“Thy faith hath made thee whole.” Mark
5:34.
“According to YOUR FAITH be it unto you.” Matt. 9:29.
“As THOU HAST BELIEVED, so be it done unto thee.” Matt. 8:13.
“For he that wavereth is like a wave of the sea driven with the wind and tossed.
For let not that man think that he shall receive ANYTHING of the Lord.” James
1:6,7.
A certain woman (Mark 5:25-34) had an issue of blood twelve years. This woman had suffered many things of many physicians, had spent all she had, but instead of getting better, she rather grew worse. Finally, hearing of Jesus, she touched His garment and was made whole.
What made this woman whole?
Many will say, “Christ.”
In a sense, that is right, for without touching Him, she could never have been
healed. But after she was healed, Christ Himself said, “Daughter, THY FAITH hath
made thee whole;” Verse 34. Then according to Jesus’ own words, it was HER FAITH
that made her whole. She would never have overcome the difficulties in her path
that seemingly made it impossible for her to touch Him, had she not had FAITH!
At another time (Matt. 9:27), two blind men came to Jesus for healing. He touched their eyes, and they were opened.
What was it that opened the blind eyes?
After Jesus touched them, He declared, “According to YOUR FAITH be it unto you.”
Verse 29.
Then, in reality, it was their faith, in cooperation with the power of God
through Jesus Christ, which brought about their healing.
THERE IS HEALING IN THE ATONEMENT.
Seven hundred years before Calvary, Isaiah looked forward to the cross. Upon
that cross he saw a man dying for the sins of the world. Not only dying -—
shedding His blood —-for the sins of the world, but dying with His back bruised
and bleeding from the cruel stripes, the beating with whips which He bore that
man might be set free from sickness, as well as from sin.
Isaiah cried out in prophetic utterance as he was moved upon by the Holy Ghost:
“He is despised and rejected of men; a man of sorrows, and acquainted with
grief: and we hid as it were our faces from him; he was despised, and we
esteemed him not. Surely he hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows: yet
we did esteem him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted. But he was wounded
for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of
our peace was upon him; and WITH HIS STRIPES WE ARE HEALED.” Isaiah 53:3-5.
Sixty years after Calvary, the apostle Peter declared, “Who his own self bare
our sins in his own body on the tree, that we, being dead to sins, should live
unto righteousness: by whose stripes ye WERE HEALED.” 1 Peter 2:24.
What difference does it make whether it is 60 years after Calvary or 1900 years
after Calvary? Time cannot change God’s eternal Word. The fact remains that at
Calvary YE WERE HEALED!
The work was finished there. ALL GOD ASKS US TO DO IS TO BELIEVE IT.
There is Atonement for the Soul and Healing for the Body.
Only as a sinner believes in Calvary for the atonement for his soul can he
receive salvation from sin. And only as we believe that He bore the stripes for
our healing can we receive this tremendous blessing.
“Bless the Lord, O my soul, and FORGET NOT ALL his benefits: Who forgiveth all
thine iniquities; who healeth all thy diseases;” Psalms 103:2, 3.
Remember these inspired words of David when you consider the benefits of
Calvary.
He shed His blood for our sins. “Forasmuch as ye know that ye were not redeemed
with corruptible things . . . But with the precious BLOOD of Christ, as of a
lamb without blemish and without spot:” 1 Peter 1:18, 19.
“In whom we have redemption through His BLOOD, the forgiveness of sins,
At Calvary we find atonement for the soul but we cannot stop there. That is only
half the benefit of Calvary. The other half is healing for the physical body.
Christ suffered in His body for our healing.
Many today have forgotten His benefits. Many remember only part of His benefits
but have forgotten that part which provides deliverance for our physical bodies.
So far as they are concerned, they make the sufferings of Christ to be in vain.
“Himself took our infirmities, and bare our sicknesses.” Matt. 8:17.
Since Christ bore your sicknesses, you no longer have to be sick. You can be
released from sin and sickness by remembering that Christ finished your
redemption from both, ONCE FOR ALL, at Calvary.
GOD’S GUARANTEE TO HEAL THE SICK.
God’s Word should never be doubted because God cannot lie. Whatever God has
spoken, He is able to make good, and the Word declares that He SHALL make it
good.
