Are you ready to begin a two-part series on the importance of backing up your faith with corresponding action? The Bible says, ‘without faith, it is impossible to please God’ (Heb 11:6), but where exactly does faith originate? We know that every man has been granted ‘the measure of faith’ for salvation (Rom 12:3) and it must be stewarded in perpetuity. Few realize there are eleven kinds of faith mentioned in God’s word and sadly it can even become shipwrecked if we’re not careful. Carl shares several scriptural examples, when God challenged people to activate their faith in times of duress and how this principle still applies to us today. Join him now…
Here is a complete transcript of the podcast…(below)
We know that in Heb 11:6 it says that “without faith it is impossible to please God”, so clearly faith is important to God, and we need to learn more about it. We know, faith is a substance according to Heb 11:1, and if it’s a substance then naturally it can be measured. Some people have more faith than others, why? because ‘faith comes by hearing and hearing by the word of God.’ Faith comes inch by inch; it grows progressively. So how do we apply it? By speaking to the problem as Jesus said, i.e., if you had faith as a mustard seed, you might say to this mountain or obstacle in your life be removed or cast into the sea etc. (Matt 17:20). Remember what we discussed in the last broadcast, we need to demonstrate a measure of control over our tongue; we need to use it proactively and speak God’s word over our life, speak to our obstacles and change the course of our lives.
A further study of scripture shows that faith can be impeded or even shipwrecked if certain conditions are met. Jesus actually prayed that the Apostle Peter’s faith would not fail, do you remember this conversation? “And the Lord said, Simon, Simon, behold, Satan has desired to have you, that he may sift you as wheat: 32 But I have prayed for you, that your faith fail not: and when thou are converted, strengthen your brethren” – Luke 22:31. Friend, faith can fail, and no-one wants to be reminded of this but it’s true. That’s why we need to dust off our shield of faith, make sure it is strong, soak in God’s presence, crack open his word and not let our Bibles gather dust on the shelf. So where do we start out in our faith walk? We start in Rom 12:3, 3 “For I say, through the grace given unto me, to every man that is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think; but to think soberly, according as God hath dealt to every man the measure of faith.”
Every man has been given a measure of faith for salvation, it’s how we get into the Kingdom of God, and we are responsible for stewarding that measure of faith, after we’re saved. The Bible has much to say about faith. In fact there are different kinds of faith and I’ll mention them for you now:-
- Common Faith (Titus 1:4, Rom 1:12).
- Weak Faith (Rom 4:19, Rom 14:1-3, Rom 14:23, Rom 15:1).
- Great Faith (Mt 8:8-10), Mt 15:21-28).
- Genuine Faith (2 Tim 1:5).
- Active Faith (Jam 2:14-16, Heb 10:19-38).
- Unwavering Faith (Heb 10:23).
- Wavering Faith (Jam 1:5-7).
- Little Faith (Mt 6:30, Mt 8:26).
- Faith Without Root (Lk 8:13).
- Strong Faith (Rom 4:20).
- and finally Growing Faith (2 Thess 1:3).
Which of those I listed would you say your faith is at today my friend? This is not faith for faith’s sake, but faith in God, that’s what, pleases Him. The more intimate we are with Him and the more we’re aware of His promises laid out in His word then, the more faith we will have in His goodness to fulfill those promises. Today friend, I want to talk explicitly about your corresponding action. What are you doing right now in your life, to demonstrate what you’re believing God for? We know that faith without works is dead; it says that in James 2:20. If you believe God then your actions need to follow suit and your actions are what you say, think and do on a continual basis.
Faith has been described as the currency of the Kingdom of God. It is the means of exchange to advance the father’s influence on the earth, through man’s beliefs and actions. Indeed, this topic is replete in scripture and let me share the many aspects of faith right now. We know that faith can: grow (2 Thess 1:3), it works through love (Gal. 5:6), heals the sick (Mt 8:1-17; 9:2, 22, 29; Jam 5:14-16), dispels fear (Mt 8:26), makes whole (Mk 10:52), saves from sin (Lk 7:36-50; Eph 2:8-9), purifies the heart (Acts 15:9), sanctifies (Acts 26:18), impart revelations (Rom 1:17), justifies (Rom 3:28-31; Gal 3:24), gives access to grace (Rom 5:2), produces righteousness (Rom 9:30-32; 10:6-10; Phil 3:9), gives security (Rom 11:20; 2 Cor 1:24), brings blessings (Gal 3:9), imparts the Holy Spirit (Gal 3:14), makes men children of God (Gal 3:26), brings hope and salvation (Gal 5:5; Eph 2:8-9), makes us conscious of Christ (Eph 3:17), faith also quenches the fiery darts of Satan (Eph 6:16), faith produces works (Phil 1:17; James 2; 1 Thess 1:3; 2 Thess 1:11), and keep one true to God (1 Pet 1:5).
Faith can be: seen (Mt 9:2; Mk 2:5), obeyed (Acts 6:7; Rom 1:5), turned away (Acts 13:8), continued in (Acts 14:22; Col 1:23). Faith can be made without effect (Rom 3:3), it can be increased (2 Cor 10:15), examined (2 Cor 13:5), destroyed (Gal 1:23), perfected (1 Thess 3:10), shipwrecked (1 Tim 1:19), departed from (1 Tim 4:1), denied (1 Tim 5:8; Rev 2: 13), cast off (1 Tim 5:12), erred from (1 Tim 6:10, 21), overthrown (2 Tim 2:18), followed (2 Tim 2:22), made sound (Titus 1:13; 2:2), kept (2 Tim 4:7); and finally faith can be tried (Jam 1:3; 1 Pet 1:7; 5:9).
