The Two Rivers of Faith
The third gift of the Holy Spirit as listed in 1 Corinthians chapter twelve is the gift of faith. Like all the other gifts of the Holy Spirit, there is a parallel flow of faith. The natural flow of faith is faith that is available to every believer. This natural flow of faith comes by hearing and hearing by the Word of God.
"So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God." (Romans 10:17)
There is a second flow of faith called "the gift of faith." This special faith is limited to the will and distribution of the Holy Spirit.
"To another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healings by the same Spirit. But one and the same Spirit works all these things, distributing to each one individually as He wills." (1 Corinthians 12:9,11)
Faith can be measured. The Bible refers to little faith and great faith. In fact, at one time the disciples of Jesus asked to have their faith increased. So obviously, faith is something that grows. How does it grow? Again Romans 10:17 says, "So then faith comes by hearing and hearing by the word of God."
Natural Faith
In the natural life of all believers, faith is extremely important. Everything a Christian receives must be received by faith. Ephesians 2:8 tells us that we are saved through faith. Hebrews 11:6 says that we need faith to please God. James 5:15 says the prayer of faith will heal the sick. James 1:6 says if we don't pray in faith, we won't receive anything. Then Romans 14:23 says that anything that is not of faith is sin and Hebrews 4:2 makes an astonishing statement. It says that without faith the gospel is unprofitable. And finally, 1 John 5:4 tells us that faith is our victory that overcomes the world.
Is faith important? Of course it is! According to the Bible, without faith we are lost, sick, in lack, in sin, unpleasing to God, defeated, and have a gospel that doesn't work.
But do we have to live this way? No, we do not. Why? Because faith is available to every believer. Faith comes by hearing and hearing by the Word of God. If you want faith, all a believer has to do is hear the Word, and allow the Word to saturate his heart. Then faith grows.
The Gift of Faith
The gifts of the spirit are not received by asking and begging. They are imparted to each believer as the Holy Spirit desires and wills to do so. For every gift and gifting there is a purpose. The Holy Spirit imparts them where they will not be quenched and will fulfill the purpose for which they were given.
Let me illustrate the gift of faith. Several years ago, Loretta and I went to Quincy, Illinois for a Saturday evening meeting in the student union of a university. The next morning I was to speak at one of the local churches and then we would go to the airport and fly home. Meetings like this were always a joy for me. Not only did I enjoy the meetings, but I enjoyed flying. In fact, I especially enjoyed flying to Quincy, Illinois. The airport was large with long and wide runways and very little traffic. Several times I flew to Quincy just to get a piece of lemon meringue pie ala mode at the little café in the terminal.
However, this ministry trip was different. It seemed like anything that could delay me, was delaying me. It took longer to get the airplane ready, there was the threat of storms, and by the time I got to the meeting, I was not in a good mood.
Quite honestly, that's not my nature. I've always had a reputation for being a happy guy. In fact, sometimes I'm so happy it irritates people. Anyway, as I was sitting on the platform waiting for the meeting to begin, a gentleman in his fifties slowly came through the back door. His arm and back were twisted, one leg was turned so much that it looked backwards, and his head was tilted to one side.
It almost embarrasses me to admit this, but as he walked in the back of the auditorium, my attitude was so poor that under my breath I said, "God, don't let this man come forward for healing!"
A friend of mine, who is a senator, had received a flyer saying that I was going to be in Quincy. Although he couldn't attend the meeting, he encouraged a friend of his who was a businessman from the Middle East to come, and he did. As the music and meeting progressed, there was an anointing from God that came into the auditorium that changed the atmosphere and my attitude. The Middle East businessman got very excited about the word for healing that I was sharing. Although he had never seen the crippled man before, as soon as the invitation was given, he grabbed him, brought him forward, and stood in the line next to him.
People were lined up all across the front of the auditorium. As I looked at the crippled man to my left, the Spirit of God imparted to me the gift of faith. This was not faith that had been built by me reading the Word, although I had been reading the Word. I KNEW this man would be healed.
Confidently, I walked to him. I calmly pointed my finger in his face and said, "If you will believe you can be healed, you will be healed." He looked at me and said, "I believe." I stretched out my hand to place it on his head, but his head was twisted so far to the side that I actually put my hand on his neck and I quietly said, "In the name of Jesus, be healed."
Over the years I've prayed for thousands to be healed. But the confidence I experienced at this healing was different. His twisted hand and arm began to straighten out. His leg turned around until it was completely normal. His back and neck became straight and within thirty seconds, the crippled man stood before me straight and tall, with both hands, both feet and his entire body completely normal.
Every eye was on this man. A quietness fell upon the entire auditorium. A miracle healing had taken place that could be measured. The man was complete. His body was shalom.
He looked at me and said, "Thank you." I said, "Don't thank me. Thank the Lord." He looked up and said, "Thank you, Lord," and started walking across the auditorium in front of the long line of people who were waiting for ministry.
The side wall at the university was glass from ceiling to floor. Every eye was still on him as he walked through the glass doors, down the long hallway, and out of the building 100% healed by the power of God. The gift of faith had been distributed to me. I was totally confident that his healing would be complete. What looked impossible an hour earlier became reality within me even before I saw the healing take place.
The gift of faith imparted on the inside changed the circumstances on the outside.
Devotion 0458