HAVE THE FAITH OF GOD

In Mark 11:22, Jesus told his disciples (in the literal Greek), "Have (the) faith of God".

So what is "The faith OF God". Some say that because God knows all things, he does not have, nor does he need, ....faith. Some theologians say that the Greek phrase "Have faith of God" is what you call an "objective genitive" which makes God the object of our faith, rather than a "subjective faith", which would make God the "possessor' of faith.

Therefore, on those subjective grounds alone, they conclude that God has no faith, but we are to have our faith in Him.

First, I would say that if God desired to communicate that we were to have faith IN him,

he would have said "Echete en ton theon", and not "Exete theou". I believe he is communicating to us that we are to exersise "God-like" faith, that is, confidence in his promises, & that confidence is unselfish in nature, and energized by unselfish love,

(1Cor 13:1-4, Gal 5:6)

Consider the following passage:

1 Cor 12:

4 Now there are diversities of gifts, but the same Spirit.

5 And there are differences of administrations, but the same Lord.

6 And there are diversities of operations, but it is the same God which worketh all in all.

7 But the manifestation of the Spirit is given to every man to profit withal.

8 For to one is given by the Spirit the word of wisdom; to another the word of knowledge by the same Spirit;

9 To another faith by the same Spirit;

So we see from implication as well as context that faith is generated from the spirit of God, as much as prophecies, miracles, discernment of spirits, etc. In fact, in 1Cor 13, God tells us first that prophecy AND knowledge shall cease, but that faith, hope and love continue.

Faith is NOT somethng that ceases, neither in this time, nor in the time to come. Faith is the fruit (that which is produced) of the spirit (Gal 5:22-23), and to say that faith shall come to an end even in the next age of eternal life in heaven, is to say that love, peace, goodness, patience, (etc etc) will come to an end. The fruit of the spirit are the very virtues of God himself, and he is eternal. The fact that "faith" is the fruit of the spirit should be proof enough that it is "OF God".

1 Cor 13:2 says that if I have ALL faith so as to move mountains, but have NOT LOVE, I am nothing. That is to say you have no reputation with God, nor any reward from God.

Faith must be motivated by unselfishness and by a pure heart. Jesus could have turned

the stones into bread to satisfy the "lower cravings of the flesh", so to speak, but he refuse to utilize the power of God for selfish needs, even hunger.

What, then, is faith? Is it "hoping something shall come to pass". Is it "believing" but not knowing for sure something will transpire? Is it something "just short of knowing for sure?".

Just what exactly is faith? What is faith that is "OF GOD" ?:

Faith is the CONFIDENCE, trust, reliance, ASSURANCE, and a conviction and persuasion that brings certainty to your heart for that which is believed. It is by faith that you have confidence, assurance and knowledge that your sins are forgiven and you have eternal life with God by believing in Christ Jesus as your redeemer and Savior.

In Mark 11:23-24, Jesus tells us how to have (and exercise) the "faith of God" :

19 And when even was come, he went out of the city.

20 And in the morning, as they passed by, they saw the fig tree dried up from the roots.

21 And Peter calling to remembrance saith unto him, Master, behold, the fig tree which thou cursed is withered away.

22 And Jesus answering saith unto them, Have (the) faith of God.

23 For verily I say unto you, That whosoever shall say unto this mountain, Be thou removed, and be thou cast into the sea; and shall not doubt in his heart, but shall believe that those things which he saith shall come to pass; he shall have whatsoever he saith.

24 Therefore I say unto you, What things soever ye desire, when ye pray, believe that ye receive them, and ye shall have them.

25 And when ye stand praying, forgive, if ye have ought against any: that your Father also which is in heaven may forgive you your trespasses.

26 But if ye do not forgive, neither will your Father which is in heaven forgive your trespasses.

There are 4 "ingredients" in God-like faith, confidence, assurance, persuasion, etc.

1. "Say" to this mountain (or what your need or request is).

