WHERE IS YOUR FAITH?

WHERE IS YOUR FAITH?

Bro. Emma Okorie

            “Where is your faith?” is a simple question which Jesus asked His disciples who feared exceedingly while weathering a storm. This is a question He would never have asked if He was not certain that God had endued His disciples, indeed all of us, with a measure of faith in order to embark on warfares. The question, “where is your faith?” comes when we fail to apply faith as requisite action when necessary.

            Faith is a requirement from all children of God who are born again and full of the Holy Ghost. The Lord is tired of sorrows, anxiety, fear and bewilderment among His children. He seeks to behold faith among them. Faith is the only legal tender God requires in order to buy from the market of the supernatural. No matter how bad the situation, it is sin not to have faith in God.

            Luke 8:22-25 (KJV) “Now it came to pass on a certain day, that he went into a ship with his disciples: and he said unto them, Let us go over unto the other side of the lake. And they launched forth. But as they sailed he fell asleep: and there came down a storm of wind on the lake; and they were filled with water, and were in jeopardy. And they came to him, and awoke him, saying, Master, master, we perish. Then he arose, and rebuked the wind and the raging of the water: and they ceased, and there was a calm. And he said unto them, Where is your faith? And they being afraid wondered, saying one to another, What manner of man is this! For he commandeth even the winds and water, and they obey him.”  How frequently do you find yourself in a state of confusion and fear? The question is, inspite of your exalted position in church, all the word of God you have studied and internalized, the number of years you have been born again and preached the word, where is your faith? Faith without works, without a tested ability to quench the fiery darts of the enemy, is of no effect, null and void. Where is your faith is a divine question the creator is asking at the heat of a difficult challenge. If the Lord finds faith in you right now, difficult and impossible situations will be reversed.

            Jesus demands and recognizes faith wherever He finds it. He identifies faith whenever it rises from the inward being. Your business thus is to always make faith available. Mark 5:34 (TLB) “And he said to her, "Daughter, your faith has made you well; go in peace, healed of your disease.” The woman of the issue of blood purposed in her heart that if she may but touch the hem of the garment of the Lord, she would be healed of a twelve year old plague of bleeding. She dared, touched it and was healed and the Lord allayed her fears of offence saying, “Your faith has made you well; go in peace, healed of your disease.”

            Matthew 15:21-28 (NLT) “Then Jesus left Galilee and went north to the region of Tyre and Sidon.  A Gentile woman who lived there came to him, pleading, "Have mercy on me, O Lord, Son of David! For my daughter is possessed by a demon that torments her severely." But Jesus gave her no reply, not even a word. Then his disciples urged him to send her away. "Tell her to go away," they said. "She is bothering us with all her begging." Then Jesus said to the woman, "I was sent only to help God's lost sheep—the people of Israel." But she came and worshiped him, pleading again, "Lord, help me!" Jesus responded, "It isn't right to take food from the children and throw it to the dogs."  She replied, "That's true, Lord, but even dogs are allowed to eat the scraps that fall beneath their master's table. "Dear woman," Jesus said to her, "your faith is great. Your request is granted." And her daughter was instantly healed.” To her persistent plea, Jesus insisted that He was only sent to attend to believers, to the Jews, but the more everyone pursued her to leave, the more humbly insistent she was believing that Jesus was the only solution to her daughter’s problem. She came down and worshipped Him the more pleading, “Lord, help me.” Knowing that her answer lay with Jesus, she didn’t mind being called names. This is the character of faith. It is a gift from God, a spiritual substance which cannot be put off, a tenacious persistence called faith which frequently leads to miracles. This same Jesus is in operation now. Even dogs are allowed to eat the scraps that fall from the master’s table. This Canaanite woman was willing to gather the scaps that fell from the real children because any piece of that divine grace would solve her problem and that was what she was looking for by all means.

