20 August, 2023
GROWING IN DIVINE FAITH
(Growing in Faith, in Truth & in Spirit: GFTS 8)
The disciples came to Jesus and made a request: “Lord, increase our faith!” (Lk 17:5). Isn’t that the same with us? We wish we had more faith because “without faith it is impossible to please God” (Heb.11:6). Since faith pleases God, an increase in faith will even please Him more! If we had “more” faith, we could do more and greater things for God. So often Jesus rebuked His disciples: “O you of little faith! Why did you doubt?” Maybe that rebuke is meant for us also, as we know there are times in our life, we fail God because of it.
Our Lord then answered His disciples, “If you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mulberry tree, “Be uprooted and planted in the sea, and it will obey you” (v.6). Here it implies that it does not take “big” or “great” faith to achieve great things for God. Jesus said that if we have faith as small as a “mustard seed” (which is the smallest of the grain family), we can perform miracles like casting the mulberry tree into the sea by just speaking: “You can say to this mulberry tree”!
The mustard seed may be small but when germinated it will grow into a large tree. So, if we have faith as a mustard seed, it will grow and make us able to achieve great things for God. The secret is this: the mustard seed is a living seed and therefore can grow. Similarly, we must have “living faith” in order to grow and do what God has purposed for us. Because our faith is “superficial” and “dead” faith, we are helpless and doubt God and His Word most of the time. “Living Faith” is the gift of God and comes from the Spirit of Life – the Holy Spirit. Hence those who walk in the Spirit and are controlled by Him will have this divine living faith “anointing” which will enable us to do the works of God.
In Mark 11:22, Jesus told his disciples, “Have faith in God” and they will be able to “move mountains’. In the original text, it means “Have the Faith of God”! In other words, it is the faith from God that gives us the boldness of faith to do the impossible. This, of course, comes from the Holy Spirit Who gives us “the gift of faith” (1 Cor.12:9). Even in salvation, the faith we have is a gift of God (Eph.2:8). Without the Holy Spirit inspiring faith in us, we cannot believe in Christ and call upon His Name for salvation.
So, our Lord says that if we have that kind of faith we can “say” to the mulberry tree or the mountain, and they will obey us. The tree and the mountain speak of the “obstacles” or unsurmountable problems we have in life. Faith speaks and commands them to be removed in the Name of Jesus and they will obey. Jesus spoke to demons and told them to get out; He spoke to diseases and they were healed. He spoke to the dead and they were raised. He has all authority in Heaven and on earth, and He gives us authority over the enemy in His Name (Luke 10:19). Faith in Him and His Name gives us the boldness to “speak’ to every adverse situation and whatever “mountain” that we face in life. Victory becomes ours. Amen!
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