Call to Me and I will answer you and tell you great and incomprehensible things you do not know.
Jeremiah 33:3 (HCSB)
Series: The Gift of Faith
Have you ever been disappointed by an outcome that felt completely out of your control? You’ve spun all the wheels, spoken the right words, and walked the walk, but the results just aren’t happening. The frustration builds. Panic sets in. You wrestle with all your might to try to still make it happen. And yet…nothing. Why?
The disciples experienced this frustration when they tried to help a man and his son. They just couldn’t get the job done, and they did not understand why. Let’s turn to Matthew 17:14-21 (HCSB):
When they reached the crowd, a man approached and knelt down before Him. “Lord,” he said, “have mercy on my son, because he has seizures and suffers severely. He often falls into the fire and often into the water. I brought him to Your disciples, but they couldn’t heal him.” Jesus replied, “You unbelieving and rebellious generation! How long will I be with you? How long must I put up with you? Bring him here to Me.” Then Jesus rebuked the demon, and it came out of him, and from that moment the boy was healed. Then the disciples approached Jesus privately and said, “Why couldn’t we drive it out?” “Because of your little faith,” He told them. “For I assure you: If you have faith the size of a mustard seed, you will tell this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it will move. Nothing will be impossible for you. However, this kind does not come out except by prayer and fasting.”
Small faith. That was the reason the disciples could not drive the demon out of the man’s son. Yet, Jesus explained faith as small as a mustard seed would accomplish profound and powerful results. Nothing would be impossible for them. So, exactly how little was the disciples’ faith—because mustard seeds are miniscule! Did the disciples have any faith at all?
Jesus called them unbelieving and rebellious. They were capable of no mighty works because of their unbelief and rebellion. Further, Jesus said prayer and fasting were essential to provide the deliverance needed by the boy.
From this passage, we learn unbelief and rebellion negate our faith, and prayer and fasting increase our faith. With those equations, we have a foundation to develop a formula to grow in faith:
- Believe. Believe in God—Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Believe in His Word. Believe in His power.
- Obey. Obey the Word of God. Love Him and love others.
- Pray. Seek God and commune with Him.
- Fast. Deny your flesh and rely on God.
Belief, obedience, and prayer seem relevant as building blocks for our faith to increase. But how does fasting apply? Fasting was common in the Old Testament to express sorrow and repentance, and to seek God’s favor. In the New Testament, Jesus and His followers practiced fasting to grow spiritually and to seek God’s will and direction.
Fasting develops a reliance on God for strength, promotes focus on the Word of God, and increases discernment. When we deny our flesh to feed itself, our spirits become more attuned to spiritual truths. Galatians 5:24 (HCSB) says:
Now those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. Since we live by the Spirit, we must also follow the Spirit.
Whether we discipline our bodies by eating nothing, or by excluding just one item from our diet, both exercise self-denial. The key is to turn more deeply to God during this time, to seek Him, His truth, and His will. Crucifying our flesh causes us to hear Him more clearly and follow Him more closely.
I can only imagine what it is like to have faith that moves mountains, where nothing is impossible for me. My faith must not be the size of a mustard seed…yet! I have room to grow. How about you?
May we each consider the importance of believing, obeying, praying, and fasting. And, may we prayerfully commit to increase our small faith to at least the mustard-seed-size! It’s time to grow!
Holding Fast to Hope,
Maryann
Scripture References: Jeremiah 33:3; Matthew 17:14-21; Galatians 5:24-25
