The Naysayers

Serving God presents many opportunities to see the supernatural side of God.  Think about it.  The fact that He provided salvation to the human race is a miracle.  There was no way that you and I could save ourselves.  We truly needed a miracle.  God became one of us (human) in the form of His Son Jesus.  Even the way He arrived was a supernatural occurrence.  A baby born of a virgin!  Jesus grew up as a human.  However He was also God in the form of a human.  Thus He performed many miracles while He was on the earth.  He spoke with the authority of God the Father which truly amazed the folks who heard and experienced His words.  To culminate His work on the earth He gave up His life...but three days later He took it back!  He rose from the dead!  I mean God (and following after Him) is all about the supernatural!

But it is truly amazing there were a few people who actually limited the power and ministry of Jesus.  Who were these people?  These were the "naysayers".  These were the ones who simply could not or would not believe in Him.  (See Matthew 13:54-58) The problem was that these naysayers knew Jesus more from a human sense than a supernatural sense.  They knew Him as the son of Joseph or Mary or as one of the brothers of the family.  Their lack of faith in Him was founded on His humanity and not on His supernatural Godhood.  These folks whose mindset was normally "show me a miracle and I'll believe" could not get  past their familiarity with him as a neighbor.  Thus...they were naysayers.  A naysayer says "It can't possibly work because..."  A naysayer says, "You can't do that because..."  Because of what?  Because they have been there and done that and...it doesn't work.  Because they don't do it that way.  Because it simply won't work.  To be truthful, a naysayer has absolutely no faith.  They are comfortable in the negative.  Anything involving faith or risk makes them very, very uncomfortable.

The most dangerous aspect of a naysayer is that they are not content just feeling that way within.  They must spread their conviction.  In a sense they become like police.  And they feel an obligation, even a responsibility to see that others feel the way they do and operate accordingly.  They influence others by trying to keep them from being successful and reaching their potential.  

The truth is, we all have become naysayers at one time or the other.  How does this happen?  We become so familiar with the mechanics of worshipping Him, we tend to believe more in the man-made aspect of it than the supernatural.  We're so familiar with what we're doing our present faith is directed more to what we have done than what He is doing.  When we are challenged by Him to launch forth or step out or move ahead...we can't (or won't) because we are so familiar with the process, anything beyond is impossible!  Those folks hindered Jesus because they were so familiar with Him as a man and as a neighbor they couldn't see Him as God.  It took faith to know Him as God and they didn't have it.

Let's get beyond the point of familiarity.  Let's hunger and thirst for the "more" He has for us so that we're open to anything His Word will substantiate!  His Word reports that He is the miracle maker.  His Word says the things impossible for you and me are possible with Him!  If His very arrival to the earth was an incredible miracle...ponder what He can do for you and me today!  Those naysayers mostly hindered the ministry of Jesus to themselves...not to anyone else.  I don't know about you but I want to be one who says "Yes, He can...and He will!"  Not one who says "No, he won't!"  What about you?