Of Faith and Psych

And the Lord said, If ye had faith as a grain of mustard seed, ye might say unto this sycamine tree, Be thou plucked up by the root, and be thou planted in the sea; and it should obey you. (Luke 17:6)

I want us today to look at what faith is as opposed to what many people call faith.

This is because enough people have burnt their fingers, even whole hands, trying to put what they thought was faith in action. Until some have realized that their faith was ineffective and have to hire performers to run healing and other miracle stunts.

How many have thrown away their walking aids after a healing ‘demonstration’ so built their ‘faith’ had to shamefully go back to looking for them when they realized that they were forcing their unequal limbs to do the impossible?

So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God. (Romans 10:17)

You see, the only source of valid faith is the word of God. It therefore means that only the word of God proclaimed in its simplicity has the capacity to build faith.

Why is it so? It is simply because only God has the capacity to perform miracles. And the word of God points to Him, and not through any broker, not even the preacher.

If you attend a miracle service because a miracle working preacher, be it apostle or prophet of evangelist, will be running the show, you will not be receiving any miracle from God simply because your faith will not be on God. And if any miracle will happen, it will not be from God.

If you attend a meeting because a major minister will be leading it, you may just have to forget about God manifesting Himself in your behalf.

I am the LORD: that is my name: and my glory will I not give to another, neither my praise to graven images. (Isaiah 42:8)

You see, God is never bound by your faith in man, however high it may be. God is only bound to His word. In other words, God is bound to the word He has released that has been received.

That God is a miracle working God is never in doubt. I have seen enough miracles to affirm that God does everything He says He will do. I have experienced healing that defied reason. And I have also seen God healing, and not using medicine and doctors. In fact I am waiting for a season miracles will overtake those who believe, but not in persons. And I have seen many other miracles to verify that God still works miracles.

But God does not perform miracles to point us to people. And He also does not perform miracles because a big man has called for them, however big he may think he is.

And it came to pass at the time of the offering of the evening sacrifice, that Elijah the prophet came near, and said, LORD God of Abraham, Isaac, and of Israel, let it be known this day that thou art God in Israel, and that I am thy servant, and that I have done all these things at thy word. (1Kings 18:36)

Elijah is simply saying this; I have done what you told me. That included closing the clouds from giving rain. God was left with no option. In fact, God was pleasantly excited to perform that miracle.

Jeremiah 1: 12 says God is watching to make sure His word always carries the day. Isaiah 55: 10 says any word coming from God must accomplish its purpose.

Only faith produced by the absorption of God’s word is able to bring results. Only that kind of faith can bring down God’s power.

It is interesting that preachers are reversing the order of things and wondering why nothing is working. The Bible says that miracles will follow those who believe. Preachers are calling for people to come with the sick expecting miracles. In fact they are advertising those meetings until you wonder why Jesus used to hide from the crowds yet He is the source of any genuine miracles. Charlatans!

Jesus used to teach. Miracles resulted from that teaching. Peter taught and miracles resulted. Paul taught and miracles resulted.

Today we want miracles to precede teaching. Some have completely replaced teaching with miracles. And they are not ashamed of being associated with Christ.

These are like the magicians in Pharaoh’s court, expert copyists.

God will not perform a miracle to save ‘His’ servant from the blushes of his importunity. Neither will He perform because the ignorant masses have followed those charlatans believing they are following God.

God’s nature is that He acts in accordance to what He has revealed in His word. His nature is consistent with His revelation.

Therefore faith is only dependent on the object it is directed to. God’s word points God people to Him. Miracles will follow the natural flow of things.

God’s word enables God’s people to see God for who He is. It enables people to see God clearly. It allows them to understand His attributes. And of course it makes it easy for them to see Him at work.

That is why God’s word is the antidote to sin as you can not walk in sin when you are absorbing God’s word in your mind and heart consistently.

That is the context under which miracles do occur. The rest is drama. And of course God is not the author of such drama.

God’s miracles are redemptive.

Stop following conmen in the name of miracles, whether they call themselves mighty prophets or anointed apostles.

As newborn babes, desire the sincere milk of the word, that ye may grow thereby: If so be ye have tasted that the Lord is gracious. (1Peter 2: 2, 3)

Only the Bible is the source of all true faith.