Faith for the Supernatural

Saturday, October 31, 2009
Luke 19:28-40

These days, we hear of so many supernatural things happening. Paranormal activities are seen time and again and we are baffled. However, even the scientists, historians and professors could not deny that the most famous supernaturalist was Jesus Christ. Back then, the people were well amazed because people thought that it was impossible for miracles to happen in an instant.

I have no idea why I’m making a big fuss about some prediction of Jesus of a donkey in town. But this is the only time I think that Jesus did not do something flashy but simply said something and it was there. Did Jesus know ahead of time that someone had put a donkey there? I doubt so. How much faith did it take to believe that when He asked His disciples to go find the donkey that the donkey would actually be there? Or maybe God the Father had told Him.

But then I think about the various miracles that Jesus did and think, “Wow, He did have faith.” Every time Jesus did a miracle, it was without a doubt. Jesus always said things like, “Get up and walk,” or “Be healed,” or “Your faith has restored you.” Now what do we usually say? The lamest of the lot would be, “God if it is your will, let him be healed but if it is not your will, let him stay sick.” What kind of prayer is that? Well pastors would pray, “In Jesus name, be healed,” or “by the stripes of Jesus, be healed.” How do we release healing? How do we grow in faith? How come we have faith in some things and not in others? Take me for example, I have faith that every time I worship or I sing with the right motives, God’s presence will come. But I have little faith to heal someone or prophesy over someone or even preach the gospel to someone.

Maybe if we look at how we gained faith in the faith-filled areas of our lives, we might be able to find out how to gain faith in other areas of our lives. So how do I bring God’s presence?
• I remember practicing countless hours to be confident in my guitar playing.
• I remember spending time with God every morning and simply long to draw closer to Him.
• I remember having the passion to actually bring God’s presence into my CG whenever I lead praise and worship.
• I remember disappointments and asking God, “why didn’t he turn up when I asked Him to.”
• I remember learning that when I worship, it is not about how I feel but about God moving and that my duty was simply to worship and to lead the worship.
• I remember thinking that it is not about me feeling something but it is about God wanting to move or not, that I am simply the vessel for Him to work with.
• I remember not feeling God’s presence in the middle of worship, checking myself, figuring out that I was not there to worship but to show off, tuning in again and asking God to move because whether I am embarrassed or not, it is not about me but about God, and feeling at that instant, God starting to move.
• I remember playing the guitar so hard that I wasn’t feeling God but saw that everyone else was worshipping and knowing that it is not me that moves but God that wants to move.
• I remember going back after every worship session and thanking God for being there.

So with all this that I have remembered, I figured it is all applicable in every area of miracles. It applies to reaching out, healing, delivering, restoring, etc.

E.g.
Reaching out:
• Practice countless hours to be confident in reaching out.
• Spend time with God every morning and simply long to draw closer to Him.
• Have the passion to actually reach out to my friends whenever I am with them.
• Being disappointed and asking God, “Why didn’t he turn up when I asked Him to.”
• Learning that when I reach out, it is not about how they respond but about God moving and that my duty was simply to reach out and to share the gospel
• Thinking that it is not about me getting a response out of them but it is about God wanting to move or not, that I am simply the vessel for Him to work with.
• Not getting a response in the middle of reaching out, checking myself, figuring out that I was not there to reach out but to show off/debate, tuning in again and asking God to move because whether I am embarrassed or not, it is not about me but about God, and knowing at that instant, God starting to move.
• Preaching so hard that I wasn’t feeling God but saw that everyone else was responding and knowing that it is not me that moves but God that wants to move.
• Going back after every gospel sharing and thanking God for being there and for the response I got.

Healing:
• Practice countless hours to be confident in healing probably by reading God’s word, hearing sermons, following healers, etc.
• Spend time with God every morning and simply long to draw closer to Him.
• Have the passion to actually heal the sick whenever there’s an opportunity.
• Being disappointed and asking God, “Why didn’t He turn up when I asked Him to.”
• Learning that when I pray for healing, it is not about whether they are healed but about God moving and that my duty was simply to pray for healing
• Thinking that it is not about me getting a miracle out of them but it is about God wanting to move or not, that I am simply the vessel for Him to work with.
• Not getting a miracle in the middle of the healing prayer, checking myself, figuring out that I was not there to heal but to show off/debate, tuning in again and asking God to move because whether I am embarrassed or not, it is not about me but about God, and knowing at that instant, God starting to move.
• Praying so hard that I wasn’t feeling God but saw that the sick were in tears and knowing that it is not me that moves but God that wants to move.
• Going back after every healing and thanking God for being there.

I guess if I have time, I would actually go through the whole list of areas that we struggle with. Even dealing with sins and addictions, if we have faith to believe for it and act on it, we can overcome them.

So for myself, I’ll keep looking back on these two since they are something I have passion about so that I can be on track to have faith in these areas.

