FAITH
FAITH
TEXT: Mark 2:1-12; Hebrews 11:6
KEY VERSE: “But without faith it is impossible to
please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a
rewarder of them that diligently seek him.” (Hebrews 11:6)
KEY VERSE: “Now faith is the substance of things hoped
for, the evidence of things not seen.” (Hebrews 11:1)
INTRODUCTION:
“Earnestly contending for
the faith…” begins with you. You cannot give what you don’t have. You cannot
defend what you don’t know, and you cannot advertise what you have not tasted
and experienced. Our relationship with God – salvation begins with Faith. Possessing
and accessing God’s abundant covenant provision is only through faith. The
ultimate goal –making Heaven, would be possible if we have consistent living faith
and act in obedience. However, it is not all about you alone. We must persuade and
help others by building up their faith and bringing them to Jesus.
Faith is more
than mere belief; it is a living force that anchors the heart, strengthens
obedience, and fuels perseverance. Without faith, life drifts into uncertainty,
but with it, even the impossible becomes possible, for faith connects us
directly to the power and faithfulness of God. How is your faith?
QUESTIONS:
1. The formula for
obtaining the desired answer from the Lord involves the sum of two essential
elements. Read James 2:14-26 and write what you think the two elements are.
LESSON
INSPIRATIONS:
Faith
and works are inseparable if expectations would be met – Spiritual law
Operating
without the other would make the other one ineffective
Works
are reactions and actions to our faith – stepping out on what we believe
Works
are activation of faith – a part we need to take to activate faith
God’s
grace provided, Faith believes, works take action
“If the formula is wrong, no matter how hard
you work, the result will be wrong. The difference between failure and
breakthrough often lies in using the right formula at the right time. Hard work
with the wrong formula leads to frustration; hard work with the right formula
leads to fruitfulness. Every problem has a solution, but only the right formula
unlocks it. God’s blessings follow God’s order; when you use His formula, the
results are sure.”
“Faith and works are like the two wings of a bird;
without both, it cannot fly. Faith is the root, works are the fruit. One cannot
exist without the other. True faith always produces good works; it cannot be
otherwise. Faith inspires the vision; works prove its reality. The strongest
testimony of faith is not in words, but in deeds.”
KEY
POINTS:
Formula?
- Prerequisites - Ingredients - Prescription
Obtaining
the desired - result oriented
Answer
- response to desire/request that is in tune with covenant provisions, as at
when due
From
the Source - The Author (there are commercial retailers)
Faith:
believes and finds the way
Works:
responsibilities - removes the barrier to get to Jesus, the answer.
Essential
elements - Faith conceives, works activate and process
SEARCH:
Element
1: Living faith (faith that acts)
-
James 2:17 — “Even so faith, if it hath not works, is dead, being alone.”
- James
2:18 — “Yea, a man may say, Thou hast faith, and I have works: show me thy
faith without thy works, and I will shew thee my faith by my works.”
- Faith must be active and expressed
through righteous actions; belief alone is not enough.
- Develop a habit of pairing belief with
concrete steps (charity, justice, mercy, evangelism, service).
- Regularly assess whether your daily
choices reflect your professed faith.
Practical prompts:
- In what areas of life are you
claiming faith but avoiding costly obedience? Name one concrete action to
demonstrate living faith this week.
- Related reminder:
James 2:26 “For as the body without the spirit is
dead, so faith without works is dead also.”
Element
2: Righteous works evidenced by faith (authenticate belief by deeds)
James 2:24 —
“Ye see then how that by works a man is justified, and not by faith only.”
James 2:26 —
“For as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead
also.”
- True faith is validated by
actions that align with God’s commands—love of neighbor, mercy, justice,
humility.
- Seek to integrate faith into all spheres:
family, work, school, community; let actions reveal the heart.
- Avoid a religiously displayed yet
ethically inconsistent life; integrity in deeds solidifies testimony.
Practical
prompts:
- Choose one relationship or community need
you can meet this week to demonstrate the integration of faith and works.
- Theological takeaway:
- Works do not earn justification, but they
confirm that faith is genuine and alive.
