How To Develop Your Faith

 

Today is the last Sunday in the month of July 2003. This month has been declared as our month of good report. However, I want you to know that your good report will not end this month in Jesus' name. You will continue to have good report as long as you are alive. Amen!

As you know, there is only one way by which you can obtain good report and it is by FAITH.

Heb 11:1-2 say, "Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. For by it the elders obtained a good report." -KJV

Good report is with those who walk by faith and not by sight.

• 2 Cor 5:7 "For we walk by faith, not by sight." -NKJV

• 2 Cor 5:7 "We live by faith, not by sight". -NIV

The way you walk is the way you live. If your walk is with the Lord, then your life is with the Lord. That is why we need to be careful of how we walk. If you walk by faith, you will have good report, but if you walk by sight you will have reports.

If we know that we cannot have good report except by faith, then we should know how to develop our faith. Since we all want good report and not just report, then we must know how to develop our faith. As your faith develops, so is your good report will be increasing and become more frequent.

Why is it that some faith produce and others don't? Why is it that some people are having good reports and others are having reports? There is a big difference between report and good report. Which one do you want? You will have good report in the name of Jesus!

The reason why some faith produce and others don't is because faith is in degrees. Faith is in measure. This morning I want to show you how you can develop your faith. Because faith is in measure you will need to develop your faith to cope with the challenges as they come so that you can obtain testimony or good report.

Romans 12:3 "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." -KJV

From this passage we see that faith is in measure. God gave faith to us in measure. However, I do not want you to think that God is partial to some by giving them more measure of faith than others. God is a just God and He shows no favoritism to anybody.

We all start out with the same measure of faith. Eph 2:8 say "For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves…" -NKJV

You got saved through faith, which means that God deposited faith into you in the beginning and that is why you got saved in the first instance. There is a measure of faith that God has dealt with every man.

Now how did you contact the first measure of faith that came into your life?

Rom 10:17 "So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God." -NKJV

The first measure of faith came into your life as you were hearing the word of God. Therefore, faith is available to every saved person. It was faith that became alive in you that causes you to confess Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior. Romans 10:8 say, "The word is near you, in your mouth and in your heart" (that is, the word of faith which we preach):" -NKJV

Also, your first confession of Christ is faith. You confess faith in Jesus Christ! Therefore faith is available in the life of every saved person.

That is why it is very important for you to be careful of what you are listening to and from whom you are hearing from. Not every good talk is faith talk. Not every sermon is faith sermon. Not every "Christian" talk is capable of birthing faith into your life. As a matter of fact very many "Christian" talk are not faith talk. They are product of vain pursuit of knowledge, books, philosophy, psychology and/or science.

Romans 14:23 say, "for whatever is not from faith is sin." -NKJV.

Heb 11:5-6 "But without faith it is impossible to please Him…(God)" -NKJV

Faith is a measurable quantity. You can measure faith. Faith is in degrees which means faith can grow. Faith is like a little baby. You cannot add to the baby but if properly fed and taken care of, the baby can grow to become a strong man. So also is faith. If properly nourished and developed, your faith can grow.

MEASURES OF FAITH

NO FAITH.

Deut 32:20 "And He said: 'I will hide My face from them, I will see what their end will be, For they are a perverse generation, Children in whom is no faith." -NKJV

Now let me explain to you that these people started with faith, which is why He could call them children. But they ended up with no faith. These people were the children of Israel whom the Lord had done wonderful things amongst them. But they were walking in rebellion. Before you came to Christ you were without faith and it is faith that brought you into salvation. You are saved by grace through faith.

However, you can return to NO FAITH even after you had received a measure of faith. Look at Mark 4:35-41 "On the same day, when evening had come, He said to them, "Let us cross over to the other side." 36 Now when they had left the multitude, they took Him along in the boat as He was. And other little boats were also with Him. 37 And a great windstorm arose, and the waves beat into the boat, so that it was already filling. 38 But He was in the stern, asleep on a pillow. And they awoke Him and said to Him,"Teacher, do You not care that we are perishing?" 39 Then He arose and rebuked the wind, and said to the sea, "Peace, be still!" And the wind ceased and there was a great calm. 40 But He said to them, "Why are you so fearful? How is it that you have no faith?" 41 And they feared exceedingly, and said to one another, "Who can this be, that even the wind and the sea obey Him!""

-NKJV

Also, let us see Luke 22:31-32 "And the Lord said, "Simon, Simon! Indeed, Satan has asked for you, that he may sift you as wheat. 32 But I have prayed for you, that your faith should not fail; and when you have returned to Me, strengthen your brethren." -NKJV

The first thing Satan attacks in the life of a believer is the faith of such believer. Satan always wants to make sure that our faith fails. Faith is the heart of our spiritual life, so if faith fails, spiritual life is gone!

When you operate under "No faith" situation, you become a cheap victim of the enemy. You become defenseless, totally helpless. Only the shield of faith can handle the destructive arrows of the enemy. Eph 6:16 say, "above all, taking the shield of faith with which you will be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked one." -NKJV

LITTLE FAITH.

