How to Increase Faith

by **daffodyllady** on Wed Jun 24, 2009 12:07 pm

This is a topic outline for the talk I am to give tonight to the ladies prayer group.
Just thought someone would enjoy reading over it.

Increasing Our Faith

1. Faith a mustard seed,... say to mountain... so why do we think of some faith as great faith, and other faith as little?
a. Great: Matt 8:5-13 Centurion servant healed
Matt 15:28 "Dogs eat crumbs"..Why these two considered "great faith"?
b. Little: Matt 8:23-27 Jesus rebuked storm winds.
Matt 14:31 Peter walked on water; only disciple to do so.
He had at least a little faith.
Matt 16:8 beware of leaven... reasoning, based on a misunderstanding.
Yet Jesus called it doubt. Why?

2. Luke 17:5-10 "Increase our faith" Which is our request here tonight...
Why did Jesus respond the way He did?
What is the clue in the story that tells us how to increase our faith?
v.10. obedience to command. (centurion under authority.)

3. Mark 9:14-29 (focus on faithless father?)
Matt 17:14-21 (focus on faithless disciples?)
"Faithless and Perverse" - blew me away in church a few weeks ago, has been eating at me ever since. Why did Jesus call his disciples also, faithless? (and perverse? Authority thing again? He did give them power to do this. And they lost it!)
Is there a connection between fasting and prayer, and walking in faith?

4.FASTING. explore that concept...Luke 5:33-39 (esp v. 39.) To "cleanse the palate" of the old wine, fast. Wherever we put our faith or our affections, is where our heart is.
Is it always food? sometimes, it may be something else we need to fast from.
Minister fasted from all books except the Bible for 2 yrs. I have fasted from Internet.
Fast from listening to music? Sometimes appropriate.
Rich young ruler- he needed a money fast. His money was where he put his faith. Addictions need cold turkey.
We may avoid giving up that which hinders us, pretending to make rededications.
But only we know just how empty spiritually we really are.
I Tim 1:5 speaks of "unfeigned faith." unpretended faith. Some faith is pretend.
James 2:17 says that some faith is dead, because of a refusal to do what ought to be done.

5. Fasting is only one tool. Romans 10:17 Faith comes by hearing, and that hearing comes by the Word. The Word must replace that which we have been filling up on.

6. Eph 6:16 Taking the shield of faith... Faith is a choice. It doesn't just happen. God offers his gifts to us, and we choose to open up to them, appropriating them by personal action.
Faith is also a shield. The choice to trust God in a matter is a shelter against fear and doubt.

7. Conclusion.
Hebrews11:6 without faith it is impossible to please Him. (Two things we Must believe! Both that he is, and that he will reward personally. Expect Him to draw near to us, when we seek Him.)
Luke 18:1-8 Nevertheless, when the Son of man cometh, shall he find faith on the earth?

Am I full of faith, watching actively for His return? If not, then I am faithless and perverse, and need to take remedial action.

by **Mrs. B** on Wed Jun 24, 2009 3:33 pm

Re: How to Increase Faith.....

Hebrews 11:1....NOW...Faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen....

Faith is a substance....a substance.......of things hoped for....

the evidence...of things not seen...

3...Through Faith we understand that...the worlds were framed by The Word of God....

The Just must live by Faith....

Faith is believing God....

acting on the word of God...

8.....By Faith Abraham, when he was called to go out into a place which he should after receive for an inheritance...
Obeyed:
and he went out...not knowing whither he went...

When My Husband and I married...over 50 years ago....
We got married and saved about the same time....
Mr. B was a plumber.....we were just kids..
And had a good bible teacher ...pastor

So by faith he quite his Job....and in rolled in bible college...
This was an act of faith...because we had not support...
Just beleived that God would take care of us....

Matt. 6:24...No man can serve two masters:
for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other...Ye cannot serve God and mammon....

25.....Therefore I say unto you...
Take no thought for your Life,
What ye shall eat,
or what ye shall drink;
nor yet for your body,
what ye shall put on..
Is not the life more than meat, and the body than rainment?

26....Behold the fowls of the air:
for they sow not,
neither do they reap,
nor gather into barns;
Yet your heavenly Father feedeth them..
Are ye not much better than they?

31....Therefore take no thought, saying,
What shall we eat?
or What shall we drink??
or, Wherewithal shall we be clothed?

32....(For after all these things do the Gentiles seek:)
for your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of all these things...

Now this is the verse we stood on and still do...

33...BUT SEEK YE FIRST THE KINGDOM OF GOD....
AND HIS RIGHTEOUSNESS;
AND ALL THESE THINGS SHALL BE ADDED UNTO YOU...

34...Take therefore NO thought for the Morrow:
for the morrow shall take thought for the things of itself..
Suffficient..unto the day is the evil thereof...

We have walked with the Lord all these years and God has never failed us...

We walk by Our Faith....and God is So good....He has never failed us...
But we walk in obedience to His Leading...by the Holy Spirit...
Never have we asked or told any one our needs.....Just Jesus..
and all our needs has he provided....now I'm not saying that my Husband has not worked..
He is a Hard worker....but go when Jesus sayes Go....and do what the Lord said to do..
Not looking to Man....But totaly by Faith Looking to God our father....

