Your Faith Has Made You Weak
Yeah, you read that right. It says your faith has made you weak. It sounds counter intuitive considering scripture talks about faith making us more than conquers who can move mountains with the faith of a mustard seed.
Let me start by sharing the link to my video testimony from church about being healed of my hemiplegic migraines.
[embed]https://www.facebook.com/Centerbranch/videos/1408524029171756/[/embed]
This is my healing testimony. A detrimental condition that would have eventually diminished my faculties and made day-to-day life unbearable. Jesus healed me.
You know that scripture about working out your salvation in fear and trembling? (Philippians 2:12) Receiving healing for this condition was an exercise in fear and trembling. Once it connected for me, through the testimony of another, I claimed my healing. I had to faith it, till I made it. Somedays that meant telling my body it was healed, even though it was telling me something far different. As I state in the video, I hung on to the fact my body had to catch up. (After all, Jesus said the spirit is willing and the flesh is weak.) I was delivered through faith and God's abundant mercy. Considering how massive this healing impacts my life, you would think praying for the little stuff would be a walk in the park. But as a human...we have a tendency toward idiocy.
Do you ever find yourself thinking, "This problem is too insignificant, too tiny to trouble God with it." Maybe you don't suffer from that type of thought, but is it part of your actions? I have spent this entire week down with bronchitis. Let's be real, if God can heal cancer, rare neurological diseases...is bronchitis really a big deal to Him. The problem is in our humanity we accept many obstacles and trials as just part of life. We do not stand and take command through the word of God over the little stuff. I found myself praying in that same old, powerless way for my symptoms to lessen. I was not praying in power or authority. I was back to standing before the throne of God saying, "please, if it is not too much trouble, when you get around to it could you let me breathe and sleep again." (Yes, it was whining to God instead of praying.)
The flesh is AMAZINGLY WEAK. I was wallowing in my misery instead of standing on promises. I did not realize the true impact of this until I was not at church last night. I wanted to be there. I wanted to be around my church family and hear God's word in the assembly. I ended up at home. The great thing about a fellowship of believers is they have power to pray you through, even if you are not present. During service I felt a release of the tightness in my chest and I finally slept a few hours last night. My flesh is still weak and my body is processing out this sickness, but my soul is refreshed and I once again claim healing.
I know many of us have wondered how could the disciples doubt or question when they saw first hand the miracles of God. They walked with Jesus. They witnessed the feeding of the 5000, the countless healings and heard the teaching from the Master himself. How could they doubt and question?
Honestly, I think I understand it better now. I was delivered from a rotten, horribly illness that interfered with my life. God did that. I have had other experiences where I know God touched me. I was 15 years old and nearly died from anaphylactic shock due to a drug allergy. The people of God prayed over me and I was delivered without deficits. (This is a long story in itself, but I think I'll ask my Mom to tell it.) I doubted. I ran. I was practicing the tendency to idiocy.
I have thought before it would be so much easier if I could speak to Jesus face-to-face or hear God's voice as crystal clear as Moses. I have experienced God so profoundly and yet I still find myself at times not fully trusting in him. So I have added something to my prayers. "God I trust you. Let that trust deepen. Let my faith be strong." Faith, strong faith, generally comes through trials. Faith was seen in the desperation of the woman with issue of blood. (Matthew 9:20-22) She believe because she had no other option. The thief that was crucified with Jesus, he had faith at the intersection of life and death. He saw there was something different, he wanted what was different but he did not understand it. His faith was at a time of desperation, when Jesus was the ONLY hope he could see.
At some point we have to realize the only hope, the only real hope we have is Jesus. It does not matter if we realize that because we are sick in body, sick in spirit or just at the end of our proverbial rope. Once we realize that is the only way...we have found faith. Through faith we acknowledge that Jesus is the way, the truth, and the life and that believing in him is the ONLY way to get to heaven. Jesus is the only way to achieve strong faith.
I think we can all agree that moving mountains with our faith would make headlines worldwide. However, God is not in show business. Miracles through faith have a purpose. There is no legitimate purpose for me to tell a mountain to get up and move, other than the idea of it being really cool. Love compels all God does and all that we as Christians should be doing. Faith is the result of that great love we have for the Father. In faith, I pray for healing of another...that is miraculous to see them delivered. My point is that God's miracles are not pointless. Yes, moving Mount Everest to another location might attract attention, but it does not feed faith or the love from which faith rises. If you are trying to move mountains, start with those little ones blocking your faith walk.
Share your testimony. We each have a testimony about things God has done for us, even it the only thing we can think of is our salvation story. Write it down. Share it often. Give God glory for what he has done in you. I did not talk about my healing for several months. I kept working it out (the whole fear and trembling element). Once I started to profess it with my mouth, it was easier to hold on to my faith in that healing. As we share our testimonies, we expand our personal faith and impact those around us. Your story is not too small. Your needs are not too small. God can work the miraculous in the tiniest of situations.
