FAITH
16th Apr 2025
Some years ago, we were at a Christian Camp, involved in the leadership and ministry. We were also looking after our young grandchild Gillian, whose parents were running a section of our youth work. Gillian wasn’t feeling well and didn’t want to go to her group. She felt a little hot and we prayed and rebuked the fever, but kept her with us to see how things proceeded.
She came with us to the leadership prayer meeting and one of our team asked her, "What’s the matter with you Gillie?" She was normally a lively and talkative child, but not herself, and answered, “I don’t feel well, I feel sick.” This team member put his hand on her head and prayed very simply, “Be healed in Jesus Name.” She immediately jumped off my knee asking to be taken to her group, pulling me with her - not another word about feeling ill!
I had already prayed in a similar vein, but with no visible results. What was going on? In Luke 17 Jesus is teaching his disciples about forgiveness and their response is, “Increase our faith!” Jesus then goes on to talk about faith, not it’s size, but its presence or absence. He then speaks healing words to ten lepers, telling them to show themselves to the priest. As they obey and are on their way, they are healed, but only one returns to thank Jesus and give praise to God. Jesus tells him, “Your faith has made you well.”
Just before this incident, Jesus is teaching that their faith is operating like a servant doing what he is told to do, and He tells the disciples that even with the smallest quantity of faith, poppy seed faith, they could speak to a sycamore tree, tell it to move and it would.
I often pray for my faith to be increased, but am challenged by these scriptures. I am asking for faith to be in me, operating as I pray. I can do nothing, but with God nothing is impossible!
I long to see faith in action, to see miracles, signs and wonders. I know that “Faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.” (Romans 10:17) So I read and ask for revelation. I also pray for “The eyes of my heart to be enlightened” (Ephesians 1:18)
Paul prays in Ephesians - “I ask—ask the God of our Master, Jesus Christ, the God of glory—to make you intelligent and discerning in knowing him personally, your eyes focused and clear, so that you can see exactly what it is he is calling you to do.”
by Joyce Sibthorpe