Faith is so Wonderfull......all things are possible to Him who believes...

Act on the Word.....God is Faithful.....He never fails...

Faith is a substance......when you act in faith...you see the evidence..
God takes care of you....better then you can take care of yourself...

Our Family could not understand......But through the years they...Or most of them have come to Jesus because they have see how God has worked for us........or we work for him ....and how he takes care of us...

I could write a book....

Teach your ladies.....to live by

Faith....Believe God...He is Faithful...

I will add this.....we lived this away for almost three years....and we wonted a baby very bad...
when I found out I was Pregnant....I thought.....Now it is ok for Mr. b and I to live by faith..but now that we are going to have a baby.....we better go back to living like normal people.....
Well...the first doctor said I was pregnant...my regular doctor was a Lady Doctor....and to see her was a 3 week waiting list....she was my personnel doctor and knew me....when I went she said....Mrs. B I don't believe your are expecting.....she knew how bad I wanted a baby......and said I was having false symthems....So she did what was then a rabbit test which took three days...
I went HOme and I cried and I cried.....
Then the Lord spoke to me....and said....Have not I take care of you and Bro. B and I said YES....Then why can't I take care of your baby.....Then I cried more..

Monday when I called the Doctor for result.....She said...Yes you are Positive......and I remember I said...what does that mean.....and she said...Yes Barbara you are going to have a baby......
So I had Seven...and God has taken care of us all....
I had to share this with you......God is all sufficient.....He is able to do all things....We have lived by Faith for all these years........and God has never fail.....
The just shall live by Faith....Trust the Lord...Northing is Impossible to those who belileve...

bb

by **jgilberAZ** on Wed Jun 24, 2009 6:36 pm

Amen, Mrs. B.

Thanks for that encouragement.

God is faithful ... we can trust him with EVERYTHING.

Praise the Lord!!

by **burien1** on Wed Jun 24, 2009 6:40 pm

Welcome back, jgilberAZ !

by **extravagantchristian** on Wed Jun 24, 2009 10:20 pm

Mrs. B wrote:We have walked with the Lord all these years and God has never failed us...

That is a good thing to keep in mind when we are tempted to be afraid.

About faith, the bible says that faith comes from God. So sometimes I pray that God would increase a person's faith. Jesus also prayed that Peter's faith would not fail, so I think that even if all we have is a mustard seed of faith, it is up to us to apply it to the situation, and that is what changes things.

by **jgilberAZ** on Thu Jun 25, 2009 7:14 am

Thanks for the welcome back, Burien1. I've been lurking again for a while, but had to respond to Mrs. B's post. The subject is on my mind these days as I'm giving a devotional next week, and the growing of our faith is part of it.

I put it on my blog. This is the first draft ... but it's probably close to the final.

http://jgilber.blogspot.com/2009/06/overcomers.html

- Jeff

by **burien1** on Thu Jun 25, 2009 4:24 pm

That`s a great study lesson, JgiberAZ. It says all the things I was thinking when I first read this thread. Good work.

by **FreeInHim** on Fri Jun 26, 2009 4:26 pm

daffodyllady wrote:Minister fasted from all books except the Bible for 2 yrs. I have fasted from Internet.

So that's what happened to you! Glad to see you posting again, Daffy. And thanks for sharing your topic outline for your prayer group.

by **extravagantchristian** on Fri Jun 26, 2009 8:20 pm

daffodyllady wrote:4.FASTING. explore that concept...Luke 5:33-39 (esp v. 39.) To "cleanse the palate" of the old wine, fast. Wherever we put our faith or our affections, is where our heart is.
Is it always food? sometimes, it may be something else we need to fast from.
Minister fasted from all books except the Bible for 2 yrs. I have fasted from Internet.
Fast from listening to music? Sometimes appropriate.
Rich young ruler- he needed a money fast. His money was where he put his faith.

Good point. I think that when we fast from anything that gives us carnal pleasure for God, He will bless that.

Galatians 6:7
Do not be deceived, God is not mocked; for whatever a man sows, that he will also reap.

That is why God chooses to bless us more when we do fast from something our flesh wants. Obstaining from earthly pleasure is a way we can GIVE to God.

Luke 6:38
Give, and it will be given to you: good measure, pressed down, shaken together, and running over will be put into your bosom. For with the same measure that you use, it will be measured back to you.”

I am so honored that God would give me a currency in which I can purchase eternal riches, the curency of giving up my own desires. :grin:

Revelation 3:18
I counsel you to buy from Me gold refined in the fire, that you may be rich; and white garments, that you may be clothed, that the shame of your nakedness may not be revealed; and anoint your eyes with eye salve, that you may see.

by **sparkly** on Fri Jun 26, 2009 10:00 pm

Thank you Mrs B, you are very encouraging.

And thanks for the thread, Daffy.

by **Lightseeker** on Tue Jun 30, 2009 8:45 am

Thank you all for this encouraging thread.

jgilberAZ, welcome back! And thanks for sharing your study too :grin:

. Have missed you around here...