My thoughts that continue with this study is that faith is a gift that grows belief and with belief comes hope and with hope, love.  With these three comes a greater faith to believe in a savior that brings salvation, grace, mercy, more hope, peace, life, and strength to produce more faith and righteousness to where we are justified and rewarded and filled with an abundance of grace.  Thank you God for your gift of faith . . .

 

Let’s talk about faith. . .

 

Jesus talks about faith a lot in Matthew.  It is subtle, but we want to pay attention to what it is and how it benefits us on this Christian Journey.  Let’s start this by studying the woman with the issue of blood in Matthew Chapter 9.

 

#1 Faith is a currency

#2 Faith is a thought

#3 Faith is a seed

#4 Faith is a belief tied to action

#5 Faith is a gift of life

 

#1 Faith is a Currency.

 

When I say that Faith is a currency, I mean that it can be used to exchange for something in the Kingdom.  For the purpose of this post let’s just say Faith can be used for the exchange of a Vision.  When you believe that something is going to happen for you or to you, you are experiencing a strong belief of something you see in your imagination that will eventually happen in your present.

 

 “Faith is the substance of things hoped for and the evidence of things not seen.”

Hebrew 11:1

 

The stronger your Faith, the more clear your vision becomes.  Every Christian should have faith that the Lord is coming back again.  The more we believe it, the more clear it becomes in our current world.  For those of us watching and praying, we can see the evidence all around us that the time is soon to come.  We have confidence in the word of truth.  The presence of confidence brings about the passion to complete the work that needs to be done to bring the vision into the present.  Remember:

 

Faith without works is dead.

 James 2:17

 

Do not throw away your confidence, it shall be greatly rewarded.

see Hebrews 10:35-36

 

 

#2  Faith begins with a thought

 

Remember the woman with the issue of blood in Matthew chapter 9 verse 20:

 

And she said within herself “If I may but touch his garment, I shall be whole.”

 

This woman was looking for healing.  She had been to see doctors and others who said that they could heal her, but they didn’t.  They just took advantage of her belief that they could help her.  She probably thought within herself that they could help, but what happened when no one could heal her after 12 years of her condition?  She probably lost a lot of her faith in that old system.  That woman probably became desperate for healing.  She had to be sick and tired of being sick and tired.  

 

Sometimes our faith comes from a last try effort.  Sometimes our faith begins with just a thought. Perhaps that woman was thinking:  “Maybe, just Maybe, if I could just touch something that is connected to the one they call blessed; the one they say is the healer; the one they say is the Lord; then something will rub off on me and if it helps me just a little bit this would be great for me.  And no one would even know that I was even there.”

 

This seems very plausible, especially when you read the story again in Matthew.  The woman tried not to be seen.  She tried to get a touch and sneak away.  But Jesus stopped, as he was moving about in the crowd, many people surrounding him, touching him, and screaming for him.  His twelve disciples were trying to protect him from all the touching, grabbing, and polking. BUT, Jesus stopped and asked “Who touched me.”

 

There is a difference when you approach the Lord with a need versus a want.  He can feel when you are desperate, he knows when you are truly seeking after healing.  He can feel that touch of faith and he will respond to you. He will stop amongst the whole crowd of people who are just trying to use him up for his gifts.  But those who seek after him in faith!!?   HE WILL SAVE YOU!!

 

Through faith we have access to his grace.  Through that one THOUGHT  that Jesus died for us, to save us from ourselves, to heal our iniquities;Through that one thought that only happens through faith, we are found.  We are noticed.  We are healed.  We are called sons and daughters of the Kingdom:

 

Jesus said to the woman:

 

DAUGHTER,  be of good comfort; thy faith has made you whole.

 

Let’s keep looking at Faith . . .

 

 

#3  Faith works when connected to works

 

Although faith begins with the thought, the thought must grow to produce the fruit (outcome).  Therefore the faith must be planted.  How is a thought planted?  REVIEW!  Keep reading the word of God.  Keep listening to the word of God so that it can change the condition of your heart.  

 

The woman with the issue of blood had the thought.  She must have kept thinking about it because it produced a movement in her.  She had to go to the person that she believed had her healing.  She had to complete the action in order to be noticed in public as a daughter.  You see,  I think that the woman was always a daughter of the Kingdom and I believe that her condition was written in her destiny.  I believe that she had to complete her destiny purpose so that it could be written in the great book.  This is a major story for us to know that faith without works is dead.

