Faith Farming
The Word of GOD tells us that He has given to every man a measure of faith. However, it is up to us how that faith grows and flourishes. We can bear much fruit for The Kingdom of God, or we can stay the same all our lives spiritually. The choice is ours. Today we will study in GODS Word just how we can grow and mature in that faith and be good stewards for HIM! I pray you all are blessed and encouraged as you read.
Handout: Faith Farming
What Is Faith?
Hebrews 11:1-6 “ 1Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. 2For by it the elders obtained a good report.
3Through faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the word of God, so that things which are seen were not made of things which do appear.
4By faith Abel offered unto God a more excellent sacrifice than Cain, by which he obtained witness that he was righteous, God testifying of his gifts: and by it he being dead yet speaketh.
5By faith Enoch was translated that he should not see death; and was not found, because God had translated him: for before his translation he had this testimony, that he pleased God.
6But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.
Romans 12:3 “3For I say, through the grace given unto me, to every man that is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think; but to think soberly, according as God hath dealt to every man the measure of faith.”
Luke 13:18-19 “18Then said he, Unto what is the kingdom of God like? and whereunto shall I resemble it? 19It is like a grain of mustard seed, which a man took, and cast into his garden; and it grew, and waxed a great tree; and the fowls of the air lodged in the branches of it.”
B. Planting
How do we get our faith to grow?
The Apostle Paul refers to The Word of GOD as milk and meat. As babes in Christ or the newly saved, we start out on the milk or the basics of the Word of GOD, then as we grow and mature we get into the deep principles of it and in doing so, our faith begins to take root and grow. If we neglect this, there is no hope for us to mature, we will be dead spiritually.
2 Timothy 2:15 “Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.”
Dear Ones without prayer and confession, we will be eaten up by the enemy. We all fail and sin everyday, we MUST go to GOD asking for help and confessing our sins and asking HIM to forgive us. We need Jesus to shine His light into our hearts so that sin be exposed and burned with the fire of His Holy Spirit so that we are pure before Him.
Psalm 51:10 “Create in me a clean heart, O GOD, and renew a steadfast spirit within me.”
We also grow stronger by praying for others. Prayer is not just a nice suggestion…IT IS A MUST AND A COMMAND OF GOD!
1 Thessalonians 5:17-23 “Pray without ceasing. In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of GOD in Christ JESUS concerning you. Quench not the Spirit. Despise not prophesyings. Prove all things; hold fast that which is good. Abstain from all appearance of evil. And the very GOD of peace sanctify you wholly; and I pray GOD you whole spirit and soul and body be preserved blameless unto the coming of our LORD JESUS CHRIST.”
James 5:16 “Confess your faults one to another, and pray one for another, that ye may be healed. The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much.
1 John 1:9 “If we confess our sins, HE is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.”
Luke 4:4 “And Jesus answered him, saying, It is written, That man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word of God.”
In the book of Luke chapter 4 we see that Jesus Himself…The Son of GOD fasted and prayed while HE was here on the earth. HE IS OUR EXAMPLE!
Luke 4:4 “And Jesus answered him, saying, It is written, That man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word of God.”
Matthew 17:14-21 “ 14And when they were come to the multitude, there came to him a certain man, kneeling down to him, and saying, 15Lord, have mercy on my son: for he is lunatick, and sore vexed: for ofttimes he falleth into the fire, and oft into the water. 16And I brought him to thy disciples, and they could not cure him.
17Then Jesus answered and said, O faithless and perverse generation, how long shall I be with you? how long shall I suffer you? bring him hither to me. 18And Jesus rebuked the devil; and he departed out of him: and the child was cured from that very hour. 19Then came the disciples to Jesus apart, and said, Why could not we cast him out?
20And Jesus said unto them, Because of your unbelief: for verily I say unto you, If ye have faith as a grain of mustard seed, ye shall say unto this mountain, Remove hence to yonder place; and it shall remove; and nothing shall be impossible unto you. 21Howbeit this kind goeth not out but by prayer and fasting.
