Three Ways to Increase Your Faith

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• Rebecca Barlow Jordanwww.rebeccabarlowjordan.com
• 201215 Aug
• COMMENTS48

Three Ways to Increase Your Faith

How do you increase your faith? I used to struggle with this as a young Christian. But in time I’ve learned at least three simple ways to help build and increase our reliance on God.

1. Read the Word

Or at least hear God’s Word. Romans 10:17 (NKJV) says, So then, faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God. If no one had ever told me about Jesus, and about God’s plan for my life, or if I had never read for myself about Him, I would be clueless about the need for faith.

Reading or hearing God’s Word is like planting a garden. If you want to grow or “build” a garden, you must first plant the seeds, or the actual plant or flower. God’s Word is the seed that grows the faith. Knowing His promises, what God says about you, about life, and about Jesus’ plan for eternal life won’t transplant themselves into your brain by osmosis. Become familiar with the Bible and what faith is all about by meditating on its contents. This will give you the basis for growing or increasing your faith.

2. Heed the Word

James 1:22-24(NKJV) offers a second way to increase your faith: But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves. For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man observing his natural face in a mirror; for he observes himself, goes away, and immediately forgets what kind of man he was. What I see in the mirror when I first wake up is not the most beautiful sight. Obviously I see there is work to do and makeup to apply if I want to add to my appearance.

If we fail to heed what we’re reading and ignore what God is telling us, then our faith grows stagnant. It took faith for us to become children of God in the first place. Therefore, in order to grow and increase our faith, we need to use that “measure” of faith God gives to everyone and build on it.

3. Test the Word                  

There is a difference in “testing” God by “contesting” Him (seeing how far God’s patience will go with your own self will) and “testing,” or proving God’s Word is true.  Malachi 3:9-11  (NIV) offers one practical way God says we can prove Him faithful to His Word. This passage concerns tithing and being good stewards of the things He has given us:  Test me in this,” says the Lord Almighty, “and see if I will not throw open the floodgates of heaven and pour out so much blessing that there will not be room enough to store it.”  As you “test” or act on what God says and experience God’s blessing, your faith grows.

The process of testing the measure of faith you have may involve trials and difficulties. How can you increase your faith in those circumstances? Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance (James 1:2-3, NIV).

A Personal Example

The first time my husband and I had to admit we were financially challenged, we had some choices to make. The biggest one was, would we trust God and the promises we had read in His Word? When a new difficulty developed, we faced the same choices. If we chose to believe God, our faith grew a little more. Then the really big crises erupted, like unemployment, parenting, and marriagechallenges.

But each time we looked back and saw the tracks of God’s faithfulness. He truly had kept His Word, and we came to understand the true meaning of “perseverance.” Trusting Him with smaller problems has built our faith to believe Him for the harder issues. Yet, there are still times when I feel more like a baby in my faith than a giant. It’s always in need of growing.

My Prayer for You

Lord Jesus, increase our faith as we learn to depend on You and trust You more and more. Help us to crave Your Word: to read it, to heed it, and to test it, so it can truly become part of our lives. We long to be doers and not just hearers. Lord, we desperately need more of You and less of ourselves. Thank You for Your faithfulness in always keeping Your Word.

How to Increase Your Faith

By Kenneth E. Hagin

In teaching on the subject of faith, it is important to show people from the Scriptures that God has not blessed one person with more faith than He has blessed someone else. Folks often see someone prospering according to the Word, whether in his health, his finances, his family, and so forth, and they get the mistaken impression that God must have given that person more faith. So the first thing I want you to know is this: Every believer has been given a measure—the same measure—of the God-kind of faith.

EPHESIANS 2:8
8  For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: IT IS THE GIFT OF GOD.

ROMANS 12:3
3  According as GOD HATH DEALT TO EVERY MAN the measure of faith.

So we know that faith comes from God. It is the “gift of God.” But He has given it to every believer. He has given to every believer the measure, or the same measure, of faith.

Notice also that God has done it (Rom. 12:3); it’s not something that He is going to do. We’re not trying to get faith. We’re not praying for it. We have it. Every believer already has a measure of the God-kind of faith.

