Morning by Morning, January 16 - The Gate of Greater Faith
Good morning, Lord Jesus. My Good Shepherd, let me hear Your voice and follow Your leading, here in the deep communion of prayer with You -- Father, Son, and Holy Spirit of God. ...
"Jesus answered them, 'Have faith in God. Truly I tell you, if you say to this mountain, 'Be taken up and thrown into the sea,' and if you do not doubt in your heart, but believe that what you say will come to pass, it will be done for you. So I tell you, whatever you ask for in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours'" (Mark 11:22).
Faith is a gift from God. "For by grace (we) have been saved through faith, and this I not (our) own doing; it is a gift of God -- not the result of works, so that no one may boast" (Ephesians 2:8). And at the same time, faith is also a choice. As You said, "Have faith in God" (Mark 11:22). So, just like our salvation, You have provided faith for us as Your gift, but we must choose to receive the gift. Just as we choose to receive salvation, so we choose receive faith. And the faith we receive is "faith in God" (Mark 11:22).
Our faith is not to be passive, but active. As Your Word says, "Just as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is also dead" (James 2:26). As You were teaching Your first disciples about choosing to "have faith in God," You were also teaching how to put their faith into practice so that their faith would not be without works, so that their faith would not be passive, theoretical, or dormant -- but alive and active. You taught them to activate their faith with their words and with their prayer, telling them to "say to this mountain" and "believe what (they) say will come to pass" so that "whatever (they) ask for in prayer" and "believe that (they) have received ... will be (theirs)" (Mark 11:23-24).
Lord, You've been speaking to me about going through the gates this year (Isaiah 62:10) and that ultimately You are Gate (John 10:7). And I believe You're speaking to me that one of these gates of growing up into Christ, growing up in spiritual maturity and Christ-likeness (Ephesians 4:13, 15), is going through the gate of greater faith.
You spoke to me yesterday morning about settling the matter of faith, about renouncing doubt and unbelief and choosing to believe by the power of Your grace. And I believe You are speaking to me about activating faith by my words and my prayer with a greater expectancy and determination that Your Word is true and my prayers will be answered as I speak in faith.
Lord, give me grace to persevere in this. Give me grace to not shrink back from this. As Your Word says, "My righteous one will live by faith. My soul takes no pleasure in anyone who shrinks back.' But we are not among those who shrink back and so are lost, but among those who have faith and so are saved. Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not yet seen" (Hebrews 10:38-11:1).
Don't let disappointments from the past or frustrations in prayer hold me back from pressing in and pressing on to what You have for me now and throughout his new year, as I go through the gate of greater faith. Clear away those stones in front of this gate -- stones of disappointment and frustration, doubt and unbelief, negative expectations, passivity and compromise, settling for something less than all You have for me and for Your people in this new season (Isaiah 62:10). As You encourage me through Your Word, "This one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead, I press on toward the goal for the prize of the heavenly call of God in Christ Jesus" (Philippians 3:13).
Come, Holy Spirit of God. Clear away these stones and stir in my spirit to press in to deeper intimacy and character in Christ, to grow up in my faith, and to press on and go through every gate You've set before me this year, including this gate of greater faith. Maybe this is the first gate I must go through in order to trust and believe You'll take me through every gate You have for me. In Jesus' name I pray. Amen.
Be encouraged today! In the Love of Jesus, Tommy Hays
My friend, I pray you go through the gate of greater faith, removing every stone that would stand in your way by the power of God's grace and the faith He supplies, in Jesus' name! Please pray the same for me. God bless you, my friend!
Morning by Morning, Daily Devotional Book. One's year's worth of a selection of my daily prayer devotionals -- written fresh every morning from the communion of prayer to begin your day embraced by your Father, centered in Jesus, and filled with the Holy Spirit. Join me on the journey and share this with a friend who's longing for a deeper, more intimate relationship with God.
Register for the Healing Academy.
Friends, I'll be teaching at the Healing Academy on Healing and Deliverance Prayer Ministry this coming February 5-8, 2019 in the Nashville area at the Aldersgate Renewal Ministries Center. Please come join us if you're being called to healing prayer ministry! Sign up today: Healing Academy
Keynote Speaker in Shropshire, England for March Conference "Release for the Captives!"
Friends, I'm excited to be invited as Keynote Speaker this year for the European Conference of the Holy Spirit through Aldersgate Renewal Ministries in Shropshire, England in March. The theme this year is "Release for the Captives!" Come join us!
Register: European Conference on the Holy Spirit
Tommy Hays | Messiah Ministries
Healing from the Inside Out
Pastoral Director | Rapha God Ministries
4 Dominion Drive, Building 1
San Antonio, Texas 78257
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