There are several kinds of prayers that we find in the Bible. Long prayers, short prayers. three-word
This afternoon I want to particularly turn your attention to one prayer that the disciples made. The prayer has profound significance. The prayer and the answer to that prayer probably impacted the lives of the disciples so much that they were able to be used so mightily by God in reaching out to the Gentiles. God was able to carry out so many miracles and wonders through them.
That simple prayer, three-word is recorded in Luke 17:5
The apostles said to the Lord, “Increase our faith!”
They did not say to the Lord to keep their faith burning or sustain their faith, but rather to Increase their faith. It is necessary to see a growth in our faith
And Jesus replied saying: He replied, “If you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mulberry tree, 'Be uprooted and planted in the sea,' and it will obey.
The context could be taken from the preceding verses
In vs 3 and 4, Jesus says 3 Pay attention to yourselves! If your brother sins, rebuke him, and if he repents, forgive him, 4 and if he sins against you seven times in the day, and turns to you seven times, saying, ‘I repent,’ you must forgive him.”
Knowing that the task is humanly impossible, the disciples ask God to increase their faith.
But there is another context than this that can be derived from the book of Matthew. When the apostles tried to cast out the evil spirit and failed, they ask Jesus why could we not cast him out?
Matthew 17:19,20
19 Then the disciples came to Jesus in private and asked, “Why couldn’t we drive it out?”
20 He replied, “Because you have so little faith. Truly I tell you, if you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it will move. Nothing will be impossible for you.”
So probably the disciples could have made this prayer in this context.
If you compare the two verses in Luke and Matthew, we see God takes about three impossible situation:
1. It is not easy to uproot a mulberry tree. If you are a student of botany, you would know the mulberry tree has deep and invasive root system. You probably can cut a mulberry tree, but is extremely difficult to uproot it.
2. Mulberry trees cannot grow in a sea. it is impossible to plant in the water allow to survive, grow and bear fruit.
3. Thirdly, very clearly you cannot even shake a small hill, let alone moving a mountain from here to there.
So, what Jesus was actually saying was a faith small as a mustard seed would make the impossible possible in your life
Whether it’s deep-rooted habits in your life that refuses to move, whether is mountain-like problems that your facing that you cannot move or you are having a challenge so great like planting something where there is no soil, God says, your faith is enough to solve those problems. Your faith will make all the impossible things possible. God specializes in making impossible possible.
Today, I want to meditate on four reasons you need increased faith in your life or else four important things faith can bring about in your life.
1. YOU NEED FAITH TO FULFILL YOUR CALLING IN YOUR LIFE.
All of us believe that we are called by God. we have purpose in life and we need fulfill in our lifetime. God has placed you where you are, the time frame you are, the people you are around with, with a clear purpose.
As we read in Acts 17:26
From one man he made all the nations, that they should inhabit the whole earth; and he marked out their appointed times in history and the boundaries of their lands.
He has marked it.. which means you are expected to fulfill the call and purpose for which God place you where you are.
When God calls you for a task, sometimes, it requires that you move out of your comfort zone. And that’s not always easy. And it requires a great deal of faith. When I compare the calling of two people in the Bible, it particularly surprises me.
All of us know Paul. Paul had a strong Jewish background. He was a learned man, well-versed in scriptures, Paul had studied under the feet of Gamaliel – a great scholar. He almost memorized the first five books in the Bible. Humanly speaking, he would have been the perfect choice and ideal candidate to minister to Jews. Because he had all the qualities to minister unto the Jews.
While Paul did minister to the Jews, his ministry was predominantly to Gentiles?
The Gentles had little appreciation for his great learning. they did not even know what it means to know the first five books in the Bible. Paul had to get rid of human wisdom and put complete faith on God to minister to Gentiles.
That is why Paul says in Philippians 3:4-7
If someone else thinks they have reasons to put confidence in the flesh, I have more: 5 circumcised on the eighth day, of the people of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew of Hebrews; in regard to the law, a Pharisee; 6 as for zeal, persecuting the church; as for righteousness based on the law, faultless. 7 But whatever were gains to me I now consider loss for the sake of Christ.
vs. 9 - not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ—the righteousness that comes from God on the basis of faith.