You see, God gets everyone started off the same way. He doesn’t give one person more faith than He gives another. He gives to every man the measure of faith. Then your faith grows according to what you do with it.

A lot of people have done with their faith what the fellow in the Bible did with his one talent (see Matthew 25:25). They’ve just wrapped their faith up in a napkin, so to speak, and hid it. They haven’t used it at all.

It’s up to you what you do with the measure of faith God has given you. So the second thing I want you to know is this: This measure of faith can be increased. But you’re the one who increases it, not God.

Certainly God furnishes the means whereby faith can be increased. But you increase your faith by doing two things: feeding it on the Word of God and exercising it—or putting it into practice.

The Bible very often uses natural human terms to teach spiritual thoughts. For example, this is how Jesus taught in His earthly ministry, as we can read in the Gospels.

MATTHEW 4:4
4  …Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God. 

Jesus is using a natural human idea to convey a spiritual thought. He’s saying to us that what bread (or food) is to the body, the Word of God is to the spirit, or the heart, of man. 

You know that if you eat food regularly, it will build you up physically. Yet if you eat right but don’t exercise, all you’ll do is get flabby and out of shape.

In much the same way, you need to feed your faith on God’s Word. But you also need to exercise your faith, because if you don’t, your faith muscles will be flabby. They won’t be able to do much spiritually when it comes to moving mountains in your life.

You can feed your spirit on God’s Word and thereby feed your faith, because God’s Word is faith food. But you also need to exercise your faith to develop it and cause it to grow.

In Romans 10:8, Paul called the message he preached the word of faith. He called the Word of God the word of faith, because the Word will cause faith to come into your heart (Rom. 10:17). God’s Word will build assurance, confidence, and faith in your heart. Then you’re to exercise that faith.

So we know that the measure of faith we’ve received can be increased by doing two things: by feeding it on God’s Word and by putting it into practice (or exercising it) in everyday living.

One person said, “You either have faith or you don’t.” In one sense, that’s true. You’re either a believer or a non-believer. But in another sense when people say that, they are implying that every believer has faith in every respect the same as another believer. But that’s not true. One person’s faith may not be the same as another person’s faith. There can be a measurable difference! You see, the Word of God tells us that our faith can grow. Therefore, one person’s faith may not be as developed or as strong as another person’s faith.

Remember, it’s up to you what you do with the measure of faith God has given you. For example, you can cause your faith to grow. You can feed and exercise it so when the storms of life come, you will have strong faith. But another person may not do anything with his faith. The person who does nothing with his faith will have weak faith.

Second Thessalonians 1:3 says, “We are bound to thank God always for you, brethren, as it is meet, because that your FAITH GROWETH EXCEEDINGLY. . . .” God is saying that faith can grow. Well, since faith can grow, it can be either strong or weak—developed or undeveloped.

Let’s look at several other statements Jesus made about faith.

LUKE 12:2828 If then God so clothe the grass, which is today in the field, and to morrow is cast into the oven; how much more will he clothe you, O YE OF LITTLE FAITH?

MATTHEW 14:28–31
28 And Peter answered [Jesus] and said, Lord, if it be thou, bid me come unto thee on the water.
29 And he said, Come. And when Peter was come down out of the ship, he walked on the water, to go to Jesus.
30 But when he saw the wind boisterous, he was afraid; and beginning to sink, he cried, saying, Lord, save me.
31 And immediately Jesus stretched forth his hand, and caught him, and said unto him, O THOU OF LITTLE FAITH, wherefore didst thou doubt?

In these passages of Scripture, Jesus is speaking about little, or small, faith. In Matthew 14:31, Jesus asked Peter, “O you of little faith, why did you doubt?”

In Matthew chapter 8, Jesus commended the faith of the centurion who came to Him on behalf of his servant. Jesus said the centurion had great faith.

