Truly I tell you, if you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it will move. Nothing will be impossible for you.
Is my faith strong enough?
by Richard Fila
Matthew 17:20, NIV
Many Christians struggle with what they perceive as their level of faith. I`ve met many people who’ve come to the point in their lives where they realise Jesus is the only true way to the Father and to heaven, but they haven’t been able to experience deep faith in many of the circumstances of their lives. Some still struggle to receive the promises of God given to us in Scripture verses like ‘My sheep hear my voice’ (John 10:27).
In my experience this is a big area the enemy capitalises on. He loves to sow doubts into us and try to undermine our faith. He knows that without faith we become paralysed Christians, living in a kind of no mans land between the care-free life of an unsaved person and the influential life of a Christian, empowered by personal communion with the living God.
How then do we get faith? What does a life of faith look like? Back in my science class at school I learned about the ‘fire triangle’. This is a model the teacher used to teach us the three things that are needed to start and sustain a fire – fuel, oxygen and heat. A fire is a ‘chain reaction’ which starts when all three things meet. The heat that ignites fires often comes in the form of a spark. I believe a life of faith is like a fire - it takes three elements to start and sustain.
Scripture tells us that faith comes from hearing the Word of God (Romans 10:17), so I think the first element must be reading our Bible on a regular basis. And Scripture also tells us that we can ask for the ‘gift of faith’ (1 Corinthians 12:9). That would be the second element.
And the third element? We need heat to ignite the fire. We need a spark. Well, faith has to start with our choice. Jesus says all we need is ‘faith as small as a mustard seed’ (Matthew 17:20). The enemy will try and tell you your spark isn’t enough to start the reaction - what a liar he is. Scripture says ‘Anyone who believes in him will never be put to shame’ (Romans 10:11).
So, don’t let the enemy undermine your faith with his lies - you don’t have to manufacture some enormous unobtainable amount of faith (a massive fire) - you just need to feed on the Word of God (fuel), ask for the gift of faith (oxygen) and choose faith as small as a mustard seed (the spark) and the fire of faith will break out into your life.
Prayer: Thank You, Jesus, that You don’t ever require something impossible of me. You totally understand my perspective because You came down to earth and lived amongst us. I reject the lies the enemy has spoken to me about my faith, and I choose right now to trust the truth of Your Word. I ask for the gift of faith, and believe that You will come alongside me and encourage me as I read the Bible and choose to have a mustard seed of faith. May the faith fire burst out in my life! Thank You so much for Your faithfulness to me. May I be a blessing to You today. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
Richard Fila first came to know Ellel Ministries at Ellel Grange in 2006 and went on to attend the NETS programme at Ellel Pierrepont. He works in IT & Finance and continues to be involved with the ministry in the areas of technology and worship.
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