You Have God's Kind of Faith -- Through Jesus!

"Have God's Kind of faith"

"Have the Faith of God"

"You Will Have What You Say"

The Bible is very clear about all that we have in Christ:

"Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ: 4According as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before him in love: 5Having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to himself, according to the good pleasure of his will, 6To the praise of the glory of his grace, wherein he hath made us accepted in the beloved." (Ephesians 1: 3-6)

We receive everything through Jesus Christ:

"What shall we then say to these things? If God be for us, who can be against us? 32He that spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, how shall he not with him also freely give us all things?" (Romans 8: 31-32)

The issue is not asking for something, but know Him who has everything, and that He is everything in us:

"Cease not to give thanks for you, making mention of you in my prayers; 17That the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give unto you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of him: 18The eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that ye may know what is the hope of his calling, and what the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the saints," (Ephesians 1: 16-18)

We also have His faith, the faith of God, God's kind of faith in Jesus:

"20I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me. 21I do not frustrate the grace of God: for if righteousness come by the law, then Christ is dead in vain." (Galatians 2: 20-21)

This faith is the gift of God, not something that we work up through our own effort:

"For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: 9Not of works, lest any man should boast. 10For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them." (Ephesians 2: 8-10)

Now, the three previous statements at the top of this post refer oftentimes to Mark 11: 22

"And Jesus answering saith unto them, Have faith in God." (Mark 11: 22)

A better translation brings out more:

"And Jesus answering saith to them, 'Have faith of God;" (Youngs Literal)

The issue is not about what you do, or what you have, but that you have His faith.

This truth about faith, God's faith, is confirmed in two chapters prior in the same Gospel. Following His Transfiguration, Jesus sees the multitudes arguing about something with the scribes. One of the men comes forth, and shares:

"And he asked the scribes, What question ye with them? 17And one of the multitude answered and said, Master, I have brought unto thee my son, which hath a dumb spirit; 18And wheresoever he taketh him, he teareth him: and he foameth, and gnasheth with his teeth, and pineth away: and I spake to thy disciples that they should cast him out; and they could not." (Mark 9: 16-18)

The man with the demon-possessed child was hoping that one of the disciples could cast out the evil spirit, as if the power resided in the disciple. Jesus responded:

"He answereth him, and saith, O faithless generation, how long shall I be with you? how long shall I suffer you? bring him unto me." (Mark 11: 19)

Why was "this generation" faithless? They were under law, still abiding by the servant Moses, still trusting to their ethnic status or their own efforts instead of walking by faith in the Grace of God, who is presented and personified in Christ Jesus! In every situation,. we should not look to ourselves for help, even to "our faith", but rather to Jesus.

The distraught father in Mark 9 was arguing with scribes, tried to seek help from the disciples, and despite these acts of unbelief, Jesus still called to him to bring his demon-possessed child to him.

Jesus shows His compassion for us, even when we struggle to come to Him, still trying in our own efforts to solve our problems, to overcome enemies in our lives.

"And they brought him unto him: and when he saw him, straightway the spirit tare him; and he fell on the ground, and wallowed foaming. 21And he asked his father, How long is it ago since this came unto him? And he said, Of a child. 22And ofttimes it hath cast him into the fire, and into the waters, to destroy him: but if thou canst do any thing, have compassion on us, and help us." (Mark 11: 20-22)

When we are so pressed to run our problems by other people, let us start be trusting that we can share our struggles with Jesus, that He will understand, and do much more than we can ask or think. This father did not know if Jesus could do anything, but he asked. Jesus responded.

"23Jesus said unto him, If thou canst believe, all things are possible to him that believeth." (Mark 9: 23)

This verse has been misconstrued at length in the King James version. The New International Version brings out the fullness:

""'If you can'?" said Jesus. "Everything is possible for one who believes." The faith in question, the believing in question is not in the father, but in the Son! All things are possible to Him, who believes! Remember, we live by His faith, not our own.

Youngs Literal Translation is more forthcoming:

"And Jesus said to him, 'If thou art able to believe! all things are possible to the one that is believing;'

Jesus' faith is active, ongoing, never-ending.

The Father than cries out:

 24And straightway the father of the child cried out, and said with tears, Lord, I believe; help thou mine unbelief." (Mark 9: 24)

New International version:

"Immediately the boy's father exclaimed, "I do believe; help me overcome my unbelief!""

And Youngs

"and immediately the father of the child, having cried out, with tears said, 'I believe, sir; be helping mine unbelief.'

The issue is not about "our faith", but believing in Jesus, and letting His faith carry us through all things.

We have God's kind of faith because Jesus lives in us, and He gives us beyong what we can ask or think Ephesians 3: 20)

The matter of faith is not about what you say, or how much you say it, but who you believe, who you trust in, and how great is your understanding of Himself, and His faith in you.

For this reason, Peter prayed:

"But grow in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. To him be glory both now and for ever. Amen." (2 Peter 3: 18)

And we grow in this grace to the degree that we know Jesus more:

"2Grace and peace be multiplied unto you through the knowledge of God, and of Jesus our Lord, According as his divine power hath given unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness, through the knowledge of him that hath called us to glory and virtue:" (2 Peter 1: 2-3) 

In fact, before Jesus ministered to the father of the demon-possessed child, and before Jesus cursed the fig tree and cleaned out the temple (Mark 11), Jesus was transfigured in His fullness before Peter, James, and John:

"2And after six days Jesus taketh with him Peter, and James, and John, and leadeth them up into an high mountain apart by themselves: and he was transfigured before them. 3And his raiment became shining, exceeding white as snow; so as no fuller on earth can white them. 4And there appeared unto them Elias with Moses: and they were talking with Jesus. 5And Peter answered and said to Jesus, Master, it is good for us to be here: and let us make three tabernacles; one for thee, and one for Moses, and one for Elias. 6For he wist not what to say; for they were sore afraid. 7And there was a cloud that overshadowed them: and a voice came out of the cloud, saying, This is my beloved Son: hear him. 8And suddenly, when they had looked round about, they saw no man any more, save Jesus only with themselves." (Mark 9: 2-8)

 Jesus clothing was whiter than any fuller (any soap) could make. This brightness speaks of the perfect righteousness that we receive in Christ. The work is done, there is nothing more that we have to do in order to be clean. We are made the righteousness of God in Christ (2 Corinthians 5: 21). Jesus is greater than the Law (Moses) and the Prophets (Elijah), for both of them testify of Jesus. Instead of trying to be obedient in our own efforts or waiting for our peace and prosperity to come, we see all things completed in Jesus.

The same Jesus who is glorified above all things, the same Jesus who sits at the right hand of the Father, ministering on our behalf, this same Jesus stoops down to comfort us in our times of need:

"7And Jesus came and touched them, and said, Arise, and be not afraid. 8And when they had lifted up their eyes, they saw no man, save Jesus only." (Matthew 17: 7-8)

See Jesus, and faith will be unstoppable, because you believe on Him, the only work (John 6: 29)

Don't worry about what to say, do not worry about having "God's kind of faith", but grow in grace and knowledge of the Lord Jesus, who lives in you, who believes in you (literally), and through Himself makes all things come to pass in your life.