MATTHEW 8:5–8,10,13
5   And when Jesus was entered into Capernaum, there came unto him a centurion, beseeching him,
6  And saying, Lord, my servant lieth at home sick of the palsy, grievously tormented.
7  And Jesus saith unto him, I will come and heal him.
8  The centurion answered and said, Lord, I am not worthy that thou shouldest come under my roof: but speak the word only, and my servant shall be healed.…
10 When Jesus heard it, he marvelled, and said to them that followed, Verily I say unto you, I have not found so great faith, no, not in Israel….
13 And Jesus said unto the centurion, Go thy way; and as thou hast believed, so be it done unto thee. And his servant was healed in the selfsame hour.

Jesus said to the disciples about the centurion, “…I have not found so great faith, no, not in Israel” (v. 10). So in these passages we’ve read, Jesus told one man that he had great faith and told another man that he had little faith.

Romans 4:19 speaks of weak faith.

ROMANS 4:1919 And being not WEAK IN FAITH, he [Abraham] considered not his own body now dead, when he was about an hundred years old, neither yet the deadness of Sara’s womb.

The very next verse speaks of strong faith.

ROMANS 4:20
20 He staggered not at the promise of God through unbelief; but was STRONG IN FAITH, giving glory to God.

From these verses, we can conclude that faith can either be weak or strong. I am proving to you through Scripture that faith is measurable—that it can grow. We already mentioned that the Bible talks about growing faith (2 Thess. 1:3). Acts 6:5 says Stephen was full of faith. James 2:5 mentions rich faith. James 2:22 speaks of a perfect faith. First Timothy 1:5 speaks of unfeigned faith, or faith that is genuine and sincere. First Timothy 1:19 speaks of shipwrecked faith and of holding on to faith and to a good conscience. And First John 5:4 speaks of overcoming faith.

The Bible says, “In the mouth of two or three witnesses shall every word be established” (Matt. 18:16). I just gave you more than 10 witnesses! And all of these verses will prove to you that faith is measurable.

We know that the measure of faith given to every believer can grow. Your faith can be strengthened by feeding it on the Word of God and by exercising it or putting it into practice.

F. F. Bosworth said, “Most Christians feed their body three hot meals a day and their spirit one cold snack a week. And they wonder why they’re so weak in faith.”

Well, physically speaking, if you just ate one cold snack a week, you would grow weak physically! But the same is true spiritually. God’s Word is faith food, and if we want our faith to grow, we must feed it more than once a week!

If you want your faith to grow, you have to start where you are. No one climbs a ladder starting on the top rung. You’ve got to start on the bottom rung and climb up if you’re going to reach the top. That’s the thing that defeats a lot of well-meaning Christians—they try to believe beyond their faith.

Remember, just because someone has fed more on God’s Word and has exercised his faith is not a sign that God have him more faith than He gave someone else. No, the person who fed on the Word and exercised his faith had the same measure of faith to begin with as the others had. But he fed his faith and exercised it, and his faith grew strong! As a result he could believe God for more.

So keep a positive attitude about your own faith. Recognize that you have faith and that you can cause it to grow. Feed your faith and exercise it right where you are in your Christian walk. Then your faith can grow and move mountains!

HEAVEN OR HELL

Hello friends, my few years on this side of life has revealed some incredible realities to me which i would love to share with you.
Firstly, i realized that even though this world is full of stories of joy and pain, plenty and lack, ups and downs coupled with her temporary nature, yet human never love to depart from it.

Secondly no mater how much a human being possesses in this world there is something in a man that is always asking for more..

However, the truth about the above assertions is that no mater how long we stay here in this planet called earth, it will never be long enough compare to where we will be when we die. Also, every man came into this world naked though not empty, we also depart empty, for we brought noting into this world and is certain we can carry anything out. (1 timothy 6:7)

The intention of God when he created you it to have the opportunity to receive you back to himself so that you can live with him forever with a better life in a place called Heaven while the Devil intention is to swap this agenda of God in other to have with him in a painful and sorrowful place call Hell. 

Which call will you answer today?

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FOUR IMPORTANT PRINCIPLE YOU NEED TO LEARN FROM THE BOOK OF ESTHER

1. God has a principle plane for your life.

Esther was place in a royal position, not by chance, but by purpose.

