Power of Growing Faith

Power of Growing Faith:

Key Scripture: “To you it has been given to know the mysteries of the kingdom of God.”

Power Point:
Believing can be hard work.  Somehow we have gotten the mistaken impression that when we read something in God’s word it just magically appears to happen in our lives. Sometimes, of course, that’s true and its lovely. But living without learning to work it out would mean that we not necessarily living by faith in Him but only having faith in what we see immediately. We have to build a strong foundation to stand on the promises. That means that when we see something or hear something from God, we get to work it out. Sometimes it’s easy and sometimes its hard but it’s the journey of faith, and its how we grow. You remember of course, in Matthew 13, the parable of the sower and the different reactions that people had to the Word. The first groups got excited initially and heard with their ears but not their hearts. If the Word doesn’t change your heart it doesn’t change your internal direction. When Satan comes and tries to steal that promise from you he can because you never “grew it up”. Scripture says that the way faith grows is by hearing, understanding and receiving His word. His Word is all about Him, (actually it IS Him!); about the way He thinks, the plans He has, and His character.  The word is packed full of The Word. It’s all about His faithfulness, His goodness, His kindnesses to us, and His unconditional love. It is filled with hope, and encouragement and things to grow our faith.  That’s why He is so insistent on us knowing it. It is what sets you free from the lies you’ve believed about Him and His kingdom and it grounds you in truth.  Beloved if you simply skim it and never dip into the depths of it, your faith will never grow, your heart will become hard, your ears closed, and you will miss the glorious power of the abundant life.

When I became pregnant for the first time I was so excited I could barely stand it. I immediately bought maternity clothes, and fixed up a nursery. I would go in that room and sit and think about what it would be like when I brought the baby home from the hospital.  My husband and I would spend hours talking and making plans about how our lives would be different when the baby arrived. Beloved, we should live in that same anticipation over the promises for life that God gives us. We should begin to order our lives in accordance with it; begin to prepare a place for it to live in our lives; think about how different things will be when it is “born” in us.

Faith is NOT waiting until you “see” results.  Faith is living as though it has already happened.

Faith is preparing for the day when you bring the fulfillment of the promise home to a place that is prepared and waiting for it. We don’t walk by sight remember? If you’re “feeling your way through faith” it will never grow up. Jesus said, “Faith is like the grain of a mustard seed.”  You have enough, it just needs room to grow.
Power Thought:
God's promises are never empty. They are always full of Life, His Life.