Faith On Both Ends

Faith works but when agreement is added, it can work even faster.

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Acts 3:8 – And he leaping up stood, and walked, and entered with them into the temple, walking, and leaping, and praising God.

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Faith works.  It’s that simple.  I’m speaking of the God kind of faith; faith that moves mountains.  But more importantly, faith that God honors.  We have ample Scriptural references to the ability of faith, the manner in which faith works, and the fact that God honors faith, even if it is faith utilized and released by a single believer.  Mark 11:22-24 is likely the paramount reference to the ability one person has in Christ when he/she uses the God-kind of faith.

One of the things that makes the work of faith so exciting and enjoyable is what happens when two or more people join their faith together to please the Lord.  There, my friend, even if one has a moment of weakness, the other can help keep that one lifted up in faith.  The power of agreement as described in Matthew 18 is phenomenal.  Look at it.  “Where two of you shall agree on earth as touching anything they shall ask, it shall be done for them of my Father which is in heaven.”  What a powerful, wonderful, and joyous promise of the Father to His people!

And in a manner of speaking, that is what we see in our Text for Today.  Look closely at the words.  After Peter had spoken, and after he had taken the man by the hand and lifted him up, something truly powerful and supernatural happened.  I am convinced that prior to Peter lifting the man up, the man really didn’t have faith to procure his healing.  I believe that came through the manifestation of one of the gifts of the Spirit, either a gift of healing or a gift of working of miracles.  But I find it fascinating that in our Text for Today we read, “And he (that is the man who was lame) leaping up stood, and walked, and entered with them into the temple, walking, and leaping, and praising God.”  It wasn’t Peter who “leaped up;”  it wasn’t Peter who “stood;” it wasn’t Peter who “walked” (thought he and John DID walk, enter, and praise); it was the man who had been lame.  At some point, he had to join himself in faith to that which Peter had delivered to him.  He had to accept it.  And having accepted it, he acted upon it.  I am sure the man would have received that which Peter delivered to him so boldly.  At the same time, I am sure that the man who had been lame brought a powerful accent of witness that created powerful amazement in the onlookers.  At some point, the man who was lame added his faith to the mix, and look at the result.  Faith works.  It’s that simple.  But when you have faith on both ends, the power of that witness can be magnified.

Manna for Today – Acts 3:1-10; Mark 11:22-24; Matthew 18:19-20; John 15:7; John 16:23