Many Christians want to do great things for the Lord.
They want to reach out to the unsaved and share the Gospel to them. They want to pray for the sick so that the sick may be healed. They want to give their best to God whether in the church or outside of it.
In short, they just want to do great things for Him.
Many, however, are unable to do that.
Some think that when they share the Gospel, those who are listening won't receive them well and won't respond favorably.
Some think that when they pray for the sick, the sick won't get well. Instead, they who prayed will lose their confidence and think that praying for the sick won't yield results.
Some think that their best isn't enough, and so they either end up going away from church or Bible study group for a time, or ultimately backslide thinking that "it's no use. God's not going to accept me anyway."
What's the problem here? What are they lacking that they end up stopping themselves from giving their best to God? What do they lack that they end up quitting?
Simple. They lack faith.
Faith?
Faith is actually more than what many of us think.
Many think that faith is a mere feeling or thought of believing in something. It's not just a feeling or a thought.
- It's actually a God-given ability to believe Him and act on that belief in Him.
- It's a God-given empowerment to do as God said in His Word, expecting to see the results that God Himself promised.
- It's a God-given capacity to trust in Him, that He will do everything He said He will do according to His Word.
Faith enables
Faith allowed Abraham to believe God even when what He said seemed unbelievable (see Romans 4:18).
Faith allowed the sick to receive their healing when they approached Christ (see Mark 5:34; Luke 17:19, 50).
Faith allowed us to believe in Christ, that what He did to destroy the works of the enemy was and is always enough to save us, redeem us, and allow us to become God's children (see John 3:16; 1 John 3:8; 1 John 2:2; John 1:12-13).
Faith allows us to do great things:
"I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me." (Philippians 4:13)
Faith allows us to approach God and receive from Him:
"But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him." (Hebrews 11:6)
Faith allows us to live the life that God wants us to live:
"I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me." (Galatians 2:20)
Faith in God. This is the one thing that will allow us and motivate us to do great things for Him.
