Curtis
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Increase Our Faith
Jesus had just finished teaching his Apostles about “forgiving” those who would trespass against them. The Apostles were probably shocked as they were told to forgive even if they were offended by the same person multiple times.
Luke 17:3 Take heed to yourselves: If thy brother trespass against thee, rebuke him; and if he repent, forgive him.
Luke 17:4 And IF HE TRESPASS AGAINST THEE SEVEN TIMES IN A DAY, AND SEVEN TIMES IN A DAY TURN AGAIN TO THEE, SAYING, I REPENT; THOU SHALT FORGIVE HIM.
Luke 17:5 And the apostles said unto the Lord, Increase our faith.
To be able to do this the Apostles asked the Lord to “INCREASE OUR FAITH”. Jesus responds to them by saying.....
Luke 17:6 And the Lord said, IF YE HAD FAITH AS A GRAIN OF MUSTARD SEED, YE MIGHT SAY unto this sycamine tree, Be thou plucked up by the root, and be thou planted in the sea; and it should obey you.
I believe there are two reasons why the Lord used a “MUSTARD SEED” to teach his Apostles. The Word of God is always used as a “seed” in scripture. We are saved by the “seed” of the Word of God. (1 Peter 1:23) The sower soweth the seed (Word of God)(Luke 8:11). That same seed brings faith, as faith comes by hearing the Word of God.(Roman 10:17) The reason a person has faith is because they first had to hear the Word of God. Once faith comes by the Word, that person will speak the same Word of God from where their faith came from. (This is very very important)
2Co 4:13 We having the same SPIRIT OF FAITH, according as it is written, I BELIEVED, AND THEREFORE HAVE I SPOKEN; WE ALSO BELIEVE, AND THEREFORE SPEAK;
The tree Jesus referred to is represented as a tree of “unforgiveness”. If we have faith (not if we had strong enough faith) as a seed we would speak to this unforgiveness to be “plucked up by its roots....”. If we just cut down the tree, and leave the roots it would simply grow back, and we would have to deal with it again later. Unforgiveness is something that is not just between two people, but could involve groups of people at odds with each other.
Heb 12:14 FOLLOW PEACE WITH ALL MEN, and holiness, without which no man shall see the Lord:
Heb 12:15 Looking diligently lest any man fail of the grace of God; LEST ANY ROOT OF BITTERNESS SPRINGING UP TROUBLE YOU, AND THEREBY MANY BE DEFILED;
Not only must this tree of unforgiveness be plucked up by its “ROOTS” it must be “PLANTED IN THE SEA.” If not “PLANTED IN THE SEA” it would eventually be washed back up on the “sea shore”, which means we will have to deal with again later on!!! It is only by FAITH that forgiveness can be given.
The second reason I believe Jesus used a “MUSTARD SEED” to teach his Apostles is because he was showing them that the “SIZE” of faith means absolutely nothing when it comes to faith. You either have faith or you have zero faith!!
When we hear the terms “great faith, “measure of faith”, “increased faith”, “little faith” we mentally associate these terms to “strength” or size of something. These words are also used to describe how many of something you have, and not just its size or strength. Going from one dollar to ten thousand dollars would be a great increase. Little can be thought of as to have fewer of something. The measure of faith would be determined by how much of the Word of God you have in you, as faith comes by the Word of God.
If faith grows from a weak, to medium, to a great faith, then since I was save almost 40 years go, and my faith is much stronger today, does that mean I am more saved today, then I was when I was first saved? Absolutely not!! I was just as saved 40 years ago then I am today. The faith needed back then was exactly the right amount to bring salvation to me, which came by the Word of God. Having a stronger faith today does me no good.
