"Jesus said unto him, If thou canst believe, all things are possible to him that believeth." -Mark 9:25
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Just Believe by Bertha F. Barrett Enlighten Heights Productions
book review by D. S. Stevens
Author Barrett has written an uplifting and encouraging book about utilizing the God-given power of believing. She shows us how God has placed the ability to believe within each one of us; and how we use that ability for good or ill, depending on the choices we make.
Believing is an essential spiritual gift given to us by God to help us get through life productively and creatively. Barrett maintains that believing and faith go hand-in-hand, and that it is not possible to have one without the other. The power of believing works for anyone that will walk in its principles, both Christian and non-Christian. But throughout the book, she reminds us to remember Who gave us the power to believe; and that He has given us that power—not for self-glorification—but to accomplish His individual purpose for each one of us, thereby drawing others to Him.
We can get sidetracked by seeing something different than what believe about God, and this can delay—or stop altogether—the manifestation of those things we want in our lives. It is a growing and learning process and our spiritual vision has to be continually strengthened in order for us to overcome what we see in the natural world. We need to understand that our reality is shaped by what we believe and not by what we see.
Barrett calls "the developing cycle to believing" a necessary practice. This cycle consists of three steps:
1. Renewing our minds. We need to know through God's Word exactly what He desires for us. As our thoughts change and come into line with the Word, they become healthy seed which eventually becomes a healthy, prosperous harvest.
2. Take responsibility. We personally are responsible for what we accept and listen to from others, and for what we say and how we see the circumstances of our lives. God has given each of us a vision and an assignment to complete in this life, and we need to see that it gets done.
3. Trust God. Trusting and believing Him is the key to it all. As you begin to rest in Him, you learn to be thankful, to rejoice with others, and to pray. You cannot know what He has for you and for you to do without a solid and consistent prayer life. The author points out that we often spend a lot of our time looking, hoping, and praying for a miracle, when what we really should be looking for is the manifestation of what He has promised.
Some spelling and grammatical errors are only minor distractions as Barrett does a fine job of laying out and explaining just what "believing" means. She takes it far beyond "name it and claim it" and has written a helpful book for Christians.