It says in Eph 6:17 that the sword of the spirit (of God) is the "rhemata", the "spoken word" of God. And in Romans 10:8-10 we see that "verbal confession" is synonymous with "believing". So if you are confident ( have God-like faith) that God shall supply all your needs according to his riches in glory (Phil 4:6-8,19) then you can boldly profess it accordingly.

2. Believe. The word "believe" (Strong's #4100) comes from the same word as "faith" (Strong's # 4102). So to "believe" is to have the faith, confidence and persuasion

that what is spoken (from a heart of purity and unselfishness) shall come to pass.

3. No Doubting ! It may sound somewhat "redundant", but I believe the Lord added that clause to demonstrate absolute, unshakable faith. Recall when, in Mark 9, the man who had a son possessed by a demon, Jesus said to him:

23... If thou canst believe, all things are possible to him that believeth.

24 And straightway the father of the child cried out, and said with tears, Lord, I believe; help thou mine unbelief.

The man "believed', but it was mixed with doubt.

4. Forgiveness: If we desire God to move on our behalf, we must NOT hold bitterness or unforgiveness toward our fellow man -- any fellow man, but especially to fellow Christians, brothers and sisters in Christ. There is no little teaching in the Gospels about forgiveness. Even if we know someone else has a grudge against US, we are to go to THEM and try to be reconciled. Forgiveness is a big part in "purity of heart", and "unselfishness". If we want to be forgiven of our God for our mega-sins against him, the least we can do is to forgive one another. It is no accident he put that "clause" regarding forgiveness in context of "mountain moving faith". "Faith operated and energized by love" will be full of goodness, mercy, kindness, forgiveness.

Let's look at an example of "Unwavering faith":

• Romans 4:19 And being not weak in faith, he (Abraham) considered not his own body now dead, when he was about an hundred years old, neither yet the deadness of Sara's womb:
• He did not stagger, evaluate the difference between things, differentiate, dispute, argue, hesitate, waver, doubt, nor was he undecided within himself regarding the promise, declaration, agreement, assurance of God, but was-(aorist tense)
• morally and spiritually enabled and strengthened in (and) by the faith, as he gave glory to God.

In spite of the circumstance, in spite of the apparent "condition" of his body and that of Sarah's, Abraham did not stagger, contend, dispute or doubt the word and promise given to him by God, but was strengthened in his faith, conviction and persuasion ..... as he gave glory to God. I believe he gave glory to God from the moment he received the promise,

and from the moment he believed the word of God. And the promise is to us, that we shall receive if we believe and doubt not. That is to say, if we have "the faith of God".

Paul wrote:

Ephesians 6:23 Peace be to the brethren, and love with faith, from God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ

Remember, Love, peace and faith are "Fruit of the spirit", and are attributes of God, therefore. Do you believe that God has confidence that what he speaks shall be done?

Our faith, when it is pure and undefiled, unwavering, will be "God's faith", the confidence and persuasion that what is spoken from a pure undefiled heart shall be done.

So how do we come into this "faith OF God" ? Isn't it automatic when you become a Christian? ( obviously not, looking at the condition of the church). So what is the answer?

Read the passage in Matthew 17. Jesus had already given authority to his disciples to heal the sick, cast out demons, preach the gospel, etc. They were having phonomenal success, until they came to the lad with the "spirit of epilepsy". They could not cast him out:

• Matt 17:14 And when they were come to the multitude, there came to him a certain man, kneeling down to him, and saying,
• 15 Lord, have mercy on my son: for he is lunatick, and sore vexed: for ofttimes he falleth into the fire, and oft into the water.
• 16 And I brought him to thy disciples, and they could not cure him.
• 17 Then 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.
• 18 And Jesus rebuked the devil; and he departed out of him: and the child was cured from that very hour.
• 19 Then came the disciples to Jesus apart, and said, Why could not we cast him out?
• 20 And 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.
• 21 Howbeit this kind goeth not out but by prayer and fasting.

