Faith Produces Action
The law and the prophets were until John. Since that time the kingdom of God is preached, and every man presses into it. [Luke 16:16]
In the game of basketball, a team uses the full court press in order to put pressure on the opposing team so they may force a turnover and retain possession of the ball. The kingdom of God is much the same way, but unfortunately, this truth is not stressed enough in many churches today. When Jesus made this proclamation (and also in Matthew 11:12-13), He was saying that before John the Baptist, God had, for the most part, revealed Himself through the law and through prophets. But now the kindom of God is preached and accessible to every man who desires to obtain it.
In Matthew 11:12, the Lord likened it to a forceful seizure, and the violent take it by force. When before, the kingdom of God was given in a limited measure—by the law and prophets—now, with the work of Jesus, the kingdom is available to anyone seeking to take what is rightfully theirs. Remember the words of our Lord: Ask and it shall be given you; seek and you shall find; knock and it shall be opened unto you. For every one that asks receives; and he that seeks finds; and to him that knocks it shall be opened. [Matthew 7:7-8]
These very words illustrate that the responsibility to obtain our inheritance in the kingdom of God is placed directly upon us. The Bible says in Ephesians 3:20: Now unto him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us… Jesus has made the way through the cross and His resurrection, and God has promised through His word that He will do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think—all according to the level of power we are operating in. Our level of power is directly correlated with the level of diligence we use to obtain knowledge of Him through the Word as it is written, Grace and peace be multiplied unto you through the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord. [2 Peter 1:2]
Most Christians—especially those in the U.S.—want to microwave their miracle and bootleg the pastor’s revelation instead of seeking it for themselves. They want to go directly to the upper room of Acts 2 without first going to the cross. They want the easy way out—that the kingdom of God should be given to them on a silver platter—without ever making any measure of effort.
Although salvation is a free gift from God through faith in Jesus Christ, the entire kingdom of God (the full measure of the benefits of salvation) is accessible only to those who utilize the full court press—who diligently pursue the things of God. This is why many become so frustrated with healing, prosperity, complete deliverance and freedom from sin, and operating in the power of God. They haven’t been taught how to press and like a basketball team that hasn’t been taught the strategies of defense, their efforts will be chaotic at best. The Bible says, But without faith it is impossible to please him. For he that comes to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him. [Hebrews 11:6]
Now when I talk about the full court press, and the violent take it by force, I do not mean that we have to take hold of the horns on the altar and shake it until God comes out. Neither is it done through fasting or otherwise trying to manipulate God into handing over the goods. God cannot be manipulated, and fasting for this reason is nothing but a hunger strike in the eyes of God. Nor is it like Jacob when he wrestled with God until He blessed him (Genesis 32:24-26). Finally, the blessings of God are not appropriated by paying God off like a businessman pays off the mafia for protection. In other words, we don’t buy God’s grace through tithes and offerings. Instead it is our faith that produces actions, which in turn, tap into the supernatural grace of God.
We have examples throughout the Bible of diligent seekers who received from God. Let’s take the woman with the issue of blood in Mark 5:25-34. She had to “press” through a large crowd in order to receive her miracle. For she had said, If I may touch but his clothes, I shall be made whole. [v. 28] Furthermore, the Syrophenician woman found in Matthew 15:21-28 continued to pursue the Lord and her demonstration of faith caused the Lord to proclaim, O woman, great is your faith. Be it unto you even as you will. [v. 28] What makes this woman’s success so great is not only because of her diligence in pursuing Jesus and the miracle, but in that she was not legally entitled to receive Jesus’ ministry because she was not a Jew. This is the only case where the Lord ever refused to minister to someone, but nevertheless, this woman’s faith superceded even the Lord’s calling. This is the law of faith in action.
Both of these women received from God, not because of their holiness or how much they gave or served in the church. You cannot earn any blessing from God with good works; and conversely sin doesn’t exclude you from any blessing as well. Our inheritance in the kingdom of God is not because of who we are, but because of Who God is. This is grace, my brothers and sisters. Neither did they receive from God because they were desperate or because they cried. They tapped into the blessings of God because the exercised faith after understanding the basic laws of faith: hear the word, believe in your heart, and confess with your mouth (Romans 10:8-10) Furthermore, they were steadfast in apprehending what the Lord had for them.
