Where is Your Faith
Posted by Darrel Wright on Sunday, October 4, 2009
Under: Prophetic Words
Luke 8:22 One day Jesus got into a boat with his disciples and said to them, "Let's go across to the other side of the lake." So they set out, and as they sailed he fell asleep. Now a violent windstorm came down on the lake, and the boat started filling up with water, and they were in danger. They came and woke him, saying, "Master, Master, we are about to die!" So he got up and rebuked the wind and the raging waves; they died down, and it was calm. Then he said to them, "Where is your faith?"
When trouble or hard times strike where is our faith and trust?
We cry out to God to take us deeper, to show us His Glory, that open heavens would exist over us. God answers our cries, and it seems like all hell breaks loose in our lives. Our finances, peace - everything we've trusted in - is torn apart. Where is our faith now?
What is faith and what is it based on? What do we trust in?
Faith in Luke 8:25 is the Greek word "PISTIS". It carries the predominant idea of trust (or confidence) whether in God or in Christ, springing from faith in the same.
But do we really TRUST God to carry us through?
2 Cor. 12:1-10 provides an answer to this question. Paul had been given tremendous revelation, things that carried him throughout his ministry. He was given a thorn in the flesh, a messenger from Satan, to torment or buffet him so he wouldn't get arrogant.
Several key words are extremely helpful to our walking in faith and trusting God to keep us in our situation.
The word "torment" or "buffet" is the Greek word "KOLAPHIZO", which means to "rap with a fist" as in punish. The word "sufficient" is the Greek word "ARKEO", which carries the implementation of raising a barrier or warding off.
The strong implication is that every time Satan attacks your faith and trust God raises a barrier between you and the attack! This is heavy stuff! No matter what the attack - fear, loss of everything, persecution, whatever! - God raises a barrier saying, "My Grace is sufficient. I will keep you. I will supply from My resources. Rest in Me."
We don't have to figure out how to make this thing work, how to pay bills, how to open doors in the ministry. All we have to do is fix our eyes on Jesus, learn to passionately love the King of kings!
Now - how do we do that? How do we come to a place where we can believe in, trust on, and see God's providential blessings pour forth? How can we come to a place where He moves on our behalf, where we see signs, wonders and miracles taking place in our ministries?
The only answer I know is prayer - there is no other way. We must become men and women of prayer - ones who move God's hand and heart. As we learn to contend with the living God, to fight with Him until we see His hand move, to persever until we receive His answer - God builds character in us. He builds a foundation that says, "never the less, not my will by Yours ...". He builds patience where we are not moved by our circumstances or situations, no matter what they look like. He builds the ability to lean on Him and trust His word, that if He started something then He will finish it!
Ezekial 22:30 says God "looked for a man among them who would build up a wall and stand before Me in the gap on behalf of the land so I would not have to destroy it ..."
Luke 6:12 says, "Now it was during this time that Jesus went out to the mountain to pray, and he spent all night in prayer to God."
1 Samuel 15:11 says "... Samuel became angry and he cried out to the LORD all that night."
These passages give us examples of how to pray (there are many more!). Prayer takes time, diligence, focus - a willingness to keep at it until we obtain our answer.
Where is your faith? What are you doing to build your faith and trust in God, so you KNOW He will move and take care of you? Are you willing to become a man or woman of prayer, one who prevails with God and sees Him provide an answer?
Develop a RELATIONSHIP with God. Learn to LOVE Him. Then watch what He will do! We have times coming very soon where we must learn to move His hand, to hear His voice, to hold fast to Him NO MATTER WHAT! I beg of you - start now and build a life of prayer.
When trouble or hard times strike where is our faith and trust?
We cry out to God to take us deeper, to show us His Glory, that open heavens would exist over us. God answers our cries, and it seems like all hell breaks loose in our lives. Our finances, peace - everything we've trusted in - is torn apart. Where is our faith now?
What is faith and what is it based on? What do we trust in?
Faith in Luke 8:25 is the Greek word "PISTIS". It carries the predominant idea of trust (or confidence) whether in God or in Christ, springing from faith in the same.
But do we really TRUST God to carry us through?
2 Cor. 12:1-10 provides an answer to this question. Paul had been given tremendous revelation, things that carried him throughout his ministry. He was given a thorn in the flesh, a messenger from Satan, to torment or buffet him so he wouldn't get arrogant.
Several key words are extremely helpful to our walking in faith and trusting God to keep us in our situation.
The word "torment" or "buffet" is the Greek word "KOLAPHIZO", which means to "rap with a fist" as in punish. The word "sufficient" is the Greek word "ARKEO", which carries the implementation of raising a barrier or warding off.
The strong implication is that every time Satan attacks your faith and trust God raises a barrier between you and the attack! This is heavy stuff! No matter what the attack - fear, loss of everything, persecution, whatever! - God raises a barrier saying, "My Grace is sufficient. I will keep you. I will supply from My resources. Rest in Me."
We don't have to figure out how to make this thing work, how to pay bills, how to open doors in the ministry. All we have to do is fix our eyes on Jesus, learn to passionately love the King of kings!
Now - how do we do that? How do we come to a place where we can believe in, trust on, and see God's providential blessings pour forth? How can we come to a place where He moves on our behalf, where we see signs, wonders and miracles taking place in our ministries?
The only answer I know is prayer - there is no other way. We must become men and women of prayer - ones who move God's hand and heart. As we learn to contend with the living God, to fight with Him until we see His hand move, to persever until we receive His answer - God builds character in us. He builds a foundation that says, "never the less, not my will by Yours ...". He builds patience where we are not moved by our circumstances or situations, no matter what they look like. He builds the ability to lean on Him and trust His word, that if He started something then He will finish it!
Ezekial 22:30 says God "looked for a man among them who would build up a wall and stand before Me in the gap on behalf of the land so I would not have to destroy it ..."
Luke 6:12 says, "Now it was during this time that Jesus went out to the mountain to pray, and he spent all night in prayer to God."
1 Samuel 15:11 says "... Samuel became angry and he cried out to the LORD all that night."
These passages give us examples of how to pray (there are many more!). Prayer takes time, diligence, focus - a willingness to keep at it until we obtain our answer.
Where is your faith? What are you doing to build your faith and trust in God, so you KNOW He will move and take care of you? Are you willing to become a man or woman of prayer, one who prevails with God and sees Him provide an answer?
Develop a RELATIONSHIP with God. Learn to LOVE Him. Then watch what He will do! We have times coming very soon where we must learn to move His hand, to hear His voice, to hold fast to Him NO MATTER WHAT! I beg of you - start now and build a life of prayer.
In : Prophetic Words
Tags: "where is your faith" trust pistis kolaphizo torment buffet
