By faith Sarah herself also received strength to conceive seed, and she bore a child when she was past the age, because she judged Him faithful who had promised. (Heb 11: 11)
A gentile centurion asked Jesus, "only speak a word, and my servant will be healed" and Jesus replied, "Assuredly, I say to you, I have not found such great faith, not even in Israel". (Mat 8: 8, 10)
A gentile centurion asked Jesus, "only speak a word, and my servant will be healed" and Jesus replied, "Assuredly, I say to you, I have not found such great faith, not even in Israel". (Mat 8: 8, 10)
A storm arose on the sea while Jesus was asleep. The disciples came to Jesus and said, "Lord, save us! We are perishing!" But He said to the, "Why are you fearful, O you of little faith?" (Mat 8: 26)
Jesus sent the disciples ahead on a boat after feeding five thousand. The wind was going crazy on the water, but Jesus walked to the disciples. When they see each other, Jesus tells them not to worry, it's Him. Our Peter says, "Lord, if it is You, command me to come to You in the water". "Come". Peter does that world-record thing and becomes the first human-human man to walk on water. "But when he saw that the wind was boisterous, he was afraid; and beginning to sink he cried out, saying, 'Lord, save me!' And immediately Jesus stretched out His hand and caught him, and said to him, "O you of little faith, why did you doubt?'" (Mat 14: 22 - 31)
A man brought his epileptic son to the disciples to cure, but they could not. When Jesus came down from the Mount of Transfiguration the father brought the boy to Him and He cured him. Before He did so, He said (to the disciples), "O faithless and perverse generation, how long shall I be with you? How long shall I bear with you?" (Mat 17: 17)
Let us pray.
Father, the topic of faith is so vast. Thank You for the Helper, the Holy Spirit, Who teaches me all things (John 14: 26). Jesus, as the author and finisher of my faith (Heb 12:2), I thank You for leading me so well in this faith walk. Thank You that it is Your delight to perfect my faith. By Your grace I pray that I will be faithful in the little I do understand and can walk in, that You may entrust me with more opportunities to please You (Heb 11: 6).
Oh Jesus...On the one hand faith seems so simple, on the other hand You seem so strict about it. Sarah's faith was firmly in Who You are and how she knows You: faithful. Is it because there was nothing loud and scary, pulling and pushing at her that she could stay calm and wait and wait? Physically she knew women did not have children at her age, but what could she do but wait? But her faith could not have been mere resignation, for faith is active (James 2: 18). Previously she had done something about it with the help of Hagar - so that showed a lack of faith. But this time...there was nothing left but to take You at Your Word. More than that, Sarah must have grown in the assurance of Your personhood. And having experienced You, she must have discovered a peace that slightly surprised her for its firmness.
Father, like Sarah, may my faith not be in how favourable circumstances seem, may it be in You and Your Word. And when I do not have my prayers answered, may I not find consolation in the lie that You failed me. May I not discredit Your character when I experience unanswered or delayed prayers. And Father, please give give me discernment to know when to wait and when to hear that You are directing me to act. Open my spiritual ears to hear "wait" or "step out". And by Your grace may I not mistake the one for the other.
Father, the centurion's faith didn't seem so "wow". He seems to simply have used deductive reasoning and taken a natural principle and applied it to the spiritual realm. In fact, it doesn't even seem like faith. And yet what he did so excited Jesus that He praised the guy for his GREAT faith. Father, may we also see the engineered and mathematical accuracy about Your Word and Your character. May our faith become "every-day logical" in this that we have it firmly settled in us that Your Word is incorruptible (1 Peter 1: 23), that You Who promised is unchanging (Heb 13: 8) and faithful (Heb 11: 11), that everything contrary to Your Word is a lie (Rom 3: 4) and it is settled in us that when Your Word goes forth it surely accomplishes what it was sent for (Is 55: 11). Thank you, Mr Centurion for showing us that faith need not feel like a painful, burdensome gritting of our teeth. It can be simple if we recognize that Jesus has authority over EVERYTHING and we can simply speak to mountains by the authority of Christ (Mat 28: 18).
