According To Your Faith

There are moments in the ministry of Jesus when His words fall like a key into the lock of the human heart—turning something, opening something, revealing something that changes everything about how we relate to Him. Matthew 9 contains one of those moments. It is only a sentence, only a breath, yet it holds the power to reshape how we think about faith, how we understand relationship with Jesus, and how we experience His transforming presence.

The words are simple:

“According to your faith be it unto you.”

They are not spoken to a crowd.

They are not part of a sermon.

They are not addressed to the religious elite or to a skeptic or to an enemy.

They are spoken privately—intimately—to two blind men who have followed Jesus inside a house.

Matthew tells the story with remarkable stillness. The chapter is full of movement: Jesus crossing the sea, healing a paralytic, calling Matthew, eating with sinners, raising a young girl, healing a woman with a hemorrhage, restoring speech to the mute. The pace is rapid, the scenes vivid. Then suddenly, everything slows down. Two blind men follow Jesus into a house, crying out with a title loaded with meaning:

“Son of David, have mercy on us!”

This is not casual language.

“Son of David” is a Messianic title—a declaration of Jesus’ royal identity, His promised authority, His covenant lineage. These two men have no physical sight, yet they see Jesus more clearly than most of the people who can see Him.

But recognizing who Jesus is does not yet constitute faith.

Believing He is the Messiah does not yet constitute faith.

Following Him into the house does not yet constitute faith.

Faith has not yet begun, because faith requires something deeper than belief.

It requires trust.

It requires attachment.

It requires surrender.

It requires what the first sermon in this series uncovered—

faith wants Jesus’ heart, and gives Him yours.

Now Jesus turns to them and asks the question that exposes the human soul:

“Do you believe that I am able to do this?”

If we pause long enough, we can feel the weight of that question. Jesus is not testing their theology. He is not asking them to describe the mechanics of healing or articulate their doctrinal positions. He is not probing their intellectual beliefs. He is asking something far more personal and far more revealing:

“Do you trust Me?”

Not “Do you believe healing is possible?”

Not “Do you think miracles happen?”

Not “Do you believe God can?”

He brings the question into the realm of relationship:

“Do you believe I am able…?”

This is the dividing line between belief and faith.

Belief affirms facts.

Faith attaches itself to a Person.

Belief says, “God can.”

Faith says, “Jesus, I trust You.”

Belief observes possibilities.

Faith entrusts the self.

Belief is about information.

Faith is about relationship.

The journey from belief to faith always requires this question.

It is the question Jesus asks every heart that comes close to Him:

“Do you believe I am able?

Do you believe I am trustworthy?

Do you believe I am enough?

Do you believe I can do what you cannot?”

What happens next is stunning in its simplicity. They answer Him with only two words, yet these two words contain the entire posture of biblical faith:

“Yes, Lord.”

There is no negotiation.

No hesitation.

No explanation.

No justification.

No self-defense.

No attempt to prove worthiness.

Just surrender.

Just submission.

Just trust.

“Yes, Lord.”

This is the confession that moves mountains.

This is the confession that opens blind eyes.

This is the confession that welcomes grace.

This is the confession that reveals allegiance.

These two words are the shortest prayer of true faith in Scripture.

They declare:

“We trust Your ability.

We trust Your authority.

We trust Your heart.”

They do not merely believe that Jesus can—

they believe that Jesus will.

They believe He is not only powerful but willing.

Not only capable but compassionate.

Not only sovereign but merciful.

Their “Yes, Lord” is the bridge between belief and faith.

And then comes the sentence that becomes the centerpiece of this sermon:

“According to your faith be it unto you.”

Jesus does not say:

“According to your desperation…”

“According to your need…”

“According to your suffering…”

“According to your words…”

“According to your good behavior…”

“According to your emotions…”

He says:

“According to your faith…”

That is a breathtaking statement.

Jesus is saying:

“What I do in your life is connected to the trust you place in Me.”

Not because faith earns the miracle—

but because faith opens the heart to receive what Jesus delights to give.

The miracle is not a reward.

The miracle is a response.

Faith is not currency;

it is connection.

It is the posture that receives grace.