Beloved, God does many things for us, but He has also given us the ability and the responsibility to do certain things for ourselves, and exercising, strengthening, and growing our faith is one of them. As a believer, you don't need to struggle to have faith; the Bible says that you already have the measure of faith. (see Romans 12:3). Every Word from God is filled or loaded with FAITH. This faith cannot be invented or manufactured by man. It is a gift (see Ephesians 2:8) that can only come from God through the hearing of His Word. Therefore, one can receive FAITH only as it is imparted to the heart by God Himself through the hearing of His Word. (see Romans 10:17). And the good news is that God is always giving or imparting the gift of faith as we hear His Word preached, and as we read the Bible for ourselves. It is ultimately up to us to receive or accept and lay hold on the faith God gives us through His Word. Right now as you read or hear the message in this piece, faith is being imparted to you. Thus, it is important what you allow yourself to read or hear on a regular basis. Are you continually hearing the Word of God which will build or grow your faith? Or are you hearing the philosophies of men that will plant doubts in your heart?
Indeed, as a believer you were saved by grace through FAITH. (see Ephesians 2:8-9). This FAITH was gifted to you when you heard the Word of God. Jesus said, “No one can come to Me unless the Father who sent Me draws him...” (see John 6:44). So God drew you to Jesus by giving you faith through the hearing of the gospel of Christ. God opened your heart to heed the message of the gospel. You couldn't have been saved without faith. Therefore you should know that you have faith. God didn't take the faith away from you after you got saved. No, God’s gifts and His calling are irrevocable. (see Romans 11:29). This is why Romans 12:3 says God has given to each believer the measure of faith. We all begin our Christian walk with the (same) measure or amount of faith. And that faith is enough to move a mountain if we would simply exercise it. (see Matthew 17:20; Luke 17:6). Nothing will be impossible for us if we would just put that faith to use. Just as that faith came to us when we heard the Word of God, continually hearing the Word of God is how we can GROW that faith. Also, exercising our faith or putting our faith into practice is how we STRENGTHEN our faith. Begin to do everything the Bible says you can do. Begin to lay hands on the sick in the name of Jesus for them to recover. Begin to cast out demons in the name of Jesus. Begin to speak in new tongues in the name of Jesus, if you have been baptized with the Holy Spirit. Jesus said these signs will follow those who believe. (see Mark 16:17-18). Ask yourself if these signs are following you, and if they’re not, are you really one of those who believe? If you are in Christ, you are among those who believe. You don't need to struggle with faith; neither should you focus on your faith; just do what the Bible says you can do. When you study and focus on the Word of God, the Word will build your faith. (see Romans 10:17). When you act on the Word of God, the Word will strengthen your faith. Take the Word of God for what it is — accept God's Word as true, and act on it. That is faith.
Beloved, you are what God's Word says you are. You have what God's Word says you have. And you can do what God's Word says you can do. Just believe God’s Word and act on it. Faith is simply believing that God’s Word is truth, and then acting on God's Word. Be a doer of the Word. Never pray for faith or for God to increase your faith — that is sheer unbelief; and it is unacceptable under the New Covenant. On a certain occasion when Jesus’ disciples asked Him to increase their faith (see Luke 17:5), Jesus essentially pointed out to them that it wasn’t an increase in faith they needed, but that they just needed faith, period! I mean, how can you increase what you don’t have? And so Jesus said, “IF you HAVE FAITH as a mustard seed, you can say to this mulberry tree, ‘Be pulled up by the roots and be planted in the sea,’ and it would obey you.” (see Luke 17:6). On another occasion Jesus also called his disciples “FAITHLESS and perverse generation.” (see Matthew 17:17). But under the new Covenant, we have received the measure of faith, so we are not “faithless generation,” and we cannot ask the Lord for faith or to increase our faith. Asking God to increase your faith is just like asking your natural father to help you to believe or trust in his word or help you trust in him more. Every father will take that as an insult, and yet many believers do it to God without seeing anything wrong with it. As believers, we have been born into God’s family. Faith should be as normal and natural to us as it is in any beautiful family. We don’t have to be faith-conscious; we just have to be love-conscious. We have to know that our dear Father (God) loves us deeply and cares for us greatly. His love should give us confidence in His promises. His love should make us rest and trust that He will provide for us whatever we ask in the name of Jesus. (see John 16:23). We have to become as trusting of God as children are of their natural parents. I don't know of any child who struggles to find faith to receive anything from their father. Children don’t even think about faith when asking for something from their father; they just think about their father’s love for them. So why should believers struggle for faith when we need something from our Father? Oh what a difference it would make if we would just think about the Father's love instead of thinking about our faith! What a difference it would make if we were just as convinced as Paul that nothing can separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord! (see Romans 8:38-39).
Indeed, faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the Word of God. (see Romans 10:17). So just as you go to the gym to strengthen and grow your muscles, reading the Bible, meditating on it, and being a doer of the Word is how you grow and strengthen your faith. Nothing else will do. You cannot pray to God to give you muscles, because He has already given you muscles. Neither can you pray to God to give you faith because He has already given you the measure of faith. (see Romans 12:3). You cannot pray to God to increase your muscles because you can increase it yourself by exercising it. Similarly, no amount of prayer and fasting can increase your faith. Only the Word of God can, because “faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the Word of God.” (see Romans 10:17). The Word of God is God; the Word of God is Jesus Himself (see John 1:1, 14). Revelation 19:13 says, “His name is called The Word of God.” And He is the author and finisher of our faith. (see Hebrews 12:2). Get into the Word today and see your faith grow. Remain blessed.
I share this message, “For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek.” (Romans 1:16 KJV).
To learn more, order my glorious book, "Spirit Life"
No comments:
Post a Comment