AUGUST 9| DAY 221| LEVELS OF FAITH

Word Study For Today: The Book of Deuteronomy 11: 8 -32.

Devotion: LEVELS OF FAITH.

Texts: Matthew 14:22-33. | Mark 4:35-40. | Matthew 15:21-28.

Faith is defined as one’s confidence or trust in God. It is believed that it’s not proof-based. It is trust in the unseen that it will eventually materialise. >Hebrews 11:1 (TPT)==>“Now faith brings our hopes into reality and becomes the foundation needed to acquire the things we long for. It is all the evidence required to prove what is still unseen.”

This Faith we talk about is in levels. By levels it implies it is in measures; hence not all Faith are same in measure or level. Little wonder Jonathan had to encourage David, not to allow his Faith level to drop. >“Jonathan went to find David and encouraged him to stay strong in his faith in God.”[1 Samuel 23:16 NLT].

It was recorded that Abraham’s Faith was not weakened, despite all that happened in the cause of waiting for his child of promise. >“And Abraham’s faith did not weaken, even though, at about 100 years of age, he figured his body was as good as dead—and so was Sarah’s womb.”[Romans 4:19 NLT]. This implies there’s a level or measure of Faith that is called “Weak Faith”. The Bible says in >Psalms 116:6 NLT)==>“The Lord protects those of childlike faith; I was facing death, and he saved me.”

No one therefore is exempted from having Faith, if children have Faith and their Faith is so unique, God honours it even when an adult possesses such. It’s called “Childlike Faith”.

>Matthew 17:20a (NLT)says ==> “You don’t have enough faith,”.  >>>Jesus told them so. There’s therefore a level of Faith that exist but is regarded as “Not Enough”. It exists, but does not gauge as to bring about any tangible manifestation. Selah.

The same passage of scripture >Matthew 17:20b(NLT) says ==>“I tell you the truth, if you had faith even as small as a mustard seed, you could say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it would move. Nothing would be impossible.”

A level as small as the mustard seed is enough to do the impossible, how and why then should someone possess the “Not Enough”?  The Apostles couldn’t cast out demons because according to Jesus, their Faith level was “Not Enough”.

Jesus also queried in >Matthew 6:30c (NLT)==>“…Why do you have so little faith?”

Another level of Faith is >>> “So Little Faith”(not just that it’s little, this level is so little). At this level worry becomes the order of the day. A level where though one claims she has Faith, yet her manifestations are by struggle, racking of the brain, human calculations and permutations.  >“Jesus immediately reached out and grabbed him. “You have so little faith,” Jesus said. “Why did you doubt me?”[Matthew 14:31 NLT]. At this level of “So Little Faith”, doubt sets in. Doubt overpowers the exhibited Faith. This simply means, the level of Faith isn’t  enough as to withstand the situations that physically confronts; hence doubt overcomes. Such was the case of Apostle Peter on the sea. He walked on water at some point at the instance of Jesus bidding him to do so; but couldn’t sustain it because he suddenly looked at the physical heights and current of the water, then he doubted and began to sink.

Meanwhile in the Bible, >>>“…Jesus told them, “I tell you the truth, if you have faith and don’t doubt, you can do things like this and much more. You can even say to this mountain, ‘May you be lifted up and thrown into the sea,’ and it will happen. 22)You can pray for anything, and if you have faith, you will receive it.”[Matthew 21:21-22 NLT].  When you operate with the right level of Faith, nothing will be impossible for you to achieve says Jesus our Lord.