All of us have a different measure of faith, but we are also able to increase that faith with God’s help. No one has perfect faith. We all have some doubt mingled with our faith, but it is possible to increase the amount of faith we have. More faith is requested when we hope for something more that only God can give us. The disciples wanted more faith to better understand God’s forgiveness. The father of the demon-possessed child wanted more faith to believe that his son could be healed.
An increase of faith will be desired and sought out when we have a greater need for which we must depend more upon God to provide.
These might include:
- Answers to prayer – Matthew 21:22 says, And all things, whatsoever ye shall ask in prayer, believing, ye shall
- Strength to endure adversity – Job 13:15 says, Though he slay me, yet will I trust in him: but I will maintain mine own ways before
- Courage to face new challenges or opportunities – Numbers 13:30 says, And Caleb stilled the people before Moses, and said, Let us go up at once, and possess it; for we are well able to overcome
- Spiritual growth and wisdom – James 1:5-6 says, If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him. But let him ask in faith, nothing For he that wavereth is like a wave of the sea driven with the wind and tossed.
- Victory over Satan and the world – Ephesians 6:16 says, Above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the I John 5:4 says, For whatsoever is born of God overcometh the world: and this is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith.
- Physical or emotional healing – James 5:15 says, And the prayer of faith shall save the sick, and the Lord shall raise him up; and if he have committed sins, they shall be forgiven
- A desire to please God – Hebrews 11:6 says, But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek
- A determination to help others – Luke 5:18-20 says, And, behold, men brought in a bed a man which was taken with a palsy: and they sought means to bring him in, and to lay him before And when they could not find by what way they might bring him in because of the multitude, they went upon the housetop, and let him down through the tiling with his couch into the midst before Jesus. And when he saw their faith, he said unto him, Man, thy sins are forgiven thee.
Jesus answered the request for an increase of faith by first stating that only a very small amount of faith is needed with which to begin.
As this small seed of faith grows, mountains can be moved, and literally, all things become possible. As I sow the seed of faith that I already have, I reap more faith. The way to increase our faith is to use the faith we already have by investing it into that which will produce more faith.
- If I invest the faith I already have in God by also trusting His Son Jesus, I receive the benefit of the faith of a personal ( John 14:1, 6; Galatians 2:20)
- If I invest the faith I already have in the Holy Spirit by yielding to Him, I receive the fruit of more (Galatians 5:22)
- If I invest the faith I have in the Bible by listening to it being preached, I receive the benefit of more faith in God’s Word to be a doer and not a hearer (Romans 10:17)
- If I invest the faith I already have in prayer by fasting when I pray, I receive more faith in what God can (Mark 11:24; Matthew 17:21)
- If I invest the faith I already have in the good things God has for me by watching and praying, I receive more faith to enter not into temptation so as not to miss the even better things God has for (Matthew 26:41; I Corinthians 2:9)
- If I invest the faith I already have by attempting to serve the Lord in a small way, I receive more faith to attempt to serve God in a big (Luke 16:10; Luke 19:17)
- If I invest the faith I already have in God’s promise of forgiveness, I receive the benefit of the increased faith of a pure (I John 1:9; I Timothy 1:19; Acts 23:1; Hebrews 10:22)
- If I invest the faith I already have because of what God has already done for me by telling others about it, I receive greater faith to trust Him to do even greater things in the future. (Psalm 107:2; Psalm 107:15; II Corinthians 4:13)
- If I invest the faith I already have that God will meet my financial needs by faithfully tithing, I will receive greater faith to give to (Malachi 3:10; II Corinthians 9:6; Philippians 4:19)
- If I invest the faith I already have that my children are an heritage of the Lord by rearing them in the nurture and admonition of the Lord, I receive more faith to send them to a Christian school and (Proverbs 22:6)
Our goal is threefold. We want to show that in order to increase our faith, we must (1) recognize the amount of faith we already have; (2) have a reason to want our faith to increase; (3) invest the amount of faith we already have in the right things to be able to reap more faith. We must seek for more faith, especially for those times when we will need it most. There will come a time when our faith will not be enough for the situation. We must seek more faith in order to face those things as they come into our lives.
Pastor Neal, through his preaching and his counseling, displays the compassionate heart of a pastor, follows the true leading of the Holy Spirit, and expresses a fervent desire to see lost souls come to know Christ. It is his ultimate desire to see the greater Jacksonville area reached for the cause of Christ and for revival to come to Northeast Florida.
