Hundredfold Ministries, Int'l

In my travels and ministry I occasionally run into Christians who are perplexed and confused about a current teaching in the church on faith. This faith teaching goes something like this: "If you have faith, you can have anything you want. Just ask the Lord for whatever you want, be it good health, prosperity, the good life, whatever, and you will get it." And, of course, the list of what "I want" is endless.

I'll call this approach the "positive faith" doctrine. I attended my first "positive faith" meeting in 1970. At the end of the service, after we heard this teaching (which I considered to contain great truth) people were exhorted to "claim their healing." Among those who were visibly sick about ten percent were miraculously healed. I rejoiced! I remember leaving the meeting thinking, "This is it! Hallelujah!"

But the Lord stopped me short the next morning with one simple question, "What happened to the ninety percent who were not healed?" I had totally ignored them until that moment. Then the Lord forced me to consider them carefully. After all, ninety percent is definitely the majority. I remembered watching a woman in a wheelchair being wheeled to the exit after the meeting was over. Never have I seen a more hurt, disappointed, forlorn look on any human face. The well-meaning evangelist, in his zeal to fan the flame of faith into life, would state, "The only reason you aren't healed is you don't have enough faith . . . have faith!"

As I imagined in my mind's eye the meeting of the previous night, I realized the majority of those who left unhealed that night were truly devastated. Now, I'm sure the evangelist who preached this doctrine did not intend that result, but that is what happened. And knowing the devil as I do, I'm also sure that by the time they arrived at their homes he had most of the unhealed convinced that they just "didn't have enough faith." Or, that they "weren't worthy" or that "Jesus didn't love them." But the Bible tells us that Jesus loves the unhealed the same as those He heals.

True biblical faith is powerful. It preaches to the lost, it builds churches, it heals the sick, it binds up the broken hearted, it opens blind eyes, it raises the dead and it moves mountains. Obviously we need that kind of faith in today's church.

Then what was wrong with the evangelist's teaching? What was (is) the problem? In one of the courses I teach to pastors entitled "Discerning Truth and Error," there is a principle of error known as "the part for the whole." To explain it simply, we enter into biblical error when we take part of a truth and regard it as the whole truth on a given subject. Our evangelist had "A" truth on healing because the teaching as he presented it was indeed truth. But he presented it as "THE" truth on healing, which it was not.

We must learn to discern truth in it's entirety and we must learn to recognize "truth" when it is only partially presented. A plainly false doctrine is more easily recognized than one that is only partially true. It is only the spiritually mature who can readily recognize the incomplete presentation of truth. Suppose you were gravely ill and your doctor gave you a life-saving prescription. You take the prescription to your pharmacist, he looks it over and says, "This prescription calls for seven ingredients but I've only got four of them. Would you like me to mix the four ingredients and give them to you?" That's a frightening thought, isn't it? The incomplete prescription most likely will not heal you and it may even kill you! If this is true in the natural, isn't it also the same true in the spiritual? Yet thousands of believers are taking partial biblical "prescriptions" daily for their physical, financial, emotional, and spiritual needs!

Let us now examine the Word of God to get a more complete view of proper balanced biblical faith.

The Source of Faith

The first thing we need to recognize is that Jesus is the only source of faith. There is no other means of obtaining faith. Faith cannot be hyped, imagined, pumped up nor in any other way can it be fabricated. Whatever faith we have, regardless of the amount, came from Jesus. This fact is evidenced by Scripture for the Bible tells us that Jesus is the author of our faith.

"Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith . . ." (Heb 12:2 NIV)

An author creates. We are not the author of faith, therefore we cannot create faith. Our sole responsibility regarding faith lies in the area of stewardship: we are to maintain the measure of faith we have and exercise it properly.

A Measure of Faith

The Scripture says:

". . . according as God has dealt to every man the measure of faith." (Rom 12:3 KJV)

From this verse we see that God places in the heart of every human being a "measure of faith." What is this measure of faith and how is man to use it?

