Today we continue to teach on our overall theme for the year: “GREAT FREEDOM.” Yesterday we looked at 2 Corinthians 4:13 and the story of the Roman Centurion. Let’s go back to both today.
(2 Corinthians 4:13 NKJV)
And since we have the same spirit of faith, according to what is written, “I believed and therefore I spoke,” we also believe and therefore speak.
In Matthew 8 we find Jesus coming back home to His ministry headquarters in Capernaum. As Jesus entered the city, a Roman Army officer came to him, begging for help. The officer said, “Lord, my servant is very sick at home in bed. He can’t move his body and has much pain.” Jesus said to the officer, “I will go and heal him.” The officer responded, “Lord, I am not good enough for you to come into my house. You simply need to SPEAK THE WORD ONLY, and my servant will be healed. I know this because I understand authority. There are people who have authority over me, and I have soldiers under my authority. I tell one soldier, ‘Go,’ and he goes. I tell another soldier, ‘Come,’ and he comes. I say to my servant, ‘Do this,’ and my servant obeys me.” When Jesus heard this, He was amazed. He said to those who were with him, “The truth is, this man has great faith. I have not found this type of faith, not even in Israel.” (see Matthew 8:5-10)
So what does this mean for you today? A few things.
1. God will meet you at your level of faith.
a) A few messages ago we dealt with Jairus and his daughter. Jarius’ level of faith required Jesus to actually come to his home and touch his daughter, for his daughter to be healed. Jesus could have simply SPOKEN healing over Jairus’ daughter, but Jairus did not have that level of faith. Jairus wanted Jesus to physically go to his home and physically touch his daughter. Jesus did it because that is where Jairus’ faith was. The Roman Centurion was at a different level of faith. He was willing to take Jesus at His Word, without Jesus going to his home and without Jesus laying hands on his servant. Jesus called this “Great faith!” My point is that God will meet you wherever you are. He will deal with you according to your level of faith. But the goal is to get to where the Roman officer was. The goal is to be able to take God at His Word, even before He does it, without having to SEE anything with your physical eyes, and believe that it’s already done!
b) Developing your faith is a journey, just like walking with God is a journey. God has dealt to every man “THE” measure of faith (Romans 12:3). You have the faith you need to live the life God has called you to. It would be unrighteous of God, as a Father, to expect you to do something He has not already equipped you to do. So the fact that God requires you to walk and live by faith, in evidence that He has already given you the faith you need. Our part is to develop it. Our faith is built up when we get the Word down in our hearts (which is why I keep telling you to meditate and medicate on God’s Word), and when we then attempt (actually performing actions) to live by what we believe. At first, it will not be easy. Let me explain why.
There are three parts of you: You are a Spirit, you possess a Soul, and you live in a Body (for now). You communicate with this world (the earth) with your body and your five physical senses. However, your body CANNOT communicate with God, heaven, or the unseen realm. You communicate with God, heaven, and the unseen realm with your Born-Again Spirit, through the HOLY SPIRIT.
When you read a Word from God in the Bible, or when you receive a Word from God through His Spirit, you must meditate and medicate on that Word until you get to the point where what God revealed (the UNSEEN) is more real to you than what you see every day. If you can ever get to this point, you will NOT BE MOVED by what you see. You will ONLY BE MOVED by what you BELIEVE!
So, to close out this point, God will meet you at whatever level of faith you are. But it is your responsibility to get the Word down in your heart (you have to read it and meditate on it), and to practice living by what God said. Everything takes practice. The more you practice, the stronger your faith will be!
2. You must get to a point in your life where you can stand on a Word from God and not be moved by anything else.
a) The Roman Centurion said, “Speak the Word ONLY!” He was basically saying, “Mr. Jesus, just SEND THE ORDER! If you SEND THE ORDER, I believe it’s already done! I don’t need to SEE IT. I just need you to SAY IT!” The power of God is IN His Word. We must get to the point where we believe like the Roman Centurion believed, and where we can simply take God at His Word!
b) The Word of God will ACCOMPLISH and PROSPER wherever it is sown. The Bible says:
“For My thoughts are not your thoughts, Nor are your ways My ways,” says the Lord. “For as the heavens are higher than the earth, So are My ways higher than your ways, and My thoughts than your thoughts. “For as the rain comes down, and the snow from heaven, and do not return there, but water the earth, And make it bring forth and bud, that it may give seed to the sower and bread to the eater, so shall My word be that goes forth from My mouth; It shall not return to Me void, but it shall accomplish what I please, and it shall prosper in the thing for which I sent it.” (Isaiah 55:8-11 NKJV)
God’s ways are above our ways. The things of God will not always make sense. God is Spiritual, not sensual. He will tell us things that are far above the ways of this world. But the power to produce what God said is IN THE WORD He spoke. Our job is to receive it and meditate on it, until it becomes more real to us than what we see down here, in this world. When we get to this point we can STAND on the Word long enough for the Word produce in our lives!
The Word of God is a seed. If you hold on to it long enough, it will produce! Don’t let go. Stand on the Word and KEEP ON STANDING until you SEE what God SAID! This is the life of faith. And this is how we live!
That’s enough for today.
Declaration of Faith:
Father, I take You at Your Word. I know You will watch over Your Word to perform it in my life. I know You will never allow a single Word to return to you void. So I receive the Word You speak to me. I meditate and medicate on it day and night, to the point where it becomes MORE REAL to me than what I see in this world. And I then STAND on that Word, no matter how long it takes. It is only a matter of time before I SEE in my hands what You REVEALED to me, in my heart! I declare this by faith. In Jesus’ name. Amen!
This is Today’s Word. Apply it and prosper!
