Living by faith 3- Faith in the midst of contradictions.

Therefore it is of faith that it might be according to grace, so that the promise might be sure to all the seed, not only to those who are of the law, but also to those who are of the faith of Abraham, who is the father of us all (as it is written, “I have made you a father of many nations”) in the presence of Him whom he believed—God, who gives life to the dead and calls those things which do not exist as though they did;- Romans 4:16-17

In Acts 14:6-7 Paul and Silas were in Lydia; they were there to preach the word of God. The gospel is two words: Go and spell (tell it). I am spelling it as it is. I am telling you that God is a healer; I am telling you that God answers prayers. I am telling you that God breaks limitations and problems, I am telling you that God means what He says, and He says what He means. He makes you a champion. He rewrites the story of your life. God is good. There sat a certain man. That certain man could be you today, who the enemy has said, is limited. The man has never walked and the gospel was coming forth. Paul was preaching the totality of the bible.

This same cripple heard Paul speak. He heard Paul just as you are ‘hearing’ me today (Acts 14:8-9). Why did he need to hear Paul preach? Because faith comes by hearing. Who steadfastly beholding him…. He was looking at Paul; every word that Paul was preaching was sinking into him. Not only hearing, he was also comparing what he was hearing with his circumstance. He was applying it to himself. He didn't say, “Paul saw my leg that was why he was using me to preach”. Some are angry and offended at the word, no wonder they are limited in life.

He perceived that he had faith to be healed…… How did Paul perceive that he had faith? The eyes of the man reflected that he was concurring with the message. He was accepting it, he was ready. If you are ready for the miraculous, whatever limit that the enemy has set for you will be removed. Don't compare situation with yourself. Compare them with God. When you look at giant and look at God, God is bigger than any giant, and God will make a way for you.

In Mark 4:35-39, Jesus was going on a journey with the disciples. As they went on the journey, something happened- a storm arose. They didn't say, don't you care you perish. They knew He couldn't have perished but were not sure of themselves. The Lord said, “Let us pass”. He did not say let us go and die. They didn't pay attention to the context of His word and faced the storm all alone. They allowed the pressure on them and they were professing their circumstance (tendency of dying). No wonder they got no result until they went to call to Jesus.

Weak faith always considers the storm, the wind, the report and the problem. The Bible says Abraham considered not his own body now dead (at about 100 years old), yet neither the deadness of Sarah womb at ninety.

May you be strong in faith in the midst of contradiction. Your life will not end in disaster. The Lord will be glorified in your life. A new dawn is here.