Increase Our Faith

Adapted from a sermon by Zane Gray

Introduction
I. The apostles said unto the Lord, "increase our faith" (Luke 17:5).

II. People are going to meet some problems in this world and
they are going to need an increase in their faith.

A. We are faced with the everyday problems of life.

B. Faced with temptations of the flesh.

C. Faced with the temptations that come from living in this fluent society.
1. We are able to have a great many things that are not really good for us.
2. As we live from day to day, there is a real need that we have an increase
in our faith.

Body
I. What do we really mean when we say, "Increase Our Faith"?

A. The apostles were rebuked for not being able to perform a miracle.
1. They didn't have the faith or the confidence in the power of God to do so.
2. So really, what they needed was an increase in their confidence in God.

B. The Jews that came out of Egypt with Moses had confidence in God
and His promises.
1. When God held back the water at the Red Sea, they had confidence
in God that He would deliver them from the Egyptians.
2. But later when Moses went up on Mt. Sinai to receive the law they lost
their confidence in God because Moses was gone such a long time.
a. They built themselves a golden calf in which to place their confidence.
b. Do you think they did these things because they didn't believe in God?
1) Certainly not.
2) They did it because they didn't have enough confidence in God.
3) Every time they failed it was because they didn't have hardly enough
confidence to cause their actions to be what they ought to have
been - and so we have their example.

C. But now lets go to this side of the cross.
1. We can see that the same kinds of problems exist in our age that
existed then.
2. Over the years there have probably been more that have drifted away
from the faith than have remained true.
a. How many do you know who became Christians but who
are no longer worshiping God?
b. How many do you suppose there are who have
worshiped here, but have since given up the faith?
1) All kinds of excuses are made.
2) But whatever the reason they give, the basic problem is
always - a lack of faith.
c. It may be that they have been overcome by the every
day problems that every one of us have to face.
1) Having to go forth in the world and make a living,
facing those who are not Christians, being associated with
them, this may be a problem with some.
2) But if their faith is strong enough they can meet that adversary.
d. Or maybe they have been overcome by the lust of the flesh, and engaged
in the sin of fornication, and this has been their problem.
1) But again, they could have stood if they had enough faith.
e. Those that fall away, for what ever excuse they give, the real reason,
(cause) is a lack of faith.
1) Not a lack of faith in God himself, as to His existence.
2) But it is a lack of confidence in the promises that he has made, either
good or bad.

II. The Strength of our Christianity is Really Based on the Amount of
Confidence that we have in God.

A. What ever temptations we have, what ever we face, whether or not we
stand faithful is determined by the amount of our confidence in God and
His promises.

B. If we can truly believe that there is such a place as heaven, and that God
says we can go there if we do certain things - if we truly believe, our lives
will measure up.

C. When we fail it is because we don't hardly believe the promises made or
that there is the power to back it.

III. How Do we Obtain an Increase in Faith?

A. Someone would say, "Well, a prayer - apostles prayed asking God to
increase their faith".
1. Certainly there is nothing wrong with asking for an increase in faith.
a. The apostles did it and we ought to do it.
b. But it would be foolish to say, "Lord increase our faith", and not decide
how it is that that faith is to be increased.
c. You must understand that you must accept the responsibility of doing
what you can do for yourself.
1) God has never given anybody anything which he could achieve for
himself.
2) One must do all that he can do for himself and understand that
God will help.
3) The Jews came up against nations much stronger then they were.
a) They asked for help and God helped them.
b) But he didn't just strike their enemies dead, he helped them
through their efforts.
i. They had to obey through faith.
2. We pray for our daily bread - we are supposed to.
a. But that doesn't mean that we are to set down and fold our hands
and say, "Lord, give me my daily bread".
1) If we do this we'll starve to death.
2) The same thing is true with "increase in faith".
3) We can pray from now on, but if that is all we do we will
not accomplish anything.
b. So, we need to understand how that the increase in our faith is going
to come about.

