As I continue to study the New Testament, I am becoming increasingly aware of the potential for faith to change the outcome of a particular situation. I fully embrace the sovereignty and omnipotence of God and His rule over all His creation, but I believe His plan includes our faith making a difference. It appears in Scripture that God does not have an unchangeable blueprint design for all outcomes, but that through our prayers and faith we can affect what happens. Why do I say this?
After the incident in the gospels where Jesus’ disciples failed to cast out a demon (Mt 17:14-20), they asked Jesus a pointed question, “Why could we not cast it out?” Jesus replied that their faith was too small (Mt 17:20). Jesus ascribes their failure to a lack of faith. Is it too much of a stretch of logic to suggest – based on Jesus’ own words – that with greater faith the demon could have been expelled? What do you think?
Evidence that our faith makes a difference continues in several accounts of healing in the New Testament. When Jesus restored sight to the blind man, Bartimaeus, He proclaimed to the newly seeing man, “Your faith has made you well” (Mk 10:52). When the woman with the twelve-year hemorrhage problem touched Jesus garment, she was healed. After she identified herself in the crowd, Jesus assured her, “Daughter, your faith has made you well” (Lk 8:48). To the cleansed leper who returned to fall at Jesus’ feet to give thanks, Jesus said, “Rise and go your way; your faith has made you well” (Lk 17:19).
Do you notice a pattern? Clearly, Jesus is doing the healing – even feeling the power going out of Him when the woman touched the fringe of His cloak. But somehow, accepting Jesus’ words as fact, the faith of the sick, blind, and lame had something to do with their being made whole. I think it is safe to say that their faith made a difference. And I believe our faith matters just as much today. Our faith has the potential to affect outcomes.
How much of an effect? Something we will talk about next time.