Then [Jesus] said to Thomas, “Reach your finger here, and look at My hands; and reach your hand here, and put it into My side. Do not be unbelieving, but believing.” And Thomas answered and said to Him, “My Lord and my God!” Jesus said to him, “Thomas, because you have seen Me, you have believed. Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.” John 20:27-29 (NKJV)
Many people did not believe Mary’s testimony about the risen Jesus, and the same was true for the two witnesses on their way to Emmaus. They finally believed when Jesus showed them the nail prints in His hands and the hole in His side. Unbelief and hardness of heart prevented them from believing earlier.
Then, Jesus commanded His followers to spread His teachings to all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. He instructed them to teach everything He had commanded them, promising to be with them always, until the end of time (Matthew 28:19-20 NKJV). However, the unbelieving world is often like Thomas, who needed physical proof to believe. They may hear the message but require undeniable evidence that they can touch and feel.
Unbelief and hardness of heart are the consequences of the constant chatter in our minds. To overcome this, we must use God’s Word to master our thoughts. If we fail to do so, our thoughts will control us, creating strongholds that are hostile towards God. Therefore, we must demolish every deceptive fantasy that opposes Him and break through every arrogant attitude that defies the true knowledge of Him. We must also capture every thought and make it obedient to the Anointed One, just like prisoners of war (2 Corinthians 10:5). Once we have mastered our obedience, we can deal with the unbelieving world for they will not believe until they see Him at work in our lives.
Thus, we have work to do! So, let us demolish the handicaps, hindrances, and holdbacks that keep us from seeing the risen Lord operating in our lives. And when we do the inner work, we are ready to go out and do the greater work. Then, the world will no longer be unbelieving but believing, for they will see and experience the resurrected power of Jesus at work in our everyday lives.