“God is not a man, that he should lie; neither the son of man, that he should
repent; hath he said, and shall he not do it? or hath he spoken, and shall he
not make it good?” Num. 23:19.
This all-powerful, unchanging God has promised to heal ALL our diseases. This is
not hope-so, or think-so, or maybe-so. It is a definite promise. It is the plain
emphatic Word of God.
If God has promised to forgive sins, He has promised to heal, and GOD CANNOT
LIE. Can God break a covenant, or alter the thing that has gone out of His lips?
NO!
“My covenant will I not break, nor alter the thing that is gone out of my lips.”
Psalms 89:34.
PROMISES ARE CONDITIONED UPON FAITH
There is no way to receive anything from God except by faith. James states this
fact: “But let him ask in faith, nothing wavering. For he that wavereth is like
a wave of the sea driven with the wind and tossed. For let not that man think
that he shall receive anything of the Lord.” James 1:6,7.
The outstanding ministers of church history, (like Moody, Finney, Spurgeon,
Wesley, Luther, Saint Paul, and the apostles) brought deliverance to the people
of the time in which they lived. These ministers differed from other men -- not
so much in their mental ability, education, personality, talents, or human
advantages -- as in their simple trust in God. They did not go about to found
churches, to build for themselves a great name. They simply read God’s Word, and
believed that he meant what He said. They laid aside the elders’ traditions,
which so frequently set at naught the Word of God, and thought, taught, and
acted upon the fact that God is true, and that every man who disagrees with God
is a liar.
God guarantees in His Word to reward that kind of faith.
Jesus said to the centurion, “AS THOU HAST BELIEVED, so be it done unto thee.”
Matt. 8:13. In reading the New Testament accounts of healing in the ministry of
Jesus and His early followers, we find many such statements.
FAITH IS ABSOLUTELY NECESSARY TO RECEIVE ANYTHING FROM GOD.
There are four kinds of faith:
1. Human Faith: This is”headfaith.”
It is the kind of faith you have that if you board a bus it will take you where
you want to go. It is a common every day thing which is evidenced in all the
activities of daily life. You write a letter, go to the Post Office, buy a tiny
stamp for five cents, place it on the corner of the envelope, drop the letter
into the slot -— having complete confidence that the person to whom you
addressed the letter will receive it within a few days.
In this sense, even the demons believe. (James 2:19).
Demons believe there is a God. They believe and tremble. (That’s more than some
people do).
The next three types of faith are of the heart -- are, in fact, divine.
2. Saving Faith. “For by grace are ye saved through faith;
and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God:” Eph. 2:8.
This is putting “head faith” into action; it is committing ourselves to our
belief in Christ. It is accepting Him as God’s Son, and as our Saviour. It is
giving ourselves to Him as obedient and loving “bondslaves” bought with His own
blood.
This saving faith is also a gift, we are told (Eph. 2:8), but it is not the
supernatural gift of the Spirit of which Paul speaks in 1 Cor. 12.
How do we know? We know that all can receive saving faith, but Paul says in 1
Cor. 12:9, “To another faith by the same Spirit;” Weymouth translates this “To a
third man, by means of the same Spirit, special faith.”
So faith, the gift of the Spirit, is distributed according to the sovereign will
of God.
3. Faith, The Fruit.
“But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance:” Gal. 5:22, 23.
The faith mentioned in this passage is one of the fruits of the Spirit and is
for character. This is the faith without which no man can please God. “But
without faith it is impossible to please him:” Heb. 11:6. It is actually the
development and growth of saving faith.
4. Faith, The Gift.
This faith is for power. This is the gift of the Spirit by which one may work
miracles, or receive them.
Daniel, facing the den of lions, must have experienced a supernatural faith that
closed the mouths of the lions. “And of the prophets: Who through faith subdued
kingdoms, wrought righteousness, obtained promises, stopped the mouths of
lions,” Heb. 11:32, 33.
Paul, on the Island of Melita, shook off the poisonous serpent and was unharmed,
because he exercised the supernatural gift of faith.
It is difficult to distinguish between the gift of faith and the gift of
miracles.