Proverbs 16:9 in his heart a man plans's his course, but the lord determine his steps.                      

 GOD didn't make a mistake where he has place you today. I think we spend too long in our life trying to figure out where GOD want us to be or wish we were somewhere else, instead of just allowing GOD to do something with our life where we are, while waiting for more to come.

2. Sometimes you will have to go against common sense, against what other advise, even against what you want to do in order to follow GOD's plan.

Esther response: "if i perish, i perish"

Sometimes GOD:s will makes perfect sense, as you examine your experience. that doesn't mean, however, that you won't require to taken risk for GOD. The best things in life often come with the greatest risks. The degree of difficult is not an indication that GOD is not in it. In fact, the opposite would be closer to truth. 

3. The time to follow GOD's plane is now. (Esther 4:14)

There will a time in your life where you gathered all the information you can, you've prayed as well as you know how, you've sought Godly counsel; whatever you are doing is not sinful....but there is some thing inside of you still not sure. you can sleep on it. That something i always do. Esther waited for 3 days, but at a point you have to muster the courage to move forward. Without all the answers, are you ready to step out and walk by faith? don't be afraid to allow GOD to determine the outcome.

4. Trusting in GOD completely brings great reward (Esther 8:17)

Esther saved a nation. Her obedience save GOD"s people from destruction! The reward for obedience was even better than expected. Esther went before the king hoping for the best, but had already prepared for the worst. She got the very best, many people became followers of GOD. The people were inspired by the faith of one woman and one man that everything change in that nation.

HOW TO LIVE A HOLY LIFE

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by Frontline Youth Center in God's Word, Read 

1. Think about the things of heaven, not the things of earth.
Since you have been raised to new life with Christ, set your sights on the realities of heaven, where Christ sits in the place of honor at God’s right hand. Think about the things of heaven, not the things of earth.

2.  Put to death the sinful, earthly things lurking within you. 
Have nothing to do with sexual immorality, impurity, lust, and evil desires. Don’t be greedy, for a greedy person is an idolater, worshiping the things of this world. Because of these sins, the anger of God is coming. You used to do these things when your life was still part of this world. But now is the time to get rid of anger, rage, malicious behavior, slander, and dirty language. Don’t lie to each other, for you have stripped off your old sinful nature and all its wicked deeds.

3. Put on your new nature, and be renewed as you learn to know your Creator and become like Him.
In this new life, it doesn’t matter if you are a Jew or a Gentile, circumcised or uncircumcised, barbaric, uncivilized, slave, or free. Christ is all that matters, and he lives in all of us.

Check out ILLUSTRATED “7 Steps To Living A Holy Life”

4. Since God chose you to be the holy people he loves, you must clothe yourselves with:
tenderhearted mercy, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience. Make allowance for each other’s faults, and forgive anyone who offends you. Remember, the Lord forgave you, so you must forgive others.

5. Above all, clothe yourselves with love,
which binds us all together in perfect harmony. And let the peace that comes from Christ rule in your hearts. For as members of one body you are called to live in peace.

6. And always be thankful.

7.  Let the message about Christ, in all its richness, fill your lives. 
Teach and counsel each other with all the wisdom he gives. Sing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs to God with thankful hearts. And whatever you do or say, do it as a representative of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks through him to God the Father.

by Frontline Youth Cente

How To Get To Heaven

• How to get to heaven - What it Isn’t

Many people believe that the answer to the question of how to get to heaven is to be a good person. For some, being good means not being bad. One or more of the following may describe you: You haven’t murdered anyone. You don’t steal. You don’t curse, too much. You don’t lie, too often. You’re not a drug addict. You don’t cheat. You rarely gamble. Your conscience is clear because you aren’t nearly as bad as the people you read about in the newspapers or see on television. You’re just like everyone else you know and you can’t all be going to hell. So, you’re pretty sure that after you die God is going to let you into His heaven, right?

