Extremes Of Faith

In this episode, Kevin shares even the most dedicated Christians can experience shaky faith. Through biblical examples, he illustrates the extremes of faith, encouraging listeners to seek a secure faith rooted in scripture and trust in God's character. 

Transcript

Kevin (00:01.624)
Well, this episode is coming out on Christmas Eve, so this is kind of a sneak Christmas present to you guys. I wasn't planning on doing an episode, but the Holy Spirit gave me a word that I really wanted to share. think about this. When it comes to Jesus, when you look at the scriptures, one thing that you can say for certain about Jesus, he never played it down the middle. He was always one way or the other. There was never any uncertainty about who he was.

what he believed, what he stood for, and his power. There was never any doubt. Now people doubted him, but he never gave any doubt about who he was. He made it perfectly clear. Now keeping that same vein, we as Christians should be resolute and firm in what we believe, in who we believe he is, and what we believe he can do. That being said, even the most hardened, the most dedicated, the most faithful Christian,

has moments when your faith is not as high as it should be. I know because I've been there before. So what I want to talk about real quick, and it's not going to be long episode, but just the extremes of faith. Because what I've discovered, I have two scriptures I want to share. Just two scriptures. Again, this is going to be relatively quick. That faith comes like Jesus, not in the middle. Like you ever heard the phrase that someone's

a little bit pregnant. You can't be a little bit pregnant. Either you're pregnant or you're not. So when it comes to faith, we either have faith or we don't. Now the good news is as a Christian, we grow in our faith and God is patient with us. But sometimes our faith is not as firm as it should be. So the fact that you are a Christian means you do have a modicum of faith. But

usually because of circumstances, because your own doubt, because of the enemy, your faith is not as strong as it should be. So I have two different extremes to our faith. So the first extreme is a lot of us, present company included, we a lot of times have shaky faith. So now that's the difference between us and the unbeliever. The unbeliever has no faith at all. They don't believe in Jesus. They don't believe in God. They don't believe in any of stuff they think what we believe is ridiculous.

Kevin (02:21.806)
But we as Christians, believe you've accepted Christ as your Lord and Savior. You believe in God. You may go to church. may participate in ministry. You may do a podcast. You may do all kinds of great things. But when circumstances come, when situations come, as Jesus gave in the parable of the weeds in the soul world, when circumstances come and money problems come, or even when temptation comes to do things that God doesn't want you to do, that's when our faith takes a hit.

And sometimes our faith is shaky, but even more so our faith really gets shaky when situations come around. When it looks dire, when it looks as if, okay, this thing that I don't want to happen seems like it's inevitably going to happen. And as you're praying and as you're going to the Lord and as you're seeking him, seems as if he's solid. It seems as if somehow he's forgotten, which is a trick from the enemy.

make you and I think that somehow God has forgotten you. Of course we've learned, watching my podcast and other things as a Christian, just because we don't hear from God doesn't mean God is not speaking. And just because we don't perceive what he's doing doesn't mean he's not doing anything. But the enemy's is to make us think that the perception of his idleness makes it seem as if he's careless, as if he does not care, as if he's oblivious. So because of all those things, our faith is shaky. It's not as firm.

And I found the scripture, this first one, very famous scripture. But this is one of the scriptures, guys, that I think is one of the most realist scriptures in the Bible. Like, always, when I look at the Bible and people who don't read the Bible, they always look at it and just miss it as some fairy tales or fables and things of that nature. But when you read the scriptures, especially with the help of the Holy Spirit, you see two things. One, you realize that these are regular people.

are going through these situations. But then you see the humanity because what you see in the scriptures, even if the book isn't written to you per se, you will see yourself or you will see humanity in the reaction or the responses that people give because things are not different in 2024 than they were in the year 24. We're still the same messed up, jacked up people in the Bible days as now. The human conditions are still the same. But this scripture again, very

Kevin (04:45.71)
to me so realistic to how we are as human beings. So the scripture gave a very famous one, Mark chapter nine, verses 23 and 24. And it says, what do you mean if I can, Jesus asked, anything is possible if a person believes. The father instantly cried out, I do believe, but help my unbelief. So of course that's the scripture when the father had the child that was sick and infirm and then he said that,

