Young People's Group

DEVELOPING OUR FAITH

by Pastor Mitch
October 26, 2008

The Challenge To Cultivate Faith Further

Young people, are you learning to apply your faith? It is vital that we do not just learn about having faith in the Lord Jesus. We need to apply our faith in a definite way. When the Lord Jesus laid a curse on a fig tree on the road to Jerusalem, it straight away withered. When the disciples saw it, they greatly marvelled and asked why the fig tree withered so soon. The Lord Jesus took this opportunity to teach His disciples another lesson of faith.

“So Jesus answered and said to them, ‘Assuredly, I say to you, if you have faith and do not doubt'” 
Matthew 21:21

The challenge from the Lord Jesus was for the disciples to exercise their faith. They were not meant to doubt Him in anyway. The disciples were still struggling with doubts at this point of time. There was not the fullness of faith in the Lord Jesus yet. He was teaching His disciples to cultivate their faith further. If we truly possess sincere and unwavering faith in the Lord, there is much that we can achieve.

The Power Of Faith

“You will not only do what was done to the fig tree, but also if you say to this mountain, ‘Be removed and be cast into the sea,’ it will be done.” 
Matthew 21:21

There is tremendous power available to those who would exercise faith in the Lord. The Lord Jesus demonstrated to His disciples what power He had over nature. When He said that no fruit would ever grow on this fig tree again, it withered immediately. He spoke of how His disciples would not only be able to do this. They would also be able to command a mountain to be removed and be placed into the sea and it would be done. Such is the potential of the power of faith. If we can exercise faith in God’s word and not doubt, great things can be done for Him.

Faith And Answers To Prayer Go Together

“And whatever things you ask in prayer, believing, you will receive.” 
Matthew 21:22

The power of faith is very much associated with prayer. If we pray with faith that what we ask we will receive, the Lord will indeed hear our prayers. We must not doubt when we seek the Lord in prayer. Our challenge is to cultivate our faith further even as we pray. Of course, this must be seen in the light of all that the Lord Jesus had taught. Prayer and the exercise of faith must still be done in the light of the Lord’s truth. If we truly pray with our whole heart and fully believe in God’s powers, whatever we ask will be granted to us. Let’s cultivate faith so much more in prayer. Let’s truly believe that what we ask from Him we will receive according to His will and grace.

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