            Christianity is real, following Jesus is very real. A miracle can take place now if only you can get your heart connected. Jesus is the same yesterday, today and forever. He went about doing well and healing all manner of sicknesses. He is still a God of compassion. What touches us touches Him. Many went this way and received and you cannot be an exception. Bring faith to the Lord and you will be healed. He is touching somebody right now, as every one of us is carrying his own burden. Lord, reach out; hear the cry of your children. He is taking away every infirmity now if only you can position your faith like this woman.

            How far can faith go in healing the sick and performing miracles, you may ask? I have taken note of Jesus’ and the apostles dealings with congenital sicknesses, diseases which people were born with. Often, when many see such, they draw conclusions that there is no cure, no way out. Some for instance, are born with two, three or four fingers instead of five. Some come with withered hands or legs. When they come to the prayer line, the man of God is tempted to pass over them quickly but Jesus never bothered whether one was born with a defect or developed it. He had and still has the power to heal all sicknesses wherever they are located. He is Jehovah that healeth us. One not open in his spirit to what God can do may limit Him. Acts 14:8-10 (NLT) “While they were at Lystra, Paul and Barnabas came upon a man with crippled feet. He had been that way from birth, so he had never walked. He was sitting and listening as Paul preached. Looking straight at him, Paul realized he had faith to be healed.  So Paul called to him in a loud voice, "Stand up!" And the man jumped to his feet and started walking.” The word of God is life, powerful, quicker than any two-edged sword. It can pierce, mold, heal and deliver. As one is listening, there is a divine connection, sometimes a warm sensation in the heart. Sometimes it stirs up a holy anger and pushes one to take some action. This is anointing within and faith is where anointing is. You cannot separate them, you may then give an order. This is how you eat your food in the spirit and get desired action without waste of time. Faith cometh by hearing and hearing by the word of God. Whatever you hear, you become. As you hear the word of God, liberation and deliverance takes place. When faith rises, it is time to lay hands and cast out demons, time to heal the sick. Paul called out to him, “Stand up!” and he jumped to his feet. I can see it happening now. A little coffee can stop the cough, a little breathing in and out can stop that pain in the chest. With the word of God around you, Jesus, the son of the living God is close to you.

            Acts 3:1-11 (NLT) “Peter and John went to the Temple one afternoon to take part in the three o'clock prayer service.  As they approached the Temple, a man lame from birth was being carried in. Each day he was put beside the Temple gate, the one called the Beautiful Gate, so he could beg from the people going into the Temple.  When he saw Peter and John about to enter, he asked them for some money. Peter and John looked at him intently, and Peter said, "Look at us!"  The lame man looked at them eagerly, expecting some money.  But Peter said, "I don't have any silver or gold for you. But I'll give you what I have. In the name of Jesus Christ the Nazarene,* get up and walk!" Then Peter took the lame man by the right hand and helped him up. And as he did, the man's feet and ankles were instantly healed and strengthened.  He jumped up, stood on his feet, and began to walk! Then, walking, leaping, and praising God, he went into the Temple with them. All the people saw him walking and heard him praising God.  When they realized he was the lame beggar they had seen so often at the Beautiful Gate, they were absolutely astounded!  They all rushed out in amazement to Solomon's Colonnade, where the man was holding tightly to Peter and John.” Put your heart upon the word of God whatever you are going through. How many of us truly believe the word of God? If the Lord can show such power, what is your sickness? What is your disease in comparison to the power of God? I believe that the God of Heaven is out to heal you. Where lies your faith?

            John 9:1-7 (NLT) “As Jesus was walking along, he saw a man who had been blind from birth. "Rabbi," his disciples asked him, "why was this man born blind? Was it because of his own sins or his parents' sins?" "It was not because of his sins or his parents' sins," Jesus answered. "This happened so the power of God could be seen in him.  We must quickly carry out the tasks assigned us by the one who sent us. The night is coming, and then no one can work.  But while I am here in the world, I am the light of the world." Then he spit on the ground, made mud with the saliva, and spread the mud over the blind man's eyes.  He told him, "Go wash yourself in the pool of Siloam" (Siloam means "sent"). So the man went and washed and came back seeing!” This one also was a congenital disease – He was blind from birth. Brethren, continue to have faith in God and don’t let anybody take you away from it. Don’t settle to live with that condition for God heals every sickness. The manifestation of God will come upon you now. You must use the anointing and work the work of miracles. Use the anointing and stop asking questions. Get things correct; get issues correct, get needs met. A healer thinks in a certain way, he doesn’t think like a common man. Believe that all things are possible to him that believeth and God can do anything, anytime, any hour. Somebody is receiving a miracle right now!

