Operation FAITH

Has your faith ever been tested? Have you ever looked at a situation or even your life and wondered internally or out loud how you were going to make it? These can be hard questions for a Christian because you are encouraged from the very beginning of your journey to believe and to trust. It can also be hard when you know all the right things to say, all the scriptures to quote but still find yourself wanting to doubt. I went through a season recently where I questioned my faith. I looked at my circumstances and looked at God and my circumstances seemed bigger. That’s a difficult admission but it’s the truth. Me with my Rhema writing, praying, church going self asked God if I had gotten it all wrong. What was I missing and why wasn’t He moving? The only word I can think of to describe this period is STRUGGLE. You see, there are times and situations that you may face in your life that you may have to put your faith on the operating table and ask God to go to work. So, today it’s time to activate your faith!

I love Romans 4. It’s one of those awesome chapters that has so many nuggets and shout worthy lines that someone could re-read the chapter over and over again. Paul uses Abraham to give New Testament Christians some real understanding about faith. Right away, he teaches us about what faith can do.  If his [Abraham] good deeds had made him acceptable to God, he would have had something to boast about. But that was not God’s way.  For the Scriptures tell us, “Abraham believed God, and God counted him as righteous because of his faith.” (Rom. 4:2-3 NLT) So, because of his faith, God counted Abraham as faithful. Wait…what?! Yes, that means that no matter what works we call ourselves doing to get rid of our issues, our faith is what will bring us to God’s attention. That is powerful because it’s saying that you can’t work yourself into deliverance and breakthrough. You have to have faith and have it prior to your answer. It’s easy to say you have faith when you’ve already come out of your situation. But when you have built a relationship with God and you can say “I believe you, God” before you see one change, that’s faith. Are you allowing your works to replace your faith? It’s operation time!

God promised Abraham in Genesis 17 that he would be the father of many nations and even said that he would be “exceedingly fruitful” (Gen. 17:6 NKJV).  If you remember, Abraham was 99 years old at the time of this covenant.  He was shocked and even laughed at the thought of this happening but he followed God’s instruction immediately. Okay… this is where many of us, me included can get stuck. We struggle to come out of the disbelief. We look at our situations and we see death. Our faith may be saying believe Him but our flesh is saying no. This is when we need God to take our faith and operate. Paul tells us that the promise of God is received by faith. It’s a free gift but we have to have faith like Abraham’s because he is the father of all who believe. (Rom. 4:16) “That is what the Scriptures mean when God told him, “I have made you the father of many nations.” This happened because Abraham believed in the God who brings the dead back to life and who creates new things out of nothing.” (Rom. 4:17 NLT) I don’t know about you but my operation started right there! Our faith has to be such that we believe that God can bring life where we only see death. It can be hard to get there but it happens when we build our relationship with God prior to our struggles.  It’s operation time!

“Even when there was no reason for hope, Abraham kept hoping—believing that he would become the father of many nations. For God had said to him, “That’s how many descendants you will have!” And Abraham’s faith did not weaken, even though, at about 100 years of age, he figured his body was as good as dead—and so was Sarah’s womb.  Abraham never wavered in believing God’s promise. In fact, his faith grew stronger, and in this he brought glory to God.  He was fully convinced that God is able to do whatever he promises.” (Rom. 4:18-21 NLT) That’s good!! God did just what He promised. Life came out of Abraham and Sarah and many nations of believers count Abraham as the father of faith. Abraham did not give up. And you can’t either. It doesn’t matter how long the season, God is able to do whatever He promises. But the key is to believe. You see, the operation doesn’t take place on missing faith. You have to give God some faith to work with. Matthew 17:20 says if we have faith the size of a mustard seed, God can do something with it.

So if you are in a place today, where your faith is shaken or you are unsure if or when you will see manifestation to the promise God made you, I encourage you to lay your faith on God’s operating table. Allow Him to remind you of His promises. Allow Him to show you in His Word what He is capable of. Allow Him to do the miraculous. Let Abraham serve as an example of what unwavering faith looks like.  Believe in the God that can bring life into your dead situation. Nothing is impossible with Him!

May your faith be recharged today in Jesus’s name! AMEN…