Mat 9:2 "And, behold, they brought to him a man sick of the palsy, lying on a bed: and Jesus seeing their faith said unto the sick of the palsy; Son, be of good cheer; thy sins be forgiven thee."
Mat 9:22 "But Jesus turned him about, and when he saw her, he said, Daughter, be of good comfort; thy faith hath made thee whole. And the woman was made whole from that hour."
Mat 9:29 "Then touched he their eyes, saying, According to your faith be it unto you."
In one chapter Matthew records 3 different scenarios where the faith resident in the hearts of the subjects moves the hand of divinity in their favor. To relegate your future to chance or destiny is to abdicate your right to experience the supernatural.
Faith is to the recreated man what the mind is to the unregenerate man. It sets the boundaries of possibility and determines the scales of reward and achievements. The man who invests wisely in his mind will surely see the fruit of his investments, in as much as the man who invests in his faith will see the fruits of faith. It would be unwise for us to then speak of the necessity of faith without detailing the mechanics of how to receive it. Rom 10:17 details how faith comes to the heart of man.
Rom 10:17 "So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God."
The process seems simple enough. But it is therein that we find the true pitfall which leads men to a faithless lifestyle. What we sometimes lack is commitment to the Word that leads to a perception of God's unique characteristics so that the faith of men may rest in God alone. Paul understood that teaching the Word brings faith and therein lieth the power to see demonstrations of the Spirit AND Power.
1Co 2:4-5 "And my speech and my preaching was not with enticing words of man's wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power: That your faith should not stand in the wisdom of men, but in the power of God."
This is where the Teacher or Preacher carries a lot of responsibility. Because the realities you continually present to people are what they will eventually manifest in their life. So therefore faith can grow or dwindle under the demands and harshness of life depending on what you feed your heart. A man should never allow himself to be misled by the teachings of suffering and weakness as present day optimum realities for a child who has access to power and victory (1 Cor 4:20, 1 Cor 15:57). When we encounter weakness in any form, we can boldly declare that we are strong because His strength is made (not might be made) perfect in our weakness. One of the most insightful statements I have heard which many anti-faith proponents fail to acknowledge is one that states that:
"Faith begins where the will of God is known"- Rev K. E. Hagin
The above statement makes a powerful assertion, i.e. the will of God can be known and through this a man can then walk in faith. No amount of gimmicking (if that is a word) can bring faith, but anything done in response to the knowledge of God's will is inevitably bound to succeed. The simple reason is that God watches over His Word (Expressed Will) to perform it (Jer 1:12). When we speak of faith, we are not necessarily speaking of men moving God to do anything He hasn't expressly provided for in His will. It therefore follows that faith is the tool used of men to manifest the will of God.
It also follows that where ignorance or mis-information is rife, faith is lacking and the Will of God cannot be successfully manifest. e.g Daniel became enlightened enough to place a demand on the times for a national deliverance (Dan 9) according to what was already written of his nation. It is by his faith filled prayers that angelic visitation was dispatched on his behalf. Reading through Heb 11 we cannot ignore the illustrations of faith inspired victories and wonders wrought by "mere" men. It was not their religious lifestyle or their corporate Judaic faith that brought on their exploits. It was their personal, encounters with God and His will that led them to do wonders to the glory of God.
Rom_4:20 "He staggered not at the promise of God through unbelief; but was strong in faith, giving GLORY to God;"
1Co_10:31 "Whether therefore ye eat, or drink, or whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory of God."
In closing I would like to point out that whatever faith must do, it must give glory to God. That is an important characteristic of true Bible faith. It is not for personal aggrandizement or for popularity's sake. It is not for spiritual fun fare but to the intent that glory arises to He who performs all things. Had the 3 groups of people in Matt 9 not known about Jesus, they would not have gone to Jesus. Had they not gone to him in faith they would not have received their miracles. Had they not received their miracles we would not have seen God's power on display. And had God not displayed His power to heal, we would not have acknowledged that facet of God's abilities and given Him the glory DUE His name.
Continue living a life of faith.
Yours in His Royal Service,
George Mwamlowe
