God’s word is full of promises and principles meant to enrich our lives and rescue us from the ordinary and catapult us into the abundant life He has for us. A promise implies that something good is being held in store, somewhat like a gift or possibly a reward. A principle is different, it operates more like a math equation. Principles operate by cause and effect much like the law of gravity. A student of science knows that when a principle is properly applied, then the attributes of that principle are brought to bear by a cause and effect.
The premise is that the threshold of faith represents the “equal sign” in God’s promises and principles. When you honor His Word, you are stepping over a threshold of faith (the equal sign) where God completes the equation by honoring His Word. When this happens, the promise held in that principle comes to bear in your life.
How do I apply the threshold of faith in my life?
As Christians, we live in the natural, temporal world, but the Bible tells us that we are not of this world. This means that if a person has been spiritually born again, he or she has changed citizenship status. Genuine believers become citizens of God’s kingdom and have a new heavenly home awaiting them. In the meantime, we take on the role of ambassadors representing God and His Kingdom in the temporal world in which we continue to live.
Here is a word picture to illustrate this two-world scenario: Imagine two adjoining rooms with a single door connecting them. The Bible gives similar imagery depicting Jesus as the doorway to God’s kingdom. In this illustration, the room on the left symbolizes the temporal world ruled by the secular world system. The room on the right embodies God’s kingdom, His authority, and is governed by His word.
The adjoined rooms are separated by a wall and a door. The door is opened, and remains open, to anyone who accepts Jesus as the means to enter God’s kingdom. Just inside the room, representing God’s Kingdom, is God’s word. Remembering that you are living in the temporal world on the left, you recognize a scripture from God’s Kingdom that contains a principle and promise that you need. In fact, you are desperate for God’s provision. We learned earlier that you are to “stand on God’s word.” To do this means that you must lift your foot, exercising your faith, and step over the threshold separating the two rooms. This act of faith can be difficult, even excruciating to do, but it sets in motion a response by God to honor the promise and provision contained in His word—God will honor His word.
Why is it so challenging to step over the threshold into God’s kingdom? Because the secular/carnal world tells us that believing in Jesus, as a means of salvation, is nonsense. This means that we must make a heartrending decision that defies natural (secular) reasoning. However, if we muster the courage to believe God, our step of faith will change everything. But how do we know that in advance?—we choose to believe God’s word, which is the definition of faith.
God will honor the promises and provisions contained in His word when you demonstrate your belief by applying your faith. This happens the moment you step over the threshold that separates the natural, temporal world from the supernatural world of God’s kingdom. Your faith releases God to do an amazing thing. The Bible uses the word zoopoieo to describe the powerful intervention that God evokes to honor your faith. Zoopoieo is a Greek word used in the New Testament that means: to cause to live, to make alive, to give life by spiritual power, to arouse and invigorate, to restore to life. God powerfully intervenes to bring His Zoe Life to honor your step of faith.
This is precisely what happens when a person steps over the threshold of faith to receive Jesus as Savior. God explodes on the scene with zoopoieo power, bringing His eternal, Zoe Life to you. When this happens to you, the Bible says, “The same power that raised Christ from the dead dwells in you.” And that you are “translated from darkness to the kingdom of His marvelous Light.” God demonstrates His power when you agree with, believe, and stand on His word by faith.
Another tremendous example is God’s challenge to tithe. The world system says you are foolish to give your money as a tithe, “You’ll go broke wasting your money like that.” When you honor God’s word and joyfully bring the tithe to the storehouse, He honors your step of faith by honoring His word to open the windows of heaven. [1]
There are many commands in God’s word that do not make sense to secular reasoning but represent God’s way of doing things. However, if we, by faith, step over the threshold from the temporal mindset and into God’s kingdom, His remarkable resurrection life is manifested. God’s zoopoieo power dispels the fear that threatens us with doom and lack.
Here are a few directives that represent thresholds of faith. When acted upon by faith, God’s Zoopoieo power will bring His overcoming life to your circumstances.
- The temporal world system says scorn your enemies, but God wants you to believe His word and step over the threshold of faith and into His kingdom by loving, praying for, and blessing your enemies.
- The guys at the club chide you and tell you to, “Chuck your old lady and get one you like better.” God tells a husband to love his wife and lay down his life for her.
- The women in your circle tell you, “You are out of your mind to even think about submitting to any man.” God’s word tells a wife to honor her husband and submit to him. (Ephesians 5:21-33 1Peter 3:1-7)
- The world tells you to not get involved, “You’re just taking trouble upon yourself.” But God’s word tells you to love your neighbors as yourself.
- You and your mother-in-law will not forgive each other. She has pledged to make you miserable and your marriage desolate. God says to forgive others and love them unconditionally.
- Your parents were abusive and mean-spirited, neglecting you during your childhood. The world tells you that you have every right to loathe them. God’s word says to honor your mother and your father.
These examples represent just a few scriptural precepts that God knows
will bring His life and provision to you. Clearly, it takes courage to submit
your will and apply your faith. However, there is a miracle waiting on the
other side of the threshold of faith when
you do. Some of these scriptural ordinances seem irrational or even impossible;
if it were easy, it would not require
your faith.
[1] See Malachi 3:10