Faith More Than Believing

Genie in a Bottle

In 1992 I encountered (at that time) something radical. It was a little lamp you would rub it and out would pop this spirit thing that was a slave to this lamp.

I have to mention I was not allowed to watch this movie because of the spiritual implications. Of course I was 8 and knew better.

Almost 29 years later and I realize the movie is playing out in real life. Today many think that if we pray hard enough, at the right time, in the prescribed order this genie appears to do our bidding on our time in the way we want it done.

Many believe faith is simply blindly believing, while faith defies logic, we have a certainty of the things we do not yet see.

Faith is more than believing or wishing on a star, Faith is something we have heard, believed and RESPONDED to

Luke 8:43–44 ESV

And there was a woman who had had a discharge of blood for twelve years, and though she had spent all her living on physicians, she could not be healed by anyone. She came up behind him and touched the fringe of his garment, and immediately her discharge of blood ceased.

Jesus was walking through a very busy street this woman who appeared hopeless

Sees Jesus

Believes what she has heard

Responds to Him

She serves as a great example to what faith is and what it is not.

she could have sat back and said I know He will heal me… Instead she presses deep against the current

how many of us have simply said “oh I believe so its enough?”

What is Faith

3 Important facts about faith

Hebrews 11:1 ESV

Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen.

Faith is certainty about not just our Beliefs but our Actions in what we look forward to

Living into What We Believe

I know that I know...

the steps to live into what we have claimed to know

how we exemplify why we believe what we believe

Faith is (conviction) cross examine to bear proof of things not yet seen

Faith is pressing wholly into what we believe

conviction is

cross examined, proofed, its the living out (it is not blind)

Hebrews 11:6 ESV

And without faith it is impossible to please him, for whoever would draw near to God must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who seek him.

faith is a necessity in our relationship with the Lord

John 20:29 Jesus asks a question

do you believe only when you see?

The unspoken would be do you stop believing when you do not see?

We are praying for a land lot to build a church building. The vision is as wide as it is deep. Praying into this land and contending for it there is are several realizations (a) the area of the land is large (10ac to be exact) (b) the land is expensive (c) the price continues to rise.

My physical eyes see as follows: (1) why do you need so big a land, can’t you settle for something smaller? (2) you do not have the funds for the land much less the building (3) if land prices continue to rise how in the world am I going to afford it? (4) look at your congregation you top out at 30 people when everyone shows up. Why do you bother with such a big dream?

My spirit sees as follows (1) God has placed a large vision in you it defies logic and will serve His purpose (2) If God has promised He will provide (3) My God is the creator of heaven and earth (4) time and time again God sends a messenger in the most opportune time to re-affirm this vision to dream big, time and time again He reminds me the vision is not mine it belongs to Him

So I have a choice walk according to my physical eyes or walk in Faith according to what He has promised

Formula for Faith

Faith then can be formulated as follows

Hearing, and reading the Word of God

Believing as (1) we believe and (2) believe into

Responding to what we believe

confession

Walking in line as if it already was

Faith in Action

Mark 5:25–29 ESV

And there was a woman who had had a discharge of blood for twelve years, and who had suffered much under many physicians, and had spent all that she had, and was no better but rather grew worse. She had heard the reports about Jesus and came up behind him in the crowd and touched his garment. For she said, “If I touch even his garments, I will be made well.” And immediately the flow of blood dried up, and she felt in her body that she was healed of her disease.

This woman had a problem she had turned to the most logical source for help (our natural tendency)

not once but many times

she got worse

She heard and Believed (the spiritual imperative)

she even came up with the plan

Jesus perceives the transfer of power

The woman was the least likely to be able to come near to him in this situation…

Mark 5:33–34 ESV

But the woman, knowing what had happened to her, came in fear and trembling and fell down before him and told him the whole truth. And he said to her, “Daughter, your faith has made you well; go in peace, and be healed of your disease.”

transfer of power occured because of her faith

She heard, she believed, she responds

she confesses of what Jesus has done in her life

Allusion to what happens in the upper room Acts 1-2

the disciples not only heard but responded

We do not serve a genie God who caters to our need, but out Faith is in a God who makes the impossible possible

We serve a God who is creator if Heaven and Earth, and yet His power and majesty defies our logic

This God exemplifies to us His power in the measure that we are willing walk in line with Him.