Quantum Christianity: Believe Again

by Aaron Davis

  The Bible says we have not because we ask not, or because we ask amiss. So have we been content to quit asking? Not just for the miracle but perhaps even the understanding that it may take in order to see the miracle manifested?

  Acts 2:17 (NASB)

  “And it shall be in the last days,” God says,

  “That I will pour forth of My Spirit on all mankind;

  And your sons and your daughters shall prophesy,

  And your young men shall see visions,

  And your old men shall dream dreams;”

  CHILDLIKE FAITH

  My son Rocky, at times, has driven me absolutely batty with all of his questions, one after another. I’ve never met a child who wants to know why and how more than he, and although I love that he is seeking answers, sometimes I just want him to be quiet and enjoy the music while we drive without him asking me, “What is Alabama?” and “Can we sing it if it’s not really our sweet home?”

  Matthew 18:2–5 (MSG)

  For an answer Jesus called over a child, whom he stood in the middle of the room, and said, “I’m telling you, once and for all, that unless you return to square one and start over like children, you’re not even going to get a look at the kingdom, let alone get in. Whoever becomes simple and elemental again, like this child, will rank high in God’s kingdom. What’s more, when you receive the childlike on my account, it’s the same as receiving me.”

  The other day, Rocky was in one of his grand inquisition moods and I was starting to feel frustrated, but inside I began to sense that a God-ordained lesson was happening. It was one of those moments when I felt like God was going to elaborate on an experience I was having, even though, at the time, it didn’t make sense. I felt as if I were hearing, “Remember this. It’s important.”

  Several days later, I was pondering Matthew 18:2–5 when I was nearly slapped in the face with the missing parallel from days before. So many times we come to God with our needs, asking for the breakthrough, the miracle, the answer to our prayer. But in light of all that has been presented in this book, I wonder what would transpire if we returned to our childlike nature and came to God as little children asking why and how. What if the answer lies in what we don’t understand and our willingness to ask, and not necessarily in the desired conclusion?

  James 4:2b–3 (NKJV)

  . . . Yet you do not have because you do not ask. You ask and do not receive, because you ask amiss, that you may spend it on your pleasures.

  The word amiss96 stands out to me in this scripture above because it does not imply that we are not asking, but that something may be missing in what or how we are asking.

  a·miss

  adjective: amiss

  1. not quite right; inappropriate or out of place.

  “There was something amiss about his calculations.”

  adverb: amiss

  1. wrongly or inappropriately.

  As I stated in chapter 6, The Kingdom of God—and I think it bears stating again—“We miss God when we live as though we have Him figured out. We have the habit of making Him look like us. In fact, if we think we understand Him, we have probably conformed Him into our image. There must remain a mystery in our relationship with this one who has purposed to work beyond our capacity to imagine (see Eph. 3:20). To endeavor to know Him is to embark on an adventure in which questions increase.”97

  Certainly to ask amiss, as referred to in James 4:2–3, could refer specifically to the subsequent desire to obtain more money or power to be used only selfishly for your pleasures, particularly when it may come to asking for gains that, unbeknownst to us, may cause more harm than good for us. But what might be the case of asking amiss in circumstances where we really have nothing monetarily tangible to gain, such as in issues of healing for yourself or someone else? I wonder if it is possible that there are circumstances where we are asking in alignment with the proper end result, according to the will of God, but not receiving because we are asking amiss (or not quite right), particularly in the arena of what we have been commissioned to do according to the Word of God, our authority, and the establishment of the kingdom of God on the earth.

  To put it another way, is it possible that we may be asking amiss if a circumstance arose where we were asking God to do something that He has commissioned us to do instead? What if we are asking God to resolve a problem and then tuning out because our expectation is in Him fixing it, when the answer may be in what He reveals that we need to do through His leading and the personal exercising of His power?

  Because of our lack of understanding or even discernment, sometimes we may be asking the wrong question or even seeking the wrong conclusion when we pray. Particularly when we are not listening or are not expecting Him to do anything besides fix it (because that’s all that we asked for). In this event, then, we may be asking amiss and subsequently expecting amiss. Remember that perception often determines reception, and if we perceive our part is done after asking God to fix it, and not further asking and listening to whether or not there is more for us to do, then all we may receive in that event is the disappointment associated with the expectation attached to our misperception.

  James 1:5 (NKJV)

  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.

  What if the answer to our symptom does not lie in the elimination of the symptom, as we so often pray for, but in the eradication of the root of it? Certainly we can go to a dentist and receive medication for the pain in our tooth. And that medication may mask the pain, but that form of treatment never addresses the cavity at the root of the pain. Of course the logical course of questioning would be, how did the cavity come to be, how do we get rid of that which is causing the pain, and how do we keep this from happening to our other teeth again? We know if we continue to do what we did before, we will likely end up with the same result.

