Faith for Miracles

 

If only I had faith!

If only I had enough faith!

If only my faith was strong and not wavering!

Then maybe, I would have been healed by now!

Then maybe, I would have a better job!

Then maybe I think God would answer my prayers!

Then maybe, things would have changed for the better for me and my family!

Do these thought lines seem similar? Sometimes you might have these thoughts and more, running wild in your mind; with the increase of preachers making even more emphasis on the importance of faith.

Perhaps you are struggling, trying to make ends meet, maybe you have a health challenge or a need in any area and you’ve prayed and even fasted but no change has occurred, and you’re wondering what could be the problem.

Maybe it’s a lack of faith or inadequate faith!

Maybe you’ve not prayed enough or fasted enough!

Maybe because of one sin or the other!

Let’s take a break from thinking for a while and let’s talk.

 It is my prayer for you that before the end of our discussion you will find the answers you seek and even the miracles you’ve been expecting and praying for.

It is not a coincidence that you’re reading this article but I believe the Lord wants to give you an assurance and a hope for the future.

FAITH!

Faith is very important in our walk with the Lord, but faith is only a fruit, it is not the plant itself.

How do you get a fruit? You put the seed in the ground, water it, and allow it to grow right? We don’t get a fruit by focusing on the fruit, we get a fruit by focusing on the plant and making sure it’s watered and it’s getting enough nutrients.

Don’t you agree?

Yes of course!

Now that’s just an allegory so don’t ask me to show you in the Bible!

“Faith" is what you get when you hear about Jesus. Trying to muster faith will not create or bring “faith" focusing on faith and trying your best to get faith will not give you faith.

Faith only comes by hearing about Jesus! (Rom. 10:17 NASB)

So don’t look for faith, look for Jesus, tune in to podcasts and sermons that talk about Him, and read articles and books that talk about Jesus. And by the end of it all, you’ll come out having faith!

I have a Question for you!

Who or what performs miracles, “Faith" or “Jesus"?

Now that sounded like a trick question,  right?

Yes, a trick question indeed; I understand that it is because of faith that Jesus performs miracles for people.

Because even in the scriptures, Jesus makes allusions or direct mention that it is because of the faith of a person that is why that person is healed or made whole!

Well, you’re not wrong! But that’s also why most people don’t get their healing or miracle because they believe that they have to have  “Faith” before coming to “Jesus" or before they ask something from the Father (prayer)

I just want to drop a bombshell here and we’ll pick up the pieces later:

You don’t have to have faith before coming to Jesus!

You don’t have to have faith before you can ask Jesus to help you or deliver you!

Just come to Him and Just ask Him for help that’s all you need to do.

Well, enough trick questions and logic let’s dive right into a story I believe will make things clearer:

Don’t be afraid, the story is in the Bible

Don’t go off yet, I know you might be angry already because of some things I said or because of the “bombshell" but stay with me and let’s pick the pieces together!

THE WOMAN WHO BLED FOR 12 YEARS

There was a certain woman who was sick; who had a flow for 12 years.

Just imagine that! Bleeding for 12 years not 12 days, or 12 months but 12 years!

The scripture says that she not only had a Terrible condition but “and had suffered many things of many physicians,  and had spent all she had, and was nothing bettered, but rather grew worse"

So she was not only physically challenged but emotionally and financially. I bet all her friends might have left her at this point because the scripture says “she never grew better but rather grew worse”(paraphrasing)

For 12 years things were bad with her, I believe she would have wondered what had caused it; maybe her sins, maybe her parent's sins, maybe because she wasn’t praying enough or fasting enough, maybe she wasn’t giving to the poor, and whatnot.

The bottom line is she had a condition that never got better but rather only grew worse despite several attempts to better it.

Then one day everything changed;

“When she heard about Jesus, she came behind Him in the crowd and touched His garment. For she said, “If only I may touch His clothes, I shall be made well.” Immediately the fountain of her blood was dried up, and she felt in her body that she was healed of the affliction…”

“… And He said to her, “Daughter, your faith has made you well. Go in peace, and be healed of your affliction.”

