Where Does Your Faith Rest?

The Holy One calls to me this morning.  This is a big week on the calendar of my life.  There are times and trials so intense, leading up to a decision to be made by others that will impact this life we are living.

The adrenaline flows, heart pumps, anxiety fills the air around and the fear of the unknown tries to drive faith out of the equation.  Ever notice how the enemy tries to gain a surrender before the judgement of the case or trial has been rendered? 

As a believer in Christ, I know that God will always have the final word.  He is Sovereign.  But the enemy manipulates all the "evidence" to support his lies in an effort to get God's people to lose heart, and hope and faith.

The world operates with a different reality than Heaven.  The more I engage in seeking the Will of My Father in Heaven, the more acutely aware I am of the discrepancy between the two realms of Heaven and Earth.

The Word says of the Creator in Isaiah 55:8,  "For My thoughts are not your thoughts and your ways are not my ways, declares the Lord.  As the Heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my  thoughts than your thoughts." 

The Holy One knows how I have been taunted lately by the enemy as we approach the day of decision in a year long battle that seems to favor the ungodly, the unholy, the things that defy righteousness.

There is a saying that declares that, "the darkest hour is just before dawn" and I understand that so well.  The enemy of our soul puts forth the greatest attempt to destroy our faith right before the moment when faith will be seen to prevail.

Today the evil one mocks me with a staggering statement: "Faith is not enough.  With all I have stacked against you, faith is not enough to gain the victory".

The Holy one sees the blow and comes to my defense, but I am shocked by what He speaks:  "He's right, you know."  My heart sinks but He continues,  "your faith in faith will never be enough, just like your faith in human nature is not enough to change it nor make it right.  Focus on the One your faith rests upon."

This must be why the Holy One has had me pondering the account of the faith of the centurion, in Matt 8, for days now.  We must fix our eyes upon Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith.  The centurion placed his faith on the person, the One he believed called all the shots. Then he trusted that whatever Jesus "said" would come to pass.  "Just say the word and my servant will be healed."

The centurion didn't have a degree in theology, and wasn't even a Jew, yet he reckoned in his heart and mind that Jesus was in command of all things and held power even over sickness, and he sought him out.  His faith was placed in the One he believed to be in command of all things.  His faith in Jesus, God in the flesh, was revealed and even held up as a model and standard for those standing around.

The centurion also had deep respect for the chain of command that he believed Jesus operated within.  He was a man under authority and had soldiers under him.  He understood that his commands and orders were followed and his word was accomplished.

Here we have a picture of the Heavenly structure of authority and chain of command through the eyes of a Roman military officer.  He understood that his military structure ended at the power seat of Rome.  And he also understood and believed that the Heavenly structure of authority ended at the power seat of Jesus.

The point the Spirit made to me today is that faith in and of itself is not enough.  Unless faith is in the One who created and controls, and sustains all things, it will never be enough to see Heaven's reality here on earth.

"Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done, on earth as it is in Heaven," as our Lord taught us to pray, requires  faith like that of the centurion.  A faith that rests in the One who created and commands the universe: Jesus Christ, King of Kings, Lord of Lords, the Resurrected Savior who sits at the right hand of all power and authority. 

The centurion knew that one word from Jesus and it would be done, without a doubt.  The reward for the centurion's faith in Jesus was the granting of his request.  He saw Heaven's reality over rule earth's reality with a word from Heaven's King.

So where does your faith rest?

The Spirit is calling.  Can you hear Him?