  I wonder if in this analogy lies the difference between what many are praying for and the wisdom that God has for us. Are we approaching the throne of God and asking Him to take away that pain of the cavity, but failing to address what it would take to eliminate our problem altogether? As a result, what if we don’t receive anything more than a temporary resolution to a more substantial root issue (if we receive anything at all)?

  Philippians 4:13 (NKJV)

  I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.

  Even as parents, when our children are very young, we will meet all of their needs for them. As they mature, we train them up in the way they should go, teaching them to exercise their own will, authority, and wisdom toward overcoming their circumstances. If they have questions that we can answer to help them reach their intended end, we offer our experiential wisdom. Ultimately, we teach them what it takes to fix the problem instead of fixing it for them.

  If this is the case, I wonder how much biblical instruction—as well as instances of events where God directs us by speaking to our spirit and subconscious—plays into this scenario of training us to establish the kingdom of God in the earth . . . instead of expecting Him to do it for us.

  DOES IT SAY IT OR NOT?

  As I’ve studied the extension of faith and our authority to establish spiritual kingdoms, the subject of unity and agreement seems to carry significant weight. In Matthew 18:19, we see a reference to what appears to be a unified agreement (sumphōnēsōsin) between people seemingly having an effect upon a breakthrough in their circumstances.

  Matthew 18:19 (AMP)

  Again I tell you, if two of you on earth agree (harmonize together, make a symphony together) (sumphōnēsōsin) about whatever [anything and everything] they may ask, it will come to pass and be done for them by My Father in heaven.

  There are many instances in the Bible where there are interpretational differences, and one can develop differing opinions of what that interpretation possibly means. But there are other issues where it would seem to me that there is very little wiggle room on what Jesus me
ant or what was being presented from a godly perspective.

  Two areas where I would say this is the case are loving people and the church operating in unity. Yet, as I consider these two topics, I’m frequently amazed by how purposefully Christians intentionally and directly oppose these commandments through their actions, and it does cause me to question, “At what cost?”

  John 17:21 (AMP)

  That they all may be one, [just] as You, Father, are in Me and I in You, that they also may be one in Us, so that the world may believe and be convinced that You have sent Me.

  Regarding unity, I recently read these quotations from Bill Johnson. In the first quotation, he acknowledges the power of unity as a God-ordained expectation.

  Throughout the Bible . . . the frequent acknowledgment of the power of unity between God and Man and Man with each other is, at least from my analysis, undeniable. God expects us, in order to fulfill the establishment of His Kingdom in the earth, to do it in unity together with other people while also experiencing exponentially magnified power through that unity. It’s as if corporate faith pulls on heaven in marvelous ways. His world becomes manifest all around us.98

  He also agrees that it’s not the size of the group that matters, but that they’re united in agreement: “But power is not in the number of people in attendance. It’s in the number of people in agreement. Exponential power (see Deut. 32:30) is the product of the unity of faith.”99

  As I consider this perspective, I find myself picturing a large oar-driven ship, much like what would have been part of an ancient navy. One man attempting to row with a single oar would do little, if anything, to move the ship. Multiple people on both sides of the ship rowing out of time and at their own pace and cadence would move the ship, but would wear out the rowers and be a very inefficient use of manpower and energy. The ship would travel some, but likely not in the right direction. But if each person rows in proper cadence, in unity, a large ship can be moved forward and turned with precision. Therefore, the key to experiencing efficient navigation is intentional unity in purpose between those on the ship!

  In the example of the ship, a required unity makes perfect sense. The ship was created for a purpose, but it is just too big for a single rower or even a group of un-unified rowers to harness the full effectiveness of what it was created for. Unity is essential!

  Like the example of the ship, unity is an essential prerequisite contributing to much of our advancement in life (and I believe, specifically, regarding the kingdom of God). Yet, it seems so often that it is our human nature to try to take on a soloist type of approach. In our pride, I think we often view life as if all the other pieces in the game revolve around us. And although our solo contribution to the end goal is essential, the establishment of the kingdom of God is not solely based upon the cooperation of a single person with themselves as we often see, but rather a collective team effort in which each person plays their part in harmony. Like pastor Lance Wallnau says, “Agreement is the symphony that builds God’s house.”

  To approach our relationship with God and each other with a separatist or elitist mentality (as has been so often modeled for us) is not only unhealthy but also completely contrary to the teachings of Christ and God’s intention for we, the bride of Christ (also called the body of Christ). So what are we going to do about it?

  THERE’S NO “I” IN TEAM

  I recently read a blog post by pastor Lance Wallnau in which he spoke of unity as it pertains to a symphony, and it resonated with me.