2. In the key verse, stated below, underline with a
single line those words which deal with faith. Then go back and underline with
a double line those which relate to action. “But without
faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe
that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.”
LESSON INSPIRATIONS:
Believing
without faith is mere acknowledgment – Even Satan believes and
trembles
Faith
is looking up to what God provided through His grace
Believe
and action should be faith-driven – Faith in God – Faith in what
God, through His grace provided
Believing
should activate a step of faith – Living faith
Come to God in faith – Action –
reaction (walking the believe)
“Pray as though everything depended on God. Work as
though everything depended on you. Faith is not contrary to works; it is the
power that makes works possible. It is not enough to believe in miracles; one
must act as if they are possible. Faith and action are the two feet that move
us forward in God’s will. Belief without action is like a seed that is never
planted. Faith starts the journey, but action takes you there. Hope gives
vision, faith gives strength, and action brings results. Dreams remain dreams
unless faith puts hands and feet to work.”
KEY POINTS:
Studying the word with
understanding - beyond casual reading
Getting the message within the
message - inspiration
Faith connects us to God’s grace
Faith is a spiritual
relationship and understanding - access
Believe - your soul connects
with God’s grace - believe system
The action - step of faith and
works connects you with God
Faith and believe make us to
seek God diligently - blessed assurance
SEARCH:
Faith as the foundation of
relationship with God:
Prioritize growing and sustaining faith as
the essential posture for approaching God.
Regularly remind yourself of God’s character
and your trust in Him through daily Scripture reading and prayer.
Belief as the prerequisite for
pleasing God:
Align motives and actions with the reality that God
is pleased by faith-filled living, not merely outward religiosity.
Examine areas where belief is theoretical
but not practical; invite God to strengthen faith into concrete obedience.
The call to proactive seeking of
God:
Genuine faith leads to active pursuit of God—knowing
Him, loving Him, obeying Him, and relying on Him for rewards.
Cultivate disciplines that foster a pursuing
heart (devotional time, worship, service, and Scripture meditation).
The dynamic between belief and
action:
Faith and deeds are intertwined; belief
should consistently propel you to seek God and obey His ways.
Identify one way to translate belief into a
tangible step this week (e.g., serve someone, share the gospel, forgive, or
pursue justice).
The confidence in God’s
responsive nature:
Diligent seeking is anchored in the
assurance that God rewards those who earnestly seek Him.
Build anticipation for God’s guidance and
provision by documenting answered prayers and moments of divine direction.
3. The paralyzed man was unable to come by himself to
Christ. Others helped him. What action does this fact suggest to us who believe
in Jesus as the Christ?
LESSON INSPIRATIONS:
Prepared unto every good works –
Christian identity
Helping hands – Spiritual and
physical (Faith and works)
Just a little help from you –
Someone could be helped and encounter Jesus
Spiritual prompts, as at when
needed – “Those who are led by the Spirit of God”
“No one is useless in this world who lightens the burdens
of another. The Christian life is a community life; we are called to carry one
another, not to walk alone. Helping one another is part of loving one another. We
are called to be burden-bearers, not burden-adders. God never intended for His
children to suffer alone; that is why He gave us each other. Strong people lift
others up. The strongest people lift burdens off others’ shoulders. The
smallest act of kindness can ease the heaviest of burdens.”
KEY POINTS:
God loves those who are helpless
- their help is secured
We have a part to play to bring
them to Jesus
Faith and works amplified -
acting the believe
The uniqueness of Faith - know
what and why you believe
The power of works - acting on
what you believe
Putting Faith into action - real
love
Just a little help from you
SEARCH:
Intercessory action brings
others to Christ:
Mark
2:3-5 “And they come unto him, … when they could not come nigh unto him for the
press, they uncovered the roof where he was: and when they had broken it up,
they let down the bed wherein the sick of the palsy lay. When Jesus saw their
faith, he said unto the sick of the palsy, Son, thy sins be forgiven thee.”
Embrace the ministry of bringing others to
Jesus—through prayer, invitation, and practical help—especially when they
cannot come themselves.
Practical steps:
- Pray consistently for
friends/family who don’t know Christ.
