Positive For Faith
Jesse Duplantis has a message called, “I Have Tested Positive For Faith.” It is a play on the recent mindset of testing we deal with managing COVID-19. He is saying that we should test positive for having faith in God and His Promises.
A Description of Faith
Faith is a strong belief in the existence of God and in His desire to reward those who diligently seek Him. Hebrews 11:6 lists these as two descriptions of faith that “please” God. The word μισθαποδότης, translated reward, occurs only once in Hebrews as a noun and was henceforth picked up by Christian literature as a description of God. The reward resulting in faith can include but is not limited to, divine healing.
The Message of Faith
The message of faith is ridiculed today. Today’s modern Christians would much rather focus on natural reasons and remedies for what they deal with daily. An overfocus on the natural arena will hinder your reception of divine power. We connect with God through faith in His existence and reward.
Faith often played a role in the healing narratives. In Matthew 9:22, Jesus tells a woman who was healed of a hemorrhage, “. . . your faith has made you well.” (See also Mark 5:34 and Luke 8:48.) Her faith was the cause of the transmission of healing. What did her faith look like? In verse twenty-one, there is a description of her faith. Her faith was, “If I only touch His garment, I will get well.” There is no description that her faith was in the deity of Jesus although it may be assumed. Her faith was initiated by her. Her faith was for a specific request. She wanted to be healed. One might assume that she believed in the deity of Jesus. She had heard of Jesus, although the Scripture does not reveal what she knew of Jesus. Whatever she had been told about Jesus, it ignited faith in her to touch Jesus’ garment so she can be healed.
A second narrative that demonstrates faith’s role in healing is found in Acts 14. Here Paul is preaching. A lame man is listening to Paul preach. In Acts 14:9 it says that Paul saw “that he had faith to be made well.” Paul commanded him to stand, and he was healed. This brings up two issues that pertain to this project. The first issue is that according to verse nine the “. . . man was listening to Paul as he spoke . . .” Was this pointed out to indicate a possible connection to faith being kindled in the man as he heard Paul preach? It might be assumed that Paul was preaching about Jesus as he did in verse three. Is it too much to assume that as Paul was preaching, faith came alive for him to be healed? Secondly, the lame man’s faith was for a specific request. He wanted to be healed. His faith, though assumed to be directed to Jesus, was not just in His deity, but for a specific request: healing.
The role of faith in these two narratives has a couple of similarities. First, the afflicted person’s faith was to be healed. Secondly, it was their faith, not Jesus’ faith nor Paul’s faith, that resulted in their healing.
Unbelief Responsible For Limitation of the Miraculous
A controversial situation is recorded when Jesus returned to His hometown. In Matthew 13:58 it says that Jesus “. . . did not do many miracles . . .” Mark 6:5 says that Jesus “. . . could do no miracle . . .” although He did heal a few people. What was the cause of the limitation of the miraculous in Jesus’ hometown? Mark remarks that unbelief was observed by Jesus. Matthew is more explicit when he says it was “. . . because of their unbelief.” Unbelief was the cause or was present in the situation where Jesus’ miracle power was limited. Unbelief can be a reason for the limitation of miraculous power.
While faith is not the only factor in the miraculous, it certainly plays a role. Number one, it should never be assumed that when healing does not occur that it was an issue of faith on the part of the one who is seeking healing. Number two, one should never feel condemned concerning faith as the only issue pertaining to the transmission and the receiving of healing. However, faith should be developed through receiving the Word of God and spending time in prayer and fasting.
We should focus on the existence and benevolence of God. He loves you and wants to help you. Look to Him. Learn to focus on the spiritual side of the issues of life.
For more on this subject watch Wednesday’s message, “Faith For Wholeness Through Preaching.”
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We love you,
Pastors John & Erin Carmichael
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