Smith Wigglesworth, born in 1859, was known as "the Apostle of Faith" who had a "deep intimacy with his Heavenly Father". It was not unusual for signs and wonders to follow his ministry. But, instead of making claims to his faith when people were supernaturally healed, Smith said, "I am sure it was not my faith, but it was God in His compassion coming to help me in that hour of need." How many ministers do we hear making a statement like this? So many times we hear "if you just had faith enough" then what you are asking for in prayer would be given to you. It's understandable how people might have this philosophy, because of infamous verses about "moving mountains with faith the size of a mustard seed". But, faith doesn't just pop up one day out of the blue because you've conjured it! Keep reading to understand why.
There are several statements worth pointing out that Smith made and have been recorded in one such book Ever Increasing Faith:
- "Desire toward God, and you will have desires from God; and He will meet you on the line of those desires when you reach out in simple faith."
- "There comes, as we go on with God, a wonderful association, an impartation of His very life and nature within."
- "As we read His Word and believe the promises that He has so graciously given to us, we are made partakers of His very essence and life."
- "His words to us are spirit and life, transforming us and changing us, expelling that which is natural and bringing in that which is divine."
- "A man who is born of God is brought into an inward affection, a loyalty to the Lord Jesus that shrinks from anything impure."
A man of faith made these statements! Nowadays it seems if you are known as a "person of faith" that you are of an "older generation" that hasn't quite tapped into the "new generation" of thinking. Who came up with that thinking??? Smith's faith stemmed out of his intimate relationship with God. Faith is fundamental to the Christian walk! But, again, where does that faith come from? Check out these verses below:
Hebrews 11:1 - Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see.
1 Peter 1:7 - These have come so that your faith--of greater worth than gold, which perishes even though refined by fire--may be proved genuine and may result in praise, glory and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed.
1 Corinthians 2:5 - ...so that your faith might not rest on men's wisdom, but on God's power.
Ephesians 2:8 - For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith--and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God.
Hebrews 10:22 - Let us draw near to God with a sincere heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled to cleanse us from a guilty conscience and having our bodies washed with pure water.
John 14:12 - I tell you the truth, anyone who has faith in me will do what I have been doing. He will do even greater things than these, because I am going to the Father.
Literally, our salvation begins through faith! Our salvation isn't dependent upon anything we can do, it's a gift from God. 1 Corinthians says that faith isn't found in "men's wisdom, but in God's power." Faith comes from God and we must develop that intimate relationship with Him so that faith can grow in us. We've been told through the Word that we've all been given a measure of faith. So, what does that mean?
God is invisible to the human eye most of the time as we live on this planet. It's something, we Christians, have come to understand. But, how many times do we hear others ask "If God really existed, why can't we see him?" Now, just in that statement alone, can you hear any faith? Knowing faith's very definition in the Word is about believing what you cannot see, then the answer to that question would be "no". So, how is it that we can go from not having faith to suddenly having faith??
We cannot have faith without God. Anyone can pretend to have faith, but when the stuff hits the fan, your faith will be tested. If you don't have an intimate relationship with God, you will fall. That's the bottom line. Try something right now. The verses we just went over, everywhere you see the word "faith" insert instead "a relationship with God".
What did you notice? Suddenly that mysterious word "faith" starts to make more sense. Simply because we were created to have an intimate relationship with God. Without that relationship, people will wander through life unfulfilled and struggling. There is more beauty in a relationship with God than gold or anything else of value. It actually takes God to love God. Did you know that? Before you became a Christian, can you honestly say you loved God? You can't. It's not until you experience the love of God that you can love Him in return.
"Faith, hope, and love...but the greatest of these is love!" What an awesome verse! If you have a love relationship with your Heavenly Father, then it's only natural for faith to come forth. The question for you today is, are you struggling with having faith? Then, pray about what you just read and seek out a deeper relationship with God. You cannot have any more faith unless you have more of God in your life.
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