This initial measure of faith is only good for one thing. Each person on earth may exchange it for personal salvation. From birth the measure of faith lays dormant in the individual's heart. One day the message of salvation through Jesus is presented. At that point if a man chooses to accept Jesus as his Saviour, he has in effect exchanged his tiny measure of faith for his salvation. Jesus then says, "Well done! Since you were a good stewart of that tiny measure of faith I'll give you a larger measure of faith!" So our new believer now has not only a newly found salvation, he or she has an increased measure of faith!

What's the increased measure of faith for? It's for the next day when he runs into his unbelieving friend, relative or co-worker who jeers, "Are you one of those 'born-again Christians' now?" Without the increased measure of faith our new believer would shrink under that kind of intimidation . . . but the newly received measure of faith raises up and our believer responds, "Yes! Praise the Lord! And I'd like to tell you about Jesus, too!"

TEST NO. 1: PASSED GRADE: A+

Jesus again says, "Well done, son! Here's an even larger measure of faith!"

By now some readers may be wondering what happens to the person who hears the message of Jesus and ultimately determines, "No, this isn't for me. I don't need Jesus." Such a person then dissipates his or her "measure of faith." It is wasted. It is poured on the ground. He or she then becomes "faithless." Most regrettably these are the ones referred to by the Apostle Paul when he said, "...for not everyone has faith." (2 Thes 3:2 NIV)

Growing Faith

To further explain what is happening to our new believer's faith, let's look at Matthew 17:20:

". . . for truly I say to you, if you have faith as a mustard seed, you shall say to this mountain, 'Move from here to there,' and it shall move; nothing shall be impossible to you." (NAS)

I don't believe Jesus was emphasizing the size of the mustard seed. I believe He was pointing to the phenomenal growth that occurs with the mustard seed. The mustard seed is one of the smallest seeds and yet it produces a very large plant. Could it be that Jesus was saying, "If your faith grows as does the mustard seed you shall say to this mountain, 'Move from here to there,' and it shall move; nothing shall be impossible to you"? I think so.

What causes the muscles of a healthy young person to grow? Obviously, the answer is a proper diet and plenty of exercise. This is true in the natural and it is also true in the spiritual realm. Our faith grows when we have a proper spiritual diet and regularly exercise our faith. The proper spiritual diet consists of Scripture reading, prayer, and spending time in the Lord's presence. The exercise consists of our regularly using our increasing measure of faith.

Now here is the good news/bad news part. The good news is that by increasingly exercising our faith we learn to overcome obstacles. The bad news is that as we grow in faith the tests become larger, too. But God is faithful, He never allows the test to be too big for us. If we are at grade seven, He won't allow the enemy to give us a grade nine test. He has promised that:

"No temptation [test] has seized you except what is common to man. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear.

But when you are tempted [tested], he will also provide a way out so that you can stand up under it. (1 Cor 10:13 NIV)

He will never allow anything to come our way that we cannot handle. Yes, when we first see the problem facing us it does seem to overwhelm us. The enemy often exaggerates the size of the obstacle at the same time he is telling us we are too weak and inadequate to deal with it. "Why don't you just give up. Quit! God has let you down this time . . . if He really loved you . . . besides, you're too weak �" etc., etc.

Not so! If we are walking in obedience, God will never allow anything to come our way that we cannot handle if we apply the faith He has already given us! And each time we move in faith not only do we rise to ultimate victory, but Jesus then gives us an increased measure of faith. Thus our faith is continually growing!

Imparting Faith

To this point I have been saying that Jesus gives us more faith. Now we ask, "How does Jesus give us more faith? By what means? How does He impart faith from Himself to us?" The Scripture answers these questions for us:

"So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God." (Rom 10:17 KJV)

To open our understanding of faith, we need to analyze this segment of text from the original Greek language of the New Testament. In the Greek language of Jesus' day there were two different words that were translated into the English language as "word." One of the Greek words is logos and the other is rhema.

