“How long will you falter between two opinions?” (1 Kings 18:21, NKJV)
The previous teaching concluded with the further possible meaning of Mount Carmel as symbol of the harvest, in other words for the contemporary believer the fulfilling of God’s agenda brings about an affirmation of his spiritual mantle of authority. This is the time of which Amos 9:13 prophesied: “’Behold, the days are coming,’ says the Lord, ‘When the plowman shall overtake the reaper, and the treader of grapes him who sows seed; the mountains shall drip with sweet wine, and all the hills shall flow with it.’” This showdown with the enemy is nestled in the absolute certainty of victory.
There is however one specific state which can cause the entire endeavour to fail, which works against the spiritual harvest. It is also one of the serious states in the church that prohibits believers from gaining victory in Christ.
In 1 Kings 18:20-21 we read that “Ahab sent for all the children of Israel, and gathered the prophets together on Mount Carmel. And Elijah came to all the people, and said, ‘How long will you falter between two opinions? If the Lord is God, follow Him; but if Baal, follow him.’ But the people answered him not a word.”
The beautiful line “falter between two opinions” has different incarnations in other translations:
- “How long do ye go limping between the two sides?” (ACV)
- “How much longer will you try to have things both ways?” (CEV)
- “How much longer will it take you to make up your minds?” (GNB)
- “How long are you going to sit on the fence?” (MSG)
The state which is idiomatically described here is a terminal illness in the Body of Christ, a deadly double-mindedness. Webster describes double-mindedness as follows: “Having different minds at different times; unsettled; wavering; unstable; undetermined.”
The apostle James most probably coined this term in one of his letters to the church. The Greek word is dipsuchos, and means, in literal terms: “a person with two minds or souls”. He uses the word twice, firstly in the context of James 1:5-8: “If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all liberally and without reproach, and it will be given to him. But let him ask in faith, with no doubting, for he who doubts is like a wave of the sea driven and tossed by the wind. For let not that man suppose that he will receive anything from the Lord; he is a double-minded man, unstable in all his ways.”
From this comprehensive truth there are various important facets that can be outlined as guidelines believers can heed in the process of accessing God’s promises:
- There is no reason to be caught in the snare of double-mindedness. God extends an open offer to each person asking him for wisdom. This wisdom you are requesting is not a random or generic answer – it is very specific. You need to be precise in what you are asking God concerning the matter you are uncertain about, so that you know exactly what God’s will for the situation is. The first step is thus: ask!
- From Luke 11:9-13 we know the simplicity of this (childlike) prayer, and God’s reaction to it: “So I say to you, ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks it will be opened. If a son asks for bread from any father among you, will he give him a stone? Or if he asks for a fish, will he give him a serpent instead of a fish? Or if he asks for an egg, will he offer him a scorpion? If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask Him!”
- The question however remains – why does this not happen in our everyday lives? Why do we ask, but not receive? In Matt. 21:21-22 the same matter is addressed, but the prerequisite for having your prayers answered is explicitly outlined by Jesus: “So Jesus answered and said to them, ‘Assuredly, I say to you, if you have faith and do not doubt, you will not only do what was done to the fig tree, but also if you say to this mountain, “Be removed and be cast into the sea,” it will be done. And whatever things you ask in prayer, believing, you will receive.’”
- Doubt is presented here, as well as in James, as the reason why God cannot intervene on our behalf. Remember – faith is the operational key of the entire spiritual realm and all the principles within it. We live in a time in which contemporary theologians, and especially the Christian media present doubt as an acceptable practice. Alas the Biblical perspective on this is radically different – He who doubts, can receive NOTHING from God. He is double-minded.
- If you do doubt, you can ask for a gift of faith (1 Cor. 12:9). [Read the teaching of Day 46.] Equipped with that we can then “come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need” (Heb. 4:16). Having the confidence to approach God is a “great reward” (Heb. 10:35)! We often do not have the confidence to approach God, as our hearts condemn us (1 John 3:21). If this is the case, make 1 John 3:20 your own: “For if our heart condemns us, God is greater than our heart, and knows all things.” Also: “Now this is the confidence that we have in Him, that if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us.” (1 John 5:14). Remember – your confidence is not based on your righteousness, but only through “the blood of Jesus” (Heb. 10:19), “by a new and living way which He consecrated for us, through the veil, that is, His flesh” (verse 20).
- James 1:5 declares “If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God …” From 1 Cor. 1:24 we learn that “Christ … is the wisdom of God”. The “unsearchable riches of Christ” (Eph. 3:8) can be accessed by each one who ASKS without doubting. This means that God grants wisdom to each one who asks, through Christ! Obviously this means that you need to be integrated with the ekklesia. It is through the Body of Christ that the wisdom is released: “to the intent that now the manifold wisdom of God might be made known by the church to the principalities and powers in the heavenly places, according to the eternal purpose which He accomplished in Christ Jesus our Lord, in whom we have boldness and access with confidence through faith in Him.” (Eph. 3:10-12).
- Selah: Do you have the confidence to approach God?
- Read: Acts 9-12.
- Memorise: Acts 9:5.
