“And Jesus answering saith unto them, Have faith in God.” (Mark 11:22)
The disciples passed by the fig tree Jesus had cursed the day before. It had dried up from the roots. Peter was surprised, then Jesus makes the response in Mark 11:22. I think we are like Peter many times. We believe God’s Word, pray God’s Word and then we are surprised when God’s Word is fulfilled. God’s Word is alive and able to accomplish what it says. “So shall My word be that goeth forth out of My mouth: it shall not return unto Me void, but it shall accomplish that which I please, and it shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it.” (Isaiah 55:11) God’s Word is His Will. If He said it, it’s a done deal. He said it. We believe it. That is having the faith of God.
The phrase in the Scripture, “...have faith in God,” actually means have the faith of God. It’s faith of the operation of God. It’s the meaning of the word faith Paul used in Colossians: “Buried with Him in baptism, wherein also ye are risen with Him through the faith of the operation of God, Who hath raised Him from the dead.” (Colossians 2:12) It’s that same kind of belief that is needed and required. It’s the faith of the impossible, the impossible for us, the impossible in this world, but not impossible for God.
Jesus continues to explain the kind of faith that it is. It’s the kind that will move mountains. “For verily I say unto you, That whosoever shall say unto this mountain, Be thou removed, and be thou cast into the sea; and shall not doubt in his heart, but shall believe that those things which he saith shall come to pass; he shall have whatsoever he saith.” (Mark 11:23) Jesus used this same example when His disciples couldn’t heal a boy with a demon. The disciples asked Him why they couldn’t cast the demon out. “And Jesus said unto them, Because of your unbelief: for verily I say unto you, If ye have faith as a grain of mustard seed, ye shall say unto this mountain, Remove hence to yonder place; and it shall remove; and nothing shall be impossible unto you. Howbeit this kind goeth not out but by prayer and fasting.” (Matthew 17:20-21) It doesn’t take monumental faith, but real faith. A faith in God’s Word. Jesus defines it as “faith as a grain of mustard seed.” Many times, we believe God’s Word, but we don’t believe it for ourselves.
When we are sloppy about our Christian walk, either failing to pray, read the Bible or gather with believers, it dominates us when we need faith. We doubt if God will act for such a faithless child who has ignored Him and chosen to please himself rather than the Lord. And so, we doubt instead of believing. It affects our confidence toward God. “Beloved, if our heart condemn us not, then have we confidence toward God.” (1John 3:21) We cannot expect anything when we doubt. And because our expected end isn’t realized, we think it’s because of our walk, but in reality, it because of our doubt. “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” (1John 1:9) God is greater than our conscious of our sin. “For if our heart condemn us, God is greater than our heart, and knoweth all things.” (1John 3:20) Let’s clear up the air by repenting and receive that forgiveness so we can believe, have the faith of God and doing the work God wants us to do.
Jesus said something else that we need to consider. “...this kind goeth not out but by prayer and fasting.” Some things are just difficult situations. It will take a supernatural move of God to change things. Jesus said that a demon won’t go out but by prayer and fasting. We must remember that prayer and fasting doesn’t give us supernatural power. Nor does it take prayer and fasting to “make” God move. What fasting does is diminish the flesh so that Jesus increases in us. It is Jesus that casts demons out. It is the power of the Holy Spirit that moves mountains. We don’t. We allow the Holy Spirit to have control in our lives when we fast and pray. We will do and say only what the Lord wants. We will have the faith required, the belief that God will move according to His Word. It will cast doubt away. And when God’s Word is fulfilled, He is glorified.
Jesus spoke a command, “...have faith in God.” In the original Greek it means have the faith of God, of God working to accomplish His Word, just like His Word raised Jesus from the dead. His Word will fulfill what it says it will do.
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