Introduction: In this lesson we will study the God-Kind of faith. This is the same faith that believes and speaks (2Cor. 4: 13). Jesus demonstrated this kind of faith as we will see in our text.

 “And on the morrow, when they were come from Bethany, he [Jesus] was hungry: And seeing a fig tree afar off having leaves, he came, if haply he might find anything thereon: and when he came to it, he found nothing but leaves; for the time of figs was not yet. And Jesus answered and said unto it, No man eat fruit of thee hereafter forever. And his disciples heard it....”

“And in the morning, as they passed by, they saw the fig tree dried up from the roots. And Peter calling to remembrance saith unto him, Master, behold, the fig tree which thou cursedst is withered away. And Jesus answering saith unto them, HAVE FAITH IN GOD. For verily I say unto you, That whosoever shall SAY unto this mountain, Be thou removed, and be thou cast into the sea; and shall not doubt in his heart, but shall believe that those things which he SAITH shall come to pass; he shall have whatsoever he SAITH. Therefore I say unto you, What things soever ye desire, when ye pray, believe that ye receive them, and ye shall have them.” MARK 11:12-14, 20-24

As we read in these passages, the Lord said: “have faith in God”. Greek Scholars tell us this verse actually says, “Have the God-kind of faith”. What the Lord said as regards the cursing of the fig tree came to pass- it withered away. In verses 23 and 24, Jesus defines and describes for us the God-kind of faith He spoke about in verse 22. The God-kind of faith is the kind of faith whereby a man believes in his heart and says with his mouth what he believes in his heart, and it comes to pass. Jesus demonstrated that He had that kind of faith, for He believed that what He said would come to pass. He said to the tree, ". . . No man eat fruit of thee hereafter for ever" (Mark 11:14).

That is the same kind of faith that spoke this world into existence.

HEBREWS 11:3 - “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.”

How did God make the world? God believed that what He said would come to pass. He said, ". . . Let there be light . . ." (Gen. 1:3), and light became. God spoke into existence the vegetable kingdom (Gen. 1:11, 12). He spoke into existence the animal kingdom (Gen. 1:20-25).

God spoke into existence the heavens as well as the earth; He spoke into existence the moon, the sun, the stars, and the universe (Gen. 1:1, 8, 9, 14-18). God just said it, and it was so, because He believed it would be so. That's the God-kind of faith. God believed what He said would come to pass and it did. Jesus demonstrated He had that kind of faith, and then He said to the disciples that they had that same kind of faith too.

·        DON'T PRAY FOR FAITH - EXERCISE THE FAITH YOU ALREADY HAVE.

Someone said, "I want that kind of faith. I'm praying that God will give me that kind of faith." Well, you're wasting your time praying if you're praying for faith, because faith doesn't come by praying. In fact, if you are a believer, you already have that kind of faith. Every believer has a measure of the God-kind of faith (Rom. 12:3). The believer must now exercise the measure of faith he already possesses.

ROMANS 12:3 – “For I say, through the grace given unto me, to every man that is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think; but to think soberly, according as God hath dealt to EVERY MAN THE MEASURE OF FAITH.”

That is not referring to every person in the world. Every person in the world doesn't have the God-kind of faith. We know this because in writing to the Church in Thessalonica, Paul says, ". . . all men have not faith" (2 Thess. 3:2). So every man in the world does not have this faith. But every believer does! Romans 12:3 says, "... to every man THAT IS AMONG YOU. . . ." That is not talking about every man in the world, but about believers. Paul did not write this letter to sinners in the world. He addressed this letter, the Book of Romans, "To all that be in Rome, beloved of God, called to be SAINTS..."

(Rom. 1:7). Paul said, "... I say ... to every man that is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think; but to think soberly, according as God hath dealt to every man the measure of faith" (Rom. 12:3). Every believer - every child of God, every Christian does have a measure of the God-kind of faith. Let me prove this to you further.

·        FAITH IS A GIFT OF GOD.