On the other hand, look at Peter. Acts 4:13 describes Peter as unlearned and ignorant man. He was an ordinary fisherman. But God uses him to minister to pious and educated Jews. Probably Peter would have been a perfect choice for Gentiles. But if Peter’s calling had to be fulfilled, he has to put complete faith in Jesus.
God has marked each of us for a definite purpose and has a high calling. None of us have an ordinary calling.
That is what Paul says in Philippians 3:14 - I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.
But if you need faith so you will be able to fulfill the high calling of God in your life. Lack of faith will make us vulnerable. Lack of faith can actually prevent us from fulfilling God’s purpose in our life and from doing the fullness of what God has called us for. And there’s an example of that in the Bible.
All of us know of David. He was someone who was highly commended by God. But, David was actually a second choice, because someone else failed to fulfill God’s calling.
We seldom realize the calling that was upon David was originally upon Saul.
1 Samuel 9:17 When Samuel caught sight of Saul, the Lord said to him, “This is the man I spoke to you about; he will govern my people.”
Who said? The Lord said.. This is the man. He will govern my people.
it was God’s choice that Saul should govern His people. From the very beginning, Saul lacked faith even to accept God’s calling in his life
1 Samuel 9:21 Saul answered, “But am I not a Benjamite, from the smallest tribe of Israel, and is not my clan the least of all the clans of the tribe of Benjamin? Why do you say such a thing to me?”
Saul did not have the faith to accept God’s calling. Our calling does not depend on our ability but rather on the ability of the One who called us. That understanding changes the way we look at our calling, however difficult it may seem.
His lack of faith is evident quite a lot in his life. And finally, when Samuel does not come to Gilgal at the set time and the people with him were scattered, Saul was afraid.
1 Samuel 13:9 So he said, “Bring me the burnt offering and the fellowship offerings.” And Saul offered up the burnt offering.
Where did his faith in God go? He sees the enemy coming and his army slipping away. He makes his decision out of fear rather than out of faith. He lost his faith in the God who called him and consequently fell into the sin of disobedience.
And see what God says 1 Samuel 13:13.. how foolish.. had you done what I wanted. I would have established your kingdom over Israel forever. His plan was to mark Saul and his family line throughout. But his disobedience resulting from lack of faith disqualified his whole family
And God chooses another man, son of Jessi.
You need faith to accept your high calling and to fulfill it.
What is God specifically calling you to do? Are we stepping out of our comfort zone and doing what God is asking us to? Or are we ignoring God’s call, so he can go and choose someone else.
While the calling of God is irrevocable, your lack of faith can cause you or stop you from reaching the fullness to what God call you. Saul reigned as king, but sadly God was not with him. [Saul was thirty years old when he became king, and he reigned over Israel forty-two years – 1 Sam 13:1]
All you need is faith to accept and fulfill His call.
2. YOU NEED FAITH TO SEE GOD’S WORKS AND WONDERS IN OUR LIVES
All of us want to experience God’s miraculous hands in our lives in some way of the other. But remember you cannot experience God’s miracles unless you have faith.
Matt 13:58 - And he did not do many miracles there because of their lack of faith.
Numbers 11:18-20
18 Then you shall say to the people, ‘Consecrate yourselves for tomorrow, and you shall eat meat; for you have wept in the hearing of the Lord, saying, “Who will give us meat to eat? For it was well with us in Egypt.” Therefore the Lord will give you meat, and you shall eat. 19 You shall eat, not one day, nor two days, nor five days, nor ten days, nor twenty days, 20 but for a whole month, until it comes out of your nostrils and becomes loathsome to you, because you have despised the Lord who is among you, and have wept before Him, saying, “Why did we ever come up out of Egypt?”’”
All of us would be familiar with this incident. When the Israelites were in the wilderness and they hated the manna, when they craved for meat and murmured before Moses, Moses cries out to God. In response to Moses’ cry, God promises him a miracle.
That’s what we read in these verses.
The miracle was that the people will eat meat, not for a day or two, but rather for a whole month.
And since God said it, it would happen, no matter what. Wouldn’t it? It really isn't Moses’ job to figure out how this would happen. That's God problem.
But Moses couldn’t just believe what God said? He kept on wondering how can God ever do this?
It’s interesting how Moses actually makes a calculation.
