A Consistent Faith
You can watch the lives of many Christians and see that they are up one day and down the next. That has been the history of the Body of Christ. Do you know why this situation exists? It is because we go in our own strength. We try to produce love. We try to produce joy. We try to produce peace. We think we have to produce faith. But man has nothing in himself. You cannot produce love. You cannot produce joy. You cannot produce faith.
How do you change the structure of the roller coaster up-and-down experience into an experience that never falters but always remains steady?
- Here comes a problem. It hits you, but you keep going on.
- Here comes someone who curses you, but you keep loving them. You never falter.
- Here comes some sorrow in your life, but the joy stays effervescent and real.
- Here comes an experience where you think you are going to lose everything and you do not know where to turn, but the peace remains ever constant.
Nothing causes you to go up and down. Your experience stays steady, steadfast, immovable.
We need to realize that man has nothing in himself but what he receives from above. It is not your joy but it is Christ’s joy which is manifesting itself in you. It is not your peace but it is Christ’s peace which is manifesting itself in you. It is not your love; it is the love of God.
I want to ask an important question which gets right to the heart of our struggle. If we cannot produce love, if we cannot produce joy, if we cannot produce peace, will you tell me how you think that you or I can produce faith which is one of the greatest fruits of the Spirit?
The Bible says that the Lord Jesus is the Vine and you and I are the branches.
I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing. (John 15:5)
The branch cannot bear fruit in itself except it abide in the vine. The life is in the vine. The Father is the Husbandman. He tends it. He gave faith to Jesus Christ. Jesus Christ gives it to you and me. You and I are just branches. That is all. You are just a branch; you bear the fruit. You do not produce it; you bear it.
When it is God’s faith, it never changes. It never fluctuates. It is always there. The old roller coaster faith ride is gone. Your faith life is consistent because it is God’s faith extended in you and through you from the Vine (Jesus), through the branches (you), to the fruit (love, joy, peace, faith, etc.).
Make this declaration:
God’s faith is at work within me. It never changes. It never fluctuates. It is always there. My faith life is consistent because it is God’s faith extended in me and through me from the Vine (Jesus).