            When a message like this is preached and anointing is possible, some forget their infirmities. They no longer remember that they are sick. Whatever the problem, the word of God can heal it. Even if you are born blind or have a sickness which has lingered, there is healing for you.

            John 5:1-9 (TLB) “Afterwards Jesus returned to Jerusalem for one of the Jewish religious holidays.  Inside the city, near the Sheep Gate, was Bethesda Pool, with five covered platforms or porches surrounding it. Crowds of sick folks-lame, blind, or with paralyzed limbs-lay on the platforms (waiting for a certain movement of the water,  for an angel of the Lord came from time to time and disturbed the water, and the first person to step down into it afterwards was healed). One of the men lying there had been sick for thirty-eight years.  When Jesus saw him and knew how long he had been ill, he asked him, "Would you like to get well?"  "I can't," the sick man said, "for I have no one to help me into the pool at the movement of the water. While I am trying to get there, someone else always gets in ahead of me."  Jesus told him, "Stand up, roll up your sleeping mat and go on home!"  Instantly, the man was healed! He rolled up the mat and began walking!”  Healing is the original programme of God. Right from the fall of Adam, healing has been in operation. God is out to recover His people. Before the Lord Jesus came, healing came in trickles. Thus, healing is not against the will of God. Sickness does not glorify God. It is not the will of God to suffer any. Where is your faith? Won’t you like to get well? Forget about protocol, it is easy. At the name of Jesus, every knee must bow. Healing is close to you when you believe. Right now, you can have your healing. Exercise your faith, roll up your sleeping mat because you are healed and given an assignment. Roll up your mat, do something about your faith and don’t wait for somebody else to do it for you. You will go home delivered and that sickness is gone and done with. You are healed in the name of Jesus!

            Luke 13:10-13 (MSG) “He was teaching in one of the meeting places on the Sabbath.  There was a woman present, so twisted and bent over with arthritis that she couldn't even look up. She had been afflicted with this for eighteen years.  When Jesus saw her, he called her over. "Woman, you're free!"  He laid hands on her and suddenly she was standing straight and tall, giving glory to God.” Jesus Christ heals arthritis. Don’t attribute it to old age. Jesus heals, you can jump, dance, turn your body, no matter your age. Stand up straight and stop bemoaning yourself. Healing comes from the spirit and from there to the mind. Before you know it, the body captures it. You have over pampered that situation and resolved in your mind to live with it. Lay hands now and rebuke it and it will get out from your system. Your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost. There is a voice of the spirit, sometimes from the preacher or from the man of God. You hear a voice from the word of God you read and from the spirit man. Tell me, what is God’s opinion concerning that situation? Centre your mind on the opinion of God because He cannot tell a lie. Demonstrate the power of God, for it is present, the anointing is present to make every man whole. Liberate your heart in the inward parts.

            Jesus had an encounter with two blind men in Matthew 9:27-30 “And when Jesus departed thence, two blind men followed him, crying, and saying, Thou Son of David, have mercy on us. And when he was come into the house, the blind men came to him: and Jesus saith unto them, Believe ye that I am able to do this? They said unto him, Yea, Lord. Then touched he their eyes, saying, According to your faith be it unto you. And their eyes were opened; and Jesus straitly charged them, saying, See that no man know it.” Do you believe that God is able to heal you right now? Impossible situations can be made possible now. Whatever the problem, it can be corrected. Do not postpone your healing. If you have faith, let it be unto you according to your faith.

