THE SUBSTANCE OF FAITH

Jesus had returned to his hometown and this was said of His return:

So He was not able to do any miracles there, except that He laid His hands on a few sick people and healed them. And He was amazed at their unbelief (Mark 6:6-7).

I am pretty sure Jesus knew what He was getting into when He was sent to earth. On the other hand, He grew up from an infant and surely discovered things along the way. It is interesting that unbelief amazed Him so much. Jesus was full of faith and found Himself taken back by those who had little or no faith. Repeatedly in the gospels things about Jesus and faith are said like:

• Where is your faith?
• If you have the faith of a mustard seed you can move a mountain
• Your faith has healed you
• Everything is possible to him who believes
• If you do not doubt in your heart but believe what you say
• Jesus marveled at her faith
• Believe that you have received them and you will have them
• You couldn’t drive out the demon because of your little faith

I wonder if Jesus is ever amazed at my unbelief. I am ashamed that sometimes I doubt instead of believe. God has chosen faith to be the substance that is used to receive things like salvation, healing and deliverance. Consider the biblical definition of faith:

Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen (Hebrews 11:1).

Faith seems to be an elusive thing that we reach for but often just can’t quite touch it. But apparently it is possible to have faith that produces results because Jesus made such a big deal of believing and not doubting. Even though we can’t see faith we can see the results of it, or the results of a lack of it. The Bible says it is a substance that produces results.

So much is accomplished because of faith. So little is accomplished because of unbelief. Faith opens the door to great things. Unbelief slams the door shut on great things.

I am convinced that we Christians could do much more for the kingdom of God and in the name of Jesus if we could get the victory and have faith instead of unbelief! The Bible says what it says and I believe it is true: With faith we get things and see results and with doubt we don’t. The reason we often don’t see spectacular answers to prayer like in the Bible is our lack of true faith. We have “little faith”. And it must be pretty little because even the faith of a mustard seed gets things done.

We read repeatedly in the Bible that multitudes were healed because of faith. I think one reason for sure we don’t often see multitudes healed is because we doubt that they will be healed or doubt that God is willing to heal. The number one reason I see in the Bible that I am not yet healed of cancer is because of unbelief. I am not satisfied with unbelief.  Are you? We don’t have the results found in the Bible because we don’t have the faith found in the Bible. Dearly beloved, let us not be content with our tiny amount of faith that so often doesn’t deliver and let’s grow our faith. Let’s “Have faith in God” (Mark 11:22).

What if we were to accomplish something in this life few accomplish? What if in all our getting, we got faith? What if we believed and didn’t doubt and got the kind of results we read about in the Bible? That is the will of God repeatedly affirmed but Jesus while He was on the earth.

We try to grow faith by having faith in ourselves, have faith in faith, but Jesus told us to faith in God. He has shown Himself to be a willing God, compassionate and capable God in the Bible. I believe He still is willing, compassionate and capable. Have faith in God. We pursue lots of things in this life that have little substance. Let’s pursue the substance of things hoped for…faith! Let us pursue real, doubt defeating, results producing faith in God.