Powerful and Victorious Faith

When Jesus heard this, he was astonished and said to those following him, "I tell you the truth, I have not found anyone in Israel with such great faith. Then Jesus said to the centurion, "Go! It will be done just as you believed it would." And his servant was healed at that very hour.  -Matthew 8:10, 13

The man who came to Jesus had a servant who was in terrible suffering; a sort of painful paralysis common in those days.  The one with the request happened to be a Roman officer, someone who at that time might have been viewed with hostility by the Jewish people.  However, Jesus was perfectly willing to heal the servant.  This is a powerful lesson for us.  Will we look beyond our prejudices towards others and see them as people in need of salvation?  Is any race of people somehow undeserving of God’s grace through Jesus Christ?  The answer is certainly not.  When it comes to sharing the gospel and reaching out in Jesus’ name, let us always be color blind.  Do we believe that the gospel is for all people or not?  If we affirm that it is, then we will reach out to everyone regardless of their social standing, skin color or ethnic background.

Jesus modeled this principle for us by His willingness to heal the man’s servant.  However, the man spoke up and said that he was not worthy to have the Lord come under his roof.  Doesn’t this sound to you like a man who is on his way to coming to saving faith in Christ?  Absolutely.  This man believed with all of his heart that the Lord Jesus could heal his servant –  with a word.  Just say the word, Lord, and it will be done.  That is a marvelous kind of faith that we all do well to desire.

Do we so believe in the power of Christ that we know beyond any and all doubt that what He says will come to pass?  That is the essence of unquestioning faith.  Such faith doesn’t doubt, question, reason, or argue with God.  It just believes.  Isn’t this the kind of faith we as followers of Christ should desire?  It is, because when Jesus saw the man’s faith He commended him for it.

As followers of Christ, let us seek the kind of faith that trust the Lord at all times no matter what.  In that faith is a blessed walk of victory that lifts us above the mundane and onto the abundant life in Christ.  That faith is available to all who believe and trust in the Lord.  Seek the Lord today, and desire that wonderful and victorious faith.