They had experienced much success prior to this incident. In fact, they came back at one point in time to Jesus excited that "demons were subject to them". Jesus at that point had told them "do not rejoice that demons are subject to you, but rejoice that your names are written in the Lamb's book of life".

So what's the difference here. Jesus response to their inquiry was that it was "because of your unbelief, your want or lack of faith"; (more literally, ovligopisti,an; inadequacy or imperfection of faith (MT 17.20). Their faith was inadequate for the task at hand.

Notice how "much" faith it takes to move mountains, and to do the impossible? Actually, it is NOT the size or quantity we are looking at, but the SEED, or the SOURCE. Jesus told them (and us) that all things are possible if we have faith as a grain of mustard seed.

Is that small faith? No, because Jesus often commented on their "little faith", even when Peter walked on the water, but began to sink.

"Faith as a mustard seed" is faith that, although germinated in "seed form", grows fast, tall, and strong:

• Luke 13:18 Then said he, Unto what is the kingdom of God like? and whereunto shall I resemble it?
• 19 It 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.

• Mark 4:30 And he said, Whereunto shall we liken the kingdom of God? or with what comparison shall we compare it?
• 31 It is like a grain of mustard seed, which, when it is sown in the earth, is less than all the seeds that be in the earth:
• 32 But when it is sown, it groweth up, and becometh greater than all herbs, and shooteth out great branches; so that the fowls of the air may lodge under the shadow of it.. (Mat 13:31)
• Luke 17:5And the apostles said unto the Lord, Increase our faith.
• 6 And the Lord said, If ye had faith as a grain of mustard seed, ye might say unto this sycamine tree, Be thou plucked up by the root, and be thou planted in the sea; and it should obey you.

Faith grows as it is nurtured, watered, and rooted in "fertile soil". Consider the parable of the "Sower and the Seed":

• Luke 8:11 Now the parable is this: The seed is the word of God. (John 1:1)

• 12 Those by the way side are they that hear; then cometh the devil, and taketh away the word out of their hearts, lest they should believe and be saved.
• 13 They on the rock are they, which, when they hear, receive the word with joy; and these have no root, which for a while believe, and in time of temptation fall away.
• 14 And that which fell among thorns are they, which, when they have heard, go forth, and are choked with cares and riches and pleasures of this life, and bring no fruit to perfection.
• 15 But that on the good ground are they, which in an honest and good heart, having heard the word, keep it, and bring forth fruit with patience.

• Mark 4:14 The sower soweth the word.
• 15 And these are they by the way side, where the word is sown; but when they have heard, Satan cometh immediately, and taketh away the word that was sown in their hearts.
• 16 And these are they likewise which are sown on stony ground; who, when they have heard the word, immediately receive it with gladness;
• 17 And have no root in themselves, and so endure but for a time: afterward, when affliction or persecution ariseth for the word's sake, immediately they are offended.
• 18 And these are they which are sown among thorns; such as hear the word,
• 19 And the cares of this world, and the deceitfulness of riches, and the lusts of other things entering in, choke the word, and it becometh unfruitful.
• 20 And these are they which are sown on good ground; such as hear the word, and receive it, and bring forth fruit, some thirtyfold, some sixty, and some an hundred.

Paul says that "faith comes by hearing, and the hearing comes by means of the 'spoken word' of God", (Ro 10:17). As the Word of God takes root in our heart, it will grow strong, like a tree and produce fruit "in its season" (Ps 1:1-3), becoming fully mature, God-like, perfect, complete, lacking nothing (James 1:2-4)

How else do we develop "God's faith", or "God-Like" faith? Jesus told his disciples in Mark 4 that it was through prayer and fasting that faith is nurtured and matured. He set the example himself:

• Luke 6:12 And it came to pass in those days, that he went out into a mountain to pray, and continued all night in prayer to God.

And Paul admonishes us in the same:

• Colossians 4:2 Devote yourself continually in prayer, and watch in the same with thanksgiving and praise.