“And when they had sent away the multitude, they took him even as he was in the
ship. And there were also with him other little ships. And there arose a great
storm of wind, and the waves beat into the ship, so that it was full. And he was
in the hinder part of the ship, asleep on a pillow: and they awake him, and say
unto him, Master, carest thou not that we perish? And he arose, and rebuked the
wind, and said unto the sea, Peace, be still. And the wind ceased, and there was
a great calm. And he said unto them, Why are ye so fearful? how is it that ye
have no faith? And they feared exceedingly, and said one to another, What manner
of man is this, that even the wind and the sea obey him?” Mark 4:36-41.
When the disciples were out on the sea in a storm tossed boat, they could have, by faith, sailed through the storm as if it had not existed. That is what Jesus wanted them to do. That would have been a miracle of faith.
However, they became fearful and the only way Jesus could get them to trust Him
in the storm was to remove their fear. Thus He did by performing the miracle of
stilling the storm.
That is the difference between a miracle of faith and of a miracle of the gift
of miracles. One is passive, the other active. One is spectacular and the other
is not. Yet which would be the greater blessing?
The operations of the gift of faith are not always immediately obvious.
These things were a long time coming to pass but Isaac had supernatural faith to
pronounce these blessings upon his sons.
Abraham believed God to lead him into a promised land, and to give him his son,
Isaac. This was a long-range faith over a long period of time, and it was
supernatural. His offering of Isaac on Mount Moriah was surely a supernatural
faith that produced a miracle.
“By faith Abraham, when he was tried, offered up Isaac: and he that had received
the promises offered up his only begotten son, Of whom it was said, That in
Isaac shall thy seed be called: Accounting that God was able to raise him up,
even from the dead; from whence also he received him in a figure.” Heb. 11:17—19
(Also see Gen. 22:8-13.)
The gift of faith, like all the supernatural gifts is transient. That is, it is
for a specific time and place. Bold faith characterized Elijah when he said to
King Ahab that there would be no rain for years until he spoke the word and it
would then rain! (1 Kings 17:1). This faith produced the miraculous fulfillment
of that prophecy, but where was that faith when he was sitting under a juniper
tree, fearful and discouraged and wanting to die? (1 Kings 19:4). That
particular faith was lacking there because it was not needed. It is the
transient gift of the Spirit for power, for the miraculous.
He had not lost his faith in God or God’s Word. That faith was with him and that
faith taught him to believe God and take courage when God told him He had 7,000
other faithful followers in Israel.
THE NEED TODAY IS THE GIFT OF FAITH!
This gift is needed today just as it was in Bible days. It is needed for the
same reasons it was needed then.
Caleb and Joshua surely had this gift of faith operating when, in the face of
all evidence to the contrary, they insisted that Israel was well able to march
into and conquer the Promised Land. (Numbers 13:17-33).
Later, it was surely by this faith that Joshua was able to lead the people into
Canaan and conquer it, because the odds were great, and it was only by the mercy
of God that they succeeded.
Today anyone who does a great work for God must have this special enduement of
faith in order to succeed against the terrific opposition that faces him.
When David faced Goliath and delivered his people from the threat of this giant
and his armies, he had to have special faith -— faith that could perform a
miracle.
This special faith is needed to go through persecution. In the fourth chapter of
Acts we read how, in the face of persecution, and even danger to their lives,
the apostles prayed for more of what brought on the persecution!
This is real supernatural faith in God and in His love and His purposes. Notice
that they did not pray for their lives or for protection. They prayed for
courage!
It takes special supernatural faith to pray thus in the face of opposition, and
not to pray selfishly.
We need this gift for supernatural victories.
The fall of Jericho (Joshua 6) was certainly a miracle of faith. It took
supernatural faith to believe God for that victory and to command a multitude of
people to march around that city each day for six days. And then to go around it
seven times on the seventh day, and to shout and blow their trumpets in order
that the city should surrender! Joshua had that faith and he exercised it as God
intended him to.
Probably George Muller of Bristol, England, is the most striking latter day
example of one who had this gift in operation in his life.
He cared for, in a span of 50 years, more than 10,000 orphans. He did it with no
backing of any kind from any organized group. He did it through faith alone,
making it a point never in all that time to let anyone but God know the needs.
The story of his life, and this tremendous work is one of the most inspiring I
have ever read.
In all those years he solemnly records that the orphans never missed a meal,
although once breakfast was delayed for 30 minutes.
On that occasion he knew there was absolutely no food at all. Yet he allowed his
charges to file into the large dining hall where the tables were set with cups,
saucers, and plates. They bowed their heads and gave thanks for their breakfast
(which was not there) and as they prayed a noise in the kitchen was heard.