-
Invite them to church, a Bible study, or a personal conversation about faith.
-
Offer tangible help (care, meals, transportation) so they’re free to consider
Jesus.
Community faith multiplies
access to Jesus:
The faith of the supportive friends opened a
path to Jesus for the needy man.
Surround people with a faith-filled
community that models gospel-centered living and outreach.
Build or join small groups that prioritize
outreach, blessing the needy, and mutual accountability in faith.
Compassion should motivate
proactive outreach:
Galatians 6:2 “Bear ye one another’s burdens, and so fulfil
the law of Christ.”
When
you see someone’s need, move from observation to action—help carry their burden
toward Christ through prayer, conversation, and deeds
Identify one person this week you can
“bring” to Jesus by offering concrete support or a gospel-centered
conversation.
Faith that moves families toward
Jesus:
The paralyzed man’s friends didn’t give up;
their faith catalyzed Jesus’ response.
Don’t limit faith to personal belief; let it
be contagious—your faith can move whole circles toward God.
Share your testimony with someone who seems
far from God and model trusting God in a tangible way.
Jesus meets both physical and
spiritual needs:
When you help others come to Christ, you’re
participating in Jesus’ mission to heal, forgive, and restore.
Pair acts of service with gospel
clarity—offer to pray, read Scripture together, and point to Christ as the
ultimate healer.
Practical, church-community
applications:
- Start a “Bring to Jesus” initiative: prayer team + outreach plan +
follow-up discipleship.
-
Train believers to listen well, discern spiritual openness, and invite people
into loving Christian community.
- Encourage accountability: after leading someone to
Christ, connect them with a mentor or small group for growth.
4. In your own words, paraphrase the definition of
faith given in Hebrews 11:1.
Hebrews 11:1 1 Now faith is the substance of things hoped
for, the evidence of things not seen.
LESSON INSPIRATIONS:
Physical existence and tangible
presence of expectations
Facts, establishment, proof and
valid manifestation of things not physically seen
Faith is the bridge between what
we ask, seek, and knock for and receiving them
Having eyes that sees the
invisible, ears that hears the silence message
Believing that sees and receives
results
“Faith is to believe what you do not see; the reward of
this faith is to see what you believe. Faith is taking the first step even when
you don’t see the whole staircase. Faith is the art of holding on to things
your reason has once accepted in spite of your changing moods. Faith is the
assurance that the unseen is not unreal, and that the unseen future is already
secured by the unseen God. Faith is confidence in the character of God, whose
ways you may not understand at the moment. Faith is daring the soul to go
farther than it can see. Faith is the foundation of hope and the fuel of
perseverance. Faith is not passive belief but active trust.”
Faith = trust in God’s unseen reality and promises. Living
as God’s word is true, even before the evidence appears.
KEY POINTS:
Unlimited assured provisions and
expectations from an unlimited God
God has answers to all my
questions
God has solutions for all my
problems and challenges
God’s provisions are more than
all my needs
Before I ask, God already made
the provision
While I am waiting, the package
is already on the way
I have all that I asked for
I will find all that I am
seeking for
The doors that I will knock are
already opened
SEARCH:
Faith is trust before visibility:
Rely on God’s promises even when you can’t
verify them with your senses or circumstances.
Memorize key promises and choose to act as
if they are true, even in uncertainty.
Hebrews 11:1 — “Now faith is the substance of
things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.”
Faith is evidence of the unseen:
Let your life demonstrate conviction about
realities you can’t prove by sight (eternity, God’s character, purposes).
Make daily decisions that reflect long-term,
unseen truths (eternal rewards, God’s faithfulness).
What unseen reality am I living as if it’s
true today?
Hope-driven confidence shapes
present behavior:
Hope in God’s future should influence
courage, generosity, and perseverance now.
Step out in bold obedience or sacrificial
giving because you trust what God has promised, not just what you can measure.
Faith transforms perception of
reality:
Believing in the unseen reorients
priorities—what matters in God’s economy often isn’t what’s immediately
visible.
Re-evaluate what you value (status,
possessions, comfort) in light of eternal realities your faith affirms.
