How Can I Have The Faith of God?

We are going to study today the people in the Bible that Jesus said had great faith.   It is interesting that the two times in the Bible when Jesus said someone had great faith he was talking to people who were not of the Jewish faith.   God's people were the Jews, Christians didn't come along until after Christ died.   So when Christ walked on the earth, the Jews were the primary people that served the one true God of heaven on earth.  All through they had the Scriptures and were taught faith through out their whole life, none of the Jews were said by Jesus to have great faith.  Only two gentiles received this distinction from Jesus.   One of them was the Roman Centurion.  We are going to study his faith today.

Matthew 8:5And when Jesus was entered into Capernaum, there came unto him a centurion, beseeching him,

6And saying, Lord, my servant lies at home sick, a paralytic, grievously tormented.

7And Jesus said unto him, I will come and heal him.

8The centurion answered and said, Lord, I am not worthy that you should come under my roof: but speak the word only, and my servant shall be healed.

9For I am a man under authority, having soldiers under me: and I say to this man, Go, and he goes; and to another, Come, and he comes; and to my servant, Do this, and he does it.

10When Jesus heard it, he marveled, and said to them that followed, Verily I say unto you, I have not found so great faith, no, not in Israel.

11And I say unto you, That many shall come from the east and west, and shall sit down with Abraham, and Isaac, and Jacob, in the kingdom of heaven.

12But the children of the kingdom shall be cast out into outer darkness: there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.

13And Jesus said unto the centurion, Go your way; and as you have believed, so be it done unto you. And his servant was healed in the same hour.

When we study the story of the Roman Centurion, we can identify the things that compelled Jesus to declare he had great faith.  You see whatever God does for one person, or one nation in the Bible, He will do the same for you.   The bible says in Romans the second chapter:  

6Who will render to every man according to his deeds:

7To them who by patient continuance in well doing seek for glory and honor and immortality, eternal life:

8But unto them that are contentious, and do not obey the truth, but obey unrighteousness, indignation and wrath,

9Tribulation and anguish, upon every soul of man that does evil, of the Jew first, and also of the Greek;

10But glory, honor, and peace, to every man that works good, to the Jew first, and also to the Greek:

11For there is no respect of persons with God.

No respect of persons with God means what He will do for others he will also do for you.   He is a fair and just God.   On earth we call this precedent.  Our courts govern people by precedent.  What was ruled by one judge transfers to other situations that are the same.  God also governs by precedent.   So, if you read in the Bible how one person was blessed, or how they received judgment, the same applies to ALL and not just that one specific person or situation that was talked about in the passage.  

In the above passage we see a Roman Centurion, Jesus said that his actions showed great faith, and he received his miracle.   What did He do right?

First of all the Centurion came to Jesus with a specific request.  He did so because he believed Jesus would do something about it.   Often we speak general prayers, or we don't bother to ask for prayer anymore.  We have learned to live with our pain, with our sickness, with our depression, so we no longer come to Jesus with a specific request for healing.   Those who receive their miracle never stop coming to Jesus with a specific request for whatever they need.   

Second Jesus replied that he would heal him, but the Centurion objected to Jesus coming to his home because he was humble.   We have prayed for many people who received miracles.  It is still true today that the humble often receive while the prideful often repel miracles.  What are some aspects of pride?    How dare God allow me to get sick?   How dare God take so long to heal me?  How dare God allow me to suffer?   After all I have done for God, how dare He not heal me now?   Why am I made to wait?    These are some of the thoughts and speech of the prideful man.  I have heard many people say these very things.  These thoughts and words are only road blocks to your miracle.  Why is it even necessary to have these thoughts?  Why should we demand answers to these questions?   The Centurion on the other hand said  

8The centurion answered and said, Lord, I am not worthy that you should come under my roof: but speak the word only, and my servant shall be healed.  9For I am a man under authority, having soldiers under me: and I say to this man, Go, and he goes; and to another, Come, and he comes; and to my servant, Do this, and he does it.

Most people would be offended if Jesus didn't drop everything and come to their house to meet their need.   He was willing to do this for the Centurion, but the Centurion realized he didn't need special attention to get healed, only for Jesus to say the Word.

This is a road block for many.  They want a special person to pray for them.  Or, they want to feel a special feeling when they pray.  They want the heavens to open and the glory to come down to make sure this miracle takes place.  They want someone to deviate from their schedule and come specifically to help them with their need.   I have seen people walk away from a prayer line defeated before they even get back to their seat because when they were prayed for they didn't feel anything.    

If you want great faith, you will realize you don't need special attention to receive your healing.    You will come to Jesus and specifically ask, and you will take God at His Word.  

PLEASE understand this!    What YOU BELIEVE personally greatly affects what you will receive and what will happen when you pray!   Are you around people that are always teaching against faith, against healing, against hope, against life...RUN FROM THESE PEOPLE as fast as you can go.  Don't you know a little leaven will leaven the whole lump?   They will destroy your faith and it will get harder and harder to receive your MIRACLE from God!    Are you around people and you think it is OK that they don't believe in the power of God, as long as YOU believe?  It is not OK.  You will be impacted by their behaviors, thoughts and lack of faith.  Would you want your child to hang out with people who do drugs?  Most of us would not.  What if your child says, "Well they do them, but I don't."  Most of us would say that is not good enough, you need to get away from them, it is just a matter of time before you start doing what they are doing."  it is the same with us in our spiritual life.  Better to be in a small group that believes in the power of God than a large group where most of the people are against God moving in signs, wonders and miracles.  You will become like the ones you hang out with.

13And Jesus said unto the centurion, Go your way; and as you have believed, so be it done unto you. And his servant was healed in the same hour.

What happened?  He got what HE BELIEVED!   Please understand that you will receive exactly what you believe.  

Have you been taught that God does heal, but he usually doesn't, well, that is exactly what you will get if that is what you believe!   We have seen many miracles when we pray.  But why?  Only because we believe.  If you believe it you will see it!