by Prisca | 26 October 2023 08:46 am10
“May the name of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ be praised forever!”
Welcome to this short but powerful Bible teaching.
Have you ever asked yourself: What is faith compared to? And how can faith grow within us? These questions are central to the Christian walk, and Scripture offers clear answers.
Let’s explore them together.
Jesus often used parables and imagery to explain spiritual truths. One of the most well-known illustrations of faith is found in:
Luke 17:6 (NIV) “He replied, ‘If you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mulberry tree, “Be uprooted and planted in the sea,” and it will obey you.’”
Here, Jesus compares faith to a mustard seed remarkably small, yet capable of extraordinary results.
Many focus on the seed’s tiny size, interpreting this to mean that even the smallest faith can achieve great things. While that’s true, there’s a deeper principle here: Jesus wasn’t just highlighting the seed’s size, but its potential for growth and transformation.
Let’s go deeper with another passage:
Mark 4:30–32 (ESV)
“And he said, ‘With what can we compare the kingdom of God, or what parable shall we use for it?
It is like a grain of mustard seed, which, when sown on the ground, is the smallest of all the seeds on earth,
yet when it is sown it grows up and becomes larger than all the garden plants and puts out large branches,
so that the birds of the air can make nests in its shade.’”
This parable shows us that the mustard seed, though small, must be planted, nurtured, and allowed to grow. In time, it becomes a strong tree that provides refuge and sustenance just like mature faith provides spiritual strength and impact.
Faith is not static; it must be nurtured and acted upon. This is why the apostle James writes:
James 2:17 (NIV) “In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead.”
Faith is a gift from God (Ephesians 2:8-9), but we have the responsibility to respond, to walk by faith, and to allow that faith to shape our lives and decisions (2 Corinthians 5:7).
You might ask: “So, how do I water and nourish this mustard seed of faith?”
The answer is clear in the words of Jesus:
Matthew 17:20–21 (NKJV)
“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.
However, this kind does not go out except by prayer and fasting.’”
This passage shows us a foundational principle: Prayer and fasting are essential to developing strong, mountain-moving faith. These are not merely rituals they are spiritual disciplines that align our hearts with God’s will, build intimacy with Him, and sharpen our spiritual sensitivity.
In Reformed theology, faith is understood as both initial (saving faith) and progressive (sanctifying faith). The initial faith comes at conversion by grace alone, but growth in faith is part of sanctification a lifelong process of becoming more like Christ (Romans 8:29).
Just as a seed must be planted in good soil, exposed to sunlight, and watered consistently to grow, our faith grows through daily communion with God through His Word, prayer, worship, fasting, and obedience.
Those who diligently pray and fast don’t merely maintain their faith they strengthen it. Their faith becomes like a deep-rooted tree, unshaken by storms.
Psalm 1:2-3 (NIV)
“But whose delight is in the law of the Lord, and who meditates on his law day and night.
That person is like a tree planted by streams of water, which yields its fruit in season and whose leaf does not wither whatever they do prospers.”
When you consistently cultivate your faith, you will begin to experience divine favor, authority in prayer, peace in trials, and victory in spiritual battles.
Do you desire to grow your faith? Start with these two commitments:
If you’d like weekly prayer guides or to join us in scheduled fasts, feel free to contact us. We’d be happy to walk with you on your spiritual journey.
May the Lord richly bless you and strengthen your faith.
Maranatha! (The Lord is coming!)
Source URL: https://wingulamashahidi.org/en/2023/10/26/how-do-you-cultivate-faith-within-you/
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