Someone had come to the back door with boxes of loaves of bread and great jugs
of milk from a merchant. The orphans had to wait 30 minutes while the food was
prepared and set out on the table!
There is no thought of “trying to believe” in the exercise of this gift. It is a
gift, a supernatural enduement of faith for a special purpose. You cannot work
it up or obtain it by mental effort. It is a “gift of the Holy Spirit.”
FAITH OPERATES ONLY IN THE WILL OF GOD.
It is impossible to exercise the faith of God for anything that is not His will.
George Muller once made this statement: “If we wish to find the will of God, we
must first come to the place where we have no will of our own.”
The Red Sea would never have opened for the children of Israel if they had not
been in God’s will. On the other hand, Jonah, out of God’s will, was a prey to
any danger that came along!
There is a difference between faith and presumption.
The Egyptians, trying to cross the divided waters, were drowned. We will be,
too, if we venture out presumptuously where God has not led us, where He is not
with us.
The gift of faith does not substitute for other faith. It is not as if the gift
made it impossible for its possessor to doubt God any more. The gift of faith
does not make a man fool—proof for heaven any more than does the gift of
tongues. It is temporary. It is a blessing.
There is a Gift-Faith and Other-Faith
Gift-faith is no substitute for other faith, which enriches our character and
helps us to develop one which is suitable for heaven. George Muller, that expert
on the subject, put it this way. He said that gift-faith is for that for which
there is no specific promise, while other-faith is for taking hold of and
believing the promises of God. He made the statement that he was sure “it
pleased the Lord to give me in some cases something like the gift of faith so
that unconditionally I could ask and look for an answer.” He went on to say that
to fail to exercise gift-faith would not be a sin, but to fail to exercise
other-faith would be.
That is because gift-faith is a gift which we cannot seize upon at will, but
which the Spirit Himself must give to us at His will. Keeping this in mind, we
should do as Paul suggested, “Covet earnestly the best gifts:” 1 Cor. 12:31.
NOTHING WILL TAKE THE PLACE OF YOUR OWN FAITH.
Many have a mistaken idea today, that since many are exercising the gifts of
healing and miracles, all that is needed is to get into one of these meetings
where the gifts are being exercised, and that they will be healed, without the
necessity of faith on their part. They think that the gift of healing will take
the place of their own faith in God. This is unscriptural!
The gift of healing WILL NOT take the place of your own faith in God.
There is no doubt that Christ exercised ALL the gifts of the Spirit, including
healing and miracles. Yet, when He went to Nazareth, “He could there do NO
MIGHTY WORK, save that he laid his hands upon a few sick folk, and healed them.”
Mark 6:5.
The gifts of healing possessed by the Lord Himself, did not bring healing
independent of their faith. Neither will the gift of healing exercised by men of
God today bring healing to you unless you have faith.
HAVE FAITH TO BE HEALED -- “THY FAITH HATH MADE THEE
WHOLE.” Matt. 9:22.
Paul met a certain man at Lystra, impotent in his feet. With a loud voice Paul
said to the man, “Stand upright on thy feet.” Acts 14:10. The man was healed
immediately, and leaped and walked! Notice that according to verse 9, before
Paul commanded him to stand upon his feet, he PERCEIVED THAT HE HAD FAITH TO BE
HEALED. Although Paul exercised the gifts of healing and miracles, he recognized
that they were insufficient in themselves, without faith on the part of the
person in need of healing, to bring about the desired result.
When Christ healed the woman of Mark 5:34, He did not say, “Daughter, my gift
hath made thee whole,” but rather, “THY FAITH hath made thee whole;” To the
blind, He did not say, “According to my gift, “ but “According to YOUR FAITH be
it unto you.” Matt. 9:29. To the impotent man Paul didn’t say, “All right,
fellow, get a card and get in line. I’ve got the gift of healing.” Rather, Paul
looked the situation over first and discerned that the man had faith to be
healed.
How marvelous a privilege today to be able to attend meetings where God’s
anointed men are bringing deliverance in the name of Jesus! But this in itself
is not enough. If Christ Himself were conducting the meetings and laying His
hands upon the sick today, He would no doubt say to them as in the days of old,
“THY FAITH HATH MADE THEE WHOLE.” Matt. 9:22.