Identify one area where you’re relying on
sight; choose to live by faith instead this week.
Faith as a catalyst for action:
Genuine faith moves you to pursue God-led
actions, even without complete understanding.
Take a concrete step of obedience today
(reach out to someone, start a prayer project, engage in service) because you
trust God’s unseen outcomes.
God honors faith that acts, even when the
path isn’t fully visible.
5. If Christ were coming to your city, consider
several urgent needs concerning yourself or friends that would prompt you to
visit Him. List some of the needs that are important to you now.
LESSON INSPIRATIONS:
Needs are basic, necessary and
reasonable
Needs
are provided for by God’s grace – if not included in God’s grace and promise,
forget it
Helping others with their needs
is godly
Mostly, bringing the needs of
others to God – Horizontal required love
Prayer of faith – all prayers
for others
“Then
they cried out to the Lord in their trouble, and He delivered them from their
distress.” – Psalm 107:6
“Call upon Me in the day of trouble; I will
deliver you, and you shall glorify Me.” – Psalm 50:15
“Come to Me, all you who are weary and
burdened, and I will give you rest.” – Matthew 11:28
“In my distress I called upon the Lord, and
cried out to my God; He heard my voice from His temple, and my cry came before
Him, even to His ears.” – Psalm 18:6
“Is anyone among you in trouble? Let them
pray.” – James 5:13
“Sometimes God
allows our need to grow urgent, so that our hearts may turn fully to Him as the
only solution. When we come to the end of ourselves, we come to the beginning
of God. Trouble is often the call that brings us to our knees before the true
Source of help. Necessity sharpens prayer; desperation drives us to God’s
throne. Urgency reveals priorities; in need, we run to the one we truly trust. When
the need is great, the search for the right solution becomes intense. Desperation
has a way of stripping away distractions and pointing us to the real source of
strength. People do not seek water until they are thirsty, nor God until they
realize their need.”
KEY POINTS:
VIP meeting opportunities -
capacity in resources, authority and connections
Jesus is able and willing -
unlimited - accessible
Jesus is the King of Kings - He
rules the world
Expression of personal concerns
to God - what a friend we have...
Power of intersession - all
prayer - for all - all things (big or small)
God has more than enough for you
and for all
SEARCH:
Spiritual renewal for yourself
and friends:
Prioritize a fresh encounter with Jesus; ask
Him to renew faith, repentance, and devotion in your circle.
Guidance and decision-making for
major life choices:
Seek divine wisdom for career, schooling, relocation, or relationships;
ask for clarity and peace.
James 1:5 — “If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask
of God… and it shall be given him.”
Proverbs 3:5-6 — “Trust in the LORD with all
thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways
acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.”
Provision and financial strain:
Bring needs for work, housing, debt relief, or daily
provisions before the Lord; consider generous, wise stewardship.
Philippians
4:19 — “But my God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory
by Christ Jesus.”
2
Corinthians 9:7-8 — “Every man according as he purposeth in his heart, so let
him give; not grudgingly, or of necessity… God is able to make all grace abound
toward you.”
Protection and safety for loved
ones in danger or hardship:
Pray for safety, comfort, and
courage; support families facing violence, disasters, or persecution.
Psalm 91:1-2 — “He that dwelleth in the secret place
of the most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty. I will say of
the LORD, He is my refuge and my fortress: my God; in him will I trust.”
Psalm 46:1 — “God is our refuge and strength,
a very present help in trouble.”
Moral guidance and protection
from temptation:
Pray for victory over addictions, deceit, or harmful conduct; build
accountability and healthy boundaries.
1 Corinthians 10:13 — “There hath no temptation
taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful… he will with the
temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it.”
Evangelistic boldness and gospel
opportunity:
Seize moments to share faith,
invite others to hear the good news, and demonstrate Christ’s love in practical
ways.
Matthew
28:19-20 — “Go ye therefore, and teach all nations… lo, I am with you alway,
even unto the end of the world.”
Romans
1:16 — “For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of
God unto salvation to every one that believeth.”