Okay. Now we get to the part that throws me a little. Peter does something nobody has ever done before or since. You didn't tell him to do it, but he was clearly excited to see You do it and figured if You can, You can make him do it too. I see two elements of uncertainty: "If it is You, Lord" and "I want to do it, but You tell me to do it; You make me do it". So Peter goes out slightly uncertain that it is Jesus, but he's probably thinking who else could do something like this, so it has to be Jesus. Also, Peter gives the responsibility for his stepping out of the boat and walking on water to Jesus. He, Peter, simply acts in obedience to "Come". Peter's commitment to this endeavor is thus doubtful. Sidenote: Peter forgive me for analyzing you like this. The thrill of being able to walk on water pushes aside any whisper of doubt that he is about to step into something mankind had not even wrapped their minds around yet. He did not stop to consider that he was about to step into an arena where all his senses would acutely feel the impossibility and unrealness of his action.
What he however briefly accomplished was mind-blowing and exciting. But then that physical reality slapped him on his back and said "whooza! are you sure of what you are doing?" And Peter snapped to reality and his mind and senses screamed: "Am I stupid? What the heck was I thinking? I'm busy committing suicide! HELP!"
And Jesus, You are disappointed in Peter. From Your perspective, You expected Peter not to doubt despite the elements. Because You are Jesus, I must see this expectation as legitimate and fair. Show me how, Lord.
The same thing happened earlier, in Mat 8 when You guys were in the boat and a storm broke out. When they came running to You, You rebuked them for being fearful and having little faith. This rebuke must have been legitimate as well.
As humans, we feel justified in giving a wrong answer when our teacher had not taught us that specific fact before. Peter did not have training in walking on water, so to fail the first time he tries, seems a little strict. So too the disciples may not have been in a storm with You before, so instead of crying and saying their last prayers before the inevitable end, they did what they thought was the best thing to do, to see if you can't do something about it. From our narrow-minded human perspective, I would probably have done the same thing Peter and the disciples did. But from Your perspective, You are saying, "how long must I still struggle with you, when will you get it?"
Father, what must we get? That we are Yours and You have given us all power and authority over everything? And that like You, we can simply speak to storms, mountains, barrenness, etc.? That You have taught us 0-9 and shown us the principle calculations and formulas. You need not have shown us 4x4=16 for us to know it, "without knowing it" and get the answer correct. We know we must go: 4+4+4+4 and count them all.
John 14: 12-14 says that when we believe in You and ask for things in Your name we will be able to do the same things You did and even greater things. In Mat 28: 28 Jesus, You says all authority has been given to You and therefore to us as well. When You sent out the 12 disciples (Mark 6: 7)and later the 72 (Luke 10: 17), You also gave them power over unclean spirit and they saw the natural order of things change by them proclaiming things in Your name. So they were given the "training". You had equipped them to have the type of faith to be victorious in novel situations.
When the same father, mentioned in Mat 17, asked You to have compassion on his son, You told him "If you can believe, all things are possible to him who believes" (Mark 9: 23). He replied, "Lord, I believe, help my unbelief!" So believing means to have faith, to trust in Your character and Your sure Word. But unbelief and doubt, comes as a result of the physical realities or our deceived or false thinking that only prayer and fasting can destroy. Thank You Father, for Andrew Wommack's teaching that fasting strengthens our spirits as we subject our physical nature to this spiritual discipline. So when the demons cause the boy to go crazy or the storm to be more fierce, our spirit man can silence our natural man who wants to waver amidst this intimidation.
Father, we want to please You by living by faith, by speaking with authority in the name of Jesus to mountains, troubles, diseases, strongholds, fear, sin, etc. etc. Father, thank You that You have given me everything pertaining to life and godliness (2 Peter 1: 3) that I can live a life of faith that pleases You. I won't need to ask You to please deal with the issues in my life, I can rebuke and command and speak life into things. I can take responsibility for walking into unchartered territory in all areas of my life. Father, thank You for Your Word that is clear about Your will for my life (1 John 5: 15). I can pray according to Your will and speak forth that life. Father, grow in my the deep and strong roots that faith can be emotionless and not influenced by my senses, faith can be mathematical. You said it, that settles it.
Father, I commit myself to become a disciple of fasting. I understand that fasting does not always have to be food, but anything I may legitimately have, which I choose to abstain from in order to exercise my spirit over my screaming flesh. Thank You Father for giving me clear direction in increasing the strength of my spirit so that I may walk by faith that will continually please You.
