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As we talked, I could smell the fresh brew in my mug and feel the weight of the digital connection spanning thousands of miles. But more than that, I felt the weight of a common pain point many of you share with me. You read the Bible, you see the promises, and you intellectually "believe" them. Yet, there’s a gap. There’s a distance between the "belief" in your head and the "supernatural reliance" in your heart that actually moves mountains. You feel stuck in a dry routine, wondering why the signs and wonders seem to follow everyone but you.
If you’ve been feeling like your faith is more of a mental checklist than a living, breathing relationship with the biblical Jesus, then this is for you. We’re going to bridge that gap today. By the end of this post, I want to show you how to move from "mere credence" to a radical, walking-on-the-water kind of reliance that changes your world. We’re going to look at how God is breaking paradigms in Japan and how He wants to break them in your life, too.
Let me set the scene for you. Imagine you are Stephen Barrett. You’ve been in Japan for over a decade. You do weddings to keep the lights on, but your heart is for the gospel. One afternoon, you’re at a chapel, and a young couple walks in. They aren't just there for a ceremony; they are looking for you.
Stephen told me, "Conrad, they visited the chapel about a year ago and just heard my name. Ever since then, they said they’ve been hearing my name in their spirits. They even had a dream about me."
I sat there, stunned. This couple, who knew nothing of the gospel, had been summoned by the Holy Spirit through a dream. They met Stephen and said, "We believe there is a reason we are here having a wedding with you." Stephen looked at the groom, a man with only five minutes to spare before his own ceremony, and asked, "Have you ever heard the gospel?"
The man said no. Right there, in that tiny window of time, Stephen explained that Jesus died for his sins so he could have a relationship with God. The groom didn’t hesitate. He said, "I will believe right now."
That is the "Ethiopian Eunuch" encounter. It’s the "Cornelius" moment. It’s what happens when we stop trying to manufacture ministry and start relying on the Spirit who is already moving. These "coincidences" are actually the infrastructure of the Kingdom. But to see them, we have to get rid of the "weights" that hold us back.
Main Message
Stephen and I got to talking about Hebrews 12:1. Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us (Hebrews 12:1 KJV).
We often think of "weights" as big, nasty sins. And sure, sin is a weight. But sometimes the weight is our own paradigm. It’s our "wisdom" that tells us we need a five-year plan instead of a "daily bread" reliance. Stephen is currently stepping out into full-time ministry, leaving the security of his wedding income behind. He has five kids. In the natural, that’s "ridiculous." But in the Spirit, it’s the only way to run the race light.
The Problem of "Mere Credence"
One of the biggest hurdles we face is our definition of the word "believe." In our modern English, "believe" is weak. You say, "I believe it might rain," or "I believe that’s a good idea." That is not the biblical "pistuo."
As I told Stephen during our talk, the Greek word pistuo means to be persuadable, to place confidence in, and to trust. It signifies reliance upon, not mere credence. James tells us that even the devils have "mere credence." Thou believest that there is one God; thou doest well: the devils also believe, and tremble (James 2:19 KJV). The demons know God is real. They have the facts. But they don't have reliance. They aren't following the Shepherd.
If your faith is just a set of facts you agree with, you’re missing the power. True faith is when you lunge toward the giant because you know the Lord is with you. It’s a "nothing doubting" kind of walk.
The Pitbull and the Prompting
I remember a time back in Texas when I was out on a prayer walk. I was walking past a house where two pitbulls were kept on a chain. Every morning, they’d bark and lunged until that chain went taut. One morning, I heard it—the distinct snap of a chain breaking. Then came the pitter-patter of paws on the pavement.
My heart hammered against my ribs. I looked for a rock, a stick, anything. But there was no time. The dog was coming at me like a freight train. In that split second, a voice rose up in my spirit, clear as a bell: "If you're ever going to have faith, you've got to have it now."
I didn't run. I didn't cower. I lunged at the dog and shouted, "Back!"
That dog hit an invisible wall in mid-air. He fell down, slid a bit like a cartoon character, and just sat there with a puzzled look on his face. I had to keep that authority all the way back to the main road, but that moment taught me something: faith isn't a feeling you wait for; it's a decision you make when the chain snaps.
Breaking the "Standard Operating Procedure"
We often try to put God in a box. We think, "If I lay hands this way, or say these specific words, then healing happens." But look at the Bible! Naaman had to dip in a muddy river. Jesus used spit and dirt. Hezekiah used a lump of figs.
Stephen shared a story about a demonic manifestation he encountered. He had commanded the spirit to leave, but it stayed. He asked the Lord, "What do I do?" The Holy Spirit told him to put his hand where the person felt the pain and "smack it out."