We have all read and heard the Scripture, For as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also. [James 2:26] Works (acts, behavior, conversation) have their place in the Christian life—not as a means of accessing God and His blessings, but as a fruit of the faith that we have been given. Often, works function as proof of our faith as James wrote, Yea, a man says, You have faith, and I have works. Show me your faith without your works, and I will show you my faith by my works. [James 2:18]
It was faith that compelled the woman with the issue of blood to press into the crowd. Hebrews 11 surrounds us with such a great cloud of witnesses that by faith, they looked forward to the promises of God.
A Place Called There
Previously we discussed how the prophet Elijah was called by God to go to the brook Cherith where God had commanded the ravens to feed him there (1 Kings 17:2-7). After the brook dried up, God told Elijah to go to Zarephath where He had commanded a widow woman to sustain him there. When seeking to appropriate God’s provision, God often calls us to go to a place in faith called there.
We see this with Jesus and the disciples as well. In Luke 5, the Lord had been preaching along the shore of Lake Gennesaret in Simon Peter’s fishing boat. Now when he had left speaking, he said unto Simon, Launch out into the deep, and let down your nets for a draught. And Simon answering said unto him, Master, we have toiled all night, and have taken nothing. Nevertheless at your word I will let down the net. And when they had this done, they enclosed a great multitude of fishes; and their net broke. [Luke 5:4-6]
As Elijah received the provision of God by first believing God’s word and going there, the disciples took in a great multitude of fish by first believing the word of Jesus and launching out into the deep. In either case, the ravens and the fish were already there, but Elijah and the disciples were not there, but here.
In contrast when we look at Elijah’s dilemma with Jezebel, we see that being here is not good—that the blessings of God are located there. While running in fear from Jezebel, Elijah made his way to Mount Horeb. And he came there unto a cave, and lodged there; and behold the word of the Lord came to him, and he said unto him, What are you doing here, Elijah? [1 Kings 19:9]
Then Elijah whined to God about the children of Israel forsaking the covenant, etc. and that he feared for his life. And the Lord said, Go forth, and stand upon the mount before the Lord. [1 Kings 19:11]
After the Lord passed by, a great and strong wind broke the mountains in pieces, but the Lord was not in the earthquake, nor was He in the wind; neither the fire. But the Lord was in the small still voice. Then Elijah returned to the cave and God asked again, What are you doing here, Elijah? [1 Kings 19:13]
Once again, Elijah whined about the children of Israel and how he feared his life. And the Lord said unto him, Go, return on your way to the wilderness of Damascus. And when you come, anoint Hazael to be king over Syria. [1 Kings 19:15]
Each time Elijah had stopped going to where God had called him, God always asked him, "What are you doing here instead of there where I sent you?" With each question, God followed it with a command of action, which like when he went to the brook, was an action produced by faith.
Too many of Christians want God’s provision dropped in their laps, when God is urging them to go where He has made the provision. Salvation is a provision of God, but it is located at a place called Jesus. The same is true with all the other blessings of God.
The point I’m trying to make here is that faith in God’s word is what produces the corresponding actions. When God’s word comes and is mixed with faith, it will produce actions and results in your life. So many Christians have been deceived into thinking that their fervent prayer, fasting and begging for God’s blessing is what motivates God to respond. Hence, the charge by people when someone gets sick to go to God in prayer and storm the gates of Heaven until this person is healed.
Brothers and sisters, you must force your way into the blessings of God by first committing your lives to the Lord, then by renewing your minds with the word of God. God, through Jesus, has already provided everything you need in order to be overcomers of the world. By depositing His Spirit inside you, you are able to tap into the same power the Lord Jesus had and use it to release the blessings from God. Too many Christians are relying upon the faith and revelation of others to receive from God, but the Lord doesn’t want it this way. He desires a personal relationship with every one of His children, and the best way you accomplish this is by prayerful study of the Bible, and a loving interaction with the Lord.
This is what the Lord is talking about when He said, every man presses into it. [Luke 16: 6] He has given you His Spirit, and by the Spirit, God has revealed the mysteries of the kingdom of God to you (1 Corinthians 2:9-10). In order to receive the fullness of what God has given you, you must put the press on and use the word of God to take hold of it.
Part V-- Faith Produces Action
Part VIII-- The Balance of Grace and Faith
