God’s Word makes it clear that His kingdom runs by faith. We must believe from the heart to receive salvation, healing, His promises, etc.

We receive from God by faith based ONLY upon Jesus’ perfection and what He already accomplished FOR us through His death and resurrection (His finished work) because of His grace and love.

We see in Hebrews 11, “by faith” is mentioned 21 times.

“For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith to faith; as it is written, “The just shall live by faith,” (Romans 1:17).

“Therefore I say to you, whatever things you ask when you pray, believe that you receive them, and you will have them,” (Mark 11:24).

“But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him,” (Hebrews 11:6). I love how this also reminds us that we “must believe that He is!” You know? I AM (Exodus 3:14).

Here are ways the enemy robs you of God’s promises through unbelief

“The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy. I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly,” (John 10:10).

What valuable and vital to our faith thing does that slithering thief steal?

The Word from one’s hearts (Matthew 13:18-23).

What tactics does he use to rob one of His Word to get them into unbelief (rejecting what Jesus did for them for themselves)? Lies, confusion, deception, etc.

I. Getting one to compare oneself to others

“But they, measuring themselves by themselves, and comparing themselves among themselves, are not wise,” (2 Corinthians 10:12).

Over the past few years I have prayed with and listened to MANY mamas who are praying for healing from autism spectrum disorder (and similar disorders) for their children. The Lord often tells me to listen to the words of their heart (Luke 6:45), so I can best pray for and minister to them.

Often, not realizing it, the enemy is sending doubt and confusion into their hearts by getting their eyes off the promises of God and onto comparing themselves to others’ situations.

For example, a dear mama may say something like, “But so many kids have autism and are never healed. Or I know this mother who has been praying for her child for a few years now, and he isn’t any better.” This is a trap the enemy uses to get people to enter into unbelief and reject the Word of God for themselves.

The Word says it’s not wise to compare oneself to others, and nowhere does He say in order to receive healing for your child, keep your eyes on whether or not another child was healed or on the children who are never healed.

Why? The Word is crystal clear why.

First, we walk by faith and not by sight. We walk by what the Word says, and not by sight.

His Word says His promises are yes and amen, and He promised “By His stripes we were healed and that He took and bore our sicknesses for us,” (Isaiah 53; 1 Peter 2:24). Therefore, Jesus’ finished work settles it in heaven and on earth for our children. Only believe.

Second, “Enter by the narrow gate; for wide is the gate and broad is the way that leads to destruction, and there are many who go in by it. Because narrow is the gate and difficult is the way which leads to life, and there are few who find it,” (Matthew 7:13-14).

If one’s eyes is on the outcomes of other people’s children’s healing status and not what Jesus says is yours – healing – if you believe it in your heart, then they need the Matthew 7:13-14 reminder that FEW find the narrow path lined with the Word that leads to life, therefore, it is extremely unwise to base the Word on what happens for others when He said only a FEW FIND His narrow path that leads to life.

Many base the Word on what is seen and not the Word alone. His narrow path is lit by the lamp of His Word alone. Not the opinions of man, and there are TONS of opinions out there about healing that many nod their heads in agreement to that are not from the Word.

Notice it also says, DIFFICULT is the way which leads to LIFE.

This healing journey I have been on for my son’s total head to toe healing is been faaaarrrrrrrrrr from easy. The enemy came at me left, right, up, and down. Tried all sort of mind attacks against me, etc. But the Lord helped me fight them with the Word.

In the past, that tormentor even exacerbated my son’s symptoms to wear me out to the point where I just wanted to be with Jesus.

The thief’s goal: To get me to deny and reject Jesus’ blood, name, and finished work for my son through unbelief. There was a time his symptoms went up and down. I knew my battle was against principalities and powers of darkness so I kept on with Jesus. When they say parents of kids with autism have combat level PTSD, they are not kidding.

It’s eyes on His Word alone. It’s ONLY believe.

II. Getting one into a performance doctrine (AKA self-righteousness)

Another thing I have heard from these sweet mamas is, “But…

…I…

have prayed, fasted, given to the poor, taken communion, worshipped God.

I…

have done everything, and…

…I…

don’t understand why my child isn’t better.