Mark 5:27-29, 34 NKJV (boldface mine)

You have read all that, what do you think she was conscious of? Her faith? Or Jesus?

I submit to you, she probably didn’t even think if she had faith or not, all she was thinking about was “what she heard about Jesus" it was Jesus who turned around and saw her “faith"

It is not your place or your part to check yourself if you have enough faith or not!

Your part is to keep hearing about Jesus, keep hearing about just how much you’re loved and how much He wants to heal you and make you whole. He is willing and able to provide for all your needs.

There is a beautiful verse that brings this out in Galatians 3:5

Therefore He who supplies the Spirit to you and works miracles among you, does He do it by the works of the law, or by the hearing of faith?—

Galatians 3:5 NKJV

The beauty of this verse is the word “supplies" which is in the present active participle (Greek tense) which means God is always supplying you with His spirit even right now.

Sometimes you might hear someone say “Mehn! Back in the day I use to be so full of the Holy Spirit but now …” he is saying in essence that maybe The Holy Spirit leaked somewhere, but the truth is God who gave you the Spirit is always supplying you with the Spirit, so you’re always full of the Spirit because He is always supplying you with the Spirit 24/7.

Another beauty about this verse is the word “works" which is also in the present active participle (Greek tense) which means God is constantly working miracles among you, in you, and for you. He is not going to do it, He is already doing it, healing you, uplifting you, giving you that favour you need with your boss, and sending the supplies you need for your business, your education, your marriage, and your life. He is always in a “working and supplying mood"

Your part in all these is to believe in His goodness of always supplying and working things for your good and you’ll receive everything He has for you and your family.

But Morgrace! Why does God do all these things for me, like supplying me with His Spirit and Working miracles for me every day and every second? I am not that good, I don’t deserve all these goodness every day.

Yes you’re right you’re not that good and you don’t deserve it, even I don’t deserve it, but He keeps doing it anyway because He loves us so much. And we receive and receive even more when we choose to keep hearing about Jesus and His love towards us.

That verse we read went on to say:

… does He do it by the works of the law, or by the hearing of faith?—

Hearing of faith here means hearing about Jesus and His finished work.

So keep hearing about Jesus, keep reading about Jesus, and if it is a miracle you want, it is a miracle you’ll get, if it is healing you want, it is healing you’ll get, if it is a breakthrough you want, a breakthrough is what you’ll get. whatsoever thing you want you’ll get it just by Hearing and Hearing about Jesus.

So faith comes from hearing, and hearing by the word of Christ.

Romans 10:17 NASB1995

Morgrace! You don’t understand my situation is bleak, I don’t think there is any light at the end of this tunnel! I’ve been in this condition for so long already!

Don’t worry just keep hearing about Jesus!

But Morgrace! I have heard about Jesus before Isn’t that enough?

The verse says hearing, and hearing. Not “heard” or "having heard” so keep your “hearing” in the present tense. It means every day we need to hear about Jesus and His finished work.

In the Lord’s prayer, it says “give us this day our daily bread” not our weekly bread.

Just one hearing on Sunday is not enough, we need to hear about Him everyday day.

Jesus said “I am the bread of Life" so every day we need to eat this bread and overflow with His abundant life.

In conclusion, if you look for faith inside yourself chances are you will be disappointed because all you will see, are your faults and failings, your mistakes, and all the reasons why God should not hear you. So look away from self and look to Christ.

But Morgrace! Wait o, Faith without works is dead o!

Am glad you pointed that out, but it is my intention not to make this discussion long However some questions just keep begging for answers. So please don’t go off yet let me answer this question as briefly as I can.

Let’s use the story of the woman who bled for 12 years:

The woman we saw in the scriptures did she have “works"?

Yes, she did!

When she heard about Jesus she came, pressed behind, and touched His garment (that is her works)

I have a question for you:

What if she just came and touched Jesus without having heard what she heard about Him, will she be healed?

