EXCEEDING GROWING FAITH
(week 05/15)
OLUBI JOHNSON
2Thessalonians 1:3 NKJV: We are bound to thank God always for you, brethren, as it is fitting, because your faith grows exceedingly, and the love of every one of you all abounds toward each other,
Here Paul tells us that our faith can and should grow exceedingly.
Observe that faith and love grow TOGETHER.
This is because walking in love is the works or CORRESPONDING ACTION OF FAITH.
James 2:17-18 AMP: So also faith, if it does not have works (deeds and actions of obedience to back it up), by itself is destitute of power (inoperative, dead). (18) But someone will say [to you then], You [say you] have faith, and I have [good] works. Now you show me your [alleged] faith apart from any [good] works [if you can], and I by [good] works [of obedience] will show you my faith.
Galatians 5:6 AMP: For [if we are] in Christ Jesus, neither circumcision nor uncircumcision counts for anything, but only faith activated and energized and expressed and working through love.
How will this take place?
Faith COMES by hearing the Word.
Romans 10:17 NKJV: So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.
Faith GROWS by watching and praying WITH THANKSGIVING.
Proverbs 4:20-21 NKJV: My son, give attention to my words; Incline your ear to my sayings. (21) Do not let them depart from your eyes; Keep them in the midst of your heart;
2Corinthians 4:18 AMP: Since we consider and look not to the things that are seen but to the things that are unseen; for the things that are visible are temporal (brief and fleeting), but the things that are invisible are deathless and everlasting.
Romans 4:17-21 NIV: As it is written: “I have made you a father of many nations.” He is our father in the sight of God, in whom he believed—the God who gives life to the dead and calls things that are not as though they were. (18) Against all hope, Abraham in hope believed and so became the father of many nations, just as it had been said to him, “So shall your offspring be.” (19) Without weakening in his faith, he faced the fact that his body was as good as dead—since he was about a hundred years old—and that Sarah’s womb was also dead. (20) Yet he did not waver through unbelief regarding the promise of God, but was strengthened in his faith and gave glory to God, (21) being fully persuaded that God had power to do what he had promised.
Faith IS ESTABLISHED by manifesting the answer to prayer.
When your faith PRODUCES the answer to prayer, it becomes ESTABLISHED and so becomes a stepping-stone to a higher level of faith.
Hebrews 10:35-36 KJV: Cast not away therefore your confidence, which hath great recompense of reward. (36) For ye have need of patience, that, after ye have done the will of God, ye might receive the promise.
Hebrews 6:11-12 MKJV: And we desire that each one of you show the same eagerness to the full assurance of hope to the end, (12) that you be not slothful, but imitators of those who through faith and patience inherit the promises.
Romans 1:17 AMP: For in the Gospel a righteousness which God ascribes is revealed, both springing from faith and leading to faith [disclosed through the way of faith that arouses to more faith]. As it is written, The man who through faith is just and upright shall live and shall live by faith. [Hab. 2:4.]