Logos was used to describe the whole of a lengthy dialogue such as a long political speech. It was used in the general sense for the whole of words spoken or written. It is in this context that the Apostle John described Jesus as the Word of God: "In the beginning was the Logos, and the Logos was with God, and the Logos was God." (Jn 1:1) The Bible is also the Logos of God. Logos then described a long discourse whether spoken or written.

Rhema, on the other hand, was used for concise, pointed words usually directed to a single person. The words of a military commander issuing a command to a soldier was called his rhema. "Forward, March! . . . Halt!" Such is the rhema -- pointed, personal and instructive or directive. Now let's look again at Romans 10:17:

"So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the rhema of God." (KJV)

In Matthew's Gospel an incident occurred which illustrates the power of the rhema very clearly. Jesus sent the disciples out in a boat and later came to them walking on the water. The disciples were frightened but Jesus spoke to their fears by saying,

"Take courage, it is I; be not afraid. And Peter answered him and said, 'Lord, if it is You, command me to come to You on the water.' And He said, 'Come!' And Peter got out of the boat and walked on the water and came toward Jesus." (Mat 14:27-29 NAS)

Jesus spoke a rhema to Peter . . . "COME!" On the basis of that one word Peter was able to rise above the laws of nature. He moved into the supernatural realm. He walked in faith. When we believe and obey the rhema of God we too move into the supernatural. Nothing in the natural realm has power over us for we are walking in the power of God. We are walking in true faith. Might I suggest that Peter didn't walk on water . . . he walked on the RHEMA of God!

The Rhema is Personal

One more question needs to be asked before we leave this story. Could Matthew, Mark, or one of the other disciples in the boat have decided that they, too, could walk on water and succeeded? "If Peter can do it, so can I!" After all, they were right there when Peter did it. The answer is NO! Why? Because the rhema was directed to Peter alone. True, the others could have appealed to Jesus for their own rhema, but this story demonstrates the personal nature of the rhema.

Let's go back and read Romans 10:17 again, ". . . faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the rhema of God." In other words, if faith is to be imparted, God and God alone must be the speaker. I cannot, by an act of my will, speak a rhema to anyone. Yes, God may choose to use my voice but it is usually without my knowledge. He does it sovereignly. Neither may I "claim" a rhema, anymore than Matthew could have "claimed" Peter's rhema and walked on the water like Peter. It must be given by God and it must be given to me.

So it is clear from Scripture that the rhema is how God imparts faith to His children. This immediately poses an important question: Do we actually hear God's voice speak? Usually not, though I do know people who claim to have heard the audible voice of the Lord. Usually He speaks to us through the Logos--the Bible. That is another reason why we should read His Word. If we are full of the Scripture, then the Holy Spirit has a vast source of God's Word from which to draw when speaking His rhema to us.

Occasionally the Holy Spirit quickens a Scripture verse to me. When this happens it is as if the words were alive! I know that those words, though written thousands of years ago, are at this moment just for me! When this happens the logos becomes a rhema to me. Yet Scripture is but one way God speaks a rhema to us. Something the minister or a Bible teacher says may pierce your spirit and you know when you hear it that it is as though God spoke directly to you through the speaker.

There are numerous other ways He can speak to us such as through a friend, a spouse, a child, a book, etc. We must train our ears to listen. We must never get too busy to hear our Lord when He speaks. His rhema to us is more important than the bread we eat or the air we breathe. Jesus said, "Man shall not live by bread alone but by every rhema of God." (Lk 4:4 NIV)

Rhema for the Future

Many times God sends His rhema in response to a present need for some obstacle or testing we are currently facing. When He does send it and we act on it, we rise victoriously through faith to overcome the problem. Truly, as the saying goes, "Faith is the victory."

But sometimes He gives us a rhema and we haven't a clue what it's for. In such cases the rhema is very likely for a future problem. God sees the end as well as the beginning. Often He sees a big problem ahead for us and sends His rhema thereby giving us power in advance. In such cases we must learn to hold tightly to His rhema . . . we're certainly going to need it! I have formed a habit of recording in writing each rhema the Lord sends me.

How About Claiming a Rhema?