Many confess that they do not have much faith and wonder if it isn’t possible for them to be healed through some other person’s faith. Many have said to me, “ I do not have any faith, but can’t I be healed through your faith?”
The Scripture states that “The . . .prayer of a righteous man availeth much.”
James 5:16. But God’s GUARANTEE is to those who themselves have faith. If a
person received healing without himself having faith, it would certainly be the
exception, and not the rule laid down in God’s Word.
You might be healed through another’s faith, but how would you keep that
healing? Faith is necessary, not only to receive healing, but to retain it, for
Satan is not easily defeated. Almost without exception when a person has been
healed, he will immediately be attacked by Satan, in an attempt to snatch from
him the gift which God has given. Thus it can readily be seen that if your
healing depended upon another’s faith, Satan would only have to wait until the
other person was not present to find you utterly defenseless and take your
healing from you. This is the reason many are suffering today from diseases from
which they once had been healed.
HAVE THE FAITH THAT GOD GIVES!
We have learned that faith is an absolute requirement for healing. There are
thousands of promises in God’s Word. Every one is conditioned upon faith. Faith
that you can have! Faith that God gives!
Christ on His way to Bethany one day, cursed a fig tree because it produced no
fruit. (Mark 11:12-14). He declared that no man would eat fruit of that tree
thereafter. A mighty miracle had been performed, although it was not immediately
apparent. Faith had been exercised. The following morning, the disciples again
saw the fig tree, but it was dried up at the roots. Peter spoke out his
amazement at finding that the tree was withered away.
Jesus answered him, “HAVE FAITH IN GOD. For verily I say unto you, That
whosoever shall say unto this mountain, Be thou removed, and be thou cast into
the sea; AND SHALL NOT DOUBT IN HIS HEART, but shall believe that those things
which he saith shall come to pass; he shall have whatsoever he saith.” Mark
11:22, 23.
It is plain to see that Christ meant that the same faith He exercised could be
had by others. Really, He is telling them that they can have the FAITH OF GOD --
literally the FAITH THAT GOD GIVES!
PAY THE PRICE TO HAVE FAITH.
God gives faith to every person who wants it badly enough to pay the price
required. That price is obedience, godliness, holiness, following in the
footsteps of Jesus, living free from condemnation, and walking in the full light
of the Scriptures.
The Apostle John declares, “Beloved, IF our heart condemn us not, then (and then
only) have we confidence toward God.” 1 John 3:21. Faith and confidence are the
same thing.
Webster defines faith as “complete confidence in a person.” Surely, no one can
merit our complete confidence more fully than God!
If we refuse or neglect to do our part in getting our petitions up to God, there
is no reason to expect an answer from Him. But if we do our part, God ABSOLUTELY
GUARANTEES to do His part. The healing is ours.
USE SCRIPTURAL METHODS OF OBTAINING FAITH
1. LOVE GOD.
Then faith having been planted in the heart through the Word must be watered and
nourished through a genuine love for God. “Perfect love casteth out fear:” 1
John 4:18. Fear is the direct opposite of faith. It is the murderer of faith.
There is no fear in love. You cannot have faith if you do not love God. You can
hope He will heal. You may say, “I know He is able.” But you cannot have faith.
If you love God you will keep His commandments.
“If ye love me, keep my commandments. . . . He that hath my commandments, and
keepeth them, he it is that loveth me: and he that loveth me shall be loved of
my Father, and I will love him, and will manifest myself to him.” John 14:15,21.
Many fail to have faith because they do not really love God.
“Faith which worketh by love.” Gal. 5:6. Love is manifested by obedience.
Disobedience to the known will of God is poison to faith. Lack of desire to
learn the will of God will bring the same results, for if you love Him, you will
be concerned to know His will.
2. OBEY GOD.
“Beloved, if our heart condemn us not, then have we confidence toward God. And
whatsoever we ask, we receive of him, because we keep his commandments, and to
those things that are pleasing in his sight.” 1 John 3:21, 22.
Probably you have always thought of Abraham as the great example of faith. He
was!
How did he demonstrate his faith? By obedience.
When God called him to leave all that was dear and familiar, and to go into a
strange land, he obeyed.