Now, you won't find a "smacking out" manual in most seminaries. But Stephen obeyed. He slapped his hand down, and bam—that infirmity jumped out, and the person was healed. If he had stayed married to his "Standard Operating Procedure," that person might still be suffering. We have to be "fresh on the Spirit."
Personal Reflections
I’ll be honest with you—I haven't always walked this way. There were years where my theology was a mile wide and an inch deep when it came to actual power. I was like Stephen before his "Metanoia."
Stephen told me how he used to suffer from chronic hip and back pain after being hit by a car. He had the doctor's diagnosis, and he "believed" it. His body was confirming what the "experts" said. But then, he had a "Metanoia"—a change of mind. He realized he was putting more faith in the doctor's report than in the stripes of Jesus. He threw his medicine in the trash and stood on the Word. Today? No more pain.
I’ve had to learn that same lesson. I used to let fear dictate my steps. I’ve written about this in Overcoming Night Terror: Making the Demons Leave . I had to stop agreeing with the enemy. When we agree with the "weight," we can't run the race.
Jesus gives us grace for the learning process. He rebuked the disciples for their lack of faith, but He never kicked them out of the boat. He kept them. He is keeping you, too, as you learn to walk this out. But you have to be willing to look "ridiculous" to the world. You have to be willing to go through the "dry grass" to get to the greener pastures.
Biblical References
When we look at the life of Peter in Acts 10, we see the perfect example of following the Spirit past our own understanding. Peter was on the roof, hungry, and he saw a vision of "unclean" animals. The Spirit told him to kill and eat. Peter, being a "good" religious man, said, "Not so, Lord."
Think about that! He called Him "Lord" and then said "No" in the same breath. But the Spirit told him, Arise therefore, and get thee down, and go with them, doubting nothing: for I have sent them (Acts 10:20 KJV).
That "doubting nothing" is the key. Peter had to go to a Gentile's house—something his upbringing told him was wrong. But because he followed the voice of the Shepherd, the Holy Spirit fell on the Gentiles, and a whole new chapter of the Kingdom opened up.
We also see this with Stephen—not my friend Stephen, but the one in Acts 6 and 7. He wasn't one of the twelve apostles. He was a guy chosen to "serve tables." Yet, because he was full of faith and power, he did great wonders and miracles. And Stephen, full of faith and power, did great wonders and miracles among the people (Acts 6:8 KJV).
You don't have to be a "professional" Christian to walk in this. You just have to be a "reliant" one.
Key Takeaways
- Reliance Over Credence: Biblical belief (pistuo) is about trusting your weight to Jesus, not just agreeing with facts about Him.
- Metanoia is Required: You must change your mind to align with the Word of God over the reports of the world or the "weights" of your past.
- Follow the Voice, Not the Method: God is not a vending machine. He is a person. Sometimes He says "command," sometimes He says "spit," and sometimes He says "smack." Be "fresh on the Spirit."
- Run Toward the Giant: Faith often requires lunging toward the thing that scares you. David didn't walk toward Goliath; he ran.
- Kingdom Activation: Miracles are "signs" that point to the King. When you see a miracle, don't just celebrate the healing—seek the Kingdom that the healing represents.
Conclusion and Call to Action
My friends, the world doesn't need more people who "believe" in Jesus the way they believe in the Pythagorean theorem. The world needs people who are addicted to the ministry of the supernatural. They need people who, like Stephen in Japan, are willing to stand on a street corner and demonstrate the power of the Spirit.
Are you tired of the "weights"? Are you ready to throw away the "medicine" of your own self-reliance and see what the Lord can do?
If this has stirred something in you, I want to hear about it. Dig deeper into these truths by checking out my other posts at ConradRocks.net. If you’re struggling with fear or spiritual attacks, grab a copy of my book Overcoming Night Terror . It’s time we stop trembling like the demons and start walking like the King's kids.
Please share this with someone who needs a "Metanoia" moment today. Subscribe to the podcast, leave a comment below, and let’s keep this conversation going. Until we meet again, dig deeper and go higher!
Action Items
- Identify One "Weight": This week, pray and ask the Holy Spirit to show you one "weight" (a paradigm, a fear, or a habit) that is hindering your race. Explicitly "lay it aside" in prayer.
- Practice Small Reliance: Don't wait for a "Goliath." Start by praying for small things—a headache, a lost key, or a bit of wisdom for a project. Trust the outcome to Him.
- Scripture Immersion: Take one verse, like Mark 16:17-18, and meditate on it until it becomes more real than your physical circumstances.
- Engage the "Metanoia": When you catch yourself thinking "I can't" or "That's impossible," stop and ask: "What does the Word say about this?" Deliberately choose the Word's report.
- Step Out: This week, if you feel a nudge from the Spirit to speak to someone or pray for someone, do it "nothing doubting." Even if it feels "ridiculous."
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