TEXT:

‘When Jesus heard it, He marvelled, and said to those who followed, “Assuredly, I say to you, I have not found such great faith, not even in Israel! ’ Then Jesus said to the centurion, “Go your way; and as you have believed, so let it be done for you.” And his servant was healed that same hour (Matthew 8:10,13).

The Bible says, ‘For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God’ (Ephesians 2:8). What a wonderful gift faith is. Without it we cannot be saved. With it we can please God (See Hebrews 11:5-6). The encounter of Jesus and the Centurion shows how faith acts. These principles are there for us to imitate, so we too can experience miraculous answers from God.

1. Faith sees

Faith sees that situations beyond human help can be changed. The Centurion saw how sick his servant was, ready to die with no remedy in sight or medicine to prolong his life, but he believed that his servant’s life didn’t have to end that way. The Centurion had heard about all the miracles Jesus had been doing which caused faith to spring up to believe that his servant would experience a miracle too!

The impossible situation you are facing, can you see that there can be a different ending? Can you see the impossible made possible through the eyes of faith? Look beyond the problem and see God’s intervention.

2. Faith goes

The Centurion came looking for Jesus. Faith will make you go to places and people you would not normally associate with. A Roman centurion wouldn’t go looking for the help of a Jew, but faith moved him into action.

When the unbeliever believes the report of God answering prayer and goes to the church or evangelistic venue, it is a statement of their faith. They are likely to receive the answer they want because they are willing to go.

When we are willing to go and evangelise the lost, we are more likely to see miracles as God will confirm His word with signs following.

3. Faith asks

The Centurion said, “I am not worthy”, but wasn’t afraid to ask and to ask big. If God can do a little, He can do a lot. The Bible is full of “big” asking and “big” answers which should inspire us to ask for more.

Some Christians believe God will heal them when He is ready, but they never ask. The Bible says, ‘You do not have because you do not ask’ (James 4:2) and ‘Ask and you will receive, that your joy may be full’ (John 16:24).

The Syro-Phoenician woman came to Jesus and started asking, and she didn’t stop until she got what she wanted (See Mark 7:24-30). That’s how faith acts.

First, find out whether God’s Word and promises include you, then come boldly to the throne of grace and ask (See Hebrews 4:16).

4. Faith speaks

Faith speaks and doesn’t waver. Both the Centurion and the Nobleman (See John 4:46-54) came to Jesus on behalf of someone else. Both believed Jesus was the answer, but the greater faith of the Centurion is clearly seen. He said to Jesus, “You don’t have to come to my house, just speak the word and my servant will be healed”. The Nobleman said, “Sir, come before my child dies”. It was only when Jesus replied, “Go your way, your son lives”, that the Nobleman’s faith was strengthened enough to do just that. He soon discovered that his son had been healed the very moment Jesus spoke.

Jesus defined how God-like faith acts, when He said, ‘Have faith in God. For assuredly, I say to you, whoever says to this mountain, ‘Be removed and be cast into the sea,’ and does not doubt in his heart, but believes that those things he says will be done, he will have whatever he says’ (Mark 11:22-23).

Faith refuses to change what it is saying, because it believes it is asking for the right thing in the right way. It doesn’t see delays as denials.

5. Faith believes

Hope needs to become faith. Hope says, “Please do it”, whereas faith says, “I believe it is done!” Faith believes before it receives. It says, “I’ve got it” before there is any evidence. The woman with the issue of blood got her miracle, ‘For she kept saying, If I only touch His garments, I shall be restored to health’ (Mark 5:28 AMP). Paul reassured the panic-stricken passengers and crew onboard the ship that was in danger of sinking, ‘So keep up your courage, men, for I believe God and have complete confidence in Him that it will turn out exactly as I have been told’ (Acts 27:25 AMP).

A man with hearing problems was walking up the driveway into church. He said to me, “I believe that today God will heal me, but if He doesn’t…!” There was supposed faith and unbelief in the same sentence. All he really had was hope and a rather weak hope at that.

Faith believes God watches over His word (See Jeremiah 1:12). Faith believes when the “Logos” word becomes the “Rhema” word. What God said thousands of years ago, becomes just as if God is saying it to you today; it’s when a past scripture becomes a present one. When you believe that, you are in the right position to receive.

6. Faith grows – ‘We ought always to thank God for you, brothers and sisters, and rightly so, because your faith is growing more and more, and the love all of you have for one another is increasing’ (2 Thessalonians 1:3 NIV).

Paul commended the Thessalonian Christians that despite persecution and tribulation, their faith grew exceedingly.

The Bible reveals various descriptions of faith – no faith, little faith, weak faith, strong faith, and great faith. We can have strong faith on one issue but have little or no faith for something else. For instance, Abraham believed that God would raise Isaac from the dead if he sacrificed him (See Hebrews 11:17-19) but acted out of fear when it came to his own safety because of Sarah’s beauty (See Genesis 12:10-20).

Just as baby Christians can grow into mature believers with the right food, so our faith will grow too. Jesus is looking for faith, ‘When the Son of Man returns, how many will he find on the earth who have faith?’ (Luke 18:8).

Let’s make it our goal to please God by our faith. It will surely be of benefit both to ourselves and others if we do.