And the apostles said unto the Lord, Increase our faith.
The disciples asked the Lord to give them greater faith. It is the prayer of every true child of God, to be made personally by all, since none exercise faith as they ought. Increased faith means more courage to work in faith, to hold fast to God's promises and to trust and obey His word even without other evidence. Exercising such faith is difficult, and unbelief blocks spiritual advance, so faith must be joined with earnest effort, for blessings are limited by weakness of faith and not by unwillingness in God to give. That prayer brings bold trust without fear, completeness of Christian character, strength to resist the enemy and to stand the test and trial ahead.
Prayer for Increased Faith
The verse records the disciples, as apostles, asking the Lord to increase their faith. Asking the Lord for greater faith is the prayer of the true child of God. It is to be made personally by all, since exercising faith is difficult and none are where they ought to be in it.
The prayer may be offered for another person, asking for the operation of the Holy Spirit to be felt on the mind and to bring into sacred nearness to God's heart of infinite love. It is also to be prayed by every church member kneeling in consecration of what Christ bought with His blood, praying for the speaker who holds forth the bread of life and striving earnestly to lay hold of a blessing for oneself.
The prayer for increased faith belongs with asking for deliverance from evil thoughts and perverse actions. It belongs with humbling of self before God, self-examination, asking Him to test the heart, and cleansing from every trace of sin. It belongs with asking for divine enlightenment and help, since without God nothing can be done, and with asking for understanding of God's word. It belongs with seeking the Spirit's presence earnestly and cherishing it continually, and with asking for humility, wisdom, and courage. It belongs with seeking a heart filled with God's love and refreshed by His presence, so that possessing so great a treasure leads to loving brethren as Christ has loved.
Nature of Genuine Faith
To increase faith is to ask for more faith and courage to labor in faith, to cling to divine promises, and to discern, value, and walk in the light, for Christ Himself is that light, to be grasped by living and walking in the light in the confidence that what is requested is received. Genuine faith rests upon the word and promises of God, to be trusted and obeyed even when no other evidence is present, and such reliance is not presumption. It does not merely look forward to unseen realities but is confirmed by looking back upon past experience, upon tangible outcomes, and upon the verification of God's word. It quickens the perceptions to work diligently for results and it elevates and ennobles the powers of the soul to lay hold upon the unseen. Exercising such faith is difficult, and none stand where they ought to stand in it, while unbelief remains the barrier to spiritual advance. Faith therefore must be united with earnest, zealous effort, lest Satan lead into unbelief and darkness, for the measure of blessing received is limited by weakness of faith rather than by any reluctance in God to give, since He is a source of power.
Life of Enlarged Faith
Praying for increased faith enables bold trust in God as salvation without fear, with the Lord Jehovah as strength and song, and makes completeness of Christian character possible. That same prayer belongs with asking for deliverance from evil thoughts and perverse actions, and with humbling oneself to ask God to test the heart and cleanse every trace of sin. Earnest prayer of this kind strengthens the soul and brings courage, hope, and peace.
Increased faith is needed for renewal in God's image and for loving and obeying His requirements, with divine enlightenment and help because without God people can do nothing. It makes believers strong to resist the enemy and, through Christ's love and self-giving, more than conquerors. The Holy Spirit, earnestly sought and continually cherished, gives believers power to become God's children. Greater faith is needed to stand the test and trial ahead and to endure, so the verse gives the prayer for the faith needed for that time.
The verse applies to trusting God to provide and direct events when the way forward is unclear and needed money is lacking, without losing confidence when human decisions have blocked a hoped-for source of help. It is also a personal prayer for greater faith so as to trust God completely when asking Him for relief from physical weakness, with assurance that He hears prayer offered in faith. The prayer seeks the faith needed to receive promised wisdom and to serve as God's co-worker. It is for living in the last days with troublous times before us, to become acquainted with His ministry of healing and with the mercy seat, trusting that He who understands necessities arranges advantages for workers in various places to arouse attention, knows the needs of the feeblest of His flock, sends His message into the highways and byways, loves with an everlasting love, and desires the light of His grace to shine from many places in gospel medical missionary work.