Faith Growing can be hard on this flesh too, because we must die to self and walk by The Holy Spirit. It takes killing this fleshly nature and living according to The Spirit of GOD!
1 Corinthians 15:31 “I protest by your rejoicing which I have in Christ Jesus our LORD, I die daily.
Galatians 5:16 “This I say then, Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh.”
Think about a little tiny seed that turns into a spout and then a great tree. You place that seed into the ground where it dark and cold, then you put a lot of heavy soil in on top of it! In those first stages of growing and taking root, how much dirt and weight must a seed fight it’s way through to sprout and grow? If we are to grow spiritually we are going to have to fight our way up from the weight of the world, the cares of this life and the sin and temptation that is all around us every day! But greater is HE that is in us, than HE that is in the world! If we will allow God’s Holy Spirit to work in us, HE will spring forth in us and we can bear fruit! Praise The LORD!
Romans 8:11 “But if The Spirit of Him that raised up Jesus from the dead dwell in you, He that raised up Christ from the dead shall also quicken your mortal bodies by His Spirit that dwelleth in you.”
1 Peter 5:10 “But The GOD of all grace, who hath called us into His eternal Glory by Christ Jesus, after that ye have suffered a while, make you perfect, stablish, strengthen, settle you.” Praise The LORD!
James 1:22 “But be ye doers of The Word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves.”
James 2:26 “For as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without words is dead also.”
Part of being an adult is doing the things you don’t always feel like doing.
Same goes with growing into a mature faithing Christian. We cannot just sit around after we get saved and expect to become a prayer warrior or a person of great faith. It takes discipline and exercising that faith. Walking by faith and not by sight, that means doing what GOD says even the times when we don’t feel like it!
Without Discipline we are as the book of Isaiah says:
Isaiah 1:30 “For ye shall be as an oak whose leaf fadeth, and as a garden that hath no water”
Hosea 10:12 “Sow to yourselves in righteousness, reap in mercy; break up your fallow ground: for it is time to seek the LORD, till he come and rain righteousness upon you”
Galatians 6:7 “Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap.”
What are we sowing today…whatever it is, is what we reap tomorrow.
We were not placed on the earth to be comfortable. We will be comfortable when we get home with The LORD. While we are here, we are to follow Jesus and many times that takes us far away from what we are comfortable with. However, if we will place that comfort aside those times and just obey GOD, the benefits of that obedience far out goes any comforts that this old world can offer! There’s comfort in Our LORD and in trusting and obeying HIM! Praise HIM!
We do the hard thing now…to reap the harvest of goodness later!
Psalm 126:6 1When the LORD turned again the captivity of Zion, we were like them that dream. 2Then was our mouth filled with laughter, and our tongue with singing: then said they among the heathen, The LORD hath done great things for them.
3The LORD hath done great things for us; whereof we are glad. 4Turn again our captivity, O LORD, as the streams in the south.
5They that sow in tears shall reap in joy. 6He that goeth forth and weepeth, bearing precious seed, shall doubtless come again with rejoicing, bringing his sheaves with him.
There is great JOY in Serving The LORD with all of our hearts, minds, souls, and strength! Praise HIS NAME!
If GOD takes you to the edge…tells you to jump…then jump…because HE is either going to catch you…or teach you how to fly!!!
Dearest, Most Righteous, Heavenly Father….
Thank You for giving us a measure of faith and for giving the increase for it to grow in us. Help us to do our parts to obey You because it is life to us. Help us to see with spiritual eyes, and understand with all our hearts that we live unto You and this life is nothing but a vapor and what we do here for YOU is all that matters! Fill us with love first for YOU so that we can love others. Thank You for giving us everything we need through Your Holy Spirit living in us so that we can be successful in doing what You have commanded us to do! Help us to abide by Your every word so that we can fulfill all Your will. We love You and worship You…thanking You for all You have done, will do, and do now for us. We love You LORD. In Your precious name we pray. Amen.
~*cindygirl*~
June 14, 2015