Jesus to heal them and Jesus says I can't heal them anything is possible because the same thing is remember in the scripture He took the child to the disciples. They couldn't heal them So he says he wanted Jesus to heal and Jesus says anything is possible, but look at the father's response That's the part that's so realist to me. He says I believe But help my unbelief. That's us It's not like we don't have any belief or any faith that faith is shaky

Now keep in mind, he knew who Jesus was. He knew what Jesus was capable of. He knew that Jesus could heal, which is why he took him to the disciples in the first place. But here it is, because then things didn't go the way he initially thought. The healing didn't come how he thought. So now he's thinking, well, maybe this Jesus stuff isn't as true as I thought. Maybe Jesus can't come through, even though he had heard about all the healings and all the miracles.

that's pointed to you and I. You and I are not novices to this thing, most of us. We have been walking with the Lord for quite a while. We have seen God move. We have seen God deliver. We have seen God come through on our behalf. But just like this Father, we have that same perspective. I believe, but help my unbelief. And that's why I said to me, that's one of the most realist scriptures in the Bible, because it speaks to our condition, even as Christians.

present company. I have my moments. And I can go back in my mind and remember all the things that God has done. But in that, somehow I forget them. When I'm looking at the situation, I forget what God has done. When I'm thinking about the possible outcome, I forget who God is. So now my faith becomes shaky. And now I say, Lord, help my unbelief like this father. And that's the thing we should do. Let's take a note from that. Granted, it was realistic, but at least he had enough

Kevin (07:13.64)
sense to say, Lord, my faith is shaky. I know you can do it. I've heard you do these things, but my faith is such where help my unbelief. And that's a note you and I need to take. We need to take a note that says, hey, I too need to be able to say help my unbelief. I too need to be able to say, my faith is shaky. I know what you've done.

I know what you're capable of, but for right now, in this instance, I don't see how you're going to do it. But this is why we have to have secure faith, which we're to talk about in a minute. That's why we have to make sure as we go through these situations and we wonder if God's going to come through, be real and say, Lord, I need help believing. I need help. Maybe you don't have to explain to me, but help me believe even though I don't understand.

Maybe you don't give me the outlines of the plan, but remind me that there still is a plan. Because a lot of times, again, the enemy works on our minds and makes us believe erratly, of course, that somehow God is enabled or somehow God has thrown us to the wolves. So we have to be secure and trusting that even though, it's a realistic thing too, again, the scripture is so realistic, understand you're going to have moments where your faith is shaky.

Again, we've talked about our other episodes. You're in good company. Other people in the scriptures have had shaky faith. It's not like they had zero faith, but in this particular instance, they were wondering. They were doubting. They were fearful. So that's the extreme. The first extreme is our faith, even as Christians, is sometimes shaky. But now, here's the good news. Sometimes, and hopefully this is our aspiration, that we have.

Secure faith. I mentioned in beginning of episode that the Bible says without faith it's impossible to please God. Of course our desire should be to want to please God. How do we please him? As the scripture just said by having faith. Now what does that look like? That looks like believing when you don't understand. That looks like casting down imaginations and strongholds and saying that those thoughts that says that God can't do it you cast those things down. Those words those naysayers that make you think it's too late you say wait a minute God is the one that controls time.

Kevin (09:35.992)
Those thoughts, those intrusive thoughts that make you think that doubt God or doubt yourself, you have to do as the scripture says, this is where the warfare begins in your mind. And when you fight, when you fight against those thoughts, you're showing secure faith. You're saying, I know the enemy is trying to get me to think otherwise, but I'm trusting in what I know God to be, not what it looks like it could possibly be. Because again, we have to trust in who he is.

And I've said this before in other episodes, more times than not, the worst case scenario only come to fruition in our imagination. In our imagination, the worst possible scenario can happen. When was the last time or ever the worst case scenario actually happened? It probably hasn't. Now that doesn't mean everything that you want to happen happens and every good thing happens and nothing bad happens. Of course you're going to have bad things to happen. But you and I,

We need to make sure we stand on the other extreme of that line of having secure faith and saying, Lord, I don't know why this is happening. I don't know how you're going to do it. I don't know when you're going to do it, but I know your character. I know who you are. I'm saying this to you. I'm saying this to me. But here's a scripture, again, that really solidifies the idea of having secure faith.

