Beloved one reading this message . . . do you realize that you, as a child of God, have special rights and privileges that others don’t have? Think about it for a minute. In a similar way that you have a special relationship and unique benefits because you are a member of your earthly family — even more so you have amazing and supernatural benefits because you are a member for the family of God. That is a huge reality for all who believe!
But here’s the thing: If you have all these special advantages, then why do you still struggle with so many of life’s issues? It’s likely because you’ve not developed your faith to be strong, able, and ready when needed.
Your faith is like the muscles in your body. For your muscles to be strong and able, they must be worked. And the more you work your muscles, they stronger they get! The same is with your faith. So here are five steps to help you build your faith muscles so you can partake of the amazing blessings that are waiting for you to receive.
Click on the image above to learn how you can strengthen your faith.
Step One: Make a decision that you believe in God and His promises. The Bible teaches us this truth, “But let him ask in faith, with no doubting, for he who doubts is like a wave of the sea driven and tossed by the wind. For let not that man suppose that he will receive anything from the Lord; he is a double-minded man, unstable in all his ways.” James 1:6-8
When we use our faith to receive the blessings that God promises, we can’t be wishy-washy! Faith requires trust and believing that God’s Word is true. So even though you might have rumblings of doubt in your mind, keep moving toward faith in God. Like Jesus tells us, “Fear not. Believe in God.”
Step Two: Understand the strength of your faith, and begin believing for those needs that are within your level of power. Again, think about your faith as a muscle. If you were just starting to develop your physical muscles, would you begin with 100 pound weights? No! You can clearly see how silly that would be since you are just starting out. And if you did start with weights that were too heavy for your level of development — you would likely fail. Then you would quit. And perhaps have a hard time trying again.
We each have been given the same “measure of faith.” Romans 12:3 clearly states this fact: “For I say, through the grace given to me, to everyone who is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think, but to think soberly, as God has dealt to each one a measure of faith.”
Just like we all have the same number of muscles . . . the difference is what we do with those muscles. Some workout frequently while others don’t. And consequently, those who have developed their muscles are stronger than those who sit on the sidelines.
What is a need you have right now that you can start exercising your faith to receive? You can begin developing your faith muscles by starting small and then tackle some of the other bigger issues in your life.
Step Three: Believe you receive! God’s Word is true. And He shows us in the Bible that because of Jesus’ sacrifice, His resurrection, and His ascension — that He gained back all the benefits that God created for us “in the beginning.” And as soon as we accept Jesus into our hearts as our Lord, our spirit is reconnected with the Spirit of God. The Spirit of God comes into us and lives there allowing us to have power to receive.
Ephesians 3:20 notes the power that we have in us: “Now to Him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us.” Do you see that? The power works in us! And how strong is that power? Look how it’s described in Ephesians 1:19-20 – “The exceeding greatness of His power toward us who believe, according to the working of His mighty power which He worked in Christ when He raised Him from the dead and seated Him at His right hand in the heavenly places.”
I encourage you to study Ephesians to see that grand place in which God has already positioned you and the power He has given you through your faith. And then operate in your faith from that amazing place! That’s a place of power. Of blessing. Of truth.
Step Four: Be consistent! Never give up. Always believe. Let’s go back to the muscle-building analogy. You can pump weights on a consistent basis and over time your muscles will get stronger and stronger. Soon, what was once heavy-lifting, now feels light. You’re able to lift heavier weights because of what you’ve done before. You’ve become strong.
The same is true with our faith. Consistency is the key and it’s the way to power. To develop your faith, you want to use it every day and over and over again. Learn more about your faith. Develop an intimate relationship with God. Spend time with Him and studying His Word. Build those faith muscles. Pray about your needs and expect God to fulfill His promises.
Step Five: Use your words! Most people underestimate the power of our words! However, God places high value on the words that come from our mouth because they are like packages of power! Think of the opening of the Gospel of John: “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.” John 1:1
Do you think words are important to God? Look at this: “By faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the word of God, so that the things which are seen were not made of things which are visible.” Hebrews 11:3
And now look at what Jesus teaches us about how we should respond to the problems that may come into our lives, “Assuredly, I say to you, if you have faith and do not doubt, you will not only do what was done to the fig tree, but also if you say to this mountain, ‘Be removed and be cast into the sea,’ it will be done. And whatever things you ask in prayer, believing, you will receive.” Matthew 21:20-22
Who is telling the mountain to go into the sea? You! Me! And not Jesus. He teaches us to use our words and to have faith with no doubt. He instructs us to speak to the mountain that is causing us problems! We do the speaking and whatever things we ask in prayer, and believe, we will receive!
So how are your faith muscles? Are you working out? Or are you like so many? You just can’t make time to do the exercises necessary to gain strength?
One thing I know for sure – the time we devote to developing our faith and strengthening those muscles will pay dividends higher than we can imagine. But we have the choice. We can stay on the couch and then struggle when problems arise. Or we can develop a plan and start to get strong and able and secure! What will you do?
I love hearing from you! Please share your thoughts below with me and with others.