Faith does grow, but not in the sense we think it does. “FAITH DOES NOT GROW IN QUALITY, BUT IN QUANTITY”. Can a man have faith in one area of his life, and not another? Yes he can. Why would so many of God's children be born again by the seed of the Word of God, and yet still not be able to receive healing in their body? If we try and use our “SAVING FAITH” to bring healing to our body, it will not work!!! Saving faith was for salvation only. If I need healing faith then I need to go to the Word of God that tells me this and extract faith from those scriptures, and then apply them to my body!!
“FAITH IS VERY VERY SPECFIC TO THE PROMISE FROM WHERE IT CAME FROM”
Each and every “promise” in the Word of God brings it's own faith to bring it to pass in our life.
I can not use saving faith to bring healing, nor can I use saving faith to believe in God providing all my needs. I have to go to those scriptures that specify these truths so I can get the faith needed to acquire them.
If faith does grow in power than it would be impossible to have faith in one area of my life and not in another, but this is not true. We can have faith in our salvation and have zero faith in other areas of our life all at the same time!!
Mar 9:23 Jesus said unto him, If thou canst believe, all things are possible to him that believeth.
Mar 9:24 And straightway the father of the child cried out, and said with tears, LORD, I BELIEVE; HELP THOU MINE UNBELIEF.
Here we see a father whose son was possessed with a demon. This man said to Jesus, “Lord I believe, help my UNBELIEF!!!” He had “faith”, and “unbelief “ all at the same time. This man “believed” (had faith) that Jesus was the Christ, but had “zero” faith for the deliverance of his son. Why did he not just use his faith in believing that Jesus was Lord to help his son? It would have never worked, he needed help for his unbelief in this area.
Faith does not grow in quality, but in quantity. A MAN OF GREAT FAITH is a man who has faith in his salvation, in his healing, in his believing God to provide all his needs, in being able to accomplish God's call in this life, having faith that God has provided him a job, car, clothing, food....ect....
A MAN OF LITTLE FAITH is the man who only has faith in his salvation, but wants to believe for other things but does not know how to acquire these. His has thought that faith in his salvation was all that is needed to get these things, which is not true.
Faith does not grow vertically in strength by horizontally in quantity!
Jesus had just finished teaching his Apostles about “forgiving” those who would trespass against them. The Apostles were probably shocked as they were told to forgive even if they were offended by the same person multiple times.
Luke 17:3 Take heed to yourselves: If thy brother trespass against thee, rebuke him; and if he repent, forgive him.
Luke 17:4 And IF HE TRESPASS AGAINST THEE SEVEN TIMES IN A DAY, AND SEVEN TIMES IN A DAY TURN AGAIN TO THEE, SAYING, I REPENT; THOU SHALT FORGIVE HIM.
Luke 17:5 And the apostles said unto the Lord, Increase our faith.
To be able to do this the Apostles asked the Lord to “INCREASE OUR FAITH”. Jesus responds to them by saying.....
Luke 17:6 And the Lord said, IF YE HAD FAITH AS A GRAIN OF MUSTARD SEED, YE MIGHT SAY unto this sycamine tree, Be thou plucked up by the root, and be thou planted in the sea; and it should obey you.
I believe there are two reasons why the Lord used a “MUSTARD SEED” to teach his Apostles. The Word of God is always used as a “seed” in scripture. We are saved by the “seed” of the Word of God. (1 Peter 1:23) The sower soweth the seed (Word of God)(Luke 8:11). That same seed brings faith, as faith comes by hearing the Word of God.(Roman 10:17) The reason a person has faith is because they first had to hear the Word of God. Once faith comes by the Word, that person will speak the same Word of God from where their faith came from. (This is very very important)
2Co 4:13 We having the same SPIRIT OF FAITH, according as it is written, I BELIEVED, AND THEREFORE HAVE I SPOKEN; WE ALSO BELIEVE, AND THEREFORE SPEAK;
The tree Jesus referred to is represented as a tree of “unforgiveness”. If we have faith (not if we had strong enough faith) as a seed we would speak to this unforgiveness to be “plucked up by its roots....”. If we just cut down the tree, and leave the roots it would simply grow back, and we would have to deal with it again later. Unforgiveness is something that is not just between two people, but could involve groups of people at odds with each other.
