Resurrection Life of Jesus Church

SUPERNATURAL FAITH
David came to the Israeli-Palestinian battlefront and learned the army of Israel was bogged down because no one dared to meet the challenge of single combat put forth by a Philistine giant. 1 Samuel 17:19-27

Most of the time Christians are challenged by someone close – like a family member. It was no different with David as his oldest brother derisively told him to go home. verses 28

David ignored his brother and began to speak to other soldiers, and before he knew it, he was being summoned by King Saul. The supernatural energy of faith was working in the young shepherd’s soul as it was imparted by the Holy Spirit. David recited his past exploits which were made possible through the power of God. verses 29-32

King Saul looked at the teenager in front of him. He was focused solely on the fact that Goliath was a seasoned soldier and David was scrawny and not well-versed in the use of armor and weapons, and most importantly, had never seen combat! verse 33

Nevertheless, David was not discouraged. Faith energized him as he pleaded his case and told the king what should be done. verses 34-36

David went beyond reasoning as faith pulsated through him; if God delivered him from the lion and the bear, then God could certainly do the same with the Philistine giant! verse 37

Faith gave Saul hope that the courageous teenager standing in front of him could win against Goliath when no-grown Israelite man dared challenge the giant. But the faith Saul possessed also told him it was suicide to send an unarmed teenager against a professional soldier like Goliath and this is why he offered David his armor and sword. verse 38

When David put on the heavy armor, he quickly realized that he could not fight in such a manner. Faith told him to take it off and use the sling with which he was a deadly expert. verses 39

David went to a brook and carefully selected five smooth stones as ammunition and put them in his bag. verse 40

Supernatural faith kicked in again when Goliath saw David and began to mock and curse him by Dagon, the god of the Philistines. David responded by speaking the Word of God, and in doing so, released yet more faith. verses 41-47

Faith caused the young shepherd to run straight toward the armored giant. When David was within range of Goliath, he selected a stone from the bag, put it into the sling, and hurled it toward Goliath’s head. The Philistine wore a helmet as protection, but David wielded the sling with trained precision and he fearlessly sent the stone flying, knowing his aim would be true. The stone likely struck Goliath with lethal force at a speed of 100- 120 mph; that was enough kinetic energy to fracture the skull and damage the brain – equal to a bullet from a pistol. The end result saw Goliath fall like a tree face first to the ground. verses 48-49

David very quickly bested Goliath with a sling and a single stone. Having no sword, and wanting to show both sides who was the victor, David ran to his body and standing upon it, used the Goliath’s own sword to decapitate the Philistine champion. This had an immediate demoralizing effect upon the enemy and they fled the field of battle. verses 50-51

DEFINITION OF FAITH
The Holy Spirit gave the apostle Paul insight into faith. It is a spiritual energy that is invisible just like electricity. When a Christian is moved by the Holy Spirit to believe that an action can be taken – impossible through physical effort – it can nevertheless happen supernaturally by the power of God.

“Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. For by it the elders obtained a good report. Through faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the word of God, so that things which are seen were not made of things which do appear.” (Hebrews 11:1-3)

Electricity is generated by moving a magnet past a conductor – such as a coil of wire – creating current in the conductor. Electromagnets create the moving magnetic fields needed to induce electrical current in generators.

When a Christian creates a small amount faith on his own, it induces God to create a stronger faith force that is capable of moving mountains.

“Then came the disciples to Jesus apart, and said, Why could not we cast him out?

And Jesus said unto them, Because of your unbelief: for verily I say unto you, If ye have faith as a grain of mustard seed, ye shall say unto this mountain, Remove hence to yonder place; and it shall remove; and nothing shall be impossible unto you.

Howbeit this kind goeth not out but by prayer and fasting.” (Matthew 17:19-21)

THE STORM ON GALILEE
Jesus displayed this kind of faith when He was sleeping in the boat used to travel from the eastern side of the Sea of Galilee to the western side. The disciples woke Him up in a panic as he slept soundly despite the heavy winds and waves that tossed the boat back and forth. The apostles panicked because they thought they were about to die.

“And there arose a great storm of wind, and the waves beat into the ship, so that it was now full.

And he was in the hinder part of the ship, asleep on a pillow: and they awake him, and say unto him, Master, carest thou not that we perish?” (Mark 4:37-38)

Jesus was God and human at the same time since He had been incarnated into a physical body. He did not possess the same spiritual power on earth that He normally wielded in heaven. As the God-man, Jesus was limited and had to rely upon God the Father who was directing God the Holy Spirit and the holy angels to carry out the God- man’s wishes on earth.

“Then answered Jesus and said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, The Son can do nothing of himself, but what he seeth the Father do: for what things soever he doeth, these also doeth the Son likewise.

For the Father loveth the Son, and sheweth him all things that himself doeth: and he will shew him greater works than these, that ye may marvel.

I can of mine own self do nothing: as I hear, I judge: and my judgment is just; because I seek not mine own will, but the will of the Father which hath sent me.” (John 5:19-20, 30)

When Jesus awoke and saw the situation, He had faith the moment He spoke that any command would be carried out by God the Father. This was faith – spiritual energy – that connected Him to God the Father.

“And he arose, and rebuked the wind, and said unto the sea, Peace, be still. And the wind ceased, and there was a great calm.

And he said unto them, Why are ye so fearful? how is it that ye have no faith?” (Mark 4:39-40)

Even though Jesus was incarnated in a human body, the Son of God still had knowledge of previous events in heaven before the creation of mankind.

