St. Augustine said, “Faith is to believe what you do not yet see; the reward for this faith is to see what you believe.” St. Augustine understood that it is the power of our faith and how we act on that faith that brings forth the promises of God. Believing in God and in His promises, although we may not be able to physically see them, shows God our faith in Him and He will act on this faith. This principle is best illustrated in Jesus’ encounter with the centurion in Matthew 8:5-13.
In this encounter, a Roman centurion came to Jesus pleading with Him to heal his servant (Matthew 8:5-6). Jesus agreed to heal the servant and asked the centurion if He should come to the centurion’s home to heal him. The centurion replied, “Lord, I do not deserve to have you come under my roof. But just say the word, and my servant will be healed” (Matthew 8:8). Jesus was amazed at this response of faith by the centurion. Jesus said to him, “Go; let it be done for you as you have believed” (Matthew 8:13). This centurion, a Gentile, came before Jesus with a belief that Jesus could do the impossible and heal his servant by just saying that it was so. He didn’t have to see it, he just believed that it was done through the spoken word of Jesus. The faith of this centurion was astonishing to Jesus, and He acted on this faith and said that it would be done just as the centurion had believed. The centurion believed what he could not see and he was rewarded with seeing what he believed.
God has given us the authority through our faith to take possession of what Jesus has given us. The Word tells us that the promise comes by faith (Romans 4:16). We act on our faith by believing that we already have what Jesus’ atoning sacrifice provided for us (good health, prosperity, love, joy, abundant blessings, etc…). Like the centurion, we have to believe we have it, even though we may not be able to physically see it at first. It is this faith that God’s Word says moves Him to action. Another example of this is the woman with the issue of blood (Mark 5:24-34). This woman believed that if she just touched the hem of Jesus’ garment that she would be healed. She acted on her faith and when she touched Jesus’ garment she was immediately healed. Jesus said to her, “Daughter, your faith has healed you” (Mark 5:34).
We can do the same today as those who encountered Jesus in His time. We can activate our faith by believing. We believe the Word (Faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the Word of God – Romans 10:17), we believe the promises, and then we act in a way that is consistent with what we believe. God moves by our faith, and when we believe we have what we cannot see, God will reward our faith and we will see what we have believed.
The Truth in Action – How do you act on God’s Word? Our actions show what we believe, and to receive what God has promised, our actions must line up with His Word. God’s Word says that Jesus bore our sins in His body on the cross and that by His wounds we are healed (I Peter 2:24). God’s Word says that “He sent out his word and healed them, and delivered them from their destruction” (Psalms 107:20). God’s Word says that we are prosperous and that the work of our hands is blessed (Deuteronomy 28:11-12). If God’s Word says Jesus healed us from all sickness and disease, then we have to act in a way that is consistent with His Word. If God’s Word says we are prosperous then we have to get out of a mindset of lack and get into a mindset of abundance. Believing what God has promised is the key to bringing forth, by faith, those promises.
Meditate on Scripture: Romans 4:18 and 4:20-21 (NIV) – Against all hope, Abraham in hope believed and so became the father of many nations, just as it had been said to him, “So shall your offspring be.” Yet he did not waver through unbelief regarding the promise of God, but was strengthened in his faith and gave glory to God, being fully persuaded that God had power to do what he had promised.
Further Study – Read the account of the centurion in Matthew 8:5-13 and the woman with the issue of blood in Mark 5:24-34. How was the approach of these two individuals to Jesus different? How was it the same? How did Jesus react to both of them? What does this tell you about Jesus and the nature of God?