Heb 12:14 FOLLOW PEACE WITH ALL MEN, and holiness, without which no man shall see the Lord:
Heb 12:15 Looking diligently lest any man fail of the grace of God; LEST ANY ROOT OF BITTERNESS SPRINGING UP TROUBLE YOU, AND THEREBY MANY BE DEFILED;
Not only must this tree of unforgiveness be plucked up by its “ROOTS” it must be “PLANTED IN THE SEA.” If not “PLANTED IN THE SEA” it would eventually be washed back up on the “sea shore”, which means we will have to deal with again later on!!! It is only by FAITH that forgiveness can be given.
The second reason I believe Jesus used a “MUSTARD SEED” to teach his Apostles is because he was showing them that the “SIZE” of faith means absolutely nothing when it comes to faith. You either have faith or you have zero faith!!
When we hear the terms “great faith, “measure of faith”, “increased faith”, “little faith” we mentally associate these terms to “strength” or size of something. These words are also used to describe how many of something you have, and not just its size or strength. Going from one dollar to ten thousand dollars would be a great increase. Little can be thought of as to have fewer of something. The measure of faith would be determined by how much of the Word of God you have in you, as faith comes by the Word of God.
If faith grows from a weak, to medium, to a great faith, then since I was save almost 40 years go, and my faith is much stronger today, does that mean I am more saved today, then I was when I was first saved? Absolutely not!! I was just as saved 40 years ago then I am today. The faith needed back then was exactly the right amount to bring salvation to me, which came by the Word of God. Having a stronger faith today does me no good.
Faith does grow, but not in the sense we think it does. “FAITH DOES NOT GROW IN QUALITY, BUT IN QUANTITY”. Can a man have faith in one area of his life, and not another? Yes he can. Why would so many of God's children be born again by the seed of the Word of God, and yet still not be able to receive healing in their body? If we try and use our “SAVING FAITH” to bring healing to our body, it will not work!!! Saving faith was for salvation only. If I need healing faith then I need to go to the Word of God that tells me this and extract faith from those scriptures, and then apply them to my body!!
“FAITH IS VERY VERY SPECFIC TO THE PROMISE FROM WHERE IT CAME FROM”
Each and every “promise” in the Word of God brings it's own faith to bring it to pass in our life.
I can not use saving faith to bring healing, nor can I use saving faith to believe in God providing all my needs. I have to go to those scriptures that specify these truths so I can get the faith needed to acquire them.
If faith does grow in power than it would be impossible to have faith in one area of my life and not in another, but this is not true. We can have faith in our salvation and have zero faith in other areas of our life all at the same time!!
Mar 9:23 Jesus said unto him, If thou canst believe, all things are possible to him that believeth.
Mar 9:24 And straightway the father of the child cried out, and said with tears, LORD, I BELIEVE; HELP THOU MINE UNBELIEF.
Here we see a father whose son was possessed with a demon. This man said to Jesus, “Lord I believe, help my UNBELIEF!!!” He had “faith”, and “unbelief “ all at the same time. This man “believed” (had faith) that Jesus was the Christ, but had “zero” faith for the deliverance of his son. Why did he not just use his faith in believing that Jesus was Lord to help his son? It would have never worked, he needed help for his unbelief in this area.
Faith does not grow in quality, but in quantity. A MAN OF GREAT FAITH is a man who has faith in his salvation, in his healing, in his believing God to provide all his needs, in being able to accomplish God's call in this life, having faith that God has provided him a job, car, clothing, food....ect....
A MAN OF LITTLE FAITH is the man who only has faith in his salvation, but wants to believe for other things but does not know how to acquire these. His has thought that faith in his salvation was all that is needed to get these things, which is not true.
Faith does not grow vertically in strength by horizontally in quantity!
