Increasing Faith

Matthew 17:20, "...if you have faith like a grain of mustard seed, you will say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it will move, and nothing will be impossible for you."

What are you believing God for?

I have been thinking a LOT about faith lately and the practical role it plays in our lives. The followers of Jesus Christ are to be people of faith - not just a common faith that links us together but a radical faith that produces something in and through us. It's easy to say that we are a part of a particular faith but quite another to say that we live in faith.

As yourself some questions:
What is the primary role of faith in my life?
Do I live in a faith that simply trusts God for heaven when I die or do I believe that we can see heaven invade earth?
What have I done with my faith?
Is my faith just something I fall back on when everything else fails or has my faith led me to an intense relationship with Jesus?

Someone asked me the other day about what it means to believe God for something. This man said, "I don't know...is it just something that comes as you grow in your relationship?" I said "Yes" - as you experience God through your faith then you will find it easier to believe Him for even greater things. There is an aspect of our faith that increases through experience. This is why it is pivotal that we remember what God has done in our lives.

James is famous for saying "I will show you my faith..." We tend to look at this statement and consider the works that are associated with our common faith. But I believe that the statement goes much deeper than just our works. I can only show you what I operate in. If my faith only leads me to good works then that is what I'll show you. However, if I have learned how to believe God for even greater things then that's what I'm going to put on display.

For far too long the Christian community has operated in practical faith. And by practical I mean that we do what we can do and trust God for the rest. I think it's time we start operating in a radical faith that says everything I do comes from Him. I'm not just trusting God for the big stuff but I'm walking with Him in the every day stuff as well. I'm believing for the healing of that person in the hospital but I'm also believing for the healing of that person sitting across from me. I'm believing for the salvation of the lost but I'm also believing for the salvation of the person I'm sharing with today. If you want to increase in your faith then you must exercise it more often.

When we hear Jesus talking about the mustard seed, we immediately think about its size. And that's good...cause I don't believe Jesus is pushing for "more faith" as much as He is trying to lead us into a "quality" of faith. We have spent a lot of time emphasizing the mustard seed and yet fail to recognize the fact that "nothing shall be impossible for you." That's the faith we need to operate in - not big faith or small faith but the quality of faith that says this can happen!!!