What does it mean to believe in God? To truly believe in God, what must we do? On our most recent (and special!) episode of the Everyday Faith podcast, we asked our friend Dean Goosen these questions and more. Keep reading to fuel your faith and get curious about belief in God.
Belief in God: The Foundation of Faith
Pillar #1 of the Everyday Faith Podcast
Belief is the first and primary pillar of everything we do at the Everyday Faith Podcast. Everything starts with belief. Next, you embrace your mission, commit to obedience, and pursue community. This is our recipe for how you can live out your faith!
Our friend Dean Goosen embodies this principle of belief every day, everywhere, and in every season. Dean is a husband, father, and traveling evangelist who goes on crusades all across the globe. And if you’ve ever heard of the band Silverline, you can thank Dean for playing the drums!
While recording our podcast, Dean shared with us about how the word belief in the Hebrew and Greek means to ‘give yourself over to something’. This goes far beyond our understanding of the English word belief! When we believe in God, our belief and loyalty go to Jesus over every other god, idol, and thing that could try to capture our attention.
Dean also shared how belief in the Hebrew and the Greek echoes elements of the marriage covenant. In marriage, couples agree that ‘everything I have is yours and everything you have is mine.’ When we truly believe in God, we give everything over to Him and He gives everything to us. Knowing God, trusting God, and strengthening our faith can take time, but belief in God can be our constant no matter what we’re going through.
The Ingredients of Faith & Belief
Obedience + Trust + Persistence
So, once we believe in God, then what? Great question. During our interview with Dean, he reminded us that God is not just our God, He is also our Lord! The word ‘lord’ just means someone or something having authority, power, or influence. Think of a king, a master, or a ruler. As we give ourselves over to Jesus as our Lord, we step into obedience to His ways.
…which requires us to trust! Let’s face it: we live in a hyper-independent culture. Belief in God requires us to trust Him, especially when things look uncertain. When we believe in God it requires that we trust in Him rather than ourselves. It’s helpful to remember that we are human after all. God is eternal, all-knowing, and always has our best interests in mind.
Should doubt and faith begin to war with one another or fear try to overwhelm you, the last key to belief is persistence. A little bit of belief in the great big God always has the power to grow. Growing in faith and trusting God comes with time. Stay persistent in your belief and you’ll be astounded by the outcomes.
What Does the Bible Say About Belief?
The Bible is full of scriptures about belief in God, spiritual growth, doubt in faith, and God’s presence that believes and hopes even when we don’t! Together we’ll explore how to believe in God, learn the Biblical definition of belief and faith, and hear Bible stories about belief and faith.
How to Believe in God
Thankfully, this is so simple! The book of Romans gives us the easy answer on what it means to believe in God:
If you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart one believes and is justified, and with the mouth one confesses and is saved. For the Scripture says, “Everyone who believes in him will not be put to shame. - Romans 10:9-11
If you’ve already prayed this prayer or confessed that Jesus is Lord: congratulations! You believe in God. While there’s always room for growth on our faith journey, step one is to admit our belief in God and what Jesus did on the cross.
Curious to learn more about giving your life to Jesus? There’s no better time than now to surrender to Him! Learn more about Jesus and how much He loves you: This is For You!
Biblical Definition of Belief and Faith
Ever heard the phrase, “Faith the size of a mustard seed”? This reference comes from Jesus himself! In the book of Matthew, we hear Jesus say:
“For truly, I say to you, if you have faith like a grain of mustard seed, you will say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it will move, and nothing will be impossible for you.” - Matthew 17:20
During our interview with Dean, we found ourselves thanking God that faith the size of a mustard seed is all that is required! A little bit of belief in the great big God has the power to move mountains according to Jesus. The Biblical definition of belief and faith is to trust in God and commit ourselves to Him. Thankfully, we don’t have to have faith or belief the size of a mountain, but rather a humble seed. As we continue our faith journey, our belief in God grows and our confidence does too.
Bible Stories on Belief & Faith
If you’ve ever struggled with doubts about your faith, welcome to the club! As humans, we won’t have perfect belief or faith 100% of the time and thankfully, the Bible has stories about this to encourage us.
During our interview with Dan, he shared Gideon's story with us. Gideon was a regular person who God called to lead a small army against a very big army. Because God was directly involved in the battle, Gideon and the Israelite army defeated their enemy. If you’re struggling with doubt and worry, it can help to remember that God does big things!
It’s not about having faith in your faith or belief in your belief, it’s about having a little bit of faith in the power of God. Remember: as small as a mustard seed. As we remember who God is and what He has done, it grows!
Want to learn more about Gideon? Read his whole story: The Book of Judges 6:11-8:32
Real-Life Stories of Belief, Healing, and the Miraculous
“Belief requires action” - Dean Goosen
As we finished our interview with Dean, he had story after story to share about the power of belief. As we believe in Jesus, our actions begin to line up with our beliefs. Though it can be scary to pray for the sick, tell others about Jesus, or commit to prayer in our daily lives, our belief in God empowers us to do so.
One story Dean shared with us was while he was in a foreign country on a missions trip. As he was preparing for the crusade, Dean and his team were training a group of volunteers on how to pray for the sick. Per usual, Dean asked for a volunteer who had pain in their body to come forward. Dean prayed over a woman who was experiencing extreme back pain and a translator made sure the woman could understand his prayers.
Shortly after saying, “Amen”, the woman stood up straight and told the translator that she was healed! All of her back pain had disappeared when Dean prayed in the name of Jesus. Even though Dean was witnessing a miracle, he had a moment of doubt in his heart. He asked her to test it again to make sure she was actually healed. Despite his doubt, God still did a miracle. This sudden, spontaneous healing at a prayer training inspired faith, belief, and hope in all of the other volunteers in attendance.
Learn more about divine healing: Healed, Saved, & Delivered | Stories of Prayer and Healing
Sometimes, healing happens over long periods of time. Another story Dean shared with us was a healing testimony that took a while and required continuous belief. When Dean was touring as the drummer for his band, Silverline, he met a woman who was growing blind. He prayed for her on the spot but didn’t see any breakthrough. He stayed in contact with this woman and contended in the place of prayer for her. This went on for years.
The girl he was praying for had been to doctors and was diagnosed with a degenerative eye disease. It kept getting worse, but then: God moved! The woman reached out to Dean out of the blue and let him know that Jesus had healed her. No surgery, no medicine, God had simply opened her eyes and let her see. Dean’s commitment to the ingredients for belief empowered him to stay obedient, trusting, and persistent.
“I didn’t pray once and just quit. I just kept praying. There are people who don’t get healed, but my job is to pray and persist.”
CONCLUSION:
Isn't it amazing how something as fundamental as belief can be so profound? From Romans 10:9-11, we see that it all starts with confessing Jesus as Lord and believing in our hearts. Even a tiny bit of belief, as small as a mustard seed, has the potential to move mountains and change the world. Whether you're facing doubts, seeking healing, or simply wanting to grow closer to God, know that He is listening to you.
As you go throughout your week, we invite you to put what you’ve learned into action. That's where the real transformation happens! Whether it's praying for someone, sharing your faith, or simply trusting God with your day, belief in Jesus will empower you. Let's step out in faith and see what amazing things God will do through us with our belief.
You, dear children, are from God and have overcome them, because the one who is in you is greater than the one who is in the world. - 1 John 4:4
Further Reading:
8 Way to Pray Throughout the Day
How to Have Faith in the Fire
What to Do When You’re Waiting on God
