Faith is the currency of the Kingdom of God for receiving the promises of God for our lives. There are many life circumstances that could try to persuade us that our issues are too impossible for God to help us. But Jesus said to the degree that we were able to believe with full assurance of faith in God, that He could move in our lives. The Lord gave me a dream and upon waking, the words, “LET IT BE ACCORDING TO YOUR FAITH”, resounded in my heart and mind.
I woke up with a stirring in my spirit, and my heart breaking at the thought that Jesus was rejected in His hometown, because people were familiar with the Jesus who grew up in front of their faces.
Despite hearing all the good Jesus was doing – healing the sick and delivering those oppressed of the enemy – they thought they knew Jesus because they witnessed His upbringing.
All of the miracles that He had done already, could they still not believe..?
Sadly, Mark records the account in Chapter 6 and makes it very clear, the lack of might miracles in His hometown was due to their blatant unbelief!!
“Then He went out from there and came to His own country, and His disciples followed Him. 2 And when the Sabbath had come, He began to teach in the synagogue. And many hearing Him were astonished, saying, βWhere did this Man get these things? And what wisdom is this which is given to Him, that such mighty works are performed by His hands! 3 Is this not the carpenter, the Son of Mary, and brother of James, Joses, Judas, and Simon? And are not His sisters here with us?β So they were offended at Him.
4 But Jesus said to them, βA prophet is not without honor except in his own country, among his own relatives, and in his own house.β 5 Now He could do no mighty work there, except that He laid His hands on a few sick people and healed them. 6 And He marveled because of their unbelief. Then He went about the villages in a circuit, teaching.”
Mark 6: 1-6 (NKJV)
Jesus was rejected?!
The overwhelming unbelief from those from Jesus’ hometown actually kept Him from being able to perform mighty miracles freely.
So, as it was, those who had seen Jesus grow up (in the flesh) could not have the faith within them to see that God had raised Him up to be the Son of God.. and indeed, the Messiah!!
This account takes place just a few chapters after Jesus had healed a paralytic, a man with a withered hand, and a man possessed by a whole legion of demons. And yet still He was rejected.
It was astonishing to Him that even after all that He had done, there was such blatant unbelief!??
It too is just mind-boggling to me, the hard heartedness of those who rejected Jesus because they thought they knew Him. (Of course it is easy for me to think as I’m here reading the recorded story with narration, and in retrospect, assuming I would totally be able to muster up the faith to believe Jesus all the way to the ends of the earth.)
Would we see Jesus if He was right in front of our faces? Would we believe God when He chooses to speak through an unexpected vessel?
- Your husband or wife?
- A sibling you witnessed every awkward teen age with and who fought with you for 10 years straight?
- Your now grown son or daughter that relied on you to change their baby diaper?
- Or that childhood friend who used to mock your love for the Lord growing up?
Would we be able to see His hand at work, when He has called familiarity to be His hands and feet?
The Dangers of Unbelief
Unbelief is a potential danger to us all. If we cannot admit that we ought to ask God to doubly search our hearts to see where there is wickedness within us.
Unbelief must be pretty sneaky to see the working of God right in front of it’s face, and STILL reject it. And also, unbelief must be pretty audacious to cause those who should be claiming to love Jesus the most, to get to the point of being OFFENDED at Jesus .. the Son of God!
And yet, it gets worse… this same account can be found paralleled in the gospel of Luke, in chapter 4:16-30. The story of where the people from His hometown sought to THROW HIM OFF A CLIFF!!
But He just walked away from them without any harm, because He was and IS the Son of God! And simply because it was not yet His time.
I’d say that escalated pretty quickly for a crowd to collectively decide in favor of murder.
The dangers of having a heart of unbelief is incredibly scary.
A heart of unbelief is an offended heart towards God, and a murderous heart towards the things of God. An unbelieving heart rejects God’s answer for our situation.
If we were honest with ourselves, could it be possible that we would be one of those who raged against God’s answer for our lives because it came packaged differently that we expected?
How often have we had this same deceived heart? And therefore, almost risk murdering the move of God because of our own unbelieving heart? Oh Lord, let it not be!!
Do we limit God working in and through those around us?
Do we put parameters on what God can say or do through another person…especially that person?
Would we recognize the leading of the Holy Spirit if it was presented to us in a different package that we would have thought?
These questions are so convicting, and yet, faith is the only thing God requires of us. To the two blind men in Matthew 9:29, before Jesus healed them He said, βAccording to your faith let it be to you.β
Faith is required for God to move on our behalf!
I personally know and believe that God speaks even through small unassuming children.. and yet, this message that woke me up in the dead of sleep, entirely convicted me to tears.
Please friends, lay down any pride today. We cannot afford to say no to Jesus!
One last thought: a few weeks ago I was at the North Georgia woman’s conference and the night they did the immersions I watched in amazement how each person came in for different requests, different needs and desires. People were set free and delivered from evil spirits and many were filled with the Holy Spirit, some healed on the spot and some walking out their healing to this day.
Watching God meet the hunger in people’s hearts really moved me. I must have heard the Holy Spirit repeat the same words, 20-30 times over, saying, “according to their faith”.
After seeing God move, and hearing God’s whisper.. I prayed and pleaded with God for a heart that is always humble before Him.
I always want to SEE GOD when He is right in front of me.
So I prayed, “May I never be ‘too dignified’ to seek Jesus for FREEDOM!”
I might have to grow into that one yet…in understanding. But in faith, I believe.
May we all learn and grow in this grace, so that a deep hunger for righteousness would arise within us. To be more aware of God’s presence throughout our days, and to perceive that He is at work in our lives.
May we seek Him and find Him, when we seek with all of our hearts! (Jeremiah 29:11-13)
And may we grow in Ephesians 3:20 faith that says God is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all we ask or think. And may we claim the promises of God for ourselves, in Jesus name!!
MAY IT BE ACCORDING TO YOUR FAITH!