6. We have established that faith is a vital factor in
receiving something from God. How can one’s faith be increased? See Romans
10:17.
Romans 10:17 17 So
then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.
LESSON INSPIRATIONS:
Sense of hearing – input information
for processing
The word of God is life – Giving
life and hope
Hearing – reading, listen,
Observe, perceive…
What
do you listen to? – Sound doctrine: Determines what feeds your believe
system
Source?
God: His servants, The written word, Gospel literatures, Music, Fellowship
Where you hear it – Credible
Institutions -
“So
then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.” – Romans 10:17
“Lord, increase our faith!” – Luke 17:5
“Looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher
of our faith.” – Hebrews 12:2
“But you, dear friends, build yourselves up in
your most holy faith and pray in the Holy Spirit.” – Jude 1:20
“But without faith it is impossible to please
Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder
of those who diligently seek Him.” – Hebrews 11:6
“Feed your faith, and your doubts will starve to death. Faith
is strengthened by exercising it—like a muscle, it grows through use. Faith
increases by filling the mind with God’s Word and the heart with prayer. The
remedy for weak faith is to meditate upon the promises of God. Faith grows when
it is tested and exercised in the trials of life. Faith grows in the soil of
trust and obedience. If you want more faith, use the little you already have;
it multiplies as you act on it. Faith increases not by avoiding storms, but by
learning to trust God in the storm.”
Faith grows by:
1. Hearing and meditating on God’s Word (Romans 10:17).
2. Prayer – asking God to increase it (Luke 17:5).
3. Obedience – acting on what God says strengthens trust.
4. Trials and testing – challenges refine and deepen faith (1 Peter
1:7).
5. Fellowship – encouragement from other believers builds faith (Hebrews
10:24–25).
KEY POINTS:
Prerequisites of approaching God
- believe in God and ability
God’s store house provisions
Access by grace
The Source - The Word of God -
The manual of Spiritual engagement
Know and study the word of God
Your faith can never rise above
your word knowledge
Desire to increase your faith?
Increase your word knowledge
Application of the word - wisdom
- most important
SEARCH:
Faith growth: how to increase
one’s faith
Romans 10:17 — “So
then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.”
Core principle: Faith grows as you
feed on God’s Word
Prioritize regular, deliberate intake of Scripture to deepen belief in
God’s promises.
Practice: Establish a daily Bible reading
plan; couple it with short reflections on how the text connects to your life.
Related prompt: Ask, “What truth in
today’s reading requires trust in God’s character or timing?”
Faith grows through hearing the
gospel and instruction in community:
Engage in faithful teaching, sermons, small groups, and honest
conversations about Jesus.
Practice: Join or start a
faith-sharing group; listen to biblical teaching with the goal of applying it.
Faith deepens through
experiential obedience:
Act
on what you already know God calls you to do; obedience often catalyzes deeper
trust.
Practice: Identify one step of obedience
this week (forgiveness, generosity, risk-taking in obedience, sharing your
faith) and commit to it.
Outcome: God’s faithfulness in small
steps builds confidence for bigger ones.
Faith is strengthened by prayer
and dependence on God:
Pray for God to increase trust;
invite Him to reveal areas where you rely on self rather than Him.
Practice: Pair daily Bible
time with a focused faith-affirming prayer (e.g., “Lord, increase my faith;
help me to trust Your timing and Your promises.”)
Faith grows in the furnace of trial and
testing
Reframe difficulties as
opportunities for God to prove His faithfulness and refine your trust.
Practice: When facing a
challenge, recall past answered prayers and Scripture promises to steady your
heart.
Encouragement: James 1:2-4
encourages counting trials as growth catalysts for steadfast faith.
Faith is evidenced by
consistent, hopeful action:
Let
belief about God’s promises move you toward hopeful, purposeful living in love,
service, and perseverance.
Practice: Set a concrete,
time-bound faith-action goal (e.g., serve weekly, share the gospel monthly,
give sacrificially) and review progress.
Guardrails to avoid stalling
faith:
Cautions:
-
Don’t substitute emotion for trust; anchor faith in God’s revealed Word.