B. The record says, faith comes by hearing the Word of God.
1. Someone might say, that means that there is a God.
a. I don't really believe that it does.
b. You can believe in a creator without ever reading or hearing
anything from the Bible.
1) Psalms 19:1 "The heavens declare the glory of God; and the
firmament showeth His handiwork."
2) There is much evidence to the fact that there is a Creator, aside
from the Bible.
3) You could totally reject the Bible and still have to believe in some
supernatural power.
4) But that is not the kind of faith that the Christian has to have.
i. The Christian has to have faith or confidence in the promises of
God that are revealed in the pages of the Book that God has
given us.
c. King Agrippa believed the prophets, which is to say that he believed in
God, but he did not obey after Paul preached Christ unto him.
d. It wasn't that he didn't have faith, he didn't have confidence.
2. John 20:21 "And many other signs truly did Jesus in the presence of
his disciples, which are not written in this book: but these are written,
that ye might believe that Jesus is the Christ, the son of God; and that
believing ye might have life through his name."
a. "...these things were written...may believe..."
b. Or, in order that we might have CONFIDENCE.
Acts 2:22 "Ye men of Israel, hear these words; Jesus of Nazareth, a
man approved of God among you by miracles and wonders and signs,
which God did by him in the midst of you, as ye yourselves also
know."
1) We need to hear words about Jesus Christ, from both the Old and
New Testament.
2) But we especially need to hear words of Jesus Christ as revealed
through His apostles as they were inspired to speak and to write.

C. All of our faith is based upon evidence. Heb. 11:1 "Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen."
1. Faith is the foundation of our hope and it is based on proof beyond
the limits of science.
a. Anything that goes beyond that which we can know for certain by one
of our five senses has to come under the idea of faith.
b. But it has to be brought about by evidence.
2. The measure of our faith is proportional to the evidence that we have
heard, understood, and accepted.
a. And the amount of our faith is always seen in our actions.
b. Faith is manifested by actions.
3. The rest of this chapter is really a proof of this point.
a. The 8th verse is one example: Abram "obeyed and went out not
knowing whether he went".
1) How strong was his faith?
2) He had enough confidence that he would go blindly, not knowing
where, but under the instructions of God.
3) God didn't have to prove anything, he had confidence.
4) That confidence led him to go out.
a) Now he could have believed in A god yet not believed in the
God of Israel.
b) He could have demanded proof asked for more evidence that
God could do what he said, as did Gideon who asked God to
cause the dew to fall on a fleece of wool - then for the ground
to be wet and the fleece dry.
c) Abram didn't need that - that's the reason he is such an example
of one who had faith.
b. Abram was called on to do something that is almost unbelievable - to
take a son and slay him.
1) We might could understand Abram going, he might not have been
too happy in the land of Chaldea anyway.
2) But you can't reason away this last act of faith.
3) He pasted this last test.
c. What about us?
1) Are we passing the tests that are given us daily?
2) If our actions are not right, or if we don't take the necessary and
proper actions, then our confidence is not strong enough.
3) So we have a great need for an increase in our faith.
4) God makes faith possible, but it takes a conscious effort to achieve.
a) The Berians - Acts 17:11
b) This is part of what is involved when we talk about the kind of
effort that we have to put forth in order to pass God's tests, to
prove to him that we have confidence in him.

B. We have already mentioned the fact that faith is based on evidence.
1. The evidence that we depend on for proof is testimony, just as in a
court of law.
a. A lawyer, in presenting his case, will have witnesses take the stand -
witnesses whose credibility cannot be shaken.
1) These witnesses will give their testimony.
2) The jury is instructed to pay attention and to make their decision
based upon the testimony of men.
3) If there is enough evidence to constitute proof, one way or the
other, they reach a verdict.
b. The testimony for our faith comes form that which has been revealed
to us in the Bible.
1) If you don't have confidence in God, then you need to learn to
trust him.
2) Example: If you got into a car with someone you knew nothing
about, and you were driving but you couldn't see to your right,
you wouldn't have enough confidence in him to let him tell you
if anything was coming before pulling onto the highway. But if
it was someone you trusted or had confidence in you could do
that. Point is you learned to trust this person.
3) It cost the tax payers a lot of money when a jury can't reach
a verdict, and they just keep wasting time, and no doubt
sometimes it is simply because some just didn't pay close enough
attention so as to be able to make a decision.
4) If you haven't reached a verdict, or come to the decision that what
God has said is true and that you are going to trust Him, then don't
you think that it is time to start looking at the evidence and quit
being a "doubting Thomas" as the saying goes.
c. Thomas rejected the testimony of the other apostles when they said,
"We saw Jesus today".
1) He said, "Unless I can feel the nail prints in his hand and thrust my
hand in his side I'm not going to believe".
2) Eight days later Christ comes and he tells Thomas to come forth
and feel those nail prints and thrust his hand in his side and Thomas
says, "I believe".
3) This is where we get the expression, "Doubting Thomas", but we
ought to be grateful that it took that kind of evidence because these
men's testimony became that upon which is based our evidence for
the Christian religion.
4) These men demanded proof and therefore, when they gave us their
testimony it was worth something.
a) Luke 24:48 "were witnesses" - they were eye witnesses.
b) Without this we really could not have the kind of faith or
confidence that we talk about and need so desperately.
2. We should not be afraid to test the Bible against any evidence that
someone might think that they have against it.
a. If someone claims that the Bible has contradictions don't be afraid...
b. If someone claims that it is out of harmony with science......
c. If someone claims that it is out of harmony with history.....
d. What ever evidence is brought against the Bible, don't be afraid to
study it open mindedly with the attitude that you are going to
believe what is most rational.
i. This is the way to increase your faith.
e. If you are afraid to do this - if you are afraid to put your religion to the
test, you don't have, nor ever will have, confidence in God, until you
change.
1) You can build your confidence by reading the Bible, but that
isn't all that you can do for yourself.
2) There are many books on evidences of Christianity and they
too build faith.

