Where is your faith as we go into 2022? This is a vital question for which we need to establish an unshakeable answer!
Let’s look at Dr. Luke’s account of the time Jesus asked this same question of His disciples. At first glance, it would appear that Jesus is basically asking why they don’t have any faith but there is more to it than that. To get the full import of this teaching, we will begin reading just before they head out across the lake. There is something that happens here that is extremely important!
“And it was told him by certain which said, Thy mother and thy brethren stand without, desiring to see thee. And he answered and said unto them, My mother and my brethren are these which hear the word of God, and do it. Now it came to pass on a certain day, that he went into a ship with his disciples: and he said unto them, Let us go over unto the other side of the lake. And they launched forth. But as they sailed he fell asleep: and there came down a storm of wind on the lake; and they were filled with water, and were in jeopardy. And they came to him, and awoke him, saying, Master, master, we perish. Then he arose, and rebuked the wind and the raging of the water: and they ceased, and there was a calm. And he said unto them, Where is your faith? And they being afraid wondered, saying one to another, What manner of man is this! for he commandeth even the winds and water, and they obey him.” – Luke 8:20-25 KJV
Now, don’t forget the question the Lord is having me ask going into 2022: Where is our faith?
Notice the very last thing that Jesus taught His disciples before they headed out across the water, “My mother and my brethren are these which hear the Word of God, and do it.”
The very next thing that happened was that they all got into the boat and Jesus spoke the Word of God, “Let us go over unto the other side of the lake.” Jesus expected it to be done and went to sleep.
Everything started out great! The disciples heard the Word and started doing it. A great storm came on the scene however and a shift took place!
The disciples shifted the placement and location of their faith!
They removed their faith from being firmly positioned in the Word of God and moved it over to its new location in the physical reality of the storm – and, if not for Jesus, it would have gotten them killed!
Where is your faith? Is it in the Word or is it in the storm? Is it in the Word of God concerning your healing and health or is it in the sickness and disease? Is it in the Scriptures regarding your prosperity or is it in the local economic downturn?
Now notice the very next words, “and they being afraid.”
Once we have shifted the location of our faith away from the Word of God and placed it into the lies of the devil (“This storm is going to kill you!”), then we call it “fear.”
It is NOT a different force. It is merely a reciprocal force. The definition of reciprocal is “corresponding, but reversed or inverted.” In other words, what we know as “fear” is actually “faith” but operating in the opposite direction from the things of God. For example, allow me to use this illustration: The fear of a rattlesnake is actually faith in that snake’s ability to hurt or kill you. Can you see it now?
Why is this such a big deal? Because, in one form or another, God tells us over 360 times in the Scriptures to NOT be afraid!
Why is this such a big deal to God? Because He’s a loving Father for one thing! Look over at the book of 1 John and we will see it spelled out very clearly.
“Whosoever shall confess that Jesus is the Son of God, God dwelleth in him, and he in God. And we have known and believed the love that God hath to us. God is love; and he that dwelleth in love dwelleth in God, and God in him. Herein is our love made perfect, that we may have boldness in the day of judgment: because as he is, so are we in this world. There is no fear in love; but perfect love casteth out fear: because fear hath torment. He that feareth is not made perfect in love.” – 1 John 4:15-18 KJV
God is love. God loves you. God wants fear out of your life because fear has torment and He does not want His children tormented in any area of our lives – spirit, soul, body, financially or any other area!
You have to remember that, just as faith will bring the good things of God into your life to BLESS you, fear (faith in the wrong things – misplaced faith) will bring the bad things of the devil into your life to torment and destroy you! We can see that very plainly in Job chapter 3.
“For the thing which I greatly fear comes upon me, and that of which I am afraid befalls me. I was not or am not at ease, nor had I or have I rest, nor was I or am I quiet, yet trouble came and still comes [upon me].” – Job 3:25-26 AMPC
Over the past couple of years, we have witnessed on a national and even global level just exactly what mass fear will produce. Sadly, it has even been running rampant in a large portion of the body of Christ. This should not be!
Let’s launch an absolute war on fear this year! Each one of us needs to take the time to make certain that we know without a shadow of a doubt our answer to the question, “Where is your faith?” We are shouting in triumph, “It is in the Word of God which gives us the victory!”