And Jesus said unto them, Because of your unbelief: for verily I say unto you, If ye have faith as a grain of mustard seed, ye shall say unto this mountain, Remove hence to yonder place; and it shall remove; and nothing shall be impossible unto you ~ Matthew 17:20.
Introduction:
The subject of faith is a quintessential subject in our Christian persuasion (Habakkuk 2:4; Romans 1:17). Nothing works without it: salvation, healing, prosperity, and victory cannot be accessed without it. Even eternal life cannot be enjoyed without exercising ourselves in it (Mark 16:16-18).
Faith is crucial to living, and it’s very paramount to the believer’s justification (Galatians 2:16). We must therefore develop an accurate understanding of its nature, and build ourselves, grow and mature in it before it can work or produce for us.
Unbelief and doubt are the chiefest enemies of faith. Below the surface, unbelief festers and truncates colorful destinies. We all must receive grace to eliminate doubt in our hearts and replace every vestige of unbelief in our spaces with robust faith in God (Mark 11:22-23).
Faith is firm confidence in the integrity of God and His Word. It is a resolute expectation of the good things which God has promised us (Matthew 8:6-13). Faith evidences the certainty of future things, and it’s the ground, basis and foundation of every reality.
Unraveling the mystery of faith in Hebrews 11:1-7, the scripture affirms that faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence (or demonstration) of things not seen. A “demonstration” is that which cannot be otherwise, but is so as we assert.
Our faith says that what we expect cannot but be! Faith is a reliable companion and a sure passage. It is the spiritual organ of appropriation, and an invisible hand that takes what God offers. Faith is the proof producer of good reports.
By faith, Abraham obtained the divine promise and became the father of nations. By faith also, Noah built the Ark for 120 years and preserved a select group from the deluge of God’s wrath. Faith is a fixed persuasion of things hoped for (Hebrews 10:35-36). No wonder, those who live by faith are called the children of Abraham (Galatians 3:7-9).
Now, faith is fake without action; it’s dead without works (James 2:17). Faith is “a fact”, but also “an act” motivated by God’s Word. Jesus told the man with a withered hand,“Stretch forth thine hand”. The man did so, and wholeness was restored to him (Mark 3:1-5).
Occasionally, when you’re acting in faith, you may appear primitive in the eyes of others, but the dignity of your eventual victory will be undeniable.
The marriage celebrations almost stalled at a time in Cana of Galilee, if not for Jesus who was there. “Fill the waterpots with water”, He said, and they did. “Draw out now, and bear unto the governor of the feast”, He further commanded. When they obeyed in faith, the rest was a historic miracle (John 2:1-11).
Your faith is your valid instrument of victory in Christ Jesus (1John 5:4). Faith is the only shield that can guarantee protection against the darts of the enemy (Ephesians 6:16; 1Peter 5:7-9).
Real faith puts you in God’ class by God’s intentional grace (Luke 1:37; Matthew 17:20). When faith is in place, the power of God swings to action. Until your faith fails, you don’t become a failure.
It takes faith to move God to work for you. As long as your faith abides, it gives all the force of reality to that which is believed (Mark 10:46-52; Matthew 9:27-30).
The Sure Fountain of Pure Faith
Faith is that quality that makes us feel and act as if unseen things are tangible, and which causes them to exert an influence over us as if we see them. Think about it!
Now, a very important question at this stage is: “how does faith come”? Yes indeed, anyone in Christ can contact a strong productive faith, and even mature in the same by hearing the Word of God. It is His Word that imparts faith (Romans 10:17).
However, it is not enough to hear the Word of God; you must hear it from Him. You cannot hear Him and remain the same! When you choose to hear Him, you cannot doubt Him.
The Voice of the Lord is powerful, irresistible and full of majesty (Psalms 29:4). When you hear the Lord’s Voice, you become a significant voice on earth.
Though Saul was once a violent persecutor, the day he heard the Voice of Jesus Christ, he recognized His Lordship (Act 22:6-9). Other people around him saw the Light, but only Saul heard the Voice. You cannot hear His Voice and remain untouched.
Light signalizes information, Voice represents personality. If you are informed and the Lord is not there, there can be no substance or change of status.
Adam heard from God, and Satan couldn’t deceive him directly (1 Timothy 2:14). Noah heard from God, and he had no problem believing God. Moses heard from God, he went straight to confront Pharaoh, the same man he ran away from earlier.
Men of exploits in the Bible were men who were sensitive to the Voice of God (John 5:30). Until you hear from God, you have nothing to hold onto. Until your spiritual deafness is healed, your future remains awry.
To matter on earth, you must hear from heaven (Deuteronomy 28:1-14). “Blessed is the people that know the joyful sound: they shall walk, O LORD, in the light of thy countenance” (Psalms 89:15).
Happily, our Father-God still speaks to His people today! But, to hear Him, you must be spiritual to start with (Revelation 1:10-20). Flesh and blood cannot hear from God because God is a Spirit Being (John 4:24). Behind every written Word is His Voice; hence, His Word is spirit and life (John 6:63).
Again, we must gladly worship the Lord if we want to hear His Voice. When Elisha needed to hear from heaven, he requested a minstrel to break through the siege of the spirit of heaviness (2 Kings 3:15).
Furthermore, you must be still to know this joyful sound (Isaiah 30:15; Psalms 4:4; 46:10; 84:4). Nothing works by anxiety (1Kings 19:4). Anxiety chokes the seed of the Word, thereby constituting itself a major enemy of destiny (Luke 8:14).
Moreover, be obedient (John 2:5). Be meek and humble (1Peter 5:5; James 4:7). And, choose the walk of faith, today (2Corinthians 5:7). Nothing that’s visible is durable; but the invisible things which carry eternal value can only be evidenced in our lives here on earth through faith (2Corinthians 4:18).
Albeit, real faith is not just about quoting “quotable quotes”. It is a weapon of war. You don’t just watch the enemy gain ground in your family, business, body, career, and mind. You fight him to finish with your Word of faith and prayers.
Friends and brethren, the fight of faith is the only guaranteed way to winning (1Timothy 6:12). Whatever has not been working in your life till now can be forced to work by faith in the dominion power of our God and King (Matthew 11:12).
Fight sin, Satan, poverty, sickness and stagnation: our God takes pleasure in such fights that resist evil (Deuteronomy 2:24,31). Never give a room for Satan. Sing excitingly, “Thanks be unto God who always causeth us to triumph in Christ”. See you on payday! You won’t miss out, in Jesus name. Happy Sunday!
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Bishop Taiwo Akinola,
Rhema Christian Church,
Otta, Ogun State, Nigeria.
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