He considers the number of people with him. And he says to God in vs 21. But Moses said, “Here I am among six hundred thousand men on foot,
Moses begins to think of the gravity of the situation. God has to provide not for one or two people for these many thousands.
Then he thinks of the number of days God said he would provide. Same verse continues yet You have said, ‘and you say, ‘I will give them meat to eat for a whole month!’
Some versions use the word ‘yet’
Moses says to God, there are so many lakhs of people with me, yet you say you will provide for a whole month.
Probably, God you made a wrong calculation.
Next, he sees the resources that are available with them for God to perform the miracle. He looks around. What do they have with them? They have with them flocks of sheep and may be herds of cattle and probably there may some fish in the sea. But he realizes even all this is just not enough for all that God has over-promised them. So Moses asks the next question to God.
Vs 22 - Would they have enough if flocks and herds were slaughtered for them? Would they have enough if all the fish in the sea were caught for them?”
If you happen to overhear this conversation b/w God and Moses, what would go on in your mind?
You may be tempted to think, Moses, what’s your problem? If God has promised, he will do it. Why do you even worry or think?
But, in reality, aren’t we acting like Moses when we face problems? We find it so difficult to trust God’s words, trust God’s provision and God’s care when we go through turbulent times. Don’t we make unnecessary calculations like Moses did?
We need faith to see beyond our limited vision. All that Moses could see was what he had in his hand, the cattle, the fish, the sea. But faith requires you to see beyond. That’s why the writer of Hebrews says in Heb 11:1 - Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.
You can never see or imagine what God has in mind for you.
Look at God's reply to Moses.
Numbers 11:23 - The Lord answered Moses, “Is the Lord’s arm too short? Now you will see whether or not what I say will come true for you.”
God did not explain to Moses how he is going to do the miracle. Rather I don’t think God would have said this softly. he probably would have rebuked Moses. Like Jesus did whenever his disciples lacked faith – O you of little faith..
Has the Lord’s arm been shortened?
The message version puts it even more beautifully: “So, do you think I can’t take care of you?”
You need great faith because you have a great God who will do things in a great way - beyond what your little brains and minds can think.
I am sure Moses would have been spellbound when he saw the miracle happen.
31 Now a wind went out from the Lord and drove quail in from the sea. It scattered them up to two cubits deep all around the camp, as far as a day’s walk in any direction. 32 All that day and night and all the next day the people went out and gathered quail. No one gathered less than ten homers. Then they spread them out all around the camp.
According to the Hebrew system of measurement, a “day’s walk” approximately 15 miles in any one direction. 15 miles is approximately 24 km. So close to 30 miles (48 km), the quail was spread to the height of two cubits (close to one meter 0.91).
The Israelites were parked in the Desert of Paran, a region about 50 miles away from sea on both sides. Since quails tend to live by the water and they don’t fly long distances, it was not an ordinary wind, rather a supernatural wind from God that allowed the quails to come inland to the place where the Isrealites were residing.
Because when God does something, He usually does so in a way that you KNOW it is God. People around you know that it is God who is working in your life.
But you need faith in order to experience the miracles of God. Prayers made in faith are answered. Prayers made in faith will bring answers from God however tough or seemingly impossible the situation may seem.
That’s why James 5:15 says ‘And the prayer offered in faith will make the sick person well’
3. YOU NEED FAITH TO PLEASE GOD.
Hebrews 11:6 says And without faith it is impossible to please God
Which means faith is not an option. It is absolutely essential if you want to please God. While Jesus was on earth, he rebuked his disciples often for their lack of faith. God does not tolerate us, when we do not have faith.
As C.H. Spurgeon writes, Often, Jesus has said, “your faith has saved you.” Now it is not faith that saves–it is Christ that saves. “Your faith has healed you,” says Christ. Now faith did not heal, it was Christ that healed. "We are justified by faith.” Now, in one sense this is not the fact, for the matter of justification is the imputed righteousness of Jesus Christ. Surprisingly Jesus arrays the element of faith to His own self.
Jesus always honoured faith. If you have faith, God honours the faith. And it pleases God.
In Matthew 15:22, a Canaanite woman comes to Jesus to speak on her daughter’s behalf. She wanted deliverance for her demon-possessed daughter.
