Faith-Fueled Miracles: How to Align with God’s Will & See Results
He replied, “If you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mulberry tree, ‘Be uprooted and planted in the sea,’ and it will obey you” (Luke 17:6 NIV).
If I give you a tree as a gift and I tell you it is an avocado tree, you will tell every person who asks you what kind of tree is in your front yard that it’s an avocado tree.
Now you haven’t picked any avocados from that tree, but you still dare to say it’s an avocado tree. Why? Because you have faith in me that the tree is what I say it is. You believe that somewhere in that tree there are many avocados. Faith is simply believing and acting on the words and integrity of another. Faith in God is to believe and act on what He says in His Word, the Bible.
The words of Jesus as recorded in the Gospel of Mark admonish us to have faith in God:
“Have faith in God,” Jesus answered. “Truly I tell you, if anyone says to this mountain, ‘Go, throw yourself into the sea,’ and does not doubt in their heart but believes that what they say will happen, it will be done for them” (Mark 11:22-23 NIV).
Jesus is saying in essence, “Have the God kind of faith.” Don’t put your faith in your own faith or in the faith of other people or in the mountains or in anything that you expect to happen because of your faith. Put your faith in God, because it’s your faith in Him that will accomplish the moving of mountains. You can’t speak to the mountain and expect it to move unless you are connected to God. Apart from Him you don’t have the power to complete such monumental tasks.
Where do I most often put my faith? My spouse? Boss? Teachers? Pastor? Newscasters? Doctor? Lawyer? Financial reports? Politicians?
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Am I putting 100 percent of my faith into God my Father in Heaven?
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The Faith Process
It is written: “I believed; therefore I have spoken.” Since we have that same spirit of faith, we also believe and therefore speak, because we know that the one who raised the Lord Jesus from the dead will also raise us with Jesus and present us with you to himself (2 Corinthians 4:13-14 NIV).
Faith begins with belief. Actually, faith in someone or something requires unquestioning belief that does not require proof or evidence from the one in whom you have faith. Faith requires you to function by believing first, instead of seeing or feeling first. That often creates a problem, because faith requires putting your body under the control of your spirit. Your body says, “I’m not going to believe it until I see it.” But God says, “If you’re going to operate like Me, you aren’t going to see it until you believe it!” One operates by sight, the other by faith.
Living by faith also requires that you put your soul under the control of your spirit. Your soul governs your emotions, will, and mind. When you live from your soul, you allow information from your physical body to gov- ern your decisions. After you believe God’s promises, you must begin to see (conceive) them in your life.
Faith is required of all who want to please God. Hebrews 11:6 (NIV) warns us that “without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him,” and Romans 1:17 (NIV) says, “The righteous will live by faith.” You were created to live by faith. God established faith as the only system through which we can touch His power. Potential demands faith, and faith makes demands on potential.
Sometimes I’m a “control freak” and can’t seem to give up control of my emotions, will, and mind to God. Why is that? I know God’s will for me is so much better. Yet…
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I do believe God’s promises—and I will strive to see each one become reality in my life by…
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Faith—A Requirement, Not an Option
Jesus replied, “Truly I tell you, if you have faith and do not doubt, not only can you do what was done to the fig tree, but also you can say to this mountain, ‘Go, throw yourself into the sea,’ and it will be done” (Matthew 21:21 NIV).
Faith is not an option for the Christian. It is a necessity. If God tells you to get moving, He doesn’t want you to stand around until you see the evidence that says you should get moving. He wants you to risk, simply because He is asking you to move.
In fact, faith is not an option for human beings in general. Anyone who lives on anything but faith is going to live a depressing life—so consumed by environment and circumstances of life that they will never venture beyond the known to release the vast potential inside. Many people are wrecks because they try to live without faith.
Faith is the source of hope, and no one can live without hope. Faith is the fuel of the future and the energy of anticipation. The Scriptures are clear that faith in God is the prerequisite for receiving what you believe, conceive, and release (see Mark 11:24). Faith is the catalyst that makes things happen. It lifts you above the outward evidence of your life and empowers you to bring light out of darkness. Remember, you will receive whatever you believe. If you expect trouble, you will get it. If you trust God and expect Him to work in the midst of your distressing circumstances, sooner or later you will see evidence of His presence.
Life without faith is foolish because life is not always what it seems. What you see or feel is not the whole story. Believe that things are going to work out. Reject the garbage that discourages you—and believe that you are going to make it. Make plans and, by faith, release your dreams by saying: “I know what I see, but I also know what I believe. I’m going to keep believing in my dreams, because all things are possible with God.”
I will praise God that I don’t have to live by what I see. Rather, I will live by:
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I believe in God’s promises and expect Him to move mountains for me. The first mountain I pray that He tackles for me is:
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