I am writing this month’s column a little early because of deadline issues. I always feel a little funny saying (in this case) something like, “Wow! March already!” when it’s barely past the middle of February. Plus, Jesus could come before the end of the month, and think what else I could be doing with this time…
But it’s a good thing. I’m writing this in Tulsa, where I have been taking in Winter Bible Seminar at Rhema, and it has been refreshing. Several of the sessions have had a common thread woven through them, and I don’t know if that’s something they decided to do or if it’s just the Holy Spirit doing what He does. The common theme is that we should not be fooled into thinking anyone has it easy. There are struggles, there are problems, there are mountains. We are clearly told in scripture that there will be trials, temptations, and trouble. But we must press on. We must remain in faith.
And that, my friends, is what makes our church so important. I have friends of all kinds of denominational stripes and various backgrounds in the body of Christ. I thank God for their steadfastness, for their devotion, and in the case of fellow pastors, for their service. I am especially thankful for churches with whom we are more closely aligned, doctrinally speaking. Specifically, I appreciate churches that still embrace the gifts of the spirit.
But there is a gulf, wider than you might imagine, between believing in healing, miracles, gifts, etc., and actually being in faith for those things. Faith is not just accepting that these things happen, and it’s not just asking God for these things to happen. Faith is an earnest expectation. A knowing. An assurance. Faith doesn’t ask and cross it’s fingers. Faith SPEAKS. Dad and I were having a discussion about Mark 11:23-24 recently. Here’s what it says:
“For assuredly, I say to you, whoever says to this mountain, ‘Be removed and be cast into the sea,’ and does not doubt in his heart, but believes that those things he says will be done, he will have whatever he says. Therefore I say to you, whatever things you ask when you pray, believe that you receive them, and you will have them.”
(Bold emphasis mine.)
So here’s the question: When Jesus gives the example of the mountain, where is the prayer? Where is the asking? It’s almost like He’s talking about two different things. Now, there’s a whole teaching that space limitation prevents me from sharing here, but most of you have heard it. Before I speak to a mountain (or a sickness, or a lack), I must be convinced of God’s will on the matter. But once I am convinced, my speaking is a form of prayer. The word tells us Joshua spoke to the Lord when he was fighting on behalf of the Gibeonites. But the only words recorded are his words commanding the sun and moon to stand still. And they did. James tells us Elijah prayed, and there was no rain for 3 ½ years. But when you read about it in 1 Kings, what he actually does is declare a drought, not ask for one. Same with the end of the drought. No question, he was directed by the Lord. But in faith, he spoke, as did Joshua, as did Jesus to the fig tree.
This, no matter how the critics try to define it, is the Word of Faith message. We are not in competition with other churches in terms of attendance and attention. I love that the gospel is being preached in so many churches in our area, even our little town. But I could never wholeheartedly involve myself with a church that did not teach and preach the Word of Faith. Without faith, it is impossible to please God. Faith is what the Son of Man will be looking for when He returns. We are in a season of renewed commitment to see the mighty works of God in our midst. We should be asking for light and understanding. We should be honest in our confession and repentance. And we should be diligent in our study. Once we have the understanding, though, we must be about speaking the Word in every situation, to every problem, every struggle, everything that counters the revealed will of God in our lives! I thank God for YOU, my Living Word Family, and the agreement we share concerning this.
