Thy word is true from the beginning . . . . — PSALM 119:160

People often make a substitution for faith — they substitute mental assent or mental agreement. They mentally agree that God’s Word is true, and they call that faith. But mentally agreeing with the Word isn’t faith. You can mentally agree that the Bible is true, but it won’t become real to you until you act on what it says. It’s when you act on God’s Word that it becomes a reality.

For example, you can believe in the truth of the resurrection as a great doctrine (and in some circles that’s all it is — a doctrine or a dogma), but it won’t mean a thing in the world to you until you can say, “Jesus died for me! Jesus arose victorious over death, hell, and the grave — and He did that for me! Jesus arose victorious over Satan! Jesus conquered Satan for me! Therefore, Satan has no dominion over me! I’m free!”

The resurrection won’t mean anything in your life until you can say these very words. Then the resurrection truth in the Word of God will become something more than just a doctrine, a dogma, a creed, or a theory — it will become a reality!

Confession: I am a doer of the Word. I act on what the Word says is mine. The Word is true. I know it’s true. So I act like it’s true, and the Word becomes a reality in my life.