• Ephesians 6:18 Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints;
• KJV 1 Thessalonians 5:17 Pray without ceasing. (Imperative mood),

And in Jude we learn that praying in the Spirit of God will build us up, make us strong, sufficient for the task;

• Jude :20 But you, beloved, build yourselves up on your most holy faith; praying in the Holy Spirit;

So if you find your faith seems inadequate or imperfect for the task at hand, follow the example of the Lord, pray without ceasing and feast on the word of God daily, and your faith will be "God like", and you will be able to exercise the "faith of God".

Remember what Paul said to the Galatians:

• KJV Galatians 2:20 I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me.

If indeed Christ lives in you and I, and God dwells in Christ (2Cor 5:19) and the same spirit which "raised Christ from the dead" dwells in us, (Ro 8:11), and we can "do all things

through the one who empowers us" (Phil 4:13), do we not magnify and glorify our God by

demonstrating the "faith of God" ? Can we move anything apart from God? Is our human sufficiency so great we have no need of "God's faith", the fruit of his spirit? Can we in ourselves move mountains? It is the "power that worketh in us" (Eph 3:20-21) that produces and exercises the mountain moving "faith of God".

One final look at Mark 11:22-24;

• 22 And Jesus answering saith unto them, Have (the) faith of God!
• 23 For verily I say unto you, That whosoever shall say unto this mountain, Be thou removed, and be thou cast into the sea; and shall not doubt in his heart, but shall believe that those things which he saith shall come to pass; he shall have whatsoever he saith.
• 24 Therefore I say unto you, What things soever ye desire, when ye pray, believe that ye receive them, and ye shall have them.

.

"Have faith of God" is written in the "imperative mood", which means it is a

command or at least a strong entreaty, not a suggestion or good idea. It is not an option, but an "expectation", something we are to abide in and conduct our lives in.

Also written in the imperative: "Be thou REMOVED and CAST into the sea!;

This reflects your attitude of heart, authoratative spirit, and confidence that God will move on your behalf. Remember, all authority has been given to the Lord Jesus Christ, and

with that authority he has sent us into the world to break down strongholds and take dominion over principalities and powers of the devil. This is the primary purpose of exercising the "faith of God", not for selfish needs.

In verse 24 it says "What things you desire, when you pray, ...... BELIEVE that you receive them ( imperative mood) ... and you shall receive. That is to say, "Be persuaded ! Have utmost Confidence ! Be Assured in your heart with unshakable Persuasion !

In other words: "Have the Faith of God !":

Hopefully I have at least shown you scriptual evidence that we are to have more than faith IN God; we are to have the faith OF God. Perhaps I can leave this one last closing thought and reference with you:

• KJV 2 Peter 1:1 Simon Peter, a servant and an apostle of Jesus Christ, to them that have obtained like precious faith with us through the righteousness of God and our Saviour Jesus Christ:
• 2 Grace and peace be multiplied unto you through the knowledge of God, and of Jesus our Lord,
• 3 According as his divine power hath given unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness, through the knowledge of him that hath called us to glory and virtue:
• 4 Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises: that by these ye might be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust.

We have been made "partakers of the Divine Nature", or literally, "theias": the Divine Being, or nature and essence of God. We are being conformed into the image and likeness of the Son of God (Ro 8:29, in whom all the fulness of God dwells, (Col 1:15, 2:9)

and we are being made in the image and likeness of God (Gen 1:26,27, Eph 4:24;

Col 3:10), so we have the confidence that the attributes of God ( especially love, joy, peace, patience, longsuffering, self control and faith ) are being formed in us; the very nature of God our father is being formed in us, to his praise and glory, not our own.

It is by the exceedingly great and precious promises given to us by our Father in Heaven

that we are being transformed "from glory to glory" into his image, likeness, and nature.

All praise and glory be to his name forever more !!

Beloved, let us "HAVE THE FAITH OF GOD" !

© Copyright M. C. Loveness