By faith. Faith is the key that opens the door. Faith is the bridge that connects us to God. Faith is what brings answers to our prayers. As a car without gas will not go anywhere, so a prayer without faith will not bear fruit.
I attended church for several years and heard many sermons about faith, but I learned to have unshakable faith only after a car accident, when I began to change my way of thinking and decided to rely on God and act based on my faith.
When I lost almost half of my body in a car accident, I found myself in a total despair. My family and friends showered me with unconditional love, but there was a dark hopelessness when it came to my future. Since my home city did not have any wheelchair access, losing my legs meant losing my independence and my life. At that point, I had no other choice but to have the faith like a child that God could do the impossible, and I began to live by faith. That’s when I began putting my faith into practice. My faith grew when I did not just hear or read about it, but when I began thinking and acting according to my faith. And I started seeing how the answers to my prayers were being fulfilled in an absolutely incredible way.
One of the highest values I have gained through hopelessness and difficulties is that they taught me to trust God and rely on Him more than on anything else, and therefore my faith has become stronger than ever before.
Now I accept every difficult situation as an opportunity to see the power of God and experience how He arranges everything in a precise order and timeline.
This week I am inspired to share one of my last testimonies and talk about faith. This testimony is connected with other testimonies that I have had over the years, which show how, according to my faith, the Lord has provided what I needed and when I needed it. Since I lost my legs in a car accident, I need to move in a wheelchair. Electric wheelchairs in the United States cost from $3,000 to $10,000 and even up to $30,000, and this is how the Lord took care of this need when I did not have that kind of money to buy a wheelchair and did not have medical insurance to obtain it. We recorded a video when this testimony took place; watch the video!
This video is about only one aspect of my life. Throughout the years, the Lord provided and took care of me in every aspect of my life. When 14 years ago I decided to leave my home country of Lithuania and fly to California to establish my life in the USA, people asked me how I would be able independently move around in the city in a manual wheelchair (it’s very hard when you can operate only with one hand), where I would live, where I would work, and in general, how I would survive there while my family is across the globe in Europe. I did not have answers to any of those questions. I said, “I will know the answers when I am already there.” I trusted that the Lord would provide everything I needed.
Many say “you are so brave,” but the truth is that it’s not that I am just naturally brave. My courage comes from fully trusting God. I relied on Him having absolutely no doubts. My mindset was not “I will see IF I can establish my life there” but “I will see HOW I can.”
I did not hope. I knew.
For many years, the Lord took care of me in an amazing way. In addition to my physical limitations, I also had no place to live, no money, no work, and no guarantees at all to establish my life in the USA, and I was never homeless, I’ve never had to look for work and I’ve never had the lack of what I needed; everything came to me at the time when it was needed. I was always surrounded by wonderful people and my friends’ circle rapidly grew. When I needed assistance with getting a ride or any other need, people graciously offered their help.
Also, I’ve never lost my job, even when in 2008 the USA had suffered a big economic crisis and countless people were losing their jobs and homes. It seemed that economic crisis like a tornado was sweeping everything it found on its way and it passed by me and never came even close to me. The Lord protected me from any disease, flu epidemics or harm.
My life is full of examples when various situations were solved inexplicably. Maybe someone will say “this is a coincidence,” but there are no such incredible coincidences, and there are so many of them that then I can say that my whole life is a great coincidence. I am confident that our faith creates these so-called random coincidences.
Our prayer and unwavering faith is a great power that can do the impossible. I completely trusted my God, was unshakable in faith and waited for the answer, even when it seemed that circumstances were absolutely hopeless. Of course, I did not sit idly just dreaming about a good life. I always persevered, made relentless efforts and worked hard to achieve my goals. But it is my God who has given me the inner strength, wisdom, favorable circumstances and the ability to create the life that I have now.
I have tears of joy in my eyes while I write this for you. Heavenly Father cares for those who believe in Him.
Mark 9:23: Jesus said to him, “If you can believe, all things are possible to him who believes.”
Philippians 4:6: Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God.
The Lord knows it all. He knows what is necessary for you. He knows the deepest pain of your heart. He knows your every thought. He comes on time and He is never late. Only we need to have unshakable faith and trust / rely on the Lord.
WHAT DOES IT MEAN TO HAVE UNWAVERING FAITH AND TRUST THE LORD?
