Pastor Seyi Osanyinbi
[biblegateway passage=”Matthew 21:18-22″ display=”Matthew 21:18-22″]; [biblegateway passage=”Mark 11:19-24″ display=”Mark 11:19-24″]
Today’s message will not be about the faith of the fathers, or of the Son of God, but about faith in general.
God in His Wisdom, “arranges” needs for you so you never get to a place where you no longer have to depend on Him. Even when God “allows” satan to attack you or troubles to assault you, His intention is not to destroy you. There is absolutely no reason for a man to take his own life. Having the tendency to want to punish yourself is a very dangerous mindset. You must face life’s problems with courage.
When Jesus speaks and declares a thing, He puts His integrity on the line. You have probably heard it said that sometimes God does not answer your prayers because He wants you to grow. There is no truth in that. God answers every prayer He hears. Many of us are unaware that God does not hear every prayer. Examples of such instances are prayers that are actually complaints and accusations.
When you have a problem, God does not expect you to come crying to Him. Hebrews4:16 says we are to “come boldly before God’s throne of grace.” Jesus slept through the storm. He expected the disciples to be able to handle the situation on their own. The same goes for us. You will have to face some of life’s problems with the authority of your Father in Heaven. You must speak to these situations. You must address them and make declarations.
[biblegateway passage=”Mark 11:23″ display=”Mark 11:23″]
Speaking is one thing, speaking without doubt in your heart is another. When you speak, you are attempting to do the impossible. How can you lift a mountain by mere words? The problem with faith is not whether it is big or small, but rather whether you are willing to cross the line and be vulnerable. Most people avoid praying for the sick because they are scared nothing will happen.
The God kind of faith deals with a problem. It does not wish it away. Faith does not deny a negative situation or ignore its existence. Contrary to what we have come to believe, speaking honestly about a challenge you are facing is not the same as making negative declarations. You must however acknowledge that there are greater truths. One truth must submit to another. For example, it is true that you may not be feeling well, but it is also true that “by His stripes you are healed”.
Certain situations will not answer to silent prayers (“praying in your heart”, as they are often called). When you are dealing with mountains, you don’t think- you speak. You must learn not to place your attention on physical manifestations. You must have faith in the words that you have spoken. This is why jesting is not allowed in the Kingdom. You need to develop an attitude of belief in your own words. Place premium on your own words such that you do not speak and then begin to doubt your own words. You might not see results immediately. The accounts of the Fig Tree are rendered differently in Matthew and Mark.
[biblegateway passage=”Matthew 21″ display=”Matthew 21″] tells us that the fig tree dried up immediately. Mark11 on the other hand records that it was the next morning as they passed by that they noticed the tree had withered. The truth of the matter is that the tree in fact responded immediately.
Perhaps what happened was that just like when you break off a branch of a tree. It doesn’t dry up instantaneously, but is already considered dead. When Jesus speaks, creation responds. Faith is essential in this walk of life. Without faith in God and in the promises He made, you go very far. Begin to see yourself as “a man under authority”. There are many things God wants to do in our lives, but is hindered because we haven’t spoken concerning them.