Many others believe that the answer to the question in how to get to heaven revolves around doing good deeds. One or more of the following may describe you: You give money to beggars or food to the homeless standing on street corners. You’re actively involved in civic and community affairs. You generously donate your time, talents, and/or your money to non-profit and charitable organizations. You’re better than most of the people you know. In fact, you’re so good that you‘re convinced that, after you die, God will absolutely let you into His heaven, right?

There are others who believe that their religious rituals will be their ticket into heaven. This may describe you: You embrace religious beliefs that tell you how to live a spiritual life. Your religion may tell you that there is a God, but it does not tell you how to have a personal relationship with Him. And, despite all of your religious rituals, your religion does not guarantee that following those rituals will get you into God’s heaven, right?

• How to get to heaven - Believe the truth!

The truth is that there is only one way for any human being to get to heaven and that is to believe in the Lord Jesus Christ.

Every human being is, by nature, a sinful being. The Bible says that our efforts at doing “good deeds” are not acceptable in the sight of God (Ephesians 2:8-9). God alone is holy. God alone is good. So, God has made a way for sinful human beings to enter into His heaven.

God is the only perfect Being in the entire universe, and He came to earth 2,000 years ago, as a man -- Jesus. His mother was a virgin by the name of Mary. But, Mary was not impregnated by a man, but by the Holy Spirit of the Living God. She gave birth to the Son of God, the Lord Jesus Christ.

God’s laws required that a life be taken to save a life. Mankind was so sinful that the animal sacrifices of the Jewish people could no longer cleanse them of their sins. So, God sacrificed Himself, through the Person of the Lord Jesus Christ, so that our sins could be forgiven through the blood of Jesus Christ. During His time on earth, Jesus led a perfect, sinless life.

Jesus Christ died on a cross. He was buried in a tomb for three days and, on the third day, He was raised from the dead. After forty days, He returned to heaven, where He currently reigns. He will return to earth a second time to claim those who have confessed their belief in Him.

• How to get to heaven - Make it Personal

Jesus died so that those who believe in Him would no longer be condemned to an eternity apart from God. If you want to be assured of going to heaven after you die and you believe that Jesus Christ died to save you from the penalty for your sins, answer these questions.

Do you understand that you are a sinner, and you believe that Jesus Christ came as the one and only Redeemer of sin? Are you ready to receive God’s gift of His Son, Jesus Christ? If so, believe in Christ, repent of your sins, and commit the rest of your life to Him as Lord:

“Father, I know that I have broken your laws and my sins have separated me from you. I am truly sorry, and now I want to turn away from my past sinful life toward you. Please forgive me, and help me avoid sinning again. I believe that your son, Jesus Christ died for my sins, was resurrected from the dead, is alive, and hears my prayer. I invite Jesus to become the Lord of my life, to rule and reign in my heart from this day forward. Please send your Holy Spirit to help me obey You, and to do Your will for the rest of my life. In Jesus' name I pray, Amen.”

"Repent, and let every one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins; and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit" (Acts 2:38).

If you decided receive Jesus today, welcome to God's family. Now, as a way to grow closer to Him, the Bible tells us to follow up on our commitment.

• Get baptized as commanded by Christ.
• Tell someone else about your new faith in Christ.
• Spend time with God each day. It does not have to be a long period of time. Just develop the daily habit of praying to Him and reading His Word. Ask God to increase your faith and your understanding of the Bible.
• Seek fellowship with other followers of Jesus. Develop a group of believing friends to answer your questions and support you.

Find a local church where you can worship God.

written by AllAboutGOD.com, 

psalm 28, Isaiah 60.

As Jesus talked with Nicodemus, He said, “‘I tell you the truth, no one can see the kingdom of God unless he is born again.’ ‘How can a man be born when he is old?’ Nicodemus asked. ‘Surely he cannot enter a second time into his mother’s womb to be born!’ Jesus answered, ‘I tell you the truth, no one can enter the kingdom of God unless he is born of water and the Spirit. Flesh gives birth to flesh, but the Spirit gives birth to spirit. You should not be surprised at my saying, “You must be born again”’” (John 3:3-7).

