“And in the morning, as they passed by, they saw the fig tree dried up from the roots. And Peter calling to remembrance saith unto him, Master, behold, the fig tree which thou cursedst is withered away. And Jesus answering saith unto them, Have faith in God” (Mark 11:20-22).
Jesus was about to teach his disciples about faith. Personally, I can’t think of a better subject in the Bible to get ahold of than the subject of faith. It touches every other area of life. It touches everything we do. Everything we do is supposed to be in faith, “for whatsoever is not of faith is sin” (Rom. 14:23).
Faith is the easiest thing in the world to understand. When faith is taught, little children usually understand it first; then they go teach the adults! Faith is so simple that most adults spend all their time trying to figure it out. They think, It can’t be that simple!
But Jesus made things simple for us. When He taught, He talked about everyday things, such as fishing and farming. He made spiritual principles simple so everyone could understand them.
So Jesus starts out His teaching on faith by saying, “Have faith in God.” God is the One who works the miracles. He’s the One who heals our bodies. He’s the One who purchased all things that pertain to life and godliness. Therefore, our faith is to be placed in Him. If we only have faith in ourselves, we’re in trouble.
So, according to Mark 11:22, our faith is in God. But in some Bibles, margin notes for this verse say, “Have the faith of God.” If we have the faith of God, we have the kind of faith God has.
Romans 12:3 says, “…God hath dealt to every man the measure of faith.” So Jesus is telling us, “Just operate in faith as God does. God gave faith to us; He planted it on the inside of us, and it will operate for us the same way it does for Him.” We’re God’s children, and He gave us His very own faith.
Because I’m God’s child, He has planted His faith in me. Now I’m able to operate in faith just as He does. I have a sure foundation because I have the faith of God.
Excerpt permission granted by Harrison House Publishers
For over 40 years, Pastors Mark and Janet Brazee have traveled throughout the world sharing the Word of God and the Spirit of God. Together they've shared the powerful truths of faith and healing in more than 50 nations.
Today Mark and Janet pastor World Outreach Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, where they base their ongoing outreach to the world. The Brazees still travel as the Lord leads, and they are raising up a congregation who share their passion to reach Tulsa and the world.