Five years? Ten? Forty?
          What happens to you in "times of testing"? Do you fall
          back into fear and unbelief? How many teachers,
          missionaries, evangelists, and pastors have stood in
          the pulpit calling on the saints to believe, trust, and
          have confidence in God, only to fail when they faced
          their own time of testing?

          The most important question facing God's people in
          these last days is this: "Do you believe God is able to
          see you through? Do you believe he can do all that is
          necessary to answer your prayers and meet your needs?"

          This is the same question our Lord asked the two blind
          men who begged Him for mercy and healing. "And Jesus
          said unto them, Do you believe I am able to do this?
          They said, Yes, Lord...and their eyes were opened..."
          (Matt. 9:28).

          To you, to me, to the church -- the Lord asks, "Do you
          believe I am able to direct and guide you, and perform
          my perfect will in your life? Do you believe I am still
          at work on your behalf? Or do you harbor secret
          thoughts that I have forsaken you and let you down?" He
          says to us what He said to Mary and Martha -- "Said I
          not unto you that if you would believe, you will see
          the glory of God?" (John 11:40).

          God is not primarily interested in our doing some great
          work for Him. Rather, He desperately wants us to simply
          trust Him!

          I am amazed at the number of restless Christians I meet
          who tell me they want to "forsake all and get into some
          kind of full-time ministry." Some are actually selling
          their homes and businesses, and packing the family off
          to some sacrificial, poverty-type ministry.
          Occasionally God is in it, and it becomes fulfilling.
          But in most instances, nothing is solved. The emptiness
          and restlessness linger on -- because doing something
          for God does not guarantee that one truly believes Him!
          Often it is unbelief that keeps driving us on!

          Beloved, God doesn't want anything you possess. He is
          not after your house, your land, your car, or any other
          worldly possession. No! He wants your trust! He wants
          you to be firmly established in your confidence in Him!

          An American soldier in Germany wrote to me last week,
          offering me his coin collection. He called it an idol.
          I wrote back to him, saying, "God wants more than your
          coin collection -- He wants your trust!"

          We keep wanting to do things, to give up things, to
          sacrifice, work, suffer. And all the while what He
          desires most is our obedience and trust. His Word is
          clear. God will be pleased with nothing short of our
          faith --

          "For without faith it is impossible to please him, for
          he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that
          he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.."
          (Heb. 11:6).

          God has provided us a sure way to rise above this
          crumbling world -- through absolute confidence in Him!

             * "When thou liest down, thou shalt not be afraid;
               yea, thou shalt lie down, and thy sleep shall be
               sweet...

             * "Be not afraid of sudden fear, neither of the
               desolation of the wicked, when it cometh...for the
               Lord shall be thy confidence, and shall keep they
               foot from being taken..." (Prov. 3:24-26).

             * "Cast not away therefore your confidence, which
               hath great recompense of reward..." (Heb. 10:35).

          If we have confidence in our Lord now, we can have
          confidence before the judgment seat!

             * "And now, little children, abide in him, that,
               when he shall appear, we may have confidence, and
               not be ashamed at his coming..." (1 John 2:28).

             * "And this is the confidence we have in him, that,
               if we ask anything according to his will, he
               heareth us.

             * "And we know if he hears us, whatsoever we ask, we
               know that we have the petition we desired of
               him..." (1 John 5:14, 15).

          So -- fix your heart to trust in the Lord! Don't give
          in to fear or doubt! Deal with unbelief as you would
          any other abominable sin. Remember the words of the
          Psalmist:

             * "He shall not be afraid of evil tidings, his heart
               is fixed, trusting in the Lord...his heart is
               established, he shall not be afraid..." (Psalm
               112:7,8).

          Isaiah predicted that in the last days the redeemed of
          the Lord will sing and praise God for a new spirit of
          trust and confidence:

             * "In that day this song will be sung in
               Judah...thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose
               mind is stayed on thee...because he trusteth in
               thee..." (Isa. 26:1-3).

          There you have it, beloved! While all the foundations
          of the world are shaking; while Satan roars like a
          maddened lion; while everywhere there is confusion,
          violence, and uncertainty -- those who trust in the
          Lord, fixed and established in their confidence in Him
          -- will stand still to see God's salvation with hearts
          and minds at peace. They will enjoy rest, sleep
          sweetly, unafraid of conditions around them, untouched
          by violence and fear -- unashamed in the final days and
          rejoicing in hope!

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                               In Conclusion

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          I give you some glorious promises of God to all who
          trust in Him!

             * "As for God, his way is perfect; the word of the
               Lord is tried; he is a buckler [shield of
               protection] to all them that trust in him..." (1
               Samuel 22:31).

             * "Show thy marvelous lovingkindness, O thou that
               savest by thy right hand them which put their
               trust in thee from those that rise up against
               them..." (Psalm 17:7).

             * "Oh, how great is thy goodness, which thou hast
               laid up for them that fear thee; which thou hast
               wrought for them that trust thee before the sons
               of men...

             * "Thou shalt hide them in the secret of thy
               presence from the pride of men; thou shalt keep
               them secretly in a pavillion from the strife of
               tongues..." (Ps. 31:19,20).

             * "Be of good courage, and he shall strengthen your
               heart, all ye that hope in the Lord..." (Ps.
               31:24).

             * "Commit thy way unto the Lord; trust also in him;
               and he shall bring it to pass..." (Ps. 37:5).

             * "The salvation of the righteous is of the Lord: he
               is their strength in time of trouble...and the
               Lord shall help them; and deliver them from the
               wicked, and save them, because they trust in
               him..." (Ps. 37:39,40).

             * "In God I have put my trust; I will not fear what
               flesh can do unto me..." (Ps. 56:4).

             * "Trust in him at all times; ye people, pour out
               your heart before him; God is a refuge for us..."
               (Ps. 62:8).

             * "They that put their trust in the Lord shall be as
               mount Zion, which cannot be removed, but abideth
               for ever..." (Ps. 125:1).

             * "Whoso putteth his trust in the Lord shall be
               safe..." (Prov. 29:25).

          ---
          Used with permission granted by World Challenge, P. O.
          Box 260, Lindale, TX 75771, USA.

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