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The continuation of lesson 44 of the Discipleship Making process, where in part one of this lesson we were left answering the questions, “Where does faith come from? and How do you get faith?”
In summary of the last lesson, we found Jesus introducing the subject, to His disciples, of True Biblical Faith, where we learned that an individual has true Biblical faith when he hears God’s word, has assurance in his heart that it is God’s word, confesses it and acts upon it. It is here that we pick-up where we left off, Jesus’ instruction that faith has requirements.
Read: Matthew 21:20-22
For many Christians this statement presents a problem and it arises because they don’t have a proper understanding of it.
Jesus used the phrase, does not doubt in his heart as one of the conditions for the disciple’s faith to be rewarded. Believing what you say will come to pass will always be subject to doubt if you don’t have assurance. If you are trusting in yourself to bring about what you say you can never have assurance. That assurance can only come from God and His word. Since faith comes from hearing and hearing by the word of God (Romans 10:17), then if God doesn’t tell you to move the mountain, you will doubt in your heart and the mountain won’t be moved.
Jesus began His next statement with the word “therefore”. The word “therefore” simply means “for that reason”. In other words Jesus was saying, “In view of what I just told you, does not doubt in his heart, then believe that you have received them, and they will be granted you.” It stands to reason that if you have God’s reply on something that you are praying or asking Him about, that you can believe that you have received your request.
Since faith comes from hearing and hearing by the word of God, it is incumbent upon believers to hear the word of God if they are to have faith that produces results. The word of God is heard by believers in three different ways:
- The written word of God – The Scriptures.
- Utterances – Testimony, preaching, teaching, tongues and prophesy.
- A still small voice – Hearing in your spirit.
The final condition was forgiveness of others. If any disciple expected to have his faith rewarded then he had to forgive others. Forgiveness of sins would stand at the center of the Gospel, which was to come: Christ died for sinners and He through His disciples is reconciling man to God. Jesus wanted the disciples to have a firm understanding of the importance of forgiveness (Mark 11:25). Since this is the word of God to us as Christians we should believe it, confess it and act upon it. The consequence of not forgiving others is dire.
The point of the lesson is living by faith has requirements.
With that, allow me to leave you with these two questions to consider, along with a little homework assignment until my next posting:
Who is in authority over you at your church? and Who do you have authority over at your church?
. . . and the homework assignment . . .
Practice your prayer life using these principles.
Until next time . . . Godspeed!
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