            Faith can create new bodies. Right now, we are in the arena of faith where there are no impossibilities. Matthew 15:29-31 (TLB) “Jesus now returned to the Sea of Galilee and climbed a hill and sat there.  And a vast crowd brought him their lame, blind, maimed, and those who couldn't speak, and many others, and laid them before Jesus, and he healed them all.  What a spectacle it was! Those who hadn't been able to say a word before were talking excitedly, and those with missing arms and legs had new ones; the crippled were walking and jumping around, and those who had been blind were gazing about them! The crowds just marveled, and praised the God of Israel.”Jesus healed them all. Right now, we have zoomed into the arena of healing ministry, the calling of God upon our lives. Is it wrong to imitate Christ? If we don’t be like Him, what are we ministering? If we don’t imitate Him, if we don’t imitate our master and follow in His footsteps, we have failed woefully. The days of miracles, healings and wonders have not elapsed. What you believe follow you. You may be as human as you want but please don’t limit the Holy Ghost. This is why the bible says, “If thou canst believe all things are possible to him that believeth.”

            Mark 3:1-5 “And he entered again into the synagogue; and there was a man there which had a withered hand. And they watched him, whether he would heal him on the sabbath day; that they might accuse him. And he saith unto the man which had the withered hand, Stand forth.  And he saith unto them, Is it lawful to do good on the sabbath days, or to do evil? to save life, or to kill? But they held their peace. And when he had looked round about on them with anger, being grieved for the hardness of their hearts, he saith unto the man, Stretch forth thine hand. And he stretched it out: and his hand was restored whole as the other.” The enemies of Jesus watched Him closely. They were the enemies of the gospel and the power of God, those who made laws against the healing ministry. Jesus is the one who said, “I go to prepare a place for you, that where I am, you may be there also,” but you don’t believe His actions. He is the one that said, “I am the way, the truth and the life, he that cometh unto me shall be saved.” Yet we don’t believe His actions. We believe on what is going to happen in the glorious by and by but do not believe what is going to happen right now, what the power of God can do right now. Where is your faith? What is the measure of your faith? You are healed by faith. Faith obtains everything. Whether it is hereditary or runs in your family bloodline, it does not matter. By faith you can be healed. Just apply faith and get what you want. Look at your background, how far have you used faith? The faith in the past can sustain the faith in the present. If you have ever used faith and it worked for you in the past, it will work right now. When you make a reference to operations in your life, you make a reference to faith. Faith begets faith. You can become a producer of faith. Why these things are not common in our experiences is because we have no reference, nothing to count on. If He does it, we don’t value it, we forget so soon.

            Caleb said, “Give me this mountain.” Joshua 14:11-12 (KJV) “As yet I am as strong this day as I was in the day that Moses sent me: as my strength was then, even so is my strength now, for war, both to go out, and to come in. Now therefore give me this mountain, whereof the LORD spake in that day; for thou heardest in that day how the Anakims were there, and that the cities were great and fenced: if so be the LORD will be with me, then I shall be able to drive them out, as the LORD said.” Faith is never tired. Somebody once asked me how I am able to accomplish the things that I am doing? Yes, I have a resume. I began from the past and it must continue that way. I love the shouting Evangelist with a lot of points, a lot of the word of God in him. A man of God who is not tired, turning things around, doing wonders, a lot of works. Faith generates something in your heart and spirit. You cannot grow old. As you were in the beginning, you are much better now that you are older. Old age must not be given as an excuse. If you do, you will begin to act senile and tired. There are powerful godly examples to follow. There is the word of God: “I can do all things through God that strengthens me.” I am not retiring. Retirement is for people of the world, nobody can render me impotent or redundant. When you put your heart in a thing, God will grant you greater wonders and greater miracles. Where is your faith?

            Stand tall now, get ready to order whatsoever you need. Speak by faith, stop complaining and bemoaning yourself and you will receive your needs in abundance. Nobody will be responsible for your failure if you keep quiet. Turn to God face to face on that matter, open your mouth and pray, and I assure you, success will be your portion.

God Bless You.