At this time he was not the consecrated, mature man of God we think of when his
name is mentioned. He was born and reared in the most worldly, heathen
atmosphere of that day -- the wicked city of Ur in Chaldea.
His father was a descendant of Seth, the godly son of Adam, and Abraham knew of
the existence of God and had been taught to worship Him, but he had no holy
Scriptures, no godly minister nor other associates to help him.
With the spark of faith which he did have he obeyed God, and as he continued to
obey, he became the giant of faith and consecration we like to read about.
In contrast to Abraham’s example of obedience, we have Saul’s example of
disobedience.
Saul was a godly and honorable man, who pleased God so much that He chose him to be the first King of Israel. Yet he allowed his life to change and to become a sordid example of the destroying power of sin, and sin in his life was demonstrated by his disobedience.
He disobeyed God first by usurping the office of priest.
Enemies were threatening his kingdom. He wanted to make a sacrifice, a burnt
offering to God, and ask God for guidance. He sent for Samuel, who was both
prophet and priest, to do this.
Samuel did not come when Saul expected him. So Saul, knowing full well that God
had ordained that only a priest should offer the sacrifice on the altar,
disobeyed God and did it himself. 1 Samuel 13:9-13.
Later, after another battle in which God gave Israel the victory, Saul again
disobeyed God.
God told him to slay all the Amalekites — a very wicked nation — and their
cattle. 1 Samuel 15:1-3.
Saul, however, spared the king of the Amalekites, King Agag, and the best of the
cattle.
God spoke to Samuel, the priest, and priest, and said:
“It repenteth me that I have set up Saul to be king: for he is turned back from
following me, and HATH NOT PERFORMED MY COMMANDMENTS.” 1 Sam. 15:11.
Samuel asked Saul, “Wherefore . . . didst thou not obey the voice of the Lord,”
I Sam. 15:19.
Saul then added other sins to his disobedience. He lied (verse 20) and he tried
to place the blame on others (verse 21).
Samuel’s reply should be a warning to us, “And Samuel said, Hath the Lord as great delight In burnt offerings and sacrifices, as in obeying the voice of the Lord? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, and to hearken than the fat of rams. For rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft, and stubbornness is as iniquity and idolatry: Because thou hast rejected the word of the Lord, he hath also rejected thee from being king.” 1 Samuel 15:22, 23.
(Have you been trying to offer a sacrifice of one kind or another to God as a
substitute for obedience?)
Saul’s repentance was not real, as no doubt Samuel knew. His life from that time
became more and more sinful.
He became consumed with jealousy of David (who was to be the new king), and this
jealousy led Saul to become a murderer at heart. He tried for years to kill
David. He sent out bands of soldiers to hunt for him with orders to kill him.
David had to hide in caves and woods many times, and except for the miraculous
protection of God, he would have been killed.
Saul never turned back to God. His path of disobedience and rebellion led him
farther and farther away from God and his life ended in suicide. (1 Samuel
31:4).
It is the belief of this writer that disobedience is the greatest hindrance to
faith, and that obedience is one of the most effective methods of obtaining
greater faith.
3. ABIDE IN HIM.
“If ye abide in me, and my words abide in you, ye shall ask what ye will, and it
shall be done unto you.” John 15:7.
One must ABIDE IN CHRIST before he is in a position to exercise real faith, before he can receive the faith that God gives. God does not give faith to people who do not abide in Him. If He did, anyone — even the drunkard, the harlot, the thief, the murderer, the enemies of the Kingdom of God could be able to have and exercise faith and receive from God ANYTHING they would ask. Since the blessings of God are for those who serve God and put Him first in their lives, one must abide in Christ before faith can actually be exercised.
Now let us look into God’s Word for the definition of abiding in Christ.
“He that saith he abideth in him ought himself also so to walk, even as he
walked.” 1 John 2:6. In this verse, it is quite plain that if we profess to
abide in Christ, we should be walking as He walked. Then, friend, if you are not
walking as Christ walked, you are not abiding in Him. No wonder you have no
faith! Your sin and disobedience have destroyed your faith. You can never be on
real faith ground until you begin to abide in Christ, and walk as Christ walked.
This is not only possible, but it is God’s command.
“Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that ye should FOLLOW HIS
STEPS: Who did NO sin,” I Peter 2:21,22. He did not make excuses for sin. He
resisted the devil and temptation, although He was (in all points) “tempted like
as we are, yet without sin.” Heb. 4:15. He is our example, and He stands ready
to help us to walk as He walked -- to walk in His steps.