I could never understand what it meant to trust God until I found myself in a hopeless situation, and instead of succumbing to fear, doubt and depression, I decided to trust God with all my essence – with my heart and my mind. No matter what the real facts were around me, and what people told me, I still hoped for God to deliver me out of despair. I counted on God, as a child relies on his dad. It was a conscious decision to trust in the Lord. And I waited and expected for His response, no matter what.
As I was anticipating for the answer from the Lord, I began paying attention to how I felt and what was happening in my life after my prayers. And, I began to notice the change. Sometimes I was inspired to do something and acted upon my inspiration, and it led me to new opportunities. Sometimes other people influenced my situation and it created new circumstances and possibilities. Every change had its own sequence of actions and events, but the fact was right before me and I couldn’t deny it – I began seeing answers to my prayers! As it’s written in Psalm 37:3 “…Feed on His faithfulness,” I held in my heart how He would answer my requests and blessed me, my faith grew and I began being confident in the Lord more and more. Thus, I have learned to trust the Lord. With time my faith was developing. And no matter what circumstances I was going through, the Lord was always faithful. My confidence in the Lord never failed me.
Faith in God is not some superficial thoughts of some mystical power called God, who is somewhere high up looking at everyone and, perhaps, will help, or maybe not. The prayer of faith is not a superficial prayer as a mere ritual, while you are full of doubt, fear or anticipation of something bad to happen. Many have such faith, but it doesn’t do any good and such prayer does not bring any changes. In fact, quite often opposite happens – you get what you’re afraid of, as it’s written in Psalm 37: 8 “…Do not fret – it only causes harm.”
Trust in God is a mindset of the full confidence in the Lord allowing no doubt, no matter what is actually going on around you. Trusting the Lord / confidence in the Lord is an inner state of complete peace and confidence that your God will take care of you.
Faith is a certain way of thinking when you have a clear conscious understanding that our physical realm depends on the spiritual realm, and when you bring your need to God in the name of Jesus, there are changes in the spiritual world, and it will be manifested in the physical world.
Prayer is not a superficial ritual for you to feel better. Prayer of faith in the name of Jesus Christ has the power to change you and your circumstances.
There is a big difference between “Believe that God exists” and “Trust the Lord.” In other words, believing that God exists and trusting God/relying on Him, are two completely different things. When you have a close person in your life, who loves you very much, and whom you trust completely, and who you can rely on – what does it feel like when it comes to your connection with this person, what are your expectations from this relationship? You know that you can always count on this person, right? It’s the same with trusting God. It’s when you not only believe that God exists, but you count on Him, even if you do not see Him. To trust God is a choice. It’s a decision. And you can trust Him, because He does not change, He is faithful to his word.
FAITH IS AN ABSOLUTE CONFIDENCE
Many people are very quick to give up on their faith in God when, after the prayer, they do not get the answer they want. They come to the conclusion that God does not hear, does not answer, and that generally it’s pointless to pray at all, because prayer does not make any changes.
Many prefer not to hope too much so they don’t get disappointed if this does not happen. For many years I also had this kind of a mindset, because disappointments are very painful. But I learned that by doubting I can become my own enemy! We must make efforts to resist thoughts of doubts and anxieties and hold on tight to faith, because our doubts can jeopardize our ability to receive the answer to our prayer.
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. ”(James 1: 6-7)
Faith is not “I hope so …” and it is not “Well, maybe… we’ll see …” And faith has nothing to do with “If …” or how realistic it is to have what we pray for.
Faith is the absolute certainty that the Lord will give the answer, no matter what the situation is.
Faith is an inner knowledge and, finally, an absolute conviction, when you can say to yourself without a doubt: “It doesn’t matter that I have no idea how this can be solved.
But I know that my God is powerful, nothing is impossible for Him, and He will take care of everything.”
EXPECT FOR THE ANSWER
Just believing and believing with expectation are two different things. Faith with expectation is when you are absolutely sure that you will receive the answer, and this is just a matter of time. Since you do not know when this will happen, you expect a response any day, any time.
Suppose you believe that your friends or family members will come to visit you at some point. But how would you feel if they told you that they have bought tickets already, and everything is ready for the trip, but they won’t say when they will come, because they want to surprise you? You will not only believe that they will come, but you will also expect their arrival, because they can call you on any day and say: “We are already in your city, see you soon!”
When you live in expectation, your faith moves to another level.
This is the faith that brought incredible answers into my life.
Be strong. Be steadfast in faith. Those who trust in the Lord will not be ashamed!
UNSTOPPABLE 