IV. What is the Result of an Increase in Confidence?

A. First think about the non-Christian's need for an increase in faith.
1. There is probably no one here that does not believe that God is, and that
Christ is His divine Son, yet there are some here who are not Christians.
2. What do you suppose the solution is?
a. Yes, an increase in confidence is needed.
b. When that confidence is obtained there will be repentance and
conversion.
c. If someone lived below a dam and he was told by someone who
he had confidence in that it had broken he would act upon the faith that
something terrible would happen if he didn't get to high ground quick.
i. It would not only be foolish to not listen, it would be suicide.
d. The very idea of not believing what God has promised and acting
foolishly, even committing spiritual suicide!
f. How important it is that we learn who we can trust and that we
take action through faith when our well being demands it.

B. For those that are Christians, we also need an increase in faith.
1. The clearest indication I can see of this is a lack of action.
a. We aren't seeing enough action among Christians.
b. People are not fulfilling their responsibilities.
c. This is clear evidence that we need an increase in our faith.
2. It would seem logical that an increase in faith among the members
of a congregation would result in a number of changes.
a. More personal work.
b. More work put into lessons that are presented.
c. More in attendance, (morning and night) and
d. The contributions made to carry on the work of the Lord will increase.

C. An increase in our faith will demand that we stay with the Book.
1. When people don't stay with the Book it is also evidence of lack of faith.
a. So, there are many who need an increase in faith for this reason.
b. Even some of our brethren who are doing things that are contray to the
pattern, need an increase in faith.
2. Any time we get away from the Book and do things our own way, it's
time that we try to increase our faith.

D. If Christianity is to be spread today we must have an increase in our faith.
1. Most of us will admit that we aren't doing all that we could be doing.
2. So really, every one of us needs to think about what we can do to achieve
an increase in our faith.
Conclusion
I. Where Do You Stand Before God Today?

A. Are you one that believes that God is and that Christ is who
he said He was, that He came into this world and gave his
life, but it hasn't really effected your life?
1. If it hasn't effected your life your faith isn't strong enough yet.
2. You have not believed that testimony to the extent that
obedience followed.
3. If you could just have confidence that there is a hell
and that those that don't obey God will go there, you
would be motivated to obey.
4. If you could just have confidence that there is a heaven
and that those that have enough faith will go there, you
would be motivated to obey.

B. If someone who you have complete confidence in told you
something which demanded quick action in order to preserve
your physical well being, you would take that action.
1. For instance, if your doctor told you of some action that
you must take, whether to do something or quit something
that you are doing, or you would die soon, if you had the
confidence in him you would some how muster up the will
power to do what was necessary.
2. Do you have confidence in Jesus?
a. He says that those that obey Him not will be punished
throughout eternity in an awful place.
b. But He also says that those that obey Him will live in
heaven with him.
c. Whether you are a Christian or not, the action you take,
or fail to take action, will show God and others,
just how much confidence you have in God.
d. Whether you take action or not will also determine where
you are throughout eternity.

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