Stretching your faith

utter dependence

Faith isn’t some great thing, some glorious feeling, or some wonderful sensation‚ as many may think. It’s simply taking God at His Word. Faith is utter dependence on the truthfulness, the faithfulness of God.–Virginia Brandt Berg

expect to see results

Faith without works is dead (James 2:26). Therefore, if you expect to see the results of your faith, you have to show that you have confidence in your faith and are willing to put it into action and take steps in that direction.

faith requires action

Some people look on faith as magic–that they just say that they have it, and whoosh, the miracles happen. But that’s a bit of an unrealistic outlook on faith, because faith requires action. You must put feet to your faith and do your part. Sometimes “doing your part” is taking practical steps and doing something in the physical. Sometimes it’s taking action in the spirit, by using the spiritual weapons and by laboring in prayer.

stretching your faith muscle

Faith is a muscle you work, you tone, and you strengthen–and each challenge you face is another chance for your faith muscle to grow and stretch. 

faith is more than a prayer

Faith will do more than just pray a prayer asking for God’s help; faith will seek Him for the requirements, the action on your part that will help bring about the miracle–whether that is physical action or spiritual action.

trust & faith

Faith and trust walk hand in hand, and very seldom do they walk alone.

faith and love are similar

When you decide to do something loving, or reach out in love to someone, do you wonder if you’ll have enough love? Love is an action muscle, and it grows the more you use it–just like faith.

the reward of faith

And as far as what you can do toward exercising your faith: don’t be afraid to welcome tests and experiences that stretch your faith. And even if afterwards you look back at the situation or challenge and feel that your faith didn’t really quite meet the mark, so what? You still haven’t lost, because you’ve grown from the experience. You may not see or understand how you’ve grown, but you will nevertheless receive the reward of faith no matter what the outcome, and the reward of faith is growth.

real faith

Real faith isn’t contingent on results. You don’t strengthen your faith by the events around you; you strengthen your faith through trusting Jesus despite the events around you.

faith is endurance

Faith isn’t manifested only in your ability to receive immediate, miraculous answers to prayer; it is also manifested in endurance, long suffering, and the ability and patience to keep on fighting even when you don’t see immediate responses or action as a result of your prayers and claiming the keys (Mat. 16:19). So let patience have her perfect work, so that your faith can be whole, and entire, wanting nothing (James 1:4).

Remember faith is a muscle so stretching your faith  should be a daily exercise, or else that muscle will atrophy.