It matters what we believe. “Everything is possible for him who believes,” Jesus says (Mark 9:23, NIV). This one verse speaks volumes about the power of faith. It says, in effect, that faith opens us up to a world of endless possibilities.
Of course, I am talking about our faith in God. A person’s faith can be in things or in human beings also. But when Jesus talks about the power of faith, He is referring to our faith in God.
As I study the Bible, it amazes me how people in those days trusted God, and what things they overcame through their faith in Him. I don’t regard that as old-fashioned. I believe those of us who claim to be Christians today are called to have that same kind of faith-relationship with God.
In life, we often allow our circumstances to define us. For instance, a person who has no more than a high school diploma may be convinced that the only job he or she can get is one that pays the minimum wage or close to that. Or one may think that because of the color of his skin, society’s deck is stacked too high against him. The resulting problem is that people tend to act based on what they believe.
I don’t mean to suggest that a lack of post-secondary education or that racial injustice does not make the road to success more difficult. Of course, they do. But I am simply saying that, as Jesus said, everything is possible for him who believes.
The message of faith in God transforms us. As a pastor, I love to see a new convert growing in faith before me. As he hears and opens his heart to the preaching and teaching of the Word of God, his faith in God becomes deeper and bolder.
Over time, his faith will pervade every aspect of his life. He will no long look at life through a human perspective. Rather, he will be more moved by what he believes than by what he sees.
Hebrews, Chapter 11 Highlights the Power of Faith
My favorite chapter in the Bible on the subject of faith is Hebrews, chapter 11. It begins with the definition of faith. The remainder of the chapter records the phenomenal things that men and women in biblical times accomplished by or through the power of faith.
Reading this chapter should inspire us to embrace the power of faith. Accordingly, in verse 1 of the following chapter, the writer writes:
“Therefore, since we have so great a cloud of witnesses surrounding us, let us also lay aside every encumbrance and the sin which so easily entangles us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us….”
Hebrews 12:1, NASB
It should be a primary objective of every local church to facilitate bringing each congregant to a place of vibrant faith in God. The person who has genuine faith is virtually unstoppable in this world. Let us embrace the power of faith in God. No matter where you are in life today, everything is possible if you can believe.
Copyright © 2022 by Frank King. All rights reserved.