I submit to you nothing would have happened because the scripture says:

“So Jesus went with him, and a great multitude followed Him and thronged Him…

… And Jesus, immediately knowing in Himself that power had gone out of Him, turned around in the crowd and said, “Who touched My clothes?” But His disciples said to Him, “You see the multitude thronging You, and You say, ‘Who touched Me?’ ”

Mark 5:24, 30-31 NKJV (Boldface mine)

So many other people were touching Jesus (they might even have touched other significant parts of His figure, like his hands or even his shoulders), but nothing significant happened to them.

However, this woman hearing about Jesus only touched the hem of His garment and was made whole, the key is in What she heard about Jesus.

Do not worry about “works" or “faith" your part is to keep hearing the truth about Jesus and “Faith and works” will come effortlessly.

However, if you focus on “works”, you will be depressed and sad because no amount of "works" can heal you, prosper you, or give you the miracle you’re expecting! Only Jesus can. It is not about You, it is all about Him.

I alluded to hearing the truth about Jesus I would like to make that clear as I conclude our discussion

Jesus said;

“…And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.”

John 8:32 NKJV

He also said in another place;

… “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.”

John 14:6 NKJV

He was saying in effect, “it is The truth about Me (Jesus) that will set you free” free from every bondage of the enemy, free from lack, free from oppression, free from sickness and disease, free from all the wiles of the wicked, free from addictions, Free!

We’ve heard so many lies about Jesus and that has put a wall between us and Him, it has hampered our relationship with him and has made us unable to receive all that He has paid for us to receive at the cross.

There are some sure ways I would like to show you to help you know when you’re hearing a lie about Jesus!

·        It doesn’t make you free

·        It makes you more fearful and scared to approach Him

·        It makes you conscious of yourself, your faults and imperfections

Look at the woman who bled for 12 years, what do you think she heard about Jesus?

Because it was what she heard that made her come boldly through the crowd although at that point in her life she was considered “unclean” (see lev. 15).

And probably smelled bad because of the blood that kept coming out from her body, but she came regardless and she received healing.

The Lord doesn’t want you to live life fearful and scared because of your past, your mistakes, and failures;

“… because fear has torment" (1 John 4:18).

He wants you to be perfected by His perfect Love.

You don’t need to meet any requirements or status before you can receive from Jesus.

When Jesus walked on Earth all those who received from Him were, tax collectors, prostitutes, liars, thieves, sinners, and all those who did not have their lives altogether.

Jesus never in any instances said to any one of them “go and reconcile with your wife else I can’t heal you"

He never said “go and do restitution else I can’t come to your house"

He never said “go and get your life all together else I am not casting that devil out of you"

The scripture says:

Great crowds came to him, bringing the lame, the blind, the crippled, the mute, and many others, and laid them at his feet; and he healed them.

Matthew 15:30 NIV (boldface mine).

You know what is great crowds right? Or you can imagine “great crowds" Jesus healed every single one of them. I believe most of them had one fault or the other, but He healed them all.

Jesus is the same yesterday, today, and forever; come boldly and receive His goodness and supply.

I pray that whatsoever has held you bound gives way right now in Jesus Name. You’re healed from every sickness and disease, and I declare the Lord’s supply upon you and everything you touch to do in Jesus name, Amen.

Thank you Morgrace! But I can’t help thinking about what you said before; we don’t need faith to pray and whatnot! But the Bible says without faith it is impossible to please God; how do you explain that?

I understand your concern and confusion however, the reason I said that, was because I didn’t want you to see faith as a “work” that is, something to do or perform because that would hinder you from receiving from the Lord.

Pray even when you don’t feel you have the faith, ask even when you think your faith is wavering, and let God be God. Let him do what He does best which is answering you above all you think or expect.

God is not limited by the amount of faith you have, He only wants you to ask and watch Him be God for you.

Am sure you’ve been blessed!

I will be sure to explain Hebrews 11:6 in subsequent articles but for now, am glad you stayed till the end.

Thank you for reading.

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