“Whosoever abideth in him sinneth not:” 1 John 3:6. This teaching is contrary to
much religious teaching today. Multitudes claiming to believe in divine healing,
and to be children of God, have been prayed for again and again, without being
able to exercise faith for healing.
This matter is of sufficient importance to make it worthwhile to face facts,
regardless of opinions. There is a reason why these people continue in their
sicknesses, pains and diseases, and cannot receive healing for their sick
bodies, and it is not because God is a respecter of persons. Often it is because
the person who needed healing has not paid the price of faith, which is
OBEDIENCE AND HOLINESS.
Often those coming for healing will say, in answer to the question, “Do you
believe God will heal you?” “Oh, I hope He will. I know He does heal today. I’ve
been to Brother -----‘s meetings and have seen hundreds healed. I’ve been prayed
for, too, but not healed, but I know He can heal!”
This is not FAITH. It is hope, perhaps, and knowledge. But faith is believing
what you have not seen, simply because God says it is so. (Heb. 11:1).
HOPE is available to people without holiness, but FAITH IS NOT!
God has said, “Follow peace with all men, and HOLINESS, without which no man
shall see the Lord:” Heb. 12:14.
If people without holiness could have faith, then those who will never see God
could have anything they desired from God, for He guarantees to those who have
faith, “whatsoever ye shall ask in prayer, BELIEVING, ye SHALL RECEIVE.” Matt.
21:22.
It is a general teaching today that everyone sins all the time; that it is
impossible to live above sin; that as long as one is in this world he must
partake of a certain number of sins of this life. Teachers of this doctrine
quote numerous Scriptures that pertain only to the unregenerate man, who has
never had an experience of salvation. But God says, “Be ye holy; for I am holy.”
1 Peter 1:16.
Paul says, “Awake to righteousness, and SIN NOT; for some have not the knowledge
of God: I speak this to your shame.” 1 Cor. 15:34.
The people who are finding excuse for their habitual sin, according to this
verse, do not have the knowledge of God. This is a SHAME! It is evident that
such professed Christians do not read their Bibles.
After Jesus had healed a man, He found him in the temple, and said to him,
“Behold, thou art made whole: SIN NO MORE, lest a worse thing come unto thee.”
John 5:14.
To the woman of Samaria, Christ Himself said, “Go, and SIN NO MORE.” John 8:11.
“My little children, these things write I unto you, that YE SIN NOT.” 1 John
2:1.
Paul settled the sin question, when he said “What shall we say then? Shall we
continue in sin, that grace may abound? GOD FORBID.” Rom. 6:1,2.
We hear the question “WHY WASN’T I HEALED?” The answer is simple: No faith, or
insufficient faith.
There is more than one reason for lack of faith, but the main reason is lack of
holiness.
Real living, vital faith is impossible to people who are living in disobedience
to God’s commandments, and out of harmony with the personality and Spirit of
God. Many who profess to be Christians are living constantly under condemnation
for sin and disobedience to the known will of God and to His Word. Such a person
can never have real faith, the faith that God gives, until first he has repented
of his sins and turned his back upon them. For then and then only will that
condemnation leave. Then, only, can he have a clear conscience toward God, which
brings perfect confidence, or faith.
The confidence of some may be destroyed because of living in the condemnation
that light (the light of the Scriptures concerning the Baptism of the Holy
Ghost) is come into the world, and they have not walked into that light. They
know that they should have this glorious experience, but have not met the
conditions to receive it.
Obedience to God will Bring You Into the Baptism of the
Holy Ghost.
“Have ye received the Holy Ghost since ye believed?” Acts 19:2. Surely this
cannot be termed an unfair question to Christians. Paul asked this question of a
group of twelve believers at Ephesus. It is an experience that every Christian
should have, not only because God commanded it —- although that should be reason
enough —— but because the Christian NEEDS it, that he may be ready to receive
power to work and witness for his Lord.
In the New Testament Church every member was filled with the Holy Ghost. All
Christian individuals and groups spoken of through the New Testament were
baptized with the Holy Ghost, as a separate, different experience from
conversion, and coming after conversion.
