“And he asked his father, How long is it ago since this came unto him? And he said, Of a child. And ofttimes it hath cast him into the fire, and into the waters, to destroy him: but if thou canst do any thing, have compassion on us, and help us. Jesus said unto him, If thou canst believe, all things are possible to him that believeth. And straightway the father of the child cried out, and said with tears, Lord, I believe; help thou mine unbelief.”
Mark 9:21-24
In the above scripture it appears as though the man is saying two opposite things. How can he say “I believe” and in the same breath say “Help my Unbelief”? This is sometimes how many believers feel. They’ve been believing God for a long time and haven’t seen the manifestation. They get frustrated and can feel like this man who believes in his heart but just can’t get his mind and emotions to line up. At other times it may be a case of mental assent. We agree with what is being said in our minds but just can’t believe in our heart that the promise is for us.
We are a tri-part being. We are a spirit, we have a soul (our mind, will and emotions) and we live in a body. The above scripture is an example of believing in your heart, but your mind doesn’t’ really believe because it’s been so trained to believe according to the five senses. Like the saying “I’ll believe it when I see it”. Yet, faith causes us to do the opposite. We believe it first, and then we will see it because our faith will bring it into the now. You see examples of great faith in scripture, like in Mathew 8 when the Centurion told Jesus “speak the word only and my servant shall be healed.” Many know the importance of having great faith, and desire it, but sometimes they feel like the man in Mark 9:24.
What is the remedy to this you may ask?
There are many keys to developing faith, but for now we will focus on a few main keys:
1.) Determine in your heart to believe the Word of God no matter what.
This is what the man did in Mark 9. When he first approached Jesus he said “if you can do anything have compassion on us and help us” heal my son. Clearly, there is no faith in this statement. There is not even hope present. Jesus responded letting him know that if he can believe, all things are possible. The man at that moment made a decision of his will. He determined that he would believe, even though in his mind, his emotions, he had doubts. He determined in his heart he would believe what Jesus said. He would believe the word of God. Jesus continued in Mathew 17:20 that all that is needed is a mustard seed grain of faith and you can move mountains. Therefore, it doesn’t take great faith to do great things, even a grain of faith can move mountains.
2.) Renew Your Mind with the Word of God
Now that you have determined to believe no matter what the circumstances look like, no matter how long you’ve dealt with a condition, no matter what others said can happen, you need to develop and grow your faith. To develop great faith, you need to get your heart and mind lined up, fixed on the promises of God.
Romans 12:2 tells us: “but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind,”. What are we renewing our mind with? The Word of God. We can still accomplish a lot even when we believe in our hearts but have doubts in our mind because our believing comes from our heart Yet, we break through to a greater level of faith when our minds get the revelation of the salvation we walk in. Therefore, the answer is to renew our mind with the living word of God. Wash it with the word until the sin consciousness has been done away with and we get the revelation of the great covenant we have entered into. We have to meditate in the word and walk out what we know. Alternately, of course if it’s mental assent that we are operating in (agreeing in our mind but not in our heart) then the word will transform that as well! For Romans 10:17 says: “So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.”
The more Word we get in us, the more our faith increases.
3.) Guard your thought life
This is where the helmet of Salvation comes in as written in Ephesians 6. There is a battle of the mind that takes place and we need to have our armor in place to be successful. The Word says we already have the mind of Christ. Philippians 2:5 says: “let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus” and 1 Corinthians 2:16 says: “ For who hath known the mind of the Lord, that he may instruct him? but we have the mind of Christ.” Yet at times, if one just allows any thought to influence their mind, then they become led more by the flesh and their emotions than by the mind of Christ in them. We take every thought captive to Jesus Christ and cast down every thought that is not of Him. If it’s not a loving thought, an encouraging thought, cast it down. Then do as the scriptures say and choose to think on only those things that are true, lovely of virtue of good report and of praise. This trains the mind to be Christ centered and the mind of Christ in us begins to dominate our thoughts, emotions and actions.
4.) Take Action and make a step of faith
Next, as you grow, apply your faith where you are. Even if it’s believing for something small, use your faith. As you get the victory, this builds your faith. It’s like weight lifting. You stay in training if you want to lift heavier weights. You work out your physical body overcoming gradually greater resistance. The same is true with faith. Keep working it out.
5.) Feed your spirit with healthy food
Just like with training for the Olympics or any other major event, the athlete makes sure they are feeding their body healthy food. How do you think an athlete’s trainer would feel if the athlete trained and then in between training they stuffed themselves with candy and junk food? What kind of results would that athlete get compared to the one who between training only ate the healthiest foods? They could even have the same trainer, do the same training together, but when they go home, one athlete continues their training by eating right and the other eats whatever they feel like eating.