At the end of this story, in vs. 28, we find that Jesus appreciates the woman’s faith. And how does he appreciate her. He said, Then Jesus said to her, “Woman, you have great faith! Your request is granted.”
Like Spurgeon puts it, He could have said, “O woman, great is your love.” The root cause of her coming to Jesus, was her love for her daughter. She loved her so much that she made her way through all the crowd and also when the disciples tried to send her away, because somehow she wanted her daughter to be delivered.
Or Jesus could have said, “O woman, great is your tolerance.” Because when Jesus actually compared her to a dog, she still stuck to him and wouldn’t depart until she received what she wanted.
Or Jesus could have said, “O woman, great is your wisdom” Even when Jesus said he cannot throw bread to dog, she gave a wise and a witty reply. “Yes, Lord, yet even the little dogs eat the crumbs which fall from their masters’ table.”
But God says, “Great is your faith.” And she received what she wanted because of her faith.
That is why, Bible is very clear “without faith, it is impossible to please God.” , because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him.
4. AND FINALLY, YOU NEED TO HAVE FAITH THAT PRODUCES WORKS
In the Christian life faith and works go hand in hand. Billy Graham stated like this: Faith is taking the Gospel in; works is taking the Gospel out.
There was once an examination conducted for high school students. When there were just 5 minutes left for the bell to ring, the teacher circulated a form for the children to sign. The form was just to confirm that the children did not seek any form of external assistance while writing this paper.
All children signed the form. But one Christian boy was confused. He did not know whether he can sign.
So he went up to the teacher and said, I’m not sure if I can sign this. Both before the exams and during the exams, I prayed for God’s assistance.
Immediately, the teacher took his paper and glimpsed through a few sheets. Then she handed back the answer sheets to the boy and said, you can now sign with a clear conscience. God clearly did not assist you.
1 Thess 1:2,3
2 We give thanks to God always for you all, making mention of you in our prayers, 3 remembering without ceasing your work of faith, labor of love, and patience of hope in our Lord Jesus Christ in the sight of our God and Father
I want to particularly turn your attention to the three phrases that Paul uses. He actually appreciates the Thessalonians for three things:
1. work of faith
2. labour of love
3. patience of hope
What’s interesting is that Paul does not say I remember your faith, love and hope.. rather he says work of faith, labour of love and patience of hope. What does that mean? All the three essential attributes – faith, love and hope – were not just present among the Thessalonians, rather, they were put to action.
Paul says he appreciates their work of faith. The Greek word used for “work” here is ergon which focuses on the product of our efforts, the fruit that is produced.
These Christians had the kind of faith that produced good works in their lives. And Paul rejoiced in that and appreciated that.
Their faith made them do great things for God. Faith was active and working in their lives.
And that is how the faith heroes of the past were.
Abraham had faith. And by faith he left his house and he went to the promised land. By faith, Elijah builds an altar in the midst of 450 prophets of Baal and proclaims God is God. By faith, Nehemiah gets up from his work in the palace and goes to Jerusalem and builds the broken walls of the temple of God.
And that’s what even James talks about.
James 2:14 What good is it, my brothers and sisters, if someone claims to have faith but has no deeds? Can such faith save them? 15 Suppose a brother or a sister is without clothes and daily food. 16 If one of you says to them, “Go in peace; keep warm and well fed,” but does nothing about their physical needs, what good is it? 17 In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead. 18 But someone will say, “You have faith; I have deeds.” Show me your faith without deeds, and I will show you my faith by my deeds.
James explains how faith is bigger than just believing that Jesus is God. Even demons would believe Jesus is God. Does it mean they have faith? No. Faith without works is no faith at all.
CONCLUSION
1. You need faith to fulfill your calling in your life.
2. You need faith to see God’s works and wonders in our lives
3. You need faith so you please God.
4. And finally, you need to have faith that produces works
Faith is one of the gifts of the spirit (1 Corinthians 12:9), which makes it optional. Not all of us possess all the gifts of the Holy Spirit.
to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healing by that one Spirit,
But interestingly, Faith is also the fruit of the Spirit (Gal 5:22).
But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness,
While some translations put it as faithfulness, as per the Greek bible it is faith. Which means, faith is not just believing God. It is bigger and it is not optional.
Like the disciples, shall we ask God to increase our faith? If our faith increases, we will see more of God’s hand in our lives.