I…

even took my son to have [well-known pastor’s name] and [well-known pastor’s name] pray for him. I don’t understand.”

Are you catching what the Lord had me catch by the Spirit?

The enemy had used the good things SHE was DOING and turned them into self-righteousness. She was trying to earn her child’s healing by doing the “right” amount of good works.

That “SHE did all the right amounts things daily and didn’t understand why her child wasn’t healed or on his way.”

This way the thief got her into unbelief and not offering ANY faith from her heart in what Jesus DID for her child.

All her faith was in what SHE was doing.

This is not a condemnation of this mama. The thief had gotten to her and robbed her from putting her faith into the finished work of Jesus Christ alone which is receiving by grace alone. It’s never about performance or the earning of our children’s healing.

The Lord showed me exactly how to minister to her. Whether she received and applied it, I do not know. Using this to expose the liar too!

My personal “performance” attack regarding my son

All of 2019 was like hell on earth with the symptoms of autism spectrum disorder in my son – not a coincidence, I had completed my prayer book about healing from autism in April 2019 and was trying to edit it. His symptoms went up and down and often. He was still aggressive and destructive, etc. etc. much of that year and our lives were full of torment.

Making the mistake many make, I began to reason and reasoned among a few prayer partners. Translation. I reasoned. As in I didn’t prayerfully search the Word. I too wondered if there was something I was or my son was DOING wrong that was hindering healing.

The enemy, filled with glee, suggested, “Must be the types of video games he’s playing.”

Me: *reasoned among my friends*

Them: “That’s probably the open door.”

Me: Tells son that he should stop playing those dark, violent video games because during that year he was also having very frequent and frightening night terrors. And that maybe the games and TV programs were causing it.

My son: Agreed to stop playing and watching those games, etc.

Us: *threw away tons of video games, etc.*

Outcome: My son became more fearful than ever, was afraid whenever an “off limits” commercial even came on. The night terrors continued. He became crippled by fear from glimpsing at the wrong thing. I can’t put into words how much my son TRYING to be good and to PERFORM the right way in hopes of “MAKING the night terrors leave” made him worse than ever.

I apologized to my precious son and told him to forget it. Just play your games, and I will keep praying. Then, I got wise, got off the phone, and cried out to the Lord about it instead of all that foolish reasoning.

One of the first things the Lord said to me almost immediately was, “Behold, I give you the authority to trample on serpents and scorpions, and over ALL the power of the enemy, and nothing shall by any means hurt you,” (Luke 10:19).

Then He asked me? “Do you really believe this?”

I answered “Yes, Lord. Ahhhhhhhhhh! I get it now,” as with His Spirit-breathed upon Word came a powerful, devil works destroying revelation in my heart. That I STILL had authority over ALL the power of the enemy when I prayed in faith for my son despite my son’s imperfect performance.

Why? Because His Word says ALL! Hallelujah!

It wasn’t about my son’s performance or that he had to do better or completely avoid all the wrong video games before healing and deliverance could take place. Every single person Jesus healed was an active sinner.

We ONLY receive from God by faith because of grace alone based on our righteousness made perfect IN Jesus Christ alone by His finished work alone. For NONE of us could ever receive from the Lord if performance was even remotely a factor. Let’s not kid ourselves.

Jesus was never sinned focused when He healed, He was Savior focused – full of love, mercy, compassion, and grace.

We do note who was always sin focused when Jesus healed someone – the demonically inspired Pharisees. This performance based demonic pharisaical spirit is a crafty one we must all be sober and vigilant about so it cannot devour us and cause unbelief.

After this became revelation for me, I saw my son steadily getting better and better from then on. How? Because Jesus bought imperfect me authority over ALL the power of the enemy with His perfect blood. And I’m not sure how long it took, but not long after, the night terrors stopped too.

Now, I pray He continually keeps my eyes on Him alone, the Author and Finisher of our faith.

The Word says, “The children of the righteous will be delivered,” (Proverbs 11:21). Bam! It’s done! I have what I ask of Him because I ONLY believe. Thank You, Lord!

So when we pray, we can pray in faith that we have what we ask because of Jesus!!! This is the good news of the gospel indeed!

I pray this was a blessing to your faith as much as it was mine when He showed it to me. Thanks for stopping by.