Put on that kettle...

Have you ever put a kettle of water to boil and come back in fifteen minutes to find to your shock and dismay the kettle and indeed the water therein still as cold as when you left it? Why? Because someone (you?!) forgot to light the fire or put the kettle on! This is a common occurrence for most people; we don’t get the desired result because we do not do what is necessary on the onset to get that result.

I spent some time reading the eleventh chapter of Paul’s epistle to the Hebrews a while a go and one thing that stood out to me was that reoccurring phrase ‘by faith’! You can also say ‘through faith’ or as a result of faith; meaning that faith must of necessity work on the raw material to give you a desired outcome or product! Therefore faith is an active agent! Faith is the electricity, the light, and the fire beneath the kettle that boils the water upon it! The texture, temperature, form and even characteristics of the water changes when you introduce the fire. The form, texture, and characteristics of your struggles, trials, and life can and will change when faith is brought into the equation.

I am dismayed when believers define faith as ‘the substance of things …’ literally quoting Hebrews 11:1 (we are all guilty of this I assure you!). Dismayed because we quote without personal knowledge! I believe this only gives us the quality and manner of faith, rather than the real form of faith. Because Faith is not faith until there is a corresponding action (lighting the fire beneath the kettle believing that that action will cause the water to boil!). Faith then is believing and acting on your belief! Simple isn’t it? What then do you believe? What action have you taken in light of your belief!

Then again, we need to examine what we believe! Wrong belief is like putting an empty kettle on the fire, you risk burning your home! The fire will burn, but there is no water in the kettle! The Bible tells us that we should believe only the report of the Lord! We should only take to heart and meditate on those things God has said. Therefore, what should you believe? You should believe that you are the righteousness of God in Christ, you are the head and not the tail, a victor and not a victim, you are healed by the stripes of Jesus, and the list goes on! If you believe anything other than this, you will not get your desired result of righteousness, a sanctified life, victory, success, health, kids, husband, job etc

Many of us are living beneath our potential because we do not realize the potential of faith. Hebrews 11:33-34 talking about the heroes of faith says:

“… who through faith subdued kingdoms, worked righteousness, obtained promises, stopped the mouth of lions, quenched the violence of fire, escaped the edge of the sword, out of weakness were made strong, became valiant in battle, turned to flight the armies of the aliens.”

God has made you a King and a priest in this world, you not only can but are expected to subdue kingdoms, work righteousness, obtain for yourself Gods promises to you, do everything in Heb11:33-34! And the doorway to these exploits is …you got it! –FAITH!! When you believe you can do these things simply because God says you can, and you live out your belief, practice and walk in the reality of the truth you believe no thing can stop you! You will get what you believe. Your faith will cause that that you have entrusted to it to change texture, temperature, form and even characteristics you will obtain the promise!

But where is the source of faith? Is it imparted by the laying on of hands, or is it gotten by inspiration? Faith quite simply is a gift from God, imparted in measure to believers. God gives every man a measure of faith, but you can increase your measure! You can build your faith; you can expand your horizons to receive even more from God than you hitherto have! You can your measure of faith by simple study and meditation (pondering and muttering Gods word to yourself until that word and the truth therein sinks into your spirit and your heart and you become one with the word) of Gods eternal word. Not just knowing the word, but KNOWING (as you know your breath and life) the word – bible scholars will call this Rhema!