Introduction :
We will study faith today through the binacular of GRACE and finished work of Jesus Christ on the cross. Through the years of being a Christian we heard teachings about faith which is not filtered by the finished work of Christ.
Maybe some of us heard that in order to receive your answers to prayer or your miracles, you should to do this and do that.
Preachers who do that, don’t know that they are teaching the people to rely on works rather than in the finished work of Christ on the cross.
Faith is not a struggle.Faith and the works of the law are total opposites. And since the law is about our self-effort, there is no self- effort in faith. In my experiences in healing and miracles I noticed that the more I trust in what i know the less results I experience. There are times I just prayed a simple prayer but the results were tremendous.
If you think your faith is not enough for a miracle, see Jesus on the cross for you, and faith you need to face any situation or challenge s will come into your life. Just look too Jesus! The author and finisher of faith.
Let us study 3 people in the gospel that experienced miracles through the power of GRACE.
I. The Woman with the issue of blood. ( Mark 5: 25-34)
The Joseph Prince once shared, that the Lord spoke to him this words: ” When My People see My grace, I see thier faith.”
During those days you are consider unclean, that’s according to the law of Moses. You are not even allowed to be with the crownd, you need to be isolated.
“Whosoever toucheth her shall be unclean” (Lev. 15:19).
The situation of this Woman was so depressing, according to Mark 5:26 She had suffered a great deal under the care of many doctors and had spent all she had, yet instead of getting better she grew worse.
Luke did not mention this in his account because he was a doctor.
Luke 8: 43,44 As Jesus was on his way, the crowds almost crushed him. And a woman was there who had been subject to bleeding for twelve years, but no one could heal her. She came up behind him and touched the edge of his cloak, and immediately her bleeding stopped.
This Woman did not only see Jesus as being full of healing power, but she also saw Jesus as being full of GRACE.
This Woman believed that if she could just touch the hem of Jesus’ garment, she would be healed. Instead of expecting punishment for breaking the law of Moses, she was expecting to be healed.
This Woman did not see Jesus as hard and condemning – She saw Him as a gracious Savior overflowing with mercy and compassion.
Faith for any breakthrough or miracle in your life springs forth when you see His grace.
II. The Roman centurion. (Matthew 8: 4-14)
It is interesting to note that every Centurion mentioned in the New Testament was a positive picture of character and integrity.
There was the centurion who at the cross recognized Jesus as the Son of God (Matt 27:54)
There was Cornelius, the first Gentile convert in the book of Acts (Acts 10)
There was the centurion who discovered that Paul was a Roman citizen and protected him(Acts 22)
There was the centurion who received news of a plot to kill Paul and took step to halt it (Acts 23)
There was the centurion who was with Paul when he was shipwrecked on his journey to Rome (Acts 27).
This man’s concern for his servant is remarkable in the age in which he lives.
It was unusual for an important person to be concerned for a slave’s well-being.
Luke tells us that the servant was “dear” or precious to his master.
Why do you think Jesus was so amazed by the faith of this Centurion?
“When Jesus heard these things, He marveled at him, and turned around and said to the crowd that followed Him, “I say to you, I have not found such great faith, not even in Israel.”
(A) It was great when it is considered in whom this faith was found. This Gentile’s faith was more perceptive and sensitive than any that Jesus had witnessed in Israel. The Jewish people had witnessed Jesus’ miracles and had wondered, the centurion had heard of Jesus miracles and had believed.
(B) It was great in its demonstration of faith in Jesus’ power. (”just say the word, and my servant will be healed.”)
(C) It was great in dependence of Jesus alone.
Our blessing, healing, and all other benefits of being with Jesus are all depended on the finished work of Christ. Sometimes, we make our life complicated and think it is alright to add our work in order to be blessed by God.
If we do that we will have the reason to boast and be little the works of Jesus on the cross.
Faith is bringing out of the spirit realm what is already there, what is already true of you.
III. The Syro-Phoenician woman. (Matthew 15:22-28)
Here is another example of the manifestation of the grace of God.
Look at the people who recieved miracles from Jesus during His ministry on earth. Not a single one of them deserved it. They did nothing to earn their miracles.They simply received thier miracles because of His grace.(unmerited favor)
There were only two people in the bible whom Jesus said had “great faith”? First the Roman centurion, second the the Syro-Phoenician woman. They have one thing in common they were both gentiles and yet they recieved thier miracles even they dont deserve it.
The 4 gospels are full of examples of God’s unmirited favor. Even if sometimes we worry if we pray right or not, under the new covenant Jesus perfects our prayer before it landed in the hands of our Father.
Hebrews 12:2 Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.
Joseph prince once said, ” I believe with all my heart that as you come under grace and are delivered from the works of the law, faith will no longer be a struggle or barrier because you will walk with unconcious faith. You will not be wondering, ” Do I have enough faith?” all the time, but you will see Jesus in His grace, and faith will just spring forth from the inside.
When you see His grace, God will see you in your faith.
Conclusion:
Faith is no longer a struggle when you see Jesus! It will spring forth unconsciously and will walk in true victory over every area of defeat in your life today.