Zacchaeus' encounter

Wednesday, October 28, 2009
Luke 19:1-10

With all the hustle and bustle going on around Jesus, He still had the time to look up and see Zacchaeus. He still made it a point to eat at Zacchaeus’ house. It makes me realize that everywhere around us there is a potential unbeliever turn believer. That when we are living it God’s way, they do notice us. The question is, do we notice them?

Many a times we get busy and go through life, hoping that the opportunity to witness might pop up as we do our daily chores. But are we sharp and observant enough to notice the opportunities themselves.

Take the time to look around you and notice things. God may be showing you the beauty of life or even revealing secrets to you. Don’t be too focused on the next task and the task after that. Take your time to look around and notice someone in need or someone who just needs another to talk to.

Even in ministry, there is always an opportunity to change someone’s life simply by taking the time to notice. If Jesus went about His ministry preaching His sermons and putting His full focus on His ministry, He wouldn’t have met Zacchaeus. He was observant enough to notice His twelve disciples too.

We need to slow down our pace sometimes and not keep ourselves too busy to notice others. After Zacchaeus came down as Jesus had asked him to, Zacchaeus received Jesus joyfully. If that could happen, couldn’t unbelievers receive us joyfully too?

A known tax collector is a sinner. Jesus went with him fully aware of that. Are we prepared to hang out with sinners? Most churches would say stay away from bad company and don’t mix around people who can corrupt you. I say that it is true that bad company corrupts good. That is why we need our stands and to not compromise them when we face these people. We can only influence others if our stand in God is unshakable.

Remember the phrase that Jesus will run to rescue you when you cry out to Him? V10 says, “For the Son of Man has come to seek and to save that which was lost.” How much more will Jesus run to rescue the unbelievers who call unto Him! Have faith and no doubt that anyone who calls unto Him will be saved.

Humility with Jesus

Saturday, October 17, 2009
Luke 18:9-14

“For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled. And he who humbles himself will be exalted.” I had an experience today that kicked me hard. I am always thinking that, God has build me up so much that I am above everyone around me. I owe it all to God for this, but thinking that I’m above everyone else is so “exalting myself” that I feel like God’s rebuking me.

Yep, this isn’t what I would want, especially to see myself from afar. I really don’t mind, after being convicted, to now be humbled by God. I can’t believe I actually thought of doing life skipping my daily devotions. Now I know why I feel so empty most of the time. Pastor Alex talked about putting relationship with Jesus over responsibilities and I fully agree.

How close you are with God is determined by how well you know who God is. He really doesn’t like us to exalt ourselves. You may go up fast by you will soon come down.

However, I’m still confused about humility in that should you show your talents off or should you just hide it away until secretly somebody finds out about it and suddenly God has exalted you to become like a worship leader or something? Well I believe this is false humility. You should never hide your talents. However, you should not center attention on your talents either. Humility, as I have learnt, is based on your respect for others and on how you love others as God loves you.

Faith Dealings

Thursday, October 15, 2009

Luke 18:1-8

V8 talks about the Son of Man coming and whether He will find faith on this earth. Thus it would mean that the previous verses are also talking about faith. So what is faith but a woman seeking justice from a judge, and when she does not get it, she cries out to him day and night. Soon the judge is tired out and decides to avenge her.

Faith is knowing that your Father in heaven hears your prayers and desires that your prayers be answered. Therefore, if your Father in heaven is just unlike the judge, He will definitely run to your rescue.

“Faith is knowing”. I was reflecting on this and I think this applies to every context of the bible. The bible says, “Faith comes by hearing and hearing by the word of God”. Why? Because the more we hear the Word of God, the more we know what the Word of God says concerning our lives. The more we know this, the more we know what is true in the supernatural. With that we can not only believe but be sure that the things that God has said, He will do.

Faith is knowing that God is your Father in heaven and that everything He has belongs to you because the bible says that you’re a child of God and that you inherit God’s kingdom.

Faith is knowing that God is your Best Friend and that He will walk with you, comfort you, fight for you and talk with you wherever you go.

Faith is knowing that God is faithful and will never let you run alone, that God is in every trial and circumstance, every pain and disaster that is happening in your life.

Faith is knowing that in every injustice dealt upon your life, you are not to avenge yourself but let God avenge for you. Faith is also knowing that God desires that you avenge the injustice of others.

Faith is knowing that God does not work but through the prayers and hands of men. That He has called us to be His witnesses, intercessors, priests and leaders of this generation.

Faith is knowing that God is Abba Father, that in everything you do, He cares and is there for you to ask of Him, to cry out to Him, to encourage and to be there for you.

Faith is knowing that everything in the bible is God’s word and that heaven and earth may pass away, but the Word of God will still remain and everything that is said will come to past when we activate the Word of God.

Faith is Knowing.