By: Godwin Toju Eyiangho
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INTRODUCTION
One of the most essential factors in human relationship with God throughout all ages is faith derived from God’s word.
Romans 10:17 – So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.
Man cannot see God hence he must exercise faith in His word to please Him.
Hebrews 11:6 – But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him.
Therefore, all Christians must walk by faith to please God and to be successful.
2 Corinthians 5:7 – For we walk by faith, not by sight
DISCUSSION
Our topic simply means faith that cannot be prevented, stopped or short-chained but always working effectively no matter the circumstance – it is a victorious faith!
Let’s read Mark 2:15, 11, 12, to look at some ingredients that make such faith.
And again, He entered Capernaum after some days, and it was heard that He was in the house. Immediately many gathered together, so that there was no longer room to receive them, not even near the door. And He preached the word to them. Then they came to Him, bringing a paralytic who was carried by four men. And when they could not come near Him because of the crowd, they uncovered the roof where He was. So when they had broken through, they let down the bed on which the paralytic was lying. When Jesus saw their faith, He said to the paralytic, “Son, your sins are forgiven you.”
“I say to you, arise, take up your bed, and go to your house.” Immediately he arose, took up the bed, and went out in the presence of them all, so that all were amazed and glorified God, saying, “We never saw anything like this!”
According to the story, four men (friends) bore their paralyzed friend on a bed to where Christ was preaching.
They could neither gain entry through the main entrance nor the windows because of the crowd until they uncovered part of the roof and let down their friend before Christ, for deliverance.
We can learn the following lessons from their faith:
LOVE
A paralyzed person cannot do anything by himself unless he is helped by others. His four friends, by carrying him to the place where he was healed showed him love indeed.
1 John 3:18 – My little children, let us not love in word or in tongue, but in deed and in truth.
We must love one another as a proof of true discipleship.
John 13:34-35 – a new commandment I give to you, that you love one another; as I have loved you, that you also love one another. By this all will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another”.
Without love we cannot help one another as love does not think nor do evil.
1 Corinthians 13:5 – does not behave rudely, does not seek its own, is not easily provoked, thinks no evil.
Romans 13:10 – Love does no harm to a neighbor; therefore, love is the fulfillment of the law.
If we fail to love, we do not know and we are not true worshippers of God and we will die eternally.
John 4:22-24 – You worship what you do not know; we know what we worship, for salvation is of the Jews. But the hour is coming, and now is, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth; for the Father is seeking such to worship Him. God is Spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth.”
1 John 4:7-8 – Beloved, let us love one another, for love is of God; and everyone who loves is born of God and knows God. 8 He who does not love does not know God, for God is love.
1 John 3:14 – We know that we have passed from death to life, because we love the brethren. He who does not love [a]his brother abides in death.
With the love of Christ, the church is supposed to be the best and most saved place but what do we have today?
COMPASSION
Love breeds compassion which motivates practical action.
1 John 3:17 – But whoever has this world’s goods, and sees his brother in need, and shuts up his heart from him, how does the love of God abide in him?
Colossians 3:12 – Therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, put on tender mercies, kindness, humility, meekness, longsuffering.
They were touched with their paralyzed friend’s trouble and so must Christians do, knowing that if one member suffers, all is affected.
Galatians 6:2 – Bear one another’s burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ.
1 Corinthians 12:26 – And if one member suffers, all the members suffer with it; or if one member is honored, all the members rejoice with it.
NO FEAR
They were fearless, bold, determined and as such subdued all the hurdles – penetrated the crowd, climbed the roof, removed part of it and let down their friend before Christ for healing.
Christians must not fear especially when they want to do good work.
2 Timothy 1:7 – For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind.
Matthew 28:20 – teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” Amen.
Hebrews 13:5,6 – Let your conduct be without covetousness; be content with such things as you have. For He Himself has said, “I will never leave you nor forsake you.” So we may boldly say: “The Lord is my helper; I will not fear. What can man do to me?”
1 John 4:4 – You are of God, little children, and have overcome them, because He who is in you is greater than he who is in the world.
1 Peter 3:13 – And who is he who will harm you if you become followers of what is good?
We cannot achieve anything, if we fear, because fear leads to doubt and when Peter feared, he sank.
Matthew 14:28-30 – And Peter answered Him and said, “Lord, if it is You, command me to come to You on the water.” So He said, “Come.” And when Peter had come down out of the boat, he walked on the water to go to Jesus. But when he saw that the wind was boisterous, he was afraid; and beginning to sink he cried out, saying, “Lord, save me!”
Fear makes us immature in love.
1 John 4:18 – There is no fear in love; but perfect love casts out fear, because fear involves torment. But he who fears has not been made perfect in love.
TEAM-WORK
They had oneness of mind, unity and agreement which make them successful in their undertaking. Christians must be united and be of one mind to work for the progress and growth of the Lord’s congregation.
Psalm 133:1 – Behold, how good and how pleasant it is
For brethren to dwell together in unity!
Ephesians 4:3 – endeavoring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.
1 Corinthians 1:10 – Now I plead with you, brethren, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that you all speak the same thing, and that there be no divisions among you, but that you be perfectly joined together in the same mind and in the same judgment.
Unity will stand and succeed but division will fall and fail.
FAITH
They had a living and active faith, that is, faith which is sincere, powerful, functional and victorious.
James 2:26 – For as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also.
Mark 2:5, 11-12 – When Jesus saw their faith, He said to the paralytic, “Son, your sins are forgiven you.” “I say to you, arise, take up your bed, and go to your house.” Immediately he arose, took up the bed, and went out in the presence of them all, so that all were amazed and glorified God, saying, “We never saw anything like this!”
We must have strong faith as there is possibility or victory in our faith in God through Christ, whose power works in us.
Matthew 17:20 – So Jesus said to them, “Because of your unbelief; for assuredly, I say to you, if you have faith as a mustard seed, you will say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it will move; and nothing will be impossible for you.
Ephesians 3:20 – 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. Other Ingredients of our faith are righteousness, prayers, fasting, persistence, patience and the name of Jesus.
CONCLUSION
Brethren to achieve good and great things in the local congregation, we must have a genuine, living and active faith as seen in the passages of our admonition, in order to surmount various challenges. Such faith in God through Christ grants victory over worldly problems.
1 John 5:4 – For whatever is born of God overcomes the world. And this is the victory that has overcome the world—our faith.
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