The phrase "born again" literally means "born from above." Nicodemus had a real need. He needed a change of his heart—a spiritual transformation. New birth, being born again, is an act of God whereby eternal life is imparted to the person who believes (2 Corinthians 5:17; Titus 3:5; 1 Peter 1:3; 1 John 2:29; 3:9; 4:7; 5:1-4, 18). John 1:12, 13indicates that being "born again" also carries the idea of "becoming children of God" through trust in the name of Jesus Christ.

The question logically comes, "Why does a person need to be born again?" The apostle Paul in Ephesians 2:1says, "And you He made alive, who were dead in trespasses and sins" (NKJV). To the Romans he wrote, "For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God" (Romans 3:23). Sinners are spiritually “dead”; when they receive spiritual life through faith in Christ, the Bible likens it to a rebirth. Only those who are born again have their sins forgiven and have a relationship with God.

How does that come to be? Ephesians 2:8-9 states, "For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God—not by works, so that no one can boast." When one is saved, he/she has been born again, spiritually renewed, and is now a child of God by right of new birth. Trusting in Jesus Christ, the One who paid the penalty of sin when He died on the cross, is the means to be "born again." "Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation: the old has gone, the new has come!" (2 Corinthians 5:17).

If you have never trusted in the Lord Jesus Christ as your Savior, will you consider the prompting of the Holy Spirit as He speaks to your heart? You need to be born again. Will you pray the prayer of repentance and become a new creation in Christ today? "Yet to all who received him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God— children born not of natural descent, nor of human decision or a husband’s will, but born of God" (John 1:12-13).

If you want to accept Jesus Christ as your Savior and be born again, here is a sample prayer. Remember, saying this prayer or any other prayer will not save you. It is only trusting in Christ that can save you from sin. This prayer is simply a way to express to God your faith in Him and thank Him for providing for your salvation. "God, I know that I have sinned against you and am deserving of punishment. But Jesus Christ took the punishment that I deserve so that through faith in Him I could be forgiven. I place my trust in You for salvation. Thank You for Your wonderful grace and forgiveness—the gift of eternal life! Amen!"

Have you made a decision for Christ because of what you have read here? If so, please click on the "I have accepted Christ today" button below.

“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.”

ENEMIES OF CHRISTIANS

When you become a Christian there are some enemies to look out for as a beliver. Being a Christian requires a dedicating and commitment. these enemies will want you back to the old life but you have to fight it very hard. What are these enemies and how can we defeat them?

• The World
• The Flesh
• Satan

The world; you may be wondering how is the world an enemy to a christian when he lives in the world. The world has different meaning in the Bible. The world here mean earthly things, the world consist of evil things that can take one back to sin and this things are Night cubing, addictions etc.( 1 John 2:15 )  Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him. Avoid thing of the world so as to see the kingdom of God.

The Flesh: When we allow our flesh to rule over us then we come shot the glory of God. To conquer the flesh your spirit man has to be very energetic and strong. What do i mean, (Galatians 5:19-21)

Now the deeds of the flesh are evident, which are: immorality, impurity, sensuality, idolatry, sorcery, enmities, strife, jealousy, outbursts of anger, disputes, dissensions, factions, envying, drunkenness, carousing, and things like these, of which I forewarn you, just as I have forewarned you, that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God.

Satan : This is the number enemy of a christian.... He is an accuser of believers in the book of job he went to God to accuse job. Even our lord JESUS Christ was also tempted by him. He is restless and his only mission is to kill and destroy. (John 10:10) The thief cometh not, but that he may steal, and kill, and destroy: I came that they may have life, and may have [it] abundantly. The thief here is referred to Satan, he comes to steal you joy, peace, love away from you and also kill you in sin. Here is a good news, Jesus has given us the power to rebuke him..(Philippians 2:10-11) At the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of those in heaven, and of those on earth, and of those under the earth, ¹¹ and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.....

HOW DO WE CONQUER THIS ENEMIES

• Feeding ourselves with the word of God. As a Christian you must be able to read at least 3chapters of the bible daily because reading is food to the soul.
• By praying without season
• Always declaring the word of God