We have to be the testimony we want to see in the world. (Yes that is a nod to the attributed Gandhi quote.) Do you crave to hear testimonies of healing, deliverance, prosperity and so on. Then get busy. If God has blessed you, even in small ways...you have to share your testimony. Our faith should make us strong and whole. A lack of faith, which is reflected by a lack of testimony, is weak. We cannot afford to be weak in our faith.
We are called to go into the world and share the good news. (Mark 16:15) Your testimony is your good news. It reflects the love of Christ and opens doors to share the Gospel. Note that it says to share the good news, it does not say brow beat, judge and condemn. As a whole the church needs to get on board with hating the sin and loving the sinner. I promise you this is going to make you uncomfortable until you let the Holy Spirit take the lead. Your flesh and natural mind will fight it. Trust that God has it under control. Faith it, until you make it. That starts with speaking life in every situation. The power of our words is astounding. Telling myself I am healed as I pray, makes an impact. Speaking in faith over circumstances changes those circumstances.
Go back and read the Lord's prayer in Matthew 6:9-13. Not once in that prayer is the tone that of a beggar. Not once do we see the phrase, "please God". The Lord's prayer is full of power. It speaks life, power and forgiveness. I challenge you to write down your prayers for a few days, maybe even a week. Write down your prayer the way you would normally speak it out to God. Now go back and read it. Compare your prayer to the outline of the Lord's prayer. Are you following he instructions to pray as Christ directed? Is your prayer filled with weakness? Now rewrite your prayer. Use the Lord's prayer as your guide. Don't beg. Do not plead. Write your prayer out as a declaration. None of that, "if it's your will" stuff either. Remember, we are to come boldly before the throne. (Ephesians 3:12) Be specific. If what you are asking for is not good, it is not God. Ask God to check your heart for your motivations behind your prayers.. Take time to read about prayer. I first read about prayer in War Room: Battle Plan For Prayer and now in Winning Prayer by David Oyedepo. Prayer is something we have to train for. Just like we prepare our bodies for physical feats like marathons, our mind for exams and our bodies for medical procedures....we have to train ourselves for prayer. Powerful prayer takes preparation.
Let me start by sharing the link to my video testimony from church about being healed of my hemiplegic migraines.
[embed]https://www.facebook.com/Centerbranch/videos/1408524029171756/[/embed]
This is my healing testimony. A detrimental condition that would have eventually diminished my faculties and made day-to-day life unbearable. Jesus healed me.
You know that scripture about working out your salvation in fear and trembling? (Philippians 2:12) Receiving healing for this condition was an exercise in fear and trembling. Once it connected for me, through the testimony of another, I claimed my healing. I had to faith it, till I made it. Somedays that meant telling my body it was healed, even though it was telling me something far different. As I state in the video, I hung on to the fact my body had to catch up. (After all, Jesus said the spirit is willing and the flesh is weak.) I was delivered through faith and God's abundant mercy. Considering how massive this healing impacts my life, you would think praying for the little stuff would be a walk in the park. But as a human...we have a tendency toward idiocy.
Do you ever find yourself thinking, "This problem is too insignificant, too tiny to trouble God with it." Maybe you don't suffer from that type of thought, but is it part of your actions? I have spent this entire week down with bronchitis. Let's be real, if God can heal cancer, rare neurological diseases...is bronchitis really a big deal to Him. The problem is in our humanity we accept many obstacles and trials as just part of life. We do not stand and take command through the word of God over the little stuff. I found myself praying in that same old, powerless way for my symptoms to lessen. I was not praying in power or authority. I was back to standing before the throne of God saying, "please, if it is not too much trouble, when you get around to it could you let me breathe and sleep again." (Yes, it was whining to God instead of praying.)
The flesh is AMAZINGLY WEAK. I was wallowing in my misery instead of standing on promises. I did not realize the true impact of this until I was not at church last night. I wanted to be there. I wanted to be around my church family and hear God's word in the assembly. I ended up at home. The great thing about a fellowship of believers is they have power to pray you through, even if you are not present. During service I felt a release of the tightness in my chest and I finally slept a few hours last night. My flesh is still weak and my body is processing out this sickness, but my soul is refreshed and I once again claim healing.
Questioning The Disciples
I know many of us have wondered how could the disciples doubt or question when they saw first hand the miracles of God. They walked with Jesus. They witnessed the feeding of the 5000, the countless healings and heard the teaching from the Master himself. How could they doubt and question?
Honestly, I think I understand it better now. I was delivered from a rotten, horribly illness that interfered with my life. God did that. I have had other experiences where I know God touched me. I was 15 years old and nearly died from anaphylactic shock due to a drug allergy. The people of God prayed over me and I was delivered without deficits. (This is a long story in itself, but I think I'll ask my Mom to tell it.) I doubted. I ran. I was practicing the tendency to idiocy.
