Add to Your Faith
Faith is not enough. Does it surprise you that I say that? According to Peter in his letter to the churches of Asia Minor, to be productive, we need to include a few other qualities in our behavior and character.
“But also for this very reason, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue, to virtue knowledge,” and he goes on with other qualities (2 Peter 1:5, NKJV).
We grow in the Lord by being diligent and dedicated to the process of adding virtue (i.e., Power) and Knowledge, or discernment, to our faith. Faith without power is assurance without acceleration. There we stand, going nowhere. Faith must join with power to bring about what we hope for. The woman with the issue of blood, who we discussed in previous writings, had the faith to crawl across the ground and reach for the hem of Jesus’ robe. It was that faith that unlocked the power of healing into her body. Remember, Jesus realized someone had touched Him and said, “Somebody touched Me, for I perceived power going out from Me” (Luke 8:46, NKJV).
"FAITH WITHOUT POWER
IS ASSURANCE WITHOUT
ACCELERATION." --Victor Torres
Add power to your faith. Then add knowledge.
When Peter uses the word knowledge, he is talking about discernment – the readers of his letter knew what he meant. Here’s what he was getting at: once God’s power is added to our faith, we must know what to do with it. Plain and simple.
Status will not provide that knowledge. Doing the right things won’t separate the truth of God from the turmoil of the circumstances around us. Education will not supply that understanding, even in this technology-supported, carelessly-educated society. Only faith in the Source of all goodness causes us to receive power and insight of His Holy Spirit.
Knowing God is the only way to know His plan. Are you close to Him? Are you trusting Him to speak through His Spirit to yours? Can you perceive the things of God and understand His Word? The usual path to success does not apply to you. The world’s way to live joyously will not work in your life. So forget all that.
The road to spiritual richness is described perfectly in The Living Bible’s translation of 2 Peter 1:5-9.
But to obtain these gifts, you need more than faith; you must also work hard to be good, and even that is not enough. For then you must learn to know God better and discover what he wants you to do. Next, learn to put aside your own desires so that you will become patient and godly, gladly letting God have his way with you. This will make possible the next step, which is for you to enjoy other people and to like them, and finally you will grow to love them deeply. The more you go on in this way, the more you will grow strong spiritually and become fruitful and useful to our Lord Jesus Christ. But anyone who fails to go after these additions to faith is blind indeed, or at least very shortsighted and has forgotten that God delivered him from the old life of sin so that now he can live a strong, good life for the Lord.
Freedom and healing are yours not through self-assurance but in God-dependence as you add to your faith.
Lord, You are faithful. You are a God of love, mercy, and grace. I believe in You. I trust and rely on You. Give me the understanding of the Word to see beyond what is happening to me. Give me a vision for the great things You are causing in me, and accomplishing through me. I have faith that You have a plan and it is for my good because I am Your child.
Amen.
