Use What You’ve Got!

KEY TEXT

Galatians 2:20 (CSB)

“I have been crucified with Christ, and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I now live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.”

BIG IDEA

You do not need a whole lot of faith. You need to use what you have, because your life is ultimately sustained by the faithfulness of Jesus Christ.

INTRODUCTION

Jesus never said, “If you had mountain sized faith.”

He said, “If you had faith the size of a mustard seed (Matthew 17:20).”

Faith does not work by volume.

Faith works by direction.

Henry Ford once said, “Whether you believe you can or you can’t, you’re right.”

A positive mental attitude and faith are like trains that run on parallel tracks.

A positive mental attitude can take you far.

Faith can take you further than you can imagine.

He is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think according to the Power that works in us! The Power of the Holy Spirit that we have received by faith!

Jesus takes it further than Henry Ford.

It is not just about believing in yourself.

It is about trusting the One who is faithful.

You do not need more faith.

You need to use the faith you already have.

1: FAITH IS NOT WHAT YOU FEEL. IT IS WHAT YOU USE.

Faith in Scripture is never passive (Hebrews 11).

James said, “Faith without works is dead.”

C.L. Meredith said, “Pray to God, but row for shore.”

Smith Wigglesworth said. “If the Spirit doesn’t move me, I move the Spirit.”

He wasn’t being arrogant or presumptuous. He knew that there are some things that get God’s attention, and he said, if nothing else works, I’ll do that!

When we take the initiative, based on the Word of God, the Spirit will follow.

Mark 16 says, “These signs shall follow them that believe…”

Someone said, “I am not moved by what I see. I am not moved by what I feel. I am moved by what I believe!” That’s faith!

Abraham went.

Moses stepped forward.

Peter got out of the boat.

The woman with the issue of blood reached.

The friends of the paralytic tore open the roof.

Jesus did rebuke His disciples for little faith.

“O you of little faith, why did you doubt?”

But notice this.

He did not rebuke them for having faith.

He rebuked them for not using the faith they already had.

Little faith that is used can still move mountains.

Little faith that is unused goes nowhere.

Faith is not confidence in outcomes.

Faith is obedience in uncertainty.

2: YOU ARE NOT SAVED BY STRONG FAITH. YOU ARE SAVED BY A FAITHFUL SAVIOR.

Galatians 2:20 says,

“The life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God.”

The Greek phrase pistei huiou Theou can be translated in two legitimate ways.

It can mean “faith in the Son of God.”

It can also mean “the faithfulness of the Son of God.”

Here is how I translate it.

“The life I now live in the flesh, I live by trust in the faithfulness of the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me.”

That shifts the weight.

My life is not anchored in how strong my faith is.

My life is anchored in how faithful Jesus is.

3: MY TRUST HOLDS ON BECAUSE HIS FAITHFULNESS NEVER FAILS.

If salvation depended on the strength of my faith, I would be in trouble.

But salvation rests on the faithfulness of Jesus Christ.

Jesus was faithful in Gethsemane.

Faithful under false accusation.

Faithful when abandoned.

Faithful unto death.

Faithful out of the grave.

My trust wavers.

His faithfulness does not.

Scripture still calls me to trust, to believe, and to walk by faith.

But my trust is carried by His faithfulness.

This is not either or.

This is both and.

4: USE WHAT YOU’VE GOT. CHRIST WILL MEET YOU THERE.

Jesus never said, “Come back when your faith is bigger.”

He said, “Use what you have.”

“What is in your hand, Moses?”

“What do you have, little boy?”

“Do you believe I can do this?”

Faith grows after you move, not before.

God does not ask you to leap ten steps ahead.

He asks you to take the next faithful step.

Use the faith you have.

To forgive.

To obey.

To begin again.

To step out.

To trust that God is not finished with you.

CLOSING DECLARATION

Church, you do not need a whole lot of faith.

You just need to use what you have.

The life you now live in the flesh,

you live by trust in the faithfulness of the Son of God,

who loved you

and gave Himself for you.

So get up.

Step out.

Move forward.

Not because your faith is strong.

But because Jesus Christ is faithful.