“Lord, Increase our faith.” – Luke 17:5
Many people can sympathize with the request of the disciples in Luke 17:5.
They desire a bigger faith, a better faith, a stronger faith, but they don’t know where it comes from, or how it grows. If faith is what pleases God, they want more (Heb 11:6).
They try to exercise their faith to make it stronger, but how can you exercise something that is not a work (Rom 4:5)?
No matter how much they will it, they have no way of knowing or measuring exactly how much faith they have.
Since we walk by faith and not by sight, some will close their eyes and walk through life like blind men trusting God, waiting on faith to fall on them like rain.
How does faith grow strong? From where does faith come?
Jesus said the disciples only needed faith as a mustard seed (Luke 17:6). That doesn’t seem like a lot.
Faith Comes from the Bible
The truth is that Biblical faith comes from one place, hearing God’s word.
“So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.” – Rom 10:17
Faith is the result of hearing God’s word, understanding it, and believing it.
The people in the Bible who are said to have “little faith” do not know or believe in the words of God.
Jesus told Peter to walk on the water, but Peter doubted (Mat 14:31).
The Bible Must be Rightly Divided
However, the words of God in our Bible contain many different instructions and for many people it is hard to understand.
As a result their faith remains weak and stagnant.
In order for faith to grow strong we must know which words of God to apply to us.
Jesus said to his disciples that they would have little faith if they worked for new clothes.
“Wherefore, if God so clothe the grass of the field, which to day is, and to morrow is cast into the oven, shall he not much more clothe you, O ye of little faith?” – Mat 6:30
The truth is, if we don’t work for new clothes today, our old ones will fade away and we will be left naked waiting for God to clothe us.
That is because God has changed his operation. He has dispensed new instructions starting with the Apostle Paul.
“…if any would not work, neither should he eat […or wear new clothes].” – 2 Thess 3:10
When we are able to rightly divide the Bible we can discern which words of God are for our participation. At that point our faith understanding in God’s words changes from a general “whatever you say, Lord” faith, to a “Oh, that’s what you said” faith.
Our faith grows stronger when we rightly divide the word of God.
Strong Faith
Faith is a product of hearing and understanding God’s word (Rom 10:17).
Strong faith results from hearing or reading God’s words rightly divided. The reason it is strong is not because of ourselves, but because of our increased understanding of the power of God and what he is doing today.
There is no faith muscle that you can exercise except the one that turns the pages of God’s word comparing scripture with scripture.
As you study to show yourself an unashamed workmen unto God your faith in God’s words will grow strong.
Article Index Published: December 8, 2012
Last Modified: January 15, 2018