Bible Message/Preaching : Faith that move mountains
We always hear people telling “For we walk by faith, not by sight.” (2COR 5:7). But what do they really mean by that?
(Mis-)Conceptions of faith:
- Pure intellectual term - faith is only what you believe
- New-age power-of-the-mind teaching! - some mental state that one must reach before they are able to "tap into" God’s "resources"
- Quantum physics - some sort of incorporeal substance that is "out there" for which one must reach
- Wishful thinking - when faith is applied to a desire, and when the magical phrase of "in Jesus’ name" attached to the end of prayer, God must answer!
- Self-willed hope - faith is what a believer resorts to when all reason is against them, a blind-leap against all evidence and against all odds
What is faith?
14And when they had come to the multitude, a man came to Him, kneeling down to Him and saying, 15"Lord, have mercy on my son, for he is an epileptic and suffers severely; for he often falls into the fire and often into the water. 16"So I brought him to Your disciples, but they could not cure him." 17Then Jesus answered and said, "O faithless and perverse generation, how long shall I be with you? How long shall I bear with you? Bring him here to Me." 18And Jesus rebuked the demon, and it came out of him; and the child was cured from that very hour. 19Then the disciples came to Jesus privately and said, "Why could we not cast it out?" 20So Jesus said to them, "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. 21"However, this kind does not go out except by prayer and fasting." (MT 17:14 -21)
5And the apostles said to the Lord, "Increase our faith." 6So the Lord 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. (LK 17:5-6)
What is the Biblical concept of faith?
The Biblical view of faith is that of trusting God to lead us in the direction He would have us to go, but many have turned faith into God’s trusting of them to lead Him. Have we been guilty of dethroning God as the Creator and King of the universe, and turning Him into a genie in a bottle? We should hope for things in faith, but we must also understand that if that hope is not rooted in God's will, we will not receive the answer we are expecting (I Jn 5:14-15). We should pray that God's will be done on earth as it is in heaven, not the other way around!! (Mt 6:10)!
1Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. 2For by it the elders obtained a good testimony. 3By faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the word of God, so that the things which are seen were not made of things which are visible. 6But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him. (HEB 11:1-3,6)
EPH 6:16 above all, taking the shield of faith with which you will be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked one.
ROM 10:17 So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.
What is this simple child-like faith that Jesus spoke of?
Some people never seem to have enough faith because they have turned faith into mental gymnastics wherein their will is imposed on God by "faith." This is new-age teaching! Their lack of faith is not due to the fact that they are not spiritual enough, but because they have not yet given up the reigns of their life to God for Him to guide them and do what is best. What makes faith so difficult is that it demands that we relinquish all confidence in self, which includes our will, and rely solely on God. It demands that we quit trying to "make it happen" and trust God "to make it happen" in His way and in His time.
Faith is simply taking God for His Word. The Biblical concept of faith is trust in God with corresponding works. 17Thus also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead. 26For as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also. (JAS 2:17,26). We do not tell God what we want and then believe hard enough in order to get it. Faith is believing in God’s Word, and in God’s will, and in all things trusting that He will do that which is right. We are to trust in the Lord with all our heart, not leaning on our own understanding, but acknowledging the Lord in all our ways and allowing Him to direct our paths (Proverbs 3:5-6). We do not tell God which paths we want to walk down, but by faith we trust Him to lead us down the path we need to go down.
HEB 12:1 1 Therefore we also, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, 2looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. 3For consider Him who endured such hostility from sinners against Himself, lest you become weary and discouraged in your souls.
Why is faith not denying the reality?
Although it is true that nothing is impossible with God, but the fact of the matter remains that God, in His sovereignty, does not always choose to do the impossible. Faith is not denying reality, it is understanding that God can change reality.
Of all the great heroes of faith named in the Bible espl. In Heb 11, trusted in God’s ability to perform what He said He would do. They trusted and acted upon God’s Word. Noah did not build an ark by faith and then pray for a flood. Moses did not pray to deliver God’s people and then look for those people, but responded to God’s Word which said that He would be the one to deliver God’s people. Abraham did not leave the land of Ur and then believe that God would give him a land and a seed. Their faith was not in some mere wish, but was obedience to the expressed will and Word of God - a response to God, not an initiative of man.
Purpose of faith:
HEB 11:13 These all died in faith, not having received the promises, but having seen them afar off were assured of them, embraced them and confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth.
Jas 1:2-6 2My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various trials, 3knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience. 4But let patience have its perfect work, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing. 5If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all liberally and without reproach, and it will be given to him. 6But let him ask in faith, with no doubting, for he who doubts is like a wave of the sea driven and tossed by the wind.
23for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, 234being justified freely by His grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, 25whom God set forth as a propitiation by His blood, through faith, to demonstrate His righteousness, because in His forbearance God had passed over the sins that were previously committed, 26to demonstrate at the present time His righteousness, that He might be just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus. 27Where is boasting then? It is excluded. By what law? Of works? No, but by the law of faith. 28Therefore we conclude that a man is justified by faith apart from the deeds of the law. 29Or is He the God of the Jews only? Is He not also the God of the Gentiles? Yes, of the Gentiles also, 30since there is one God who will justify the circumcised by faith and the uncircumcised through faith. 31Do we then make void the law through faith? Certainly not! On the contrary, we establish the law. (Rom 3:23- 31)
Gal 3:5-9 5Therefore He who supplies the Spirit to you and works miracles among you, does He do it by the works of the law, or by the hearing of faith?; 6just as Abraham "believed God, and it was accounted to him for righteousness." 7Therefore know that only those who are of faith are sons of Abraham. 8And the Scripture, foreseeing that God would justify the Gentiles by faith, preached the gospel to Abraham beforehand, saying, "In you all the nations shall be blessed." 9So then those who are of faith are blessed with believing Abraham.
1PET 1:3-9 3Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to His abundant mercy has begotten us again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, 4to an inheritance incorruptible and undefiled and that does not fade away, reserved in heaven for you, 5who are kept by the power of God through faith for salvation ready to be revealed in the last time. 6In this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while, if need be, you have been grieved by various trials, 7that the genuineness of your faith, being much more precious than gold that perishes, though it is tested by fire, may be found to praise, honor, and glory at the revelation of Jesus Christ, 8whom having not seen you love. Though now you do not see Him, yet believing, you rejoice with joy inexpressible and full of glory, 9receiving the end of your faith; the salvation of your souls.
2PET 1:5-8 5But also for this very reason, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue, to virtue knowledge, 6to knowledge self-control, to self-control perseverance, to perseverance godliness, 7to godliness brotherly kindness, and to brotherly kindness love. 8For if these things are yours and abound, you will be neither barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.
REV 17:14 "These will make war with the Lamb, and the Lamb will overcome them, for He is Lord of lords and King of kings; and those who are with Him are called, chosen, and faithful."
Meditation:
Is there anything in our concept of faith that required re-molding? Think & pray about it and act on it before it is late!
Delivered 14 Nov 2010
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