HAVE FAITH
“Have faith!”
We hear this all the time. When we’re worried about something, or we’re not sure what the future holds, or we get bad news. Have faith.
The bad thing is, this sounds like if you “have faith” that everything will turn out like you want it. We’ve even been told that if things DON’T turn out like we want, then it’s OUR fault for not having enough faith.
In Matthew 17:20 Jesus said, “If you have faith as a grain of mustard seed, nothing shall be impossible unto you.”
Have you ever seen a grain of mustard seed? Its really, REALLY small!! I know I have more faith than that, so why aren’t things going my way???
Maybe we’re missing something.
Some manuscripts follow this verse with verse 21, which says, “But this kind does not go out except by prayer and fasting.” Prayer and fasting? Isn’t that what “religious” people do when they want to hear from God??
Hearing from God? Hmmm…
Jesus had faith that what He said would come to pass because He was in constant communication with the Father, and therefore knew His will… and only did what His Father commanded, (John 14:31) not the other way around.
I don’t know about you, but more often than not, I’m the opposite! Oftentimes I treat God like He’s my own personal genie in a bottle Who will do whatever I command… because God wants me to be happy, right?
He wants me to get that job.
He wants that person to be healed.
He wants to do what I’m asking Him to do, because that would be BEST… for me!
Right??
Uh huh.
The thing I forget, (a LOT!) is that He’s God.
And I’m not.
I know that sounds really obvious, but I don’t think I’m alone in this way of thinking. We forget that He sees the BIG picture, while we only see things from our own myopic point of view.
To me, one of the best examples of Jesus’ faith wasn’t when He was performing miracles and walking on water, but in the Garden of Gethsemane… when He was stressed to the point of literally sweating blood and He’s asking God that what He knows is about to happen to him NOT happen to him! Then He says, “But not my will, but thine be done.”
Jesus didn’t have faith that God the Father was going to do whatever Jesus asked Him to do. Jesus had faith that God is God. And that God is good. ALL the time. That even if things didn’t go in a way that would seem to have been “better” for Jesus in the short term, it would still be for the best… because God has a MUCH bigger plan in mind than just what we’re seeing and experiencing on this earthly plane. His plans are ALWAYS better than ours. (Isaiah 55:8-9)
Another one of my favorites, is the story of Rack, Shack, and Benny. (A humble nod to my beloved Veggie Tales.*wink*) In the Bible, their names are Shadrach, Meshach and Abed-nego. (Daniel 3) The king of Babylon, Nebuchadnezzar, wanted them to bow down to a giant golden idol and told them, “…if you do not worship, you will immediately be cast into the midst of a furnace of blazing fire; and what god is there who can deliver you out of my hands?” Stepping out in faith, they responded, “If we are thrown into the blazing furnace, the God whom we serve is able to save us. He will rescue us from your power, Your Majesty. But even if he doesn’t, we want to make it clear to you, Your Majesty, that we will never serve your gods or worship the gold statue you have set up.” Of course, the king was furious - so furious in fact that he made the furnace 7 times it’s regular temperature before having the three young men bound with ropes and thrown in! (Just the heat OUTSIDE the furnace killed the soldiers who threw them in!) Yikes!
The key words here are, “even if”. Just like Jesus in the garden, they had faith that God is God, and God is good. ALL the time. No matter what. EVEN IF He doesn’t do what they want. EVEN IF things don’t go their way. They KNOW who God is, and they have unwavering faith in THAT.
The Old Testament prophet Jeremiah says in Lamentations 3:21-24, “But this I call to mind, and therefore I have hope: The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases; his mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is your faithfulness.“The Lord is my portion,” says my soul,“therefore I will hope in him.”
When we know Who God is, we can sing in prison in the middle of the night like Paul and Silas in Acts 16. We have “perfect peace” because our minds are fixed on Him and because we trust Him. (Isaiah 26:3) A peace that surpasses all understanding. (Philippians 4:6-7)
Pastor Isaac O’Casey shared the same thought recently, saying, “Our thinking should be informed by Who God is as seen in His Word. The way we are supposed to think is to think God’s thoughts after Him. When we think on the basis of Who God is, then we inform and influence and direct our powers of volition/action accordingly.”
God is not our genie in a bottle, who comes at our beck and call and does whatever we command. No matter how much “faith” we have. Again, Jeremiah says, “Who has spoken and it came to pass, unless the Lord has commanded it?” (Lamentations 3:37)
So then, what is it to, “have faith”? What do we “have faith” in?
We have faith in God’s Word. (2 Timothy 3:16)
We have faith in God’s character. (Lamentations 3:21-24)
We have faith in God’s love for us. (Romans 8:38-39)
We have faith in God’s plans for us. (Jeremiah 29:11)
We have faith in God’s will being done. (Revelation 21:5)
And we have faith that if we, like Jesus, say, “Not my will but thine be done,” that it will be for the best.
Always. (Romans 8:28)
SCRIPTURES
Matthew 17:20-21 ~ 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. Howbeit this kind goeth not out but by prayer and fasting. (KJV)
John 14:31 ~ but so that the world may know that I love the Father, I do exactly as the Father commanded Me. (NASB)
Isaiah 55:8-9 ~ “For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways,” declares the Lord. “As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts.” (NIV)
Lamentations 3:21-24 ~ But this I call to mind, and therefore I have hope: The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases; his mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is your faithfulness.“The Lord is my portion,” says my soul,“therefore I will hope in him.” (ESV)
Acts 16:25 ~ But about midnight, as Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns of praise to God, and the other prisoners were listening to them (AMP)
Isaiah 26:3 ~ You will keep in perfect peace all who trust in you, all whose thoughts are fixed on you! (NLT)
Philippians 4:6-7 ~ Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all comprehension, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. (NASB)
Lamentations 3:37 ~ Who has spoken and it came to pass, unless the Lord has commanded it? (ESV)
2 Timothy 3:16 ~ All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness (NIV)
Romans 8:38-39 ~ And I am convinced that nothing can ever separate us from God’s love. Neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither our fears for today nor our worries about tomorrow—not even the powers of hell can separate us from God’s love. No power in the sky above or in the earth below—indeed, nothing in all creation will ever be able to separate us from the love of God that is revealed in Christ Jesus our Lord. (NLT)
Jeremiah 29:11 ~ For I know the thoughts and plans that I have for you, says the Lord, thoughts and plans for welfare and peace and not for evil, to give you hope in your final outcome. (AMP)
Revelation 21:5 ~ And he that sat upon the throne said, Behold, I make all things new. And he said unto me, Write: for these words are true and faithful (KJV)
Romans 8:28 ~ And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose. (NKJV)