In the name of Jesus, I thank You, Father for the light of Your Word. Thank You, Holy Spirit for teaching me all things.
Jesus sent the disciples ahead on a boat after feeding five thousand. The wind was going crazy on the water, but Jesus walked to the disciples. When they see each other, Jesus tells them not to worry, it's Him. Our Peter says, "Lord, if it is You, command me to come to You in the water". "Come". Peter does that world-record thing and becomes the first human-human man to walk on water. "But when he saw that the wind was boisterous, he was afraid; and beginning to sink he cried out, saying, 'Lord, save me!' And immediately Jesus stretched out His hand and caught him, and said to him, "O you of little faith, why did you doubt?'" (Mat 14: 22 - 31)
A man brought his epileptic son to the disciples to cure, but they could not. When Jesus came down from the Mount of Transfiguration the father brought the boy to Him and He cured him. Before He did so, He said (to the disciples), "O faithless and perverse generation, how long shall I be with you? How long shall I bear with you?" (Mat 17: 17)
The disciples seem surprised and sincere that they could not heal the boy - in Mat 10: 1 we see Jesus had given them power over unclean spirits, to cast them out and to heal all kinds of sicknesses and diseases. Verse 19 reads, Then the disciples came to Jesus privately and said, "Why could we not cast it out?" I sense genuine confusion here. But Jesus replied, "Because of your unbelief; for assuredly, I say to you, if you have faith as a mustard seed, you will say to this mountain, 'Move from here to there,' and it will move; and nothing will be impossible for you." Jesus also adds, "However, this kind does not go out except by prayer and fasting."
Let us pray.
Father, the topic of faith is so vast. Thank You for the Helper, the Holy Spirit, Who teaches me all things (John 14: 26). Jesus, as the author and finisher of my faith (Heb 12:2), I thank You for leading me so well in this faith walk. Thank You that it is Your delight to perfect my faith. By Your grace I pray that I will be faithful in the little I do understand and can walk in, that You may entrust me with more opportunities to please You (Heb 11: 6).
Oh Jesus...On the one hand faith seems so simple, on the other hand You seem so strict about it. Sarah's faith was firmly in Who You are and how she knows You: faithful. Is it because there was nothing loud and scary, pulling and pushing at her that she could stay calm and wait and wait? Physically she knew women did not have children at her age, but what could she do but wait? But her faith could not have been mere resignation, for faith is active (James 2: 18). Previously she had done something about it with the help of Hagar - so that showed a lack of faith. But this time...there was nothing left but to take You at Your Word. More than that, Sarah must have grown in the assurance of Your personhood. And having experienced You, she must have discovered a peace that slightly surprised her for its firmness.
Father, like Sarah, may my faith not be in how favourable circumstances seem, may it be in You and Your Word. And when I do not have my prayers answered, may I not find consolation in the lie that You failed me. May I not discredit Your character when I experience unanswered or delayed prayers. And Father, please give give me discernment to know when to wait and when to hear that You are directing me to act. Open my spiritual ears to hear "wait" or "step out". And by Your grace may I not mistake the one for the other.
Father, the centurion's faith didn't seem so "wow". He seems to simply have used deductive reasoning and taken a natural principle and applied it to the spiritual realm. In fact, it doesn't even seem like faith. And yet what he did so excited Jesus that He praised the guy for his GREAT faith. Father, may we also see the engineered and mathematical accuracy about Your Word and Your character. May our faith become "every-day logical" in this that we have it firmly settled in us that Your Word is incorruptible (1 Peter 1: 23), that You Who promised is unchanging (Heb 13: 8) and faithful (Heb 11: 11), that everything contrary to Your Word is a lie (Rom 3: 4) and it is settled in us that when Your Word goes forth it surely accomplishes what it was sent for (Is 55: 11). Thank you, Mr Centurion for showing us that faith need not feel like a painful, burdensome gritting of our teeth. It can be simple if we recognize that Jesus has authority over EVERYTHING and we can simply speak to mountains by the authority of Christ (Mat 28: 18).
