Mark 11:24 – “Therefore I say unto you, What things soever ye desire, when ye pray, believe that ye receive them, and ye shall have them.â€?

Faith and how to have it!

First of all, praying people should have faith in God. This was the command of Christ to the disciples just two verses above. Vs. 22 – “And Jesus answering saith unto them, Have faith in God.â€? He did not give this as advice but as an order. (Illustration of giving orders in the service – “Company haltâ€?. – Now that is a command.) “Have faith in Godâ€? is a clear command, as clear as the command not to get drunk, as clear as the command not to lie, as clear as the command to tell the truth.

I’m just saying, a Christian ought to have faith in God. Faith is built on the Bible. You may ask “How can I have faith?� Well first, “Faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the Word of God.� If you want faith, get acquainted with the Bible. Only in the Bible will you find what God promised to do. If you know what God has promised you can have faith that He will do it. All right then, get acquainted with the Bible.

Then second, by reading the Bible you can learn what kind of God, God is. (Illustration of Sennacherib and his army of 185,000 slain when he came up against Hezekiah.) When I read this, my faith is increased. When you read the Bible, you learn that you can trust God to take care of you. When I read of how God helped Daniel in the den of lions, my faith grows. I’ll say it again – your faith can’t grow much if you don’t know what God has promised to do.

What is faith anyhow? (Illustration of putting money in the bank) (Illustration of man who says he loves a girl and she marries him) (Illustration of riding a horse who is said to be gentle) So if you want to have faith, learn it from the Bible. Faith comes as a gift of God from answered prayer.

Another way to have faith is just to ask God for it. The disciples prayed – “Lord increase our faithâ€?. A distressed father prayed in Mark 9:24 – “Lord I believe, help thou mine unbelief.â€?

Haven’t you prayed sometimes and God said, “I’ll do itâ€?? – Oh not out loud, but you just knew He would do it. Many years ago a major crises arose in my life when I thought all hope was gone (This has happened many times since also) I was driving from Texas to Kansas. It was about 1 or 2 in the morning, and I was making the trip by myself. I was so desperate that I knew there was nowhere to turn but to God. Isn’t it strange that we have to get to a crisis before we look up to God for the answer? On that bright moonlit night, God was so real that I felt as though He was setting in the seat beside me. I just simply cried out to God, and, by faith, it seemed as though He said “Your prayers are answered son, I will do itâ€?. Oh, I know He didn’t speak out loud to me, but I suddenly had a great peace come over me as much as if He had shouted to me.

Faith comes by trying God out: by proving Him. By this I mean that sometimes to have faith you just have to stick out you neck. Would you like to have enough faith for great emergencies? Now listen to me – if it is bowing down to an idol or walking into the fiery furnace, then just walk into the furnace.

Your faith will grow as you go. In other words, try God out. Jer. 33:3 – “Call unto me, and I will answer thee, and shew thee great and mighty things, which thou knowest not.� Why don’t you try God and see if He is lying? Why don’t you see if the Bible is a fake? Why don’t you see if it works or not? Your faith will grow if you try God out.

God says – “Prove me now herewith …if I will not open you the windows of heaven, and pour you out a blessing, that there shall not be room enough to receive it.â€?

Now there may be some of you who do not have any faith about tithing. If you would just cut loose and try God out on this matter, you would see that He means business. Blessed is the Christian who will stick out his neck for the Lord. Listen, you may be laughed at and made fun of, but listen to me. Do you want to grow in faith? Then try God out; give God a chance to prove Himself.

Nuggets Of Gold Ministries
Russell Stolp, Founder & Director

http://www.nuggetsofgold.org

Psalm 37:4 “Delight thyself also in the LORD: and he shall give thee the desires of thine heart.”
Proverbs 3:5-6 “Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways ac-knowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.