By Brenda Groves
The Post Newspaper Contributing Writer
Some years ago, I recall a friend who asked me if I would run an errand for her. It seemed she had left some important papers at her home and needed me to retrieve them and bring them to her as she couldn’t leave her job right then.
She gave me her house key and told me where I would find the papers. I made it to her house, went inside and sure enough the papers were just where she said they would be. I scooped them up and delivered them to her.
Well, I’ve been going over some teachings about the balance between grace and faith. And this simple event with my friend goes along with this principle.
Grace is being what God has already provided for us, and faith is our positive response in receiving from God.
Some people believe that everything is up to God. That nothing happens apart from His plan and will. Still, others believe that it is our faith that moves God, and without faith, God will not move on our behalf.
I believe that scripture proves that it is a balance between the two. Similar to my friend’s request, I had to listen to her, believe her, and act on that belief. It took some faith for me to put forth the effort to go by her house, believe that the key would work and the items were on the table, go after the paperwork, and bring it back with me.
And at any time I could have failed at obtaining the goal. I could have told her “no.” I could have begun to doubt her and turned around and gone another way. My vehicle could have had a flat along the way and delayed the arrival time. There could have been some construction on her road and I needed to take a detour. I could have been distracted with a department store sale (now that’s a real possibility) or pulled over for a nap along the way.
A number of things could have taken place between here and there to keep me from retrieving those papers, but my friend was still trustworthy and the papers would still be there waiting for me to get them.
See, our faith does not motivate God to do something, yet when we believe in God’s word, our faith will kick in, and we will speak His word, a declaration of our faith in His word will motivate us to have a positive response. Where there is true faith, there will be corresponding actions. When you believe it HAS BEEN provided, then you will reach in and take it. You will go after His promises.
“Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things unseen.” Heb. 11:1
You know when they do radiation, they point a beam of light into the person’s body, aiming at the cancer to try and kill it before waiting to see if it worked.
Our faith/belief/words/actions are the “beam” that goes directly into the problem and allows GOD’S power to flow.
But here is the heart of it all: I know my friend very well, I know that she loves me, is not holding out on me and would never do anything to intentionally harm me. And I trust in that love and I NEVER doubted that the papers would not be there.
So when you know the true nature of our loving God, and His love toward you, that mustard size seed of faith will rise to the top! For example, in the area of healing, when you know you’ve ALREADY received the healing, that it’s already been provided. In the Spirit world you have already been healed, then you can say:
“Thank you, Father God for loving me, and providing my healing through your Son Jesus Christ, and now I receive that healing and I take my authority over cancer, infection, (or whatever your physical/emotional/financial burden) and I’m speaking directly to that Cancer, that “by the stripes of Jesus I was healed,” so I command you to GO in Jesus’ name! And I am commanding my body (etc.) to line up with the word of God.
“Liver you are healed, blood count be normal, fever GO, lungs breath … “
Again, there can be many variables that can keep us from receiving our healing. That’s when we ask God for wisdom. “Father, I know that you have healed me already, but is there something else I need to do, or know to see it manifested in my body?”
But you are not motivating God to heal you, or prosper you, or save your family. God was motivated by His Son and in His atoning sacrifice for us. We are just believing and coming into agreement with His word that is “already established in Heaven.”
I wish I could speak to you face-to-face because there is so much more I could say here about this. And I don’t profess to know everything, but what I have learned and received through believing in God’s goodness and what His word teaches has transformed my life forever!!!! It has opened up a whole new relationship in how I view God and relate to Him.
LOVE HAS PROVIDED A WAY!
His name is Jesus.
Contact Brenda Groves at: bkgroves1996@yahoo.com
