The trouble with faith is that people think believing is all there is to it. There is more: Persistence. The John chapter 8 crucial sermon of Jesus was towards its end addressed to believers. Believers can as much as anyone have to hallmarks of a dark spirit in charge of things among humans on Earth - prince of the powers of the air. They can be liars who use lies to cover their murderous tendencies like believers who wanted to kill Lord Jesus the Christ back when Jesus gave the sermon and led its ensuing conversation just before that awful crucifixion remembered ever since. What might not be so well remembered is that many of the crowd who sought Jesus of Nazareth's death were probably, given the testimony in John's Gospel chapter 8, believers in Him. Same might well go for many who believe today and at any time. It takes a lot more than just that initial belief to cleanse away the tendencies inherited from the influences of the dark spirit who pervades societies everywhere. Lies and murderous hatred and love of killing even if the killing done by the one hating then lying to make things worse or lying in order that killing is more likely or easier. These tendencies are what Jesus rose from the dead to conquer in believers but it takes a lot to make it happen in a person. It takes spirit and power and the true word God speaks and the true testimony Jesus and the Holy Spirit gives. For this to happen takes not just belief in Jesus, belief He actually is and belief He is the Christ sent by the Father who is God, it takes persistence in keeping in mind Christ's teachings and the truth of His crucifixion and resurrection. And in all that persistence Jesus Christ is still there with God to intercede and intervene and bring the persistence and belief in Him to perfection and this produces those who are joined in spirit to Him and love eachother and speek truth to eachother.