 

#4 Faith is a seed

 

When your heart is changed by faith, you will produce fruit, some one hundred fold, some sixty, and some thirty.  But your actions and your work should be tied to the work of the Kingdom.  If you don’t have some type of work that you feel you need to do in the Kingdom, then you are still working on your faith growth.  Although Faith is planted, it doesn’t mean it is always growing . . .  Remember faith is a seed so it needs to be nourished, set in the right environment, given water, and energy from the sun.

 

If ye have faith as a grain of mustard seed, ye shall say unto this mountain, Remove hence to yonder place; and it shall remove; and nothing shall be impossible unto you. 

 Matthew 17:20

 

You can plant big faith, or you can plant small faith, or you can plant no faith at all.  You nourish and take care of that faith by prayer, fasting, and spending time with God in the word.  Sow an abundance of faith and you will reap much power; Sow faith sparingly, you will produce little power.

 

And be careful to keep your faith!

 

The enemy will always try to destroy the faith seed.  He will do this by the following:

 

-Steal it

-hide it

-destroy it

-over water it

-distract you from caring for it

-cause you discomfort

 

To read more about the tactics of the enemy who tries to take the faith seed away from you read, Matthew: 13: 3-23

 

The enemy is always trying to stop the faith seed from being planted by stealing your Kingdom thoughts.  So, be careful what you watch, what you hear, and what you eat so that the enemy can’t trick you out of your faith blessing.

 

#5 Faith is a gift of life and healing

 

I said before that Faith is a currency.  Just like money can be used to exchange for goods and services in this world, Faith can be exchanged for goods and services in the Kingdom.  To understand this you have to have something called the “Faith Perspective.”  The faith perspective translates our world into Kingdom understanding.  Every government has a currency.  The Kingdom is a government, with a culture, a language, a currency, a medical system, a workforce, a special cuisine, a library, a justice system, and an army.  Faith doesn’t come from nowhere, it comes from the Kingdom.  It is a free gift that gives you access to accept Jesus as your savior.  This is access to grace.  This access to grace affords you a paid for life that no longer has to be spent working for the world.  Your work can now be for the Kingdom.  OH!!! Kingdom work has wonderful benefits!!!  Everlasting Life, Health, Strength, Healing!!!  This faith exchange gives you access to the Holy Spirit that rejuvenates your spirit!!!  Your faith exchange gives you access to many blessings from heaven.  You can’t see them in your now, but you can call them into your present.  Your faith builds your belief and helps you build your relationship with your teacher.  OH YES, the Kingdom also has an education system! This earth is your school abroad and the Holy Spirit is your teacher.  The purpose of a Kingdom education is to grow your spirit.

 

How do you know that your spirit is growing?  See Galatians 5:22

 

But the Holy Spirit produces this kind of fruit in our lives: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness,  gentleness, and self-control. There is no law against these things!

 

 Can you see Love, Joy, and Peace in your life?  This is the Kingdom metric system! Oh how good God is.  How Great is his Kingdom Blessing.  Here is a Kingdom assignment work for you:

 

Go tell everyone about this new life!!!

See Acts 5:20

 

The conclusion of the matter is to believe in the Lord.  Believe in the promises of the Lord.  Obey the directions of the Holy Spirit by developing kingdom  hearing and eyesight.  These are things that you can obtain by exchanging your faith.  Grab hold of your faith and let it produce the fruit of healing and rest in your bodies.  Remember, faith begins with a thought.  That thought wasn’t by happenstance.  You were a lost daughter or son of God and he found you.  He called you and gave you a gift of belief so that you could call for your salvation.  Jesus is the answer to that call.  Don’t let anyone tell you who Jesus should be for you!!  For the woman with the issue of blood, he was her healer and father.  For others he will be your lifeguard when you are drowning, or your lawyer when condemnation is trying to take you to jail, or your teacher when you are confused about life.  He is what you need. Try using a little faith to touch the hem of his garment.  He will notice you. He will stop and ask, “Who touched me?”

 

I pray that this has been Motivation for your Monday!

 

P.S.  Yes, the Lord chose to give you a gift of faith.  You believe.  Go and tell everyone what you believe by faith.  Go tell the world about the saving grace of Jesus Christ. Amen!

 

This blog is dedicated to spreading the Gospel of Jesus Christ and the coming of his Kingdom.  Therefore all content is God centered and adheres to the word of God.  My Goal is to motivate you to find your purpose.