Now let's go back to the evangelist's teaching in which he exhorted the sick to claim God's healing. Let us suppose someone had a debilitating disease which began ten years ago or the person was injured ten years ago. He prayed, fasted and sought the Lord for weeks or months. Then one day the Lord sent His rhema but he didn't recognize it or know what to do with it and thereby remained in his state of ill health. After all, Peter didn't have to leave the safety of the boat, did he?

Then one day an evangelistic meeting is advertised in the city and our sick friend goes to the meeting and hears the evangelist speak. At the end of the sermon he exhorts, "Claim your healing!"

Just as with Peter, in order for the power of the rhema to be released it must be believed and acted upon. Through the preaching of the Word by the evangelist, our sick friend finally believes the rhema spoken to him years before and through the encouragement of the evangelist becomes decisive and acts on the rhema and is miraculously healed! Perhaps there are others in the same meeting who during the service receive a rhema at that moment and immediately act on it and are also healed. Faith comes by hearing the rhema...it's power is released by acting on it. I believe this is the accurate explanation of why some are healed at a meeting such as I am describing.

A note of caution here for those who have a deep need for healing. It is important to recognize that the rhema is but one way God heals. There are numerous examples in Scripture where God's supernatural healing was accomplished without the rhema.

Please do not be trapped into seeking a rhema from God. Seek God instead. Let Him be sovereign. This lesson deals directly with the rhema as "a" way of healing because of the current misunderstanding in the church about what the rhema is, what it does, and how to use it. I am not saying that this is the only means of Divine healing.

Faith in God's Purposes

Now let us examine why others are not healed at the same meeting. Few of us doubt God's power. But we must also recognize that, in addition to His power, He also has Divine purposes. Sometimes He allows events to come our way that will change and mature us. More often than not these events or things are unpleasant. My body is temporal, He will give me a new one in that Day. But my spirit is eternal and a matured spirit is more eternally valuable than precious stones.

One example of His purpose is that there may be sin in my life. When I allow this sin to rule over my spirit there are eternal ramifications. If God cannot persuade me through His Word, His Spirit, or others in His body to abandon my folly, often He will allow some "thing" to come along that will accomplish the job. Once I become sufficiently miserable in my sinful state, my ears become much more sensitive to His voice. Only when I begin to hear with an obedient heart will prayers for deliverance be answered. Until I begin to listen the only rhema I can most likely receive will say, "Repent!"

Please note I am not saying that a person's sin is the only reason God does not heal. Obviously there are other of God's purposes which do not involve sin. Perhaps God is shaping a precious vessel of honor for a future use. Perhaps He is working in the lives of others close to the one who is suffering. Perhaps, as the Apostle Paul, He is teaching us to rely more on His grace. Again, the answer is to seek Him, not to just seek an escape from the trouble. So we must seek to know His purposes in such circumstances. If we set our hearts on seeking God, and listen with a spirit set on obedience, He will speak clearly to us.

It isn't my intention here to teach on God's purposes, but I have touched on this subject just as a reminder that there are numerous reasons for the problems in which we find ourselves. All too often immature Christians who find themselves in unpleasant situations begin to look for a magic formula to deliver them.

The rhema is not a formula but rather one means our Lord Jesus uses to give us power over the devil and the circumstances of this life. But the rhema, when received, believed and acted upon, will strike terror in any demon in hell, dispel any problem this world can produce, and raise the faith level of our heart to a never before known height.

Thus, while I am all for positive faith, our God, and His purposes, are so much more than just meeting my immediate needs as I perceive them. It is time that we, as members of His body, begin to recognize that we are created for His pleasure and not He for ours. Once we begin to recognize this and joyfully receive it we are indeed beginning to see Him as our sovereign Lord. It is then that we can truly say, as Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego did at the threshold of the firey furnace, ". . . the God we serve is able to save us from it, and he will rescue us from your hand, O king. But even if he does not, we want you to know, O king, that we will not serve your gods or worship the image of gold you have set up." (Dan 3:17-18 NIV) Neither let us bow down to the self-serving images of our own desires. But rather let us look to the living God and His purposes for our lives.