The disciples of Jesus were all saved, inasmuch as Christ had commissioned them
to preach the Gospel and to heal the sick, and had given them power and
authority over devils. (Luke 9:1, 2). Their names were written in heaven, an
evident sign that they were saved. (Luke 10:20). Yet Jesus “Commanded them that
they should not depart from Jerusalem, but wait for the promise of the Father,
which, saith he, ye have heard of me. For John truly baptized with water; but ye
shall be baptized with the Holy Ghost not many days hence.” Acts 1:4,5. “And,
behold, I send the promise of My Father upon you: but TARRY YE in the city of
Jerusalem, UNTIL YE BE ENDUED WITH POWER FROM ON HIGH.” Luke 24:49.
This was not only a commandment to those few people in days gone by but for
Christians everywhere today. For after Peter had been filled with the Holy
Spirit, and while preaching his first Holy Ghost sermon, he said, “Repent, and
be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of
sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost. For the promise is unto
you, and to your children, and to all that are afar off, even as many as the
Lord our God shall call.” Acts 2:38, 39.
Many consider the baptism of the Holy Ghost a mere privilege, instead of a direct command. However, it is a command, for Paul said, “And be not drunk with wine, wherein is excess; but be filled with the Spirit;” Eph. 5:18.
Since this is God’s command, one must be obedient. Those who have come into the
light of God’s truth are expected to walk in that light; failure to do so brings
condemnation, “And this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world,
and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil.” John
3:19. Many people today are living more or less under condemnation because they
have not made a consecration of full obedience, that they might receive this
glorious experience —the baptism of the Holy Ghost.
It is plain that those who have been obedient HAVE RECEIVED THE HOLY GHOST. “And
we are his witnesses of these things; and so is also the Holy Ghost, whom God
HATH GIVEN TO THEM THAT OBEY HIM.” Acts 5:32.
4. READ AND STUDY THE BIBLE.
No matter how trustworthy a person may be, we cannot be sure that he merits our
complete confidence until we become thoroughly acquainted with him. This is the
reason many people fail to trust God. We become acquainted with God through
walking with Him day by day and through reading His Word. “Faith cometh by
hearing, and hearing by the Word of God.” Rom. 10:17. When we do become
thoroughly acquainted with Him, we trust Him.
Read the Word as you would read a letter from a trusted friend. Consider it the FINAL AUTHORITY. Turn resolutely away from those books and conversations which question the truth of God’s Word.
Jesus accused a religious group in His day of “Making the word of God of none
effect through your tradition,” Mark 7:13 — and of “teaching for doctrines the
commandments of men.” Mark 7:7. Many preachers (not to say ministers of the
Gospel) today set at naught the promises of God, basing their teachings upon the
things that they have observed around them, rather than upon the Word of God.
Faith can be built only upon the power and success of the Word of God, never
upon our own, nor upon another’s weaknesses and failures.
Another outstanding reason for lack of faith is the common neglect of Bible
study.
No wonder faith is so low in the hearts of so many. The price of faith has been
established. It has been set by God Himself. Love God. Read His Word. Obey His
commands. Believe His promises.
To some, this may seem to be an impossible price, but God has enabled man to pay
it. The same Christ who saves from sin will keep those who desire to be kept by
His mighty power. “But the Lord is faithful, who shall stablish you, and keep
you from evil.” II Thes. 3:3.
“Now unto him that is able to keep you from falling, and to present you
faultless before the presence of his glory with exceeding joy,” Jude 24.
This writer has found that those who have a real desire to please God, those who
read their Bibles and pray, are attaining holiness. It is these same people who
are shouting the victory over sickness and disease and the power of the enemy.
God has given them faith.
All Christians have a certain amount of faith. It is impossible even to be saved
without faith. At the moment of salvation faith begins to grow as a fruit, for
faith is a fruit of the Spirit as well as a spiritual gift. (Gal. 5:22). As some
trees in an orchard produce very little fruit, or fruit of poor quality, so some
Christians seem to produce very little of the fruit of the Spirit. Fruit must
first bud, then grow and develop. For proper development, the fruit of faith
must be properly nourished, even as fruit in the orchard. Since faith cometh by
hearing the Word of God, the Christian should read the Word of God often.
Memorize many of the promises of God that pertain to
healing. Stand upon them. Quote them again and again. In this way, faith will
grow.
