The difference between Faith and Fantasy

 

   Do you know people who you would say "they are living in a fantasy world or some would say are just not in touch with reality?"
 Then there are those who walk out their day to day lives always looking up with a hope? On their lips you hear their whispered words, "today may be the day." The latter are those who put their faith in the Savior, the Redeemer of His people. Today I would like to discuss the difference between faith and fantasy.

   First I would like to consider people who live in a fantasy world. In a fantasy "you" the ruler of that world set up rules and guidelines for the plot of the fantasy. Your fantasy is a hiding place to run away to when life gets too serious. You consistently set yourself up for a fall, or disappointment, because when reality comes knocking at your door you will struggle in your ability to cope with day to day realities. For someone to live a fantasy in this broken world is extremely difficult because inevitably you will always come up empty, hit a dead end and be disappointed. The definition of a fantasy is to create imaginings, daydreaming, an illusion, a delusion, a whimsical notion or idea.
  "Fantasy is the soul being driven by the flesh". It is an erratic and impulsive behavior, emotional instability. The proverbial double minded man if you will. Fantasizing is an emotional escape to a world of illusions and false hopes in aspiring to fulfill the flesh in some way. This is the great deception. People will use all kinds of things to "deal with this world". Such as drugs, alcohol, cars, movies, cartoons, work, the opposite sex, gambling etc.. I think you get the picture.

   Does this mean that one cannot live by faith and believe in miracles? No, for faith and fantasy are not the same thing.
  The definition of Faith is a confident belief in God, trusting God, having a loyalty and allegiance toward God. In other words, "Living by Faith is the soul being driven by the Spirit". This is a wise and true state of mind. It is a sound mind in which emotions have not the power to rule, but submits itself to the higher power which is the Spirit of God. Faith is a Spirit driven hope of knowing and being assured that one day you will escape, but while you are here you trust God for His will to be done in your life as you yield to Him. Living by Faith is where your ultimate true peace, joy and rest lies. Faith is not slave to the flesh as fantasy is. It is slave to the Spirit of God.

Do you enjoy imagining things? if so then live by Faith in your imagination and not fantasy and try to imagine this for example: Eye has not seen, ear has not heard, neither has it entered into the heart of man what God has prepared for them that love Him (1 Cor. 2:9). Can you try to imagine what God has prepared for you, not in this worldly kingdom but "His Kingdom." Go ahead and go for it and be assured that it will be for real and exceedingly greater than you could ever imagine.

Hoping for better while here in this world is okay because God's Word says He gives us a hope and a future. Trying to make this world your fantasy paradise will not go well for you. For Jesus said "my kingdom is not of this world". Think on God's Kingdom and what it has to offer. When believing the enemy's lies you will find that what he has to offer in this world is shallow. He offers a life of false hope and empty promises, an illusion. It's interesting that what the enemy offers and what fantasy offers is basically the same. When Jesus was being tempted by the Devil in the wilderness, what was His response?  What did Jesus do when Satan took Him up to an exceeding high mountain and showed Him all the kingdoms of the world? Satan said, "all these things I will give thee, if you will fall down and worship me". Jesus replied and said: "Get thee hence Satan for it is written, thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and Him only shalt thou serve (Mt. 4:8-10). When we create a fantasy of the perfect life here in this world are we not essentially in that moment in the same position that Jesus was? He was being tempted by the enemy to place more value on the here and now. To desire the things of this world and to make it your mission to have all that it has to offer is what the enemy offers not what God offers. Is it not the great deception from the enemy to draw our attention away from Jesus (our Lord and Savior) who is our only true hope for today, as well as our eternal hope. Satan's only goal is to get us to worship him and the things of this world. Satan comes to steal, kill and destroy. His goal is to keep us blind to that which is most important, which is, "we (God's Children) have been given a hope and a future". For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the Lord, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you hope in your "final outcome" (Jer. 29:11amp.). Did you catch that? He said "final outcome" so if you want to live by faith and not fantasy then place your hope in your final outcome when you leave this life and go into His Heavenly Kingdom.

Jesus tells us ever so lovingly in His Word to "Occupy till He comes" What that simply means is to carry on with what needs to be done to live out your life while here. For example: working, keeping busy and trusting Him to meet your needs, it's called living by faith and it can be a beautiful and contented life. And as you trust and obey Him, He will continue to give you His mercy and His grace. "Lean not upon your own understanding but acknowledge Him in all of your ways and He will direct your path" (Proverbs 5:3-6). So go ahead and be "Heavenly minded" for this will keep you living in faith and not in a fantasy world.