“Therefore I say to you, whatever things you ask when you pray, believe that you receive them, and you will have them.”
Mark 11:24 NKJV
Faith begets faith, as the saying goes. That is, the more you believe, the stronger your belief becomes. This is the same principle behind exercise and muscle training. The more you use a specific muscle, the stronger it grows.
The Centurion’s story demonstrates that faith breeds more faith. The Centurion’s first step of faith was believing that Jesus could heal his servant, the second was traveling all the way to meet Jesus, and the third was believing that only a word spoken by Jesus would suffice. Notice how each small step of faith leads to a larger act of faith, so much so that Jesus confirmed it.
Abraham, the father of faith, is another example of how exercising your faith will only strengthen and grow your faith. First, God told Abraham to leave his father’s land for an unknown land, and Abraham obeyed with faith. God also promised him a son of promise, and after years of waiting in faith, God gave him that son! These displays of faith brought him to the point where God could ask him to sacrifice his son, Isaac, and he was willing to do so without hesitation.
Growing in faith is a process, not a destination. By taking radical steps of faith, you can progress from a faith baby to a faith giant. It is conceivable. There is always more, no matter how strong your faith is now!
You can strengthen your faith not only by praying, but specifically by praying in the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit dwells in us as a teacher (Ephesians 1: 13-14) and a comforter (John 14: 26), but that is not all. There’s even more! The Holy Spirit also dwells within us, strengthening our faith and convictions in Christ. In other words, if your faith bank ever runs dry, you can replenish it.
Have you ever noticed that when you speak in tongues, you immediately feel better? So don’t be moved by that mountain in front of you, that anxiety, that business proposal, that illness. Pray and watch as you grow in faith!
Bible Reading Plan: Job 16