-
Avoid spiritual complacency; seek ongoing nourishment and accountability.
Practice: Spiritual
disciplines (silence/solitude, Sabbath, confession, corporate worship) that
sustain faith over time.
Quick personal refocus prompts:
- What promise in Scripture am I doubting or needing to claim today?
-
What step of obedience can I take this week that will demonstrate trust in
God’s plan?
-
Who can I invite into a faith conversation to encourage mutual growth?
7. Look up the following Scriptures, and next to each
reference write what that Scripture says should be done to receive an answer. Matthew
6:6, Matthew 21:21-22, John 20:26-29, 1 John 1:9, 1 John 3:20-24,
Matthew 6:6 — Make
your petition or request privately before the Throne of Grace.
Matthew 21:21-22 — Have
faith [believe], don’t doubt.
John 20:26-29 — Believe
even though you can’t “see,” or understand.
1 John 1:9 — Confess
your sins.
1 John 3:20-24 — Keep
His commandments.
LESSON INSPIRATIONS:
ASK – Ask, Seek, Knock - you
will receive what you ask - you will find what you seek – the door you knocked
shall be opened unto you
Have faith in God – Let your
faith in God rise above the fear of the circumstances
Believe and stand on the
promises of God – They cannot fail
Confess your sins – God may
point out potential hindrances – Settle them
In step with God – Faith that
works is a relationship with God – Obedience
Listen – pay attention to
details – God speaks – what is God telling you about it?
Obey God and leave the
consequences to Him
When your obedience is complete,
God will move
“Prayer is not overcoming God’s reluctance but laying
hold of His willingness. Before prayer is answered, the heart must be tuned to
God’s will. Faith and obedience prepare the way for answered prayer. The
greatest preparation for answered prayer is surrender of self-will. Prayer
without forgiveness is like a sealed fountain; it cannot flow freely. Prayer
prepares us for God’s answer more than it prepares the answer for us. When we
pray, God often works on our hearts before He works on our request. The waiting
season before answered prayer is often the proving season of our faith.”
To have prayers answered, we
should:
1. Examine the heart – clear
bitterness, unforgiveness, or wrong motives.
2. Strengthen faith – believe
God can and will answer.
3. Align with God’s will –
submit desires to His plan.
4. Be persistent – sometimes
delay builds endurance and dependence.
5. Practice obedience – live in
line with God’s word.
KEY POINTS:
Effective Request protocols -
Covenant promises provisions matched with purposeful needs
Are there any barriers you need
to remove from the way?
Establish your need - locate the
promises attached to it
Why will God answer your
request?
What value will it add to you? -
Spiritual and physical
How will it affect God’s Kingdom
and benefit others?
How will your life (Spiritual
and physical) be after receiving the answer?
SEARCH:
Matthew 6:6
What to do to receive an answer: Pray in secret, with
a sincere heart, addressing God the Father, trusting He will reward openly.
“But thou, when thou prayest, enter into thy closet,
and when thou hast shut thy door, pray to thy Father which is in secret; and
thy Father which seeth in secret shall reward thee openly.”
Matthew 21:21-22
What to do to receive an answer: Believe in faith
when you pray; ask in faith, nothing wavering, and you will receive whatever
you ask in prayer.
“Jesus answered and said unto them, Verily I
say unto you, If ye have faith, and doubt not, ye shall not only do this which
is done to the fig tree, but also if ye shall say unto this mountain, Be thou
removed, and be thou cast into the sea; it shall be done. And all things,
whatsoever ye shall ask in prayer, believing, ye shall receive.”
John 20:26-29
What to do to receive an answer: Believe in Jesus and
in His resurrection even when you have not seen Him physically; blessed are
those who believe without seeing.
“And
after eight days again his disciples were within, and Thomas with them: then
came Jesus, the doors being shut, and stood in the midst, and said, Peace be
unto you. Then saith he to Thomas, Reach hither thy finger, and behold my
hands; and reach hither thy hand, and put it into my side: and be not
faithless, but believing… Jesus saith unto him, Thomas, because thou hast seen
me, thou hast believed: blessed are they that have not seen, and yet have
believed.”