EPHESIANS 2:8 - “For by grace are ye saved through FAITH; and that not of yourselves: it is THE GIFT OF GOD”

The faith by which you are saved is not of yourself. Paul is not talking about grace because everyone knows that grace is not of yourself. Paul is saying that the faith by which you are saved is not of yourselves. In other words, it is not a natural human faith. It is a faith given to the sinners by God. Well, how did God give the sinner faith to be saved? Romans 10:17 says, "So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God." Then notice these expressions, "So then faith cometh" and "according as God hath dealt" (Rom. 10:17; 12:3). And notice again Ephesians 2:8: ". . . ye [are] saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God." Paul says that this faith to be saved is given; it's dealt; it cometh. It cometh by hearing the Gospel preached.

ROMANS 10:8 – “But what saith it? The word is nigh thee, even in thy mouth, and in thy heart: that is, the WORD OF FAITH, which we PREACH.”

This Bible, this message of God, is called the word of faith. Why is it called the word of faith? Because the Bible contains words that are spirit and life (John 6:63) which cause faith to come into even the heart of the unsaved. The Word of God causes the same kind of faith to be dealt to our hearts that God used to speak the universe into existence. Faith is given or imparted to us through the Word. Hearing the Word brings faith. Read Romans 10:8 again, "But what saith it? The word is nigh thee, even in thy mouth, and in thy heart...." Notice that this verse agrees exactly with what Jesus said in Mark 11:23: "... whosoever shall say ... and shall not doubt in his heart...." Do you see the idea of believing with the heart and saying with your mouth what you believe in your heart? Jesus believed it and He said it. God believed it and He said it. The earth came into existence. God gives faith to the sinner to be saved ROMANS 10:9, 10

“That if thou shalt CONFESS WITH THY MOUTH the Lord Jesus, and shalt BELIEVE IN THINE HEART that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. For WITH THE HEART MAN BELIEVETH unto righteousness; and WITH THE MOUTH CONFESSION IS MADE UNTO salvation.”

We can see that a measure of faith is dealt to the sinner through hearing the Word. Then the sinner uses that faith to be saved. The sinner uses that faith to bring the reality of salvation into his own life. When did God save you? You may say, "Oh, on such and such a day." Well, you're mistaken because God saved you when Jesus died for you and rose from the dead nearly two thousand years ago. It only became a reality to you - in your life - when you believed it and confessed it. Every man and woman in this world has a legal right to salvation because Jesus died for the whole world, not just for you and me.  Titus 2: 11.

Every person has a right to hear the Gospel because salvation was bought and paid for, for everyone in the world, not just for you and me. When the truth of the Word is preached to the sinner, it causes faith to come. When he believes and confesses the truth - that Jesus is his Lord - he creates the reality of it in his own life by his faith.

ROMANS 10:13, 14, 17 – “For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved. How then shall they call on him in whom they have not believed? and how shall they believe in him of whom they have not heard? and how shall they hear without a preacher?”

Verse 17- “So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.”

The same thing is true of anything that you receive from God. The God-kind of faith comes by hearing God's Word. You know, God doesn't have any other kind of faith except the God-kind. That is the only kind He has! This God-kind of faith comes by hearing, and the hearing by the Word of God. In other words, God gives the God-kind of faith, or causes it to come into the hearts of those who hear the Word of God. No wonder Jesus said, "Take heed what you hear" (Mark 4:24). You cannot let the Word go in one ear and out the other because it won't do you any good that way. Faith won't come. But when you accept the Word of God reverently and sincerely, and act upon it, faith comes into your heart.

CONCLUSION:

It is important for us to remember always that the God-Kind of faith can be accessed through hearing of the word of God. We dwell majorly on this key word ‘hearing’ in perspective of what the Lord taught the disciples as regards belief and undoubted declaration. May you receive grace not to be dull of hearing in Jesus mighty name.

Important Note: This teaching is the explicit teaching of Kenneth E. Hagin culled from his book “Faith Bible Study Guide”.

Contributor: Martins Olubiyi