Growth in Faith
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God calls his people to grow in faith. Faith grows as a result of learning to trust in God’s willingness and ability to work in our lives. When we read the Bible, it strengthens our faith to see how God worked in the lives of other people. Faith comes by hearing the word of God.
14 And when he came to his disciples, he saw a great multitude about them, and the scribes questioning with them.
15 And straightway all the people, when they beheld him, were greatly amazed, and running to him saluted him.
16 And he asked the scribes, What question ye with them?
17 And one of the multitude answered and said, Master, I have brought unto thee my son, which hath a dumb spirit;
18 And wheresoever he taketh him, he teareth him: and he foameth, and gnasheth with his teeth, and pineth away: and I spake to thy disciples that they should cast him out; and they could not.
19 He answereth him, and saith, O faithless generation, how long shall I be with you? how long shall I suffer you? bring him unto me.
20 And they brought him unto him: and when he saw him, straightway the spirit tare him; and he fell on the ground, and wallowed foaming.
21 And he asked his father, How long is it ago since this came unto him? And he said, Of a child.
22 And ofttimes it hath cast him into the fire, and into the waters, to destroy him: but if thou canst do any thing, have compassion on us, and help us.
23 Jesus said unto him, If thou canst believe, all things are possible to him that believeth.
24 And straightway the father of the child cried out, and said with tears, Lord, I believe; help thou mine unbelief.
25 When Jesus saw that the people came running together, he rebuked the foul spirit, saying unto him, Thou dumb and deaf spirit, I charge thee, come out of him, and enter no more into him.
26 And the spirit cried, and rent him sore, and came out of him: and he was as one dead; insomuch that many said, He is dead.
27 But Jesus took him by the hand, and lifted him up; and he arose.
28 And when he was come into the house, his disciples asked him privately, Why could not we cast him out?
29 And he said unto them, This kind can come forth by nothing, but by prayer and fasting.
There are times in our lives that we lack in our faith. Life’s trouble’s ware on our ability to trust in God’s power.
Mark gives us the detail of a young man’s troubled situation. It is obvious the father of the boy was helpless and hopeless. He brought the boy to the disciples and they were “not strong enough” to help. In verse 19, Jesus quotes , which references God’s patient endurance of the faithlessness of the Israelite generation of the wandering. The disciples not only failed to have faith, but they lacked the discipline of prayer.
The effectiveness of prayer depends on the faith of the one praying.
This passage puts the emphasis where it should be, on the unlimited power of God in whom faith is placed; it rules out the suggestion that any force, certainly not the present demonic opposition, can be too much for God.
Self doubt is in all of us. We face oppositions that reveal our unbelief. The boy’s father was firm in his belief that Jesus had compassion and was willing to give it, but Jesus tells him all things are possible to him who believe.
The problem is not divine unwillingness or divine inability but human unbelief.
The father cried out, Lord, I believe; but help my unbelief.” True faith takes no confidence in itself, nor does it judge Jesus (God) by the weakness of his followers. It looks to the more powerful one who stands in the place of God, whose authoritative word restores life from chaos. True faith is unconditional openness to God, a decision in the face of all to the contrary that Jesus is able and willing.
Therefore, believers must depend on Christ to develop their faith. Our faith is to grow in Christ knowing his power and ability is beyond human comprehension.
Praying for more Faith
Praying for more Faith
Luke 17:
And the apostles said unto the Lord, Increase our faith.
Should we pray for faith?
The Encouragement of Others
The Encouragement of Others
Dictionary of Bible Themes 8026 faith, growth in
1Th 3:10
Night and day praying exceedingly that we might see your face, and might perfect that which is lacking in your faith?
But I have prayed for thee, that thy faith fail not: and when thou art converted, strengthen thy brethren.
luke
For I long to see you, that I may impart unto you some spiritual gift, to the end you may be established; That is, that I may be comforted together with you by the mutual faith both of you and me.
Faith is strengthened through testing
Faith is strengthened through testing
Romans 4:
Who against hope believed in hope, that he might become the father of many nations; according to that which was spoken, So shall thy seed be. And being not weak in faith, he considered not his own body now dead, when he was about an hundred years old, neither yet the deadness of Sara’s womb: He staggered not at the promise of God through unbelief; but was strong in faith, giving glory to God; And being fully persuaded that, what he had promised, he was able also to perform.
My brethren, count it all joy when ye fall into divers temptations; Knowing this, that the trying of your faith worketh patience. But let patience have her perfect work, that ye may be perfect and entire, wanting nothing.
Wherein ye greatly rejoice, though now for a season, if need be, ye are in heaviness through manifold temptations: That the trial of your faith, being much more precious than of gold that perisheth, though it be tried with fire, might be found unto praise and honour and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ:
1500 Illustrations for Biblical Preaching Faith, Development Of
The desert is seemingly void of all life, but given a little rainfall, life springs into existence and beauty. Life is there, but it is dormant. Unbelief is like that. It is the desert of one’s being. But the potential for life is there and needs only to be watered by faith to spring into existence and beauty.452
George Muller, a great man of faith, once said, “God delights to increase the faith of His children. We ought, instead of wanting no trials before victory, no exercise for patience, to be willing to take them from God’s hand as a means. I say—and say it deliberately—trials, obstacles, difficulties, and sometimes defeats, are the very food of faith.”