The same is true in the things of the spirit. We can go to the same pastor, hear the same sermons, yet some get breakthroughs while others struggle. Some seem to be abounding in the fruits of the spirit, while others still appear quite carnal; easily provoked, envious, touchy, gossiping, and so forth. There can be many reasons for this, but one reason could be what you are feeding your spirit in between Sunday to Sunday. Are you living out the word every day of the week? Are you feeding on the junk food of movies and television shows and news casts more than you are feeding your body the pure word of God? Just like a great athlete cuts out the junk, we as Christians, if we want to have great faith, need to cut out the junk. Immerse yourself in the Word of God and watch your faith grow!
6.) Put a guard over your mouth
What are you saying? When Jesus says we can have whatsoever we say, He means it. Watch your conversation. Make sure you are only saying what the Lord would have you say. When you talk with friends do you gossip and judge others? Do you rehearse your problems and say things that feed doubt? Do you talk about all the problems of the world, about politicians and what’s wrong with the world complaining about situation going on? Choose not to complain and rehearse the problems of life. When you do, you are focusing on the power of the enemy over your life and feeding doubt. Instead, speak of the great things God is doing in your life. Focus on Him and His power. Speak out His promises over your life whether you feel like it or not. Choose to speak life.
7.) Pray in the Spirit and in the Understanding
Pray in the spirit over the situations going on in your life and in the world in faith. As you pray in the spirit it builds up your own spirit and makes you stronger. Pray for our leaders instead of talking badly about them. Use your God given authority over the situations in prayer. This will become easier as you focus the bulk of your time on the things of God.
8.) Choose to walk in love
Finally walk in love and forgive. Don’t let un-forgiveness contaminate your faith. Since faith works by love, guard your love walk by guarding your heart with all diligence. Out of it flow the issues of life. Stay plugged into God’s love. If you want the God kind of faith, then you will need to walk in the God kind of love. The more you put His Word in you, the more you develop those fruits and produce mountain moving faith! As you take those thoughts captive and choose loving thoughts the love of God will grow and develop inside of you. As you choose to say loving words instead of critical words, your love will continue to develop.
As you do these things, your mind will be renewed and your faith will grow. Then you will know the perfect and acceptable will of God. You will grow from a babe in Christ to a strong man or woman with mountain moving faith. You will find it easier to believe for greater things and you will see your breakthroughs because you will be led by the Spirit of God and not by the flesh. Stay in training. Cut out the junk and walk out the revelation you already know. As you do, the fruits of the spirit will grow stronger in you. As the fruits grow, so will your results.
Mark 9: 17-24
“And one of the multitude answered and said, Master, I have brought unto thee my son, which hath a dumb spirit; And wheresoever he taketh him, he teareth him: and he foameth, and gnasheth with his teeth, and pineth away: and I spake to thy disciples that they should cast him out; and they could not. He answereth him, and saith, O faithless generation, how long shall I be with you? how long shall I suffer you? bring him unto me. And they brought him unto him: and when he saw him, straightway the spirit tare him; and he fell on the ground, and wallowed foaming. And he asked his father, How long is it ago since this came unto him? And he said, Of a child. And ofttimes it hath cast him into the fire, and into the waters, to destroy him: but if thou canst do any thing, have compassion on us, and help us. Jesus said unto him, If thou canst believe, all things are possible to him that believeth. And straightway the father of the child cried out, and said with tears, Lord, I believe; help thou mine unbelief.”
Ephesians 4:22-27
“That ye put off concerning the former conversation the old man, which is corrupt according to the deceitful lusts; And be renewed in the spirit of your mind; And that ye put on the new man, which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness. Wherefore putting away lying, speak every man truth with his neighbour: for we are members one of another. Be ye angry, and sin not: let not the sun go down upon your wrath: Neither give place to the devil.”
Romans 12:2
“And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.”
James 1:19-25
“Wherefore, my beloved brethren, let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath: For the wrath of man worketh not the righteousness of God. Wherefore lay apart all filthiness and superfluity of naughtiness, and receive with meekness the engrafted word, which is able to save your souls. But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves. For if any be a hearer of the word, and not a doer, he is like unto a man beholding his natural face in a glass: For he beholdeth himself, and goeth his way, and straightway forgetteth what manner of man he was. But whoso looketh into the perfect law of liberty, and continueth therein, he being not a forgetful hearer, but a doer of the work, this man shall be blessed in his deed.”
Mathew 17:18-20
“And Jesus rebuked the devil; and he departed out of him: and the child was cured from that very hour. Then came the disciples to Jesus apart, and said, Why could not we cast him out? 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.”
Further reading see: Mathew 8, Ephesians chapters 1, 3 and 6, and James 3, 1 Corinthians 13, Romans 8