In Matt 6:30 "Now if God so clothes the grass of the field, which today is, and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will He not much more clothe you, O you of little faith?" -NKJV

Many people operate under little faith. It is evident by the way they live their lives. They worry about everything and cause other people to worry as well.

Each time we take our eyes off Jesus, we always find ourselves operating under little faith realm. Little faith is vulnerable to doubt when confronted with great challenges. Peter took his eyes off Jesus as he was walking on water and was rebuked for having little faith.

Matt 14:29-30 "So He said, "Come." And when Peter had come down out of the boat, he walked on the water to go to Jesus. 30 But when he saw that the wind was boisterous, he was afraid; and beginning to sink he cried out, saying, "Lord, save me!"" -NKJV

Matt 8:23-27 "Now when He got into a boat, His disciples followed Him. 24 And suddenly a great tempest arose on the sea, so that the boat was covered with the waves. But He was asleep. 25 Then His disciples came to Him and awoke Him, saying, "Lord, save us! We are perishing!" 26 But He said to them, "Why are you fearful, O you of little faith?" Then He arose and rebuked the winds and the sea, and there was a great calm." -NKJV

Notice that in each cases it was the wind or the tempest. Tempest is caused by wind traveling between 64 to 72 miles per hour. In both cases it was still the wind. Let me tell you, little faith will not be able to stand the storm or tempest of life. That is why you need to develop your faith.

GREAT FAITH

Matthew 8:5-10 say, "Now when Jesus had entered Capernaum, a centurion came to Him, pleading with Him, 6 saying, "Lord, my servant is lying at home paralyzed, dreadfully tormented." 7 And Jesus said to him, "I will come and heal him." 8 The centurion answered and said, "Lord, I am not worthy that You should come under my roof. But only speak a word, and my servant will be healed. 9 For I also am a man under authority, having soldiers under me. And I say to this one, 'Go,' and he goes; and to another, 'Come,' and he comes; and to my servant, 'Do this,' and he does it." 10 When Jesus heard it, He marveled, and said to those who followed, "Assuredly, I say to you, I have not found such great faith, not even in Israel!" -NKJV

Note this points about Great Faith:

1.  

1. Great faith is a simple faith and simple faith goes to Jesus. "A centurion came to Him."

2. Great faith is humble. "I am not worthy that You should come under my roof."

3. Great faith is totally committed to the word of God. "only speak a word, and my servant will be healed."

4. Great Faith is not presumptuous. "I am under the authority of my superior officers, and I have authority over my men." -TLB

MOVING FROM FAITH TO GREAT FAITH.

Since we know that faith is in degrees, how then can we moved from Little Faith to Great Faith

1. Feed your faith on the word of God.

   i. Romans 10:17 say, "So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God." -NKJV ii. You must feed on the word of God on a daily basis. Faith will become active in you when the word of God is active in you. iii.John 15:7-8 "If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you, you will ask what you desire, and it shall be done for you. 8 By this My Father is glorified…" -NKJV iv. Faith is a living force that can only be obtained and developed through the living word of God.
    
2. Exercise your faith.
   
   Whatever you do not use over a period of time will start to rot. If you do not use your faith you will lose it. It will become weak faith and ultimately will die. Commit your ways into the hands of the Lord and stop worrying. Obedience is the only parameter to measure how you are exercising your faith.
    
3. Hang out with people who believe what you believe.
   
   This is very important because your faith needs to be constantly reinforced. If you hang out with those who walk by sight you too will soon begin to doubt the word of God. As soon as doubt comes, it disqualifies you from good report.
   James 1:6-8 "…for he who doubts is like a wave of the sea driven and tossed by the wind. 7 For let not that man suppose that he will receive anything from the Lord; 8 he is a double-minded man, unstable in all his ways." -NKJV
    
4. Be patient
   
   Romans 4:13-22 say, "For the promise, that he should be the heir of the world, was not to Abraham, or to his seed, through the law, but through the righteousness of faith.14 For if they which are of the law be heirs, faith is made void, and the promise made of none effect: 15 Because the law worketh wrath: for where no law is, there is no transgression. 16 Therefore it is of faith, that it might be by grace; to the end the promise might be sure to all the seed; not to that only which is of the law, but to that also which is of the faith of Abraham; who is the father of us all, 17(As it is written, I have made thee a father of many nations,) before him whom he believed, even God, who quickeneth the dead, and calleth those things which be not as though they were. 18 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. 19 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: 20 He staggered not at the promise of God through unbelief; but was strong in faith, giving glory to God; 21 And being fully persuaded that, what he had promised, he was able also to perform. 22 And therefore it was imputed to him for righteousness". -KJV

   Abraham waited for 25 years after the promise before he obtained the promise. James 1:3-4 say, "knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience. 4 But let patience have its perfect work, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing." -NKJV

   Your faith will be tested. It is only when you pass the test that you can move to the next measure of faith. God will never mismanage your life, He will not let you down. Surrender all to Him this morning and walk with God to obtain good report.