As I’ve said before, some people like God being ‘sovereign’ because they want Him to do everything for them, you know God wants you to do some things for yourself. He wants you to submit to Him and resist the devil for starters. You know one well known scholar out there basically says that all gifts of the Holy Spirit have ceased, God doesn’t heal any more there is no deliverance, all workings of the supernatural are the devil. Friend, this is known as Cessationism. Well, what a weak and puny God he must serve, but that’s not the God I serve. My God is able to do exceedingly; abundantly above all I can ask or think. And another thing this Christian leader says is that the Bible is that which is perfect in other words God can only move through the Bible, He doesn’t move outside of it. You know friend, I’ve never seen a Bible, walk into a Bus, sit down and drive the youth to summer camp where they can be blessed, I’ve never seen a bonded leather Bible, get into a car and drive to the nearest hospital at 3 o’clock in the morning and pray for the sick. Friend I’ve never seen a Bible, hand out food to the poor and needy at the local food pantry. Friend, do you realize how ridiculous his statement is? There are men and women of God anointed in the fivefold offices of the ministry today, outlined in Eph 4:11 which are called to serve humanity and are anointed to do so. The ministry offices and spiritual gifts are still as valid today as they were 2000 year ago. The bible isn’t the only thing God has granted to us. It’s the word and the Spirit that makes a powerful combination for God on this earth and you cannot separate one from another as they work in unison.
Now back to the topic of faith and corresponding action, God wants you to walk in the direction of what you believe. It’s called faith and corresponding action because a parked car is impossible to steer, it needs to move and then you can steer in the right direction. God wants you to start taking some baby steps in the direction of your faith today and specifically in the direction of what God wants you to do with your life. Let me ask you this, why did God tell Moses in the book of Exodus to ‘lift up his rod’ and part the Red Sea? Multiple times God asked Moses to lift up his rod (Ex 7:20, Ex 14:16, Num 20:11). Friend what has lifting up a rod got to do with miracles or parting the Red Sea for that matter? Nothing whatsoever on the surface but it’s the response of faith that God seeks in each of us and is often the determining factor of whether or not we see Him move on our behalf. This is a scriptural principle my friend and God requires a corresponding action on our part to demonstrate our faith in Him. Without this corresponding action, we often fail to receive that which is promised to us. Here are a few examples of corresponding action, found in scripture:
- In (Mk 3:5, Mt 26:51), Jesus said to the man with the withered hand, ‘Stretch out your hand’. Now how can a man with a withered hand, stretch out his hand? In the natural realm he can’t but Jesus was inviting the man to ‘do’ something in line with what he believed. Evidently Jesus saw that this man had the faith to be healed, so he challenged him to back up what he believed with corresponding action. Once the man made the slightest attempt to move his hand, God met his faith, and he was supernaturally healed.
- I remember the remarkable story if brother Hagin who was supernaturally healed of a debilitating Heart condition when he was a teenager. He was bedridden and could only walk a few steps before collapsing with shortness of breath. One day he started reading Mk 11:23 and started to apply his faith in the area of healing. One morning, the Spirit of the Lord whispered these words to him, “Ought not a healed man be out of bed by 10 o’clock in the morning?” You see God challenged Hagin and he could have stayed in bed, but he didn’t. He made a step in the right direction and was supernaturally healed.
- ‘As soon as the feet of the priests enter the river Jordan, I will hold back the torrent of water ‘(Josh 3:13-17). If the priests hadn’t made the first move, nothing would have happened but God supernaturally withheld the river Jordan so the people of Israel could cross safely.
- Remember the woman who touched ‘the hem of Jesus garment,’ to be healed (Mt 9:20, Mt 14:36). She kept saying out of her mouth, that if she could touch it, she would be healed.
Friend, I hope I have stirred you today to know that it’s one thing to have faith, but you need to take corresponding action, in line with your faith. Let me also temper what I have said with wisdom. It is one thing to know that you know and another to Hope. If you are not confident yet in the area of your healing or finances, or deliverance, or career, or wherever God is challenging you, don’t move until you have peace about it. If God is stirring you to take action, He will remind you over and over, it won’t; go away. I’m not preaching zeal or bravado to you today; I’m not trying to egg you on for the sake of it. No friend, it is far better to meditate on the Word of God in the area you are believing for, build up your faith and then move in the direction God wants you to and will you feel confident. Jude 1:20 also talks about building up on your most Holy Faith, praying in the Holy Ghost.
Some have said that faith is spelled “RISK”, there might be some things that God wants to do in your life, but you’re going to have to come out of your comfort zone! Oh no Pastor, you’re making it personal now are you saying I’m going to have to co-operate with God and actually do something that might seem scary in the natural realm? Remember when the Apostle Peter got out of the boat? It’s true maybe he wasn’t ready to but remember, he was the only disciple ever recorded to have walked on water and Jesus was there to pick him up when he began to sink. Friend, a farmer will say there’s never a good time to plant, but we must make a move in God’s direction if we are ever to see his plan for our lives, if we don’t sow seed there will be no harvest. It’s time to take a step friend, and God will meet you.
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