I have thought before it would be so much easier if I could speak to Jesus face-to-face or hear God's voice as crystal clear as Moses. I have experienced God so profoundly and yet I still find myself at times not fully trusting in him. So I have added something to my prayers. "God I trust you. Let that trust deepen. Let my faith be strong." Faith, strong faith, generally comes through trials. Faith was seen in the desperation of the woman with issue of blood. (Matthew 9:20-22) She believe because she had no other option. The thief that was crucified with Jesus, he had faith at the intersection of life and death. He saw there was something different, he wanted what was different but he did not understand it. His faith was at a time of desperation, when Jesus was the ONLY hope he could see.
At some point we have to realize the only hope, the only real hope we have is Jesus. It does not matter if we realize that because we are sick in body, sick in spirit or just at the end of our proverbial rope. Once we realize that is the only way...we have found faith. Through faith we acknowledge that Jesus is the way, the truth, and the life and that believing in him is the ONLY way to get to heaven. Jesus is the only way to achieve strong faith.
A Word on Moving Mountains
I think we can all agree that moving mountains with our faith would make headlines worldwide. However, God is not in show business. Miracles through faith have a purpose. There is no legitimate purpose for me to tell a mountain to get up and move, other than the idea of it being really cool. Love compels all God does and all that we as Christians should be doing. Faith is the result of that great love we have for the Father. In faith, I pray for healing of another...that is miraculous to see them delivered. My point is that God's miracles are not pointless. Yes, moving Mount Everest to another location might attract attention, but it does not feed faith or the love from which faith rises. If you are trying to move mountains, start with those little ones blocking your faith walk.
Share your testimony. We each have a testimony about things God has done for us, even it the only thing we can think of is our salvation story. Write it down. Share it often. Give God glory for what he has done in you. I did not talk about my healing for several months. I kept working it out (the whole fear and trembling element). Once I started to profess it with my mouth, it was easier to hold on to my faith in that healing. As we share our testimonies, we expand our personal faith and impact those around us. Your story is not too small. Your needs are not too small. God can work the miraculous in the tiniest of situations.
We have to be the testimony we want to see in the world. (Yes that is a nod to the attributed Gandhi quote.) Do you crave to hear testimonies of healing, deliverance, prosperity and so on. Then get busy. If God has blessed you, even in small ways...you have to share your testimony. Our faith should make us strong and whole. A lack of faith, which is reflected by a lack of testimony, is weak. We cannot afford to be weak in our faith.
We are called to go into the world and share the good news. (Mark 16:15) Your testimony is your good news. It reflects the love of Christ and opens doors to share the Gospel. Note that it says to share the good news, it does not say brow beat, judge and condemn. As a whole the church needs to get on board with hating the sin and loving the sinner. I promise you this is going to make you uncomfortable until you let the Holy Spirit take the lead. Your flesh and natural mind will fight it. Trust that God has it under control. Faith it, until you make it. That starts with speaking life in every situation. The power of our words is astounding. Telling myself I am healed as I pray, makes an impact. Speaking in faith over circumstances changes those circumstances.
No Pleas in Prayers
Go back and read the Lord's prayer in Matthew 6:9-13. Not once in that prayer is the tone that of a beggar. Not once do we see the phrase, "please God". The Lord's prayer is full of power. It speaks life, power and forgiveness. I challenge you to write down your prayers for a few days, maybe even a week. Write down your prayer the way you would normally speak it out to God. Now go back and read it. Compare your prayer to the outline of the Lord's prayer. Are you following he instructions to pray as Christ directed? Is your prayer filled with weakness? Now rewrite your prayer. Use the Lord's prayer as your guide. Don't beg. Do not plead. Write your prayer out as a declaration. None of that, "if it's your will" stuff either. Remember, we are to come boldly before the throne. (Ephesians 3:12) Be specific. If what you are asking for is not good, it is not God. Ask God to check your heart for your motivations behind your prayers.. Take time to read about prayer. I first read about prayer in War Room: Battle Plan For Prayer and now in Winning Prayer by David Oyedepo. Prayer is something we have to train for. Just like we prepare our bodies for physical feats like marathons, our mind for exams and our bodies for medical procedures....we have to train ourselves for prayer. Powerful prayer takes preparation.
Love God. Have Faith. Share your Testimony. Learn to Pray. Do not let your faith be weak!
Faith as a mustard seed. It means you don't have a backup plan. Complete faith IS the plan. It often happens when we are at our lowest and all resources have been expended. Why do we wait so long? Oh me of little faith. I have learned to have faith in His plan from the start and to let Him lead me even through the valley of the shadow of death (believe me it can be scary there) with no fear of evil. I have faith in Him from the start although I do have to catch myself to not fall into the trap of trying to figure out a backup plan!
ReplyDeleteThat is part of my struggle...i want to make a back up plan. I want to answer the "what ifs". Working it out as I trust in him.
ReplyDeleteI love you