  An oboist rings out a pitch-perfect “A.” This note becomes the sound all other instruments tune from. The tune-up sounds like a swirl of musical chaos . . . no order or unity or melody. Everyone doing their own thing, yet each doing what is needed to play their part.

  Then, suddenly, the cacophony ends . . .

  Another veil of QUIET descends upon the hall. The atmosphere is electric with anticipation. The orchestra is tuned but cannot begin until . . . the CONDUCTOR appears from the wings (often to thundering applause) and strides onstage. He bows to the audience, and pivots round, face-to-face with the musicians who alone have the power to translate the movements of his hands into the rapturous sound called a symphony.

  We all play a different instrument: “There are diversities of gifts, but the same Spirit . . . to one is given the word of wisdom through the Spirit, to another the word of knowledge” (I Corinthians 12:4–11).

  To one is given a violin, to another a cello, to another a clarinet, to yet another a trumpet. Yet all these instruments sound together, playing the same melody written by the composer, and guided into expression by the hand of the conductor.

  The body of Christ is the supernatural answer—if each of us plays our part faithfully. Harmony comes from our diversity.

  WARNING: However, not all churches are open to this. “Control” is different than “orchestration.” Not all control is bad. I want control in a nursery. But symphonies have movements. God never plays the same “movement” twice.

  When a church rejects a certain emphasis they are rejecting a “sound.” Every fresh message has a number of those who trumpet the word.100

  I was particularly impressed with the statement in the final paragraph:

  When controlling leaders reject a movement, they forfeit the gift that movement brings with them. When you reject the instrument of the Lord, you reject Jesus Himself in that particular expression and anointing. The area you reject is the area the anointing won’t work for you. Therefore be careful what you mock or reject.101

  This statement seems to expose a necessity to acknowledge the contribution of others as it relates to the whole of our combined experience. This illustrates the possibility that a failure to do so—to strive for unity—may negatively influence our personal impact and breakthroughs.

  HELP MY UNBELIEF

  “There’s something amazing about unbelief—it is able to fulfill its own expectations. Unbelief is safe because it takes no risk and almost always gets what it expects. Then, after a person gets the answer for their unbelief they can say, I told you so.”102

  I wonder if this statement may be the mirror reflecting back at us and answering why we have experienced and are experiencing (or not experiencing) at least some of what we have, as it pertains to the body of Christ and the establishment of the kingdom of God on the earth.

  II Timothy 3:1–5 (NIV) (my emphasis)

  But mark this: There will be terrible times in the last days. People will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boastful, proud, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, without love, unforgiving, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not lovers of the good, treacherous, rash, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God—having a form of godliness but denying its power. Have nothing to do with such people.

  The Amplified Bible restates verse 5 this way, “For [although] they hold a form of piety (true religion), they deny and reject and are strangers to the power of it [their conduct belies the genuineness of their profession].”

  As I study the teachings of various denominations, pastors, and theologians, I find myself frequently faced with the reality that a great many believe in God (so much so that they have dedicated their lives to religious studies) but a significantly smaller percentage believe that there is any real power associated in a relationship with Him. They don’t deny that God is powerful; they just seemingly deny the possibility of human beings walking in any aspect of it. The fact that people “having a form of godliness but denying its power” is included in the same list with being “selfish, unholy, slanderous, treacherous, and lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God,” (II Tim. 3:1–5) seems to imply that God is not okay with this being a norm amongst his people. Yet, I would say statistically this is resoundingly a characteristic shared by a majority of those who call themselves “believers.”

  Many who reject the move of the Holy Spirit have claimed that the church doesn’t need signs and wonders because we have the
Bible. Yet that teaching contradicts the very Word it tries to exalt. If you assign ten new believers the task of studying the Bible to find God’s heart for this generation, not one of them would conclude that spiritual gifts are not for today. You have to be taught that stuff! The doctrine stating signs and wonders are no longer needed because we have the Bible [which] was created by people who hadn’t seen God’s power and needed an explanation to justify their own powerless churches. Revelation that doesn’t lead to a God encounter only serves to make me more religious.103

  AM I “THAT GUY”?

  As I read the previous scriptures from II Timothy 3:1–5, I had to ask myself, How many times have I been that Christian? How many times have I been the one who resembled a portion of or all of those unflattering and selfish character traits? How many times have I walked outside of love, showing myself to be conceited, rash, and a lover of pleasure before God? How many times have I portrayed a form of religious piety? And furthermore, is it possible that our current reality in the church and the established kingdom of God on the earth is a direct result of the people of God having a religious form or appearance, as stated in verse 5, but denying its power?

  As an individual, have I reached a place of faithless belief? Do I have a form of godliness but deny the power? And if so, at what cost? I believe the cost is greater than most have probably fathomed and even a significant reason for a majority of our unfulfilled expectations resulting in unbearable disappointment and, many times, faith-altering resolve.