Two Super Powerful Faith Builders
Faith is a Matter of Focus
Faith is strengthened when we we learn to focus on the right things and think the right thoughts.
We Are All Growing in Faith
Anytime faith is talked about, most of us have one of two reactions. Being human, sometimes we have both of them within a very short time.
- “That’s great!” I don’t have to keep every single commandment to be righteous in God’s sight, to connect with God, or to receive His promises. All of that and more is received by believing that what God says in His word is true.
We are not saved from sin, connected with God, or see great things happen in our lives because we are so perfect, we experience those things because our faith is in the One who is perfect.
Believers don’t have faith in faith, we have faith in the God of creation and miracles.
We are not made right with God because of how good we are, but how good Jesus is.
That’s liberating, encouraging, and empowering!
2. “Uh, oh, if so much of following Jesus is about faith, I’m in trouble because I battle doubts often.”
That’s where reaction #1 is so important. It is faith in God, not how big my faith is.
The famous missionary Hudson Taylor wrote, “I don’t have big faith; I have faith in a big God.”
But ever since Adam and Eve, the sin nature we all deal with, pushes towards doubting God. That’s what led to Adam and Eve eating the forbidden fruit. They doubted God’s words and instead believed the serpent’s words.
This is still the big battle in our world and in our own lives. Who’s words are we going to receive as true?
God understands the struggle we have. We want to believe God, we want to stand strong in faith, but so often circumstances just don’t look like what God said is true and we have these doubts….sometimes really strong ones.
But, just like every other aspect of following Jesus, faith grows.
Two Powerful Faith Builders
So how do we grow strong in faith? There are many aspects to it, but here are two that continue to help me year after year in my own faith journey.
The first practice is built on this reality:
Faith is too a great degree a matter of FOCUS.
Hebrews 11 is entirely about various aspects of God-pleasing faith. It’s so enlightening, however, to see how the writer of Hebrews builds on the faith theme by encouraging us to get rid of any sin and burden that tries to entangle us, run our race with endurance by
“fixing our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of faith….” (Hebrews 12:2a)
When we practice focusing on Jesus more than circumstances, our faith grows stronger even in stressful times. Jesus Himself is both the author and the perfecter (finisher) of faith.
When we learn to focus on Him, He will give us the grace, confidence, peace, and answers we need at each step of the way.
When Peter kept his focus on Jesus, he walked on water. He only sank when he took his eyes off of Jesus and focused instead on the stormy, impossible circumstances.
Please hear this:
Jesus has all the faith you will ever need and He loves to share it with you!
If you look within to see how big your faith is, you will quickly be discouraged and defeated. But if you intentionally and consistently keep your focus on how great, loving, and powerful Jesus is,your faith will grow.
The SECOND big faith builder is this….
Remind yourself that God cannot lie. He is absolutely faithful and trustworthy. This was both Abraham and Sarah’s key to receiving the child of promise (Isaac) when it was physically impossible (Romans 4:18, Hebrews 11:11).
The more we win the battle between our ears, the stronger our faith grows. Reminding ourselves that God can never, ever, ever lie; that what He says is always true is a great way to win the thought battle.
Abraham and Sarah both said to themselves, “God said it, God is faithful, God cannot lie.” Even though it took over two decades, their faith in God’s faithfulness is the reason they eventually received what God had promised.
Keep your focus on Jesus, not your lack of faith or the difficulty of your circumstances. Remind yourself that God is absolutely faithful to every word He has promised.
Your relationship with God will be energized and adventurous as you grow in faith.
If you want more Jesus-centered, faith building resources check out www.TruVineMission.com
If you want training and coaching on how to clarify your God-given purpose and then turn that God-dream into reality take a look at www.MarkFurlongCoaching.com
