Believe and Receive

This powerful message takes us into the heart of what it means to truly believe and receive from God. Drawing from Matthew 21 and the story of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego in Daniel 3, we're challenged to examine whether our faith rests in God's deliverance or in God Himself. The cursing of the fig tree becomes a profound symbol—Jesus wasn't looking for leaves to cover up like Adam did, but for fruit. This confronts us directly: what is the fruit of our lives? The three Hebrew boys demonstrate a revolutionary kind of faith when they declare that God can deliver them from the fire, but even if He doesn't, they still won't bow. This isn't doubt—it's a centered faith that says God is sovereign and able simultaneously. We're invited to stop placing our ultimate faith in the blessing, the miracle, or the deliverance, and instead anchor ourselves in who God is. When we understand that believing and receiving are two different actions that must work together, we unlock a new dimension of faith. We can receive Jesus as Messiah yet not truly believe who He is. The challenge before us is to move from faith in what God does to faith in who God is, declaring that whether He delivers us from the fire or meets us in the fire, we will not bow to fear, circumstances, or the negativity surrounding us.