Rock-Splitting Faith and How it Grows
We all want to be people of faith and power, right? With rock-splitting faith that moves mountains, slays giants, raises the dead, heals the sick and casts out devils? The kind of believer that freaks the devil out every time they wake up in the morning, huh? So how does that rock-splitting, effective kind of faith develop?
Unlikely Source
Our children loved to collect acorns and leaves in the fall. They would stuff their pockets full and plan the creations they could make with them when they got home. Inevitably, many an acorn lost its way, and would be mysteriously rediscovered in a sibling’s private collection. Of course, the lost or found acorn always happened to be the “most favoritist” of both parties, thus necessitating motherhood mediation. It was not unusual to find our little squirrel’s blessed acorns in the strangest of places. They made their way into drains, the refrigerator draw, attached to the cat, wedged up a nose or even swallowed. I had to make a concerted effort to check every tiny pocket before hurling their dirty laundry in the washer. Otherwise, we’d be listening to those seeds roll around like marbles until the cycle finished.
When the dryer started acting up, I was not thinking, Acorn. However, when we pulled the machine out and took it apart, we found the the source of the breakdown. Sure enough, it was one of those little brown acorns that we had collected six months earlier. It had been washed and dried, and then had found its way through a crack somewhere inside the machine. There, it had settled, undisturbed, amongst some dryer fluff.
That tiny seed, which looked so ordinary, had endured a tempest of activity and harsh conditions. It had persevered, and now it was blooming! In the most unlikely of circumstances, that dead-looking seed had begun to grow. And, had we not discovered it, it would have continued to develop, right there inside my dryer!
Sprouting in Adversity
How is this possible? There was always life contained within that seed. However, it didn’t grow until it found itself planted in the right conditions. One tiny acorn, with mighty Oak potential on the inside of it. Imagine what might happen if we started to recognize the potential Jesus has planted in us, and then begin to cultivate the best conditions for our growth?
Harsh surroundings did not deter that little acorn. It took ahold of what was available and let the life inside of it spring forth, overcoming the adversities. Like the little acorn seed, we, too, have been created for a purpose. We are not in this world simply hanging out, waiting for Jesus to return. We were born at the perfect time to do everything that He has called us to do.
Unqualified=Qualified
You may consider yourself very ordinary, unremarkable, average, not the smartest, less fortunate, unprepared, unqualified or inadequate. Well, that means you are exactly the person Jesus is looking for!
2 Corinthians 3:5-6 says that it is Jesus who makes us sufficient. His strength is made perfect in our weakness. Psalm 34:10 declares that we lack no good thing. 1 John 4:4 tells us that Jesus in us is greater than the enemy that surrounds us! Things start to change when we begin to meditate on the power contained within our little acorn selves. Suddenly, as we begin meditating on the good that He has put in us (rather than on everything that is wrong), seeing ourselves like He sees us and agreeing with Him, our faith becomes effective—the rock-splitting kind!
“That the sharing of your faith may become effective by the acknowledgment of every good thing which is in you in Christ Jesus.” – Philemon 1:6
Mountain-Moving Faith Begins by Splitting Rocks
Faith that moves mountains begins by splitting rocks. Starting today, we can recognize the mighty oak potential that God has placed inside of us, by focusing on the good—by being thankful. The rock called “attitude” is usually the biggest rock (hindrance) to seeing our faith work. We don’t have a faith problem. We have the faith of Jesus in us! That rock-splitting faith is more than enough to get the job done. What we deal with most is a flesh problem. Developing an attitude of faith is where we will pick up next time, but for those looking for a little more homework, your assignment is below:
“Finally, brethren, whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy—meditate on these things.” – Philippians 4:8
To learn more about developing rock-splitting faith, get ahold of our teaching entitled Everyday Faith. This is a power-packed teaching series that will help you discover what faith actually is and how you can use it in your life–every day!