“And he said unto them, I beheld Satan as lightning fall from heaven.” (Luke 10:18)

The God-man informed the apostles that He had twelve legions of angels at His disposal.¹

Thinkest thou that I cannot now pray to my Father, and he shall presently give me more than twelve legions of angels? (Matthew 26:53)

Additionally, Jesus always had access to the Holy Spirit.

“How God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Ghost and with power: who went about doing good, and healing all that were oppressed of the devil; for God was with him.” (Acts 10:38)

CURSING THE FIG TREE
The next morning on His way to Jerusalem, Jesus was hungry and found a fig tree. He found no fruit and cursed the tree. Mark 11:12-14

The next morning Jesus and the disciples passed the fig tree and found it withered. verses 20-22

Jesus responded by saying, “Have faith in God.” Then Jesus looked at a mountain nearby and told the apostles that by faith they could speak to that mountain to get up and throw itself into the sea. verses 22-24

Matthew recorded that Jesus specified how much faith was needed, like a mustard seed, which is an extremely small seed. Matthew 17:19-20

DEFINING FAITH
When Jesus spoke to the fig tree, His faith in God the Father released an action in the spirit world. The action in the spirit world was carried out by the Holy Spirit and even by holy angels. Is there any limitation on the Holy Spirit or holy angels? No, there is not.

In my personal life, I have faith in the electric power company that provides power to my house. However, I cannot completely trust the company because there are times when the power is lost due to downed lines.

I am not in despair when that happens because I have a generator that can provide power in an emergency. To build my faith that I will always have electricity, it is necessary to ensure the propane tank powering the generator is always filled up and the battery that starts the generator is operational.

The power company is reliable to 97%. God on the other hand is always 100% reliable. There is no need for a backup with God because He is there 24/7.
How do we generate faith in God? The answer is found in the Scriptures.

“So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.” (Romans 10:17)

My Heavenly Father is waiting to reward my faith in Him. This starting faith motivates the Holy Spirit to multiply my faith to such a degree that it releases the power of the Holy Spirit and holy angels to carry out my prayer request.

But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him. (Hebrews 11:6)

EXAMPLES OF FAITH

BREAKFAST MILK
Aina and I sat down to eat breakfast many years ago. I found to my dismay that the bottle of milk only contained a few drops. Aina took the bottle and asked God for a miracle so we could finish our meal. She then handed it back and told me to pour the milk on my cereal. There was more than enough milk to finish breakfast.

FIVE DISEASES
I was asked to visit a woman in our church, who reportedly had five diseases and was dying. Her husband had been told to prepare for her funeral. I went by myself to the hospital, anointed Fran with oil and laid hands on her, rebuked the demons, and asked God to heal her. Nothing happened and I left the hospital. The next day I was informed that Fran had been discharged from the hospital and was back home totally healed. She went on to live some 40 more years.

STAGE FIVE CANCER
Sometimes later I was asked by a deacon named Bud to pray for a co-worker at a mental hospital. Hope was waiting to die from stage 5 cancer. We laid hands on her, prayed the prayer of faith, and then left the hospital. The next day Bud returned to check on Hope and found her bed empty. He thought she died and went to the front desk and discovered she had been discharged that morning.

Hope stated that when we laid hands on her, a ball of fire came through the wall and went into her chest and down into her abdominal area where the cancer was located. All the pain was gone after it left her body; she was declared cancer free, accepted Christ, baptized in water, and became a member of our church.

LIFTING A CAR
Aina and our friend, Owe, went to an evangelistic meeting one evening. For some reason they needed to leave the meeting before it was over. They discovered that someone had parked their car in such a way that it was not possible for them leave the parking lot. Aina suggested to Owe that they pray and ask God to help them to lift the car and slide it to the side out of the way. They prayed and then put their hands under the bumper of the car, effortlessly lifted it, and moved it sideways just as Aina had prayed, allowing them to drive away.

DAMAGED SPINE
In one of our meetings in Sweden, a woman came forward for prayer because of back pain due to a spinal injury. She was only forty years old and on permanent disability. We prayed for her and then she left.

She contacted us the next morning and asked for more prayer. She stated the pain was worse and so we prayed the prayer of faith again. Nothing happened and she returned home in excruciating pain.

She came to the meeting the next day, and when I asked for testimonies, she recounted how she went home and that night awoke to find herself lifted two feet above the bed it felt like a hot iron going up and down her spine. Then she was gently lowered to the bed and she realized the chronic pain was gone. She got up and moved around the bedroom, bending over several times, and realized that she had been healed.

Four of her vertebrae had been fused with a steel plate and she went to see a doctor about verifying the healing. An X-ray revealed the steel plate was gone and her spine was totally healed. Needless to say, she lost her disability status and returned to work.

GOD CAN DO IT FOR YOU
What does this mean for you? God is not a respecter of persons; what He did for these people, He can also do for you.

“And Peter said unto him, Aeneas, Jesus Christ maketh thee whole: arise, and make thy bed. And he arose immediately.” (Acts 9:34)

If you need a healing, it is there for you.
If you need a financial miracle, it is there for you.
If you want the gift of faith, it is there in front of you.

“Believe me that I am in the Father, and the Father in me: or else believe me for the very works’ sake.

Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on me, the works that I do shall he do also; and greater works than these shall he do; because I go unto my Father.

And whatsoever ye shall ask in my name, that will I do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son. If ye shall ask any thing in my name, I will do it.

If ye love me, keep my commandments.” (John 14:11-15)

1. A Roman legion typically consisted of 4,000-6,000 soldiers, putting the number Jesus quoted at 48,000- 72,000.