The disciples asked the Lord to give them greater faith. It is the prayer of every true child of God, to be made personally by all, since none exercise faith as they ought. Increased faith means more courage to work in faith, to hold fast to God's promises and to trust and obey His word even without other evidence. Exercising such faith is difficult, and unbelief blocks spiritual advance, so faith must be joined with earnest effort, for blessings are limited by weakness of faith and not by unwillingness in God to give. That prayer brings bold trust without fear, completeness of Christian character, strength to resist the enemy and to stand the test and trial ahead.
Prayer for Increased Faith
The verse records the disciples, as apostles, asking the Lord to increase their faith. Asking the Lord for greater faith is the prayer of the true child of God. It is to be made personally by all, since exercising faith is difficult and none are where they ought to be in it.
The prayer may be offered for another person, asking for the operation of the Holy Spirit to be felt on the mind and to bring into sacred nearness to God's heart of infinite love. It is also to be prayed by every church member kneeling in consecration of what Christ bought with His blood, praying for the speaker who holds forth the bread of life and striving earnestly to lay hold of a blessing for oneself.
The prayer for increased faith belongs with asking for deliverance from evil thoughts and perverse actions. It belongs with humbling of self before God, self-examination, asking Him to test the heart, and cleansing from every trace of sin. It belongs with asking for divine enlightenment and help, since without God nothing can be done, and with asking for understanding of God's word. It belongs with seeking the Spirit's presence earnestly and cherishing it continually, and with asking for humility, wisdom, and courage. It belongs with seeking a heart filled with God's love and refreshed by His presence, so that possessing so great a treasure leads to loving brethren as Christ has loved.
Nature of Genuine Faith
To increase faith is to ask for more faith and courage to labor in faith, to cling to divine promises, and to discern, value, and walk in the light, for Christ Himself is that light, to be grasped by living and walking in the light in the confidence that what is requested is received. Genuine faith rests upon the word and promises of God, to be trusted and obeyed even when no other evidence is present, and such reliance is not presumption. It does not merely look forward to unseen realities but is confirmed by looking back upon past experience, upon tangible outcomes, and upon the verification of God's word. It quickens the perceptions to work diligently for results and it elevates and ennobles the powers of the soul to lay hold upon the unseen. Exercising such faith is difficult, and none stand where they ought to stand in it, while unbelief remains the barrier to spiritual advance. Faith therefore must be united with earnest, zealous effort, lest Satan lead into unbelief and darkness, for the measure of blessing received is limited by weakness of faith rather than by any reluctance in God to give, since He is a source of power.
Life of Enlarged Faith
Praying for increased faith enables bold trust in God as salvation without fear, with the Lord Jehovah as strength and song, and makes completeness of Christian character possible. That same prayer belongs with asking for deliverance from evil thoughts and perverse actions, and with humbling oneself to ask God to test the heart and cleanse every trace of sin. Earnest prayer of this kind strengthens the soul and brings courage, hope, and peace.
Increased faith is needed for renewal in God's image and for loving and obeying His requirements, with divine enlightenment and help because without God people can do nothing. It makes believers strong to resist the enemy and, through Christ's love and self-giving, more than conquerors. The Holy Spirit, earnestly sought and continually cherished, gives believers power to become God's children. Greater faith is needed to stand the test and trial ahead and to endure, so the verse gives the prayer for the faith needed for that time.
The verse applies to trusting God to provide and direct events when the way forward is unclear and needed money is lacking, without losing confidence when human decisions have blocked a hoped-for source of help. It is also a personal prayer for greater faith so as to trust God completely when asking Him for relief from physical weakness, with assurance that He hears prayer offered in faith. The prayer seeks the faith needed to receive promised wisdom and to serve as God's co-worker. It is for living in the last days with troublous times before us, to become acquainted with His ministry of healing and with the mercy seat, trusting that He who understands necessities arranges advantages for workers in various places to arouse attention, knows the needs of the feeblest of His flock, sends His message into the highways and byways, loves with an everlasting love, and desires the light of His grace to shine from many places in gospel medical missionary work.