Okay. Now we get to the part that throws me a little. Peter does something nobody has ever done before or since. You didn't tell him to do it, but he was clearly excited to see You do it and figured if You can, You can make him do it too. I see two elements of uncertainty: "If it is You, Lord" and "I want to do it, but You tell me to do it; You make me do it". So Peter goes out slightly uncertain that it is Jesus, but he's probably thinking who else could do something like this, so it has to be Jesus. Also, Peter gives the responsibility for his stepping out of the boat and walking on water to Jesus. He, Peter, simply acts in obedience to "Come". Peter's commitment to this endeavor is thus doubtful. Sidenote: Peter forgive me for analyzing you like this. The thrill of being able to walk on water pushes aside any whisper of doubt that he is about to step into something mankind had not even wrapped their minds around yet. He did not stop to consider that he was about to step into an arena where all his senses would acutely feel the impossibility and unrealness of his action.
What he however briefly accomplished was mind-blowing and exciting. But then that physical reality slapped him on his back and said "whooza! are you sure of what you are doing?" And Peter snapped to reality and his mind and senses screamed: "Am I stupid? What the heck was I thinking? I'm busy committing suicide! HELP!"
And Jesus, You are disappointed in Peter. From Your perspective, You expected Peter not to doubt despite the elements. Because You are Jesus, I must see this expectation as legitimate and fair. Show me how, Lord.
The same thing happened earlier, in Mat 8 when You guys were in the boat and a storm broke out. When they came running to You, You rebuked them for being fearful and having little faith. This rebuke must have been legitimate as well.
As humans, we feel justified in giving a wrong answer when our teacher had not taught us that specific fact before. Peter did not have training in walking on water, so to fail the first time he tries, seems a little strict. So too the disciples may not have been in a storm with You before, so instead of crying and saying their last prayers before the inevitable end, they did what they thought was the best thing to do, to see if you can't do something about it. From our narrow-minded human perspective, I would probably have done the same thing Peter and the disciples did. But from Your perspective, You are saying, "how long must I still struggle with you, when will you get it?"
Father, what must we get? That we are Yours and You have given us all power and authority over everything? And that like You, we can simply speak to storms, mountains, barrenness, etc.? That You have taught us 0-9 and shown us the principle calculations and formulas. You need not have shown us 4x4=16 for us to know it, "without knowing it" and get the answer correct. We know we must go: 4+4+4+4 and count them all.
John 14: 12-14 says that when we believe in You and ask for things in Your name we will be able to do the same things You did and even greater things. In Mat 28: 28 Jesus, You says all authority has been given to You and therefore to us as well. When You sent out the 12 disciples (Mark 6: 7)and later the 72 (Luke 10: 17), You also gave them power over unclean spirit and they saw the natural order of things change by them proclaiming things in Your name. So they were given the "training". You had equipped them to have the type of faith to be victorious in novel situations.
When the same father, mentioned in Mat 17, asked You to have compassion on his son, You told him "If you can believe, all things are possible to him who believes" (Mark 9: 23). He replied, "Lord, I believe, help my unbelief!" So believing means to have faith, to trust in Your character and Your sure Word. But unbelief and doubt, comes as a result of the physical realities or our deceived or false thinking that only prayer and fasting can destroy. Thank You Father, for Andrew Wommack's teaching that fasting strengthens our spirits as we subject our physical nature to this spiritual discipline. So when the demons cause the boy to go crazy or the storm to be more fierce, our spirit man can silence our natural man who wants to waver amidst this intimidation.
Father, we want to please You by living by faith, by speaking with authority in the name of Jesus to mountains, troubles, diseases, strongholds, fear, sin, etc. etc. Father, thank You that You have given me everything pertaining to life and godliness (2 Peter 1: 3) that I can live a life of faith that pleases You. I won't need to ask You to please deal with the issues in my life, I can rebuke and command and speak life into things. I can take responsibility for walking into unchartered territory in all areas of my life. Father, thank You for Your Word that is clear about Your will for my life (1 John 5: 15). I can pray according to Your will and speak forth that life. Father, grow in my the deep and strong roots that faith can be emotionless and not influenced by my senses, faith can be mathematical. You said it, that settles it.
Father, I commit myself to become a disciple of fasting. I understand that fasting does not always have to be food, but anything I may legitimately have, which I choose to abstain from in order to exercise my spirit over my screaming flesh. Thank You Father for giving me clear direction in increasing the strength of my spirit so that I may walk by faith that will continually please You.
In the name of Jesus, I thank You, Father for the light of Your Word. Thank You, Holy Spirit for teaching me all things.
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