Applying Faith

Do you have any problems in your life? The answer's probably yes. Well, you also have the solution to every problem. It's your faith. So, you only have one problem. That's how to get your faith working to solve a problem.

Jesus both showed us and told us how to apply our faith to solve our problems.

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Now the next day, when they had come out from Bethany, He was hungry. And seeing from afar a fig tree having leaves, He went to see if perhaps He would find something on it. And when he came to it, He found nothing but leaves, for it was not the season for figs. In response, Jesus said to it, "Let no one eat fruit from you ever again." And His disciples heard it. Mark 11:12-14 (NKJV)

Now in the morning, as they passed by, they saw the fig tree dried up from the roots. And Peter, remembering, said to Him, "Rabbi, look! The fig tree which you cursed has withered away." Mark 11:20-21 (NKJV)

... and Tell

So Jesus answered them and said to them, "Have faith in God. 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 come to pass, 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. Mark 11:22-24 (NKJV)

Jesus spoke an a command - an authoritative word - to a physical thing, a fig tree. And the fig tree did exactly as Jesus commanded. It withered and died from the roots.

Then Jesus explained the principle to His followers:

1. Have faith in God.
2. Say, with authority, what you want.
3. Do not doubt.
4. Believe what you say will happen.
5. You will have what you say.

There's a key here. Jesus said believe that those things that you say will come to pass. He didn't say believe the one thing you just said will happen. Believe every word you speak will happen.

A Principle from the Beginning

Genesis 1:3 (KJV) And God said, Let there by light, and there was light.

God created the heavens and the earth by the words He spoke. Look at the sequence God used to create:

And God said, "let there be light", and there was light.

And God said, "Let there be an expanse..." And it was so.

And God said, "Let the water under the sky..." And it was so. And God saw...

Then God said, "Let the land produce vegetation..." And it was so. And God saw...

And God said, "Let there by lights in the expanse..." And it was so. And God saw...

And God said, "Let the water teem with living creatures..." And God saw...

And God said, "Let the land produce living creatures..." And it was so. And God saw...

And God said, "Let us make man in our image, in our likeness..." And it was so.

God saw all that he had made, and it was very good.

God's Pattern

Do you see the pattern?

1. God said.
2. It happened.
3. God saw it.

The spoken word preceded and caused the physical evidence. God applied His faith by speaking. Jesus applied His faith by speaking. We apply our faith by speaking.

Practices

• Speak the solution to the problem.
  
• Don't follow your feelings.
  
• Don't follow visible evidence.
  
• Believe that you will have what you say.
  
• See it come to pass.