When Jesus came down from the mount where He was gloriously transfigured, He was met with the news that His disciples had been unable to cast the devil out of a certain man's lunatic son.
His first reaction to the report was: "Oh Faithless Generation".
The devil departed, of course, at Jesus' command.
His disciples asked Jesus" "Why could not we cast him out?"
"Because of your unbelief," Jesus replied:
Mat 17:14 And when they were come to the multitude, there came to him a certain man, kneeling down to him, and saying,
Mat 17:15 Lord, have mercy on my son: for he is lunatick, and sore vexed: for ofttimes he falleth into the fire, and oft into the water.
Mat 17:16 And I brought him to thy disciples, and they could not cure him.
Mat 17:17 Then Jesus answered and said, O faithless and perverse generation, how long shall I be with you? how long shall I suffer you? bring him hither to me.
Mat 17:18 And Jesus rebuked the devil; and he departed out of him: and the child was cured from that very hour.
Mat 17:19 Then came the disciples to Jesus apart, and said, Why could not we cast him out?
Mat 17:20 And Jesus said unto them, Because of your unbelief: for verily I say unto you, If ye have faith as a grain of mustard seed, ye shall say unto this mountain, Remove hence to yonder place; and it shall remove; and nothing shall be impossible unto you.
When a person is challenged by temptation, disease, or the devil, his faith must constantly come into focus. He must have faith to command GOD'S Power.
When GOD told Abraham He was going to destroy Sodom and Gomorrah, Abraham reasoned with GOD. He stood before the LORD and said:
Gen 18:23 And Abraham drew near, and said, Wilt thou also destroy the righteous with the wicked?
Gen 18:24 Peradventure there be fifty righteous within the city: wilt thou also destroy and not spare the place for the fifty righteous that are therein?
Gen 18:25 That be far from thee to do after this manner, to slay the righteous with the wicked: and that the righteous should be as the wicked, that be far from thee: Shall not the Judge of all the earth do right?
GOD agreed to Abraham's request and said He would not destroy those wicked cities for the sake of fifty righteous people
Abraham decreased the number of the righteous to forty-five then forty, then thirty, then twenty, and finally 10.
Each time the LORD was willing to meet Abraham's conditions.
The true power of faith never has been fully utilized by man.
GOD is still waiting for heroes of faith to use the divine dominion He gave to Adam in the Garden Of Eden.
In the New Testament Church, it was the force of faith, that caused Peter to turn to the body of a dead woman and say, "Tabitha Arise". (Acts 9:40)
It was by faith that the apostle Paul commanded the spirit of divination to come out of the fortune-telling damsel. (See Acts 16:18)
Faith is the key that unlocks the generosity and strength of GOD.
Faith pleases GOD, "but without faith it is impossible to please him (Hebrews 11:6).
Faith has been called the eye that sees the invisible, the ear that hears the inaudible, the hand that feels the intangible, and the power that works the impossible.
Jesus said "All things are possible to him that believeth" (Mark 9:23)
Faith works by the spoken word. Saying and believing go together, as Jesus explained.
Mark 11:23 For verily I say unto you, That whosoever shall say unto this mountain, Be thou removed, and be thou cast into the sea; and shall not doubt in his heart, but shall believe that those things which he saith shall come to pass; he shall have whatsoever he saith.
Faith is an act. Martin Luther gave this view of faith: "It is a busy, active, living reality that does not ask, "What shall I do?'
but before it has time to ask, it is up and doing.
David believed Goliath would be defeated, so he hurled a stone at his head. Faith acts.
Faith is a way of life-a walk with GOD.
The great miracles that characterized Smith Wigglesworth, ministry were the result of his close walk with GOD.
He talked with GOD so often and for so long that when Smith made a request it was easy for GOD to understand.
The tendency of many is to walk so far from GOD that is it not possible to hear Him when He speaks.
Bur the person of dominion will walk with GOD and live out his faith.
Living faith, the life of GOD, will flow from his innermost being.
How do you get faith? The rule is simply this:
Rom 10:17 So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.
The Word alone is the source of faith. But the Word will not build faith unless it becomes a part of your very being.
Jesus said:
John 15:7 If ye abide in me, and my words abide in you, ye shall ask what ye will, and it shall be done unto you.
~Lester Sumrall~
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