1 John 1:9
What to do to receive an answer: Confess your sins;
God is faithful and just to forgive us and to cleanse us from all
unrighteousness.
“If we confess our sins, he is faithful and
just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.”
1 John 3:20-24
What to do to receive an answer: Do not let your
heart condemn you; instead, keep God’s commandments and believe in Jesus,
loving one another. If you do these things, you can approach God with
confidence that He hears you.
“For if our heart condemn us, God is greater
than our heart, and knoweth all things. 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 do those things that are pleasing in his
sight. And this is his commandment, That we should believe on the name of his
Son Jesus Christ, and love one another, as he gave us commandment.”
8. How much faith does one need to get results from
God? See Matthew 17:20.
Matthew
17:20 20 And Jesus said unto them, Because
of your unbelief: for verily I say unto you, 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.
LESSON INSPIRATIONS:
Little is much – when God is in
it
A mustard-like faith is what is
needed – a connection of hope with God
Great faith is good but not a
pre-requisite to connect with God
Exercise your faith – faith
backed action
“A little faith will bring your soul to heaven; a great
faith will bring heaven to your soul. It is not the strength of your faith but
the object of your faith that saves you. Faith, even if it is small, links us
to an almighty God. Weak faith is still true faith, and though it may not do
great exploits, it will surely cling to Christ.
The smallest faith, if it is real, is of greater worth
than the greatest doubt. Small faith in a great God is greater than great faith
in anything else. Even a flicker of faith is stronger than the deepest
darkness. Faith, no matter how small, grows when planted in obedience. One drop
of faith in God outweighs an ocean of fear.”
The central truth: It is not the
size of faith that makes it great, but the greatness of the God in whom faith
rests.
KEY POINTS:
God is willing, available,
expecting and waiting
Willing/interest expression
faith - mustard seed faith - ready eagerness
Dealing with the barriers - sin,
unbelief
Faithlessness blinds our access
view
Little is much when God is in it
Under authority to issue out
authority - imparted authority
Command prompt - in tune with
God - faith connection
God of possibilities - nothing
is impossible with God
SEARCH:
- Jesus teaches that faith, even if small, can
access God’s power.
Matthew
17:20 : “And Jesus said unto them, Because of your unbelief: for verily I say
unto you, 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.”
Faith grows by regularly feeding
on God’s promises:
Build a habit of daily Scripture engagement to
strengthen belief in God’s ability and willingness.
Practice: Create a simple plan
to read a promise each day and pray in light of that promise.
Faith paired with obedience
yields visible results:
Trust leads to action—step out in obedience even when the path isn’t
clear.
- Practice: Identify a small, practical step you sense God prompting you to take this
week and move forward in faith.
Persisting faith amid doubt:
Doubt can coexist with faith;
choose to persevere in prayer and trust while you wrestle with questions.
Practice: Pray honestly about your
doubts, ask for increased faith, and continue to act in line with God’s
revealed will.
Faith anchored in the person of
Christ:
Put confidence in Jesus’
authority and power, not in your own strength.
Practice: Center prayers on Jesus’
ability to do what He has promised; declare dependence on Him rather than on
your own capacity.
Encouragement for practical life:
Action step: Pick one “mountain” in your
life (a persistent obstacle, a need, or a goal) and bring it to God in prayer
this week, asking Him to move in your situation as you continue to trust Him.
In what area of life do I need to grow in faith, and
how can I remind myself daily that nothing is impossible with God?
1. I care not today what the morrow may bring,
If shadow or sunshine or rain,
The Lord I know ruleth o’er everything,
And all of my worries are vain.
Living by faith in Jesus above,
Trusting, confiding in His great love;
From all harm safe in His sheltering arm,
I’m living by faith and feel no alarm.
Obscuring the brightness of life,
I’m never alarmed at the overcast skies—
The Master looks on at the strife. [Refrain]
No matter what evils betide;
Why should I then care though the tempest may blow,
If Jesus walks close to my side. [Refrain]
Our troubles will then all be o’er;
The Master so gently will lead us away,
Beyond that blest heavenly shore. [Refrain]
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