And I really love Jesus' response. And again, this is another one of those scriptures you probably heard if you read the Bible a bunch of times. This is Matthew chapter eight, starting at verse seven. And it says, Matthew, Jesus said to him, shall I come and heal him?

Kevin (11:30.83)
Matthew chapter 8 starting at verse 7.

He was amazed and said to those following him, truly I tell you, I have not found anyone in Israel with such great faith. Now I love that for a bunch of reasons. First of all, look at the level of faith that St. Tyrion had. His faith was so resonant in Jesus. He said, look, I believe you so strongly, you won't have to be in my presence. That's a nugget right there. You don't even have to be in my sphere. I know who you are so much. I believe you so much.

From where you are, you just speak a word and it happens. You just speak a word. I understand authority because I'm a person of people under me. So I'm under you. I respect your authority as well. Look at that. Do we have that same level of faith that Lord, first of all, I know you're in this situation. And just like the centurion, all it takes is one word. One word can change the situation, can change the circumstance.

God is not limited by time or space. Wherever he is, he's there. And look at what this centaur said, the awesomeness of his faith, right? But then look at, I love what Jesus' response was. Jesus says, and think about this, this is one of the few times off the top of my head I can't think of another place in the Bible where Jesus said these words about how he was actually surprised, how he was impressed, how he was.

Marveling as the scripture says he is not found. He marvelled. I have not found anyone with such great faith Don't you and I? Want to have that kind of faith with Jesus says man Kevin I'm amazed at the level of faith you have Suzy Jennifer Mike Bobby Ron, whoever you are. I'm amazed at the level of faith you have now, of course

Kevin (13:56.034)
This is rhetorical. It's not as if Jesus or God doesn't know us, but He's showing them and us how to impress God, how to please God. He's letting them see, this is the kind of faith you need to have to please me. This is the kind of faith you need to have to make me look upon you and smile. Now, that being said, if your faith is shaky, God is not going to discard you, but He's hoping that your faith would evolve from shaky to secure.

But I really loved the way he responds. And of course, if you know the rest of the story, of course he spoke a word and the centurion's servant was healed. So think about it, his faith was so great. Not only did God, Jesus specifically, not have to be there, but his words did what his presence didn't need to be. Think about it. The centurion's faith was so great that Jesus didn't have to be there. He just had to see it and ask.

He just had to give a word and his word did what his presence didn't even have to do. What does that say? That Jesus is still, Jesus' presence is in his word.

not just the word in the sense of him speaking over it, it's in his word, the scriptures. Could it be our faith is shaky because we haven't been studying the scriptures? We have not been seeking his word to see what his word says so our faith can be secure. So when we study the word, we become more secure in our faith. And again, convicted.

Even me as the person who teaches and preaches, I myself could stand up in the scriptures more because I know those moments when I get into the word, my faith is strengthened. So again, something that came to me today and I just really want to share, give you guys a little quick kind of a stealth Christmas Eve kind of word again, it's not going to be a whole long episode, but just something to give us the encouragement and say that, sometimes as Christians we have different kinds of extremes.

Kevin (16:07.936)
And sometimes you right now, even as I'm speaking, your faith might be shaky and you might be just like that father that says, believe, I believe, but help my unbeliever. That's you pray and ask God to help you strengthen your faith. But after you ask God to strengthen it, seek the scriptures to get even stronger. So then your faith can go from shaky to secure. And when you have secure faith.

That doesn't mean it won't be tested. It just means that your faith will make sure it.

Kevin (16:46.542)
Thank you so much for watching and listening. Just a quick little nugget I want to share with you guys. Merry Christmas. Hope your holidays are well. And I have another episode. I'm pumping them out kind of quick these days. Now the episode coming out probably before the end of the year. Be on the lookout for that. Thank you so much for watching and listening. I pray this bless you. And as always, make sure your light shines brightest for the Lord Jesus Christ beyond the benediction. Have your holidays. Merry Christmas. See you soon.