The Apostle Paul writes that faith is the substance—meaning assured confidence—of things hoped for rooted in the evidence of things not seen. There is so much that we do not and cannot see that is real and rooted in fact. You know, we don’t see wind either but we see and experience evidence of it everyday. The howling of the wind that we hear is not actually the wind sounding off but the obstruction that is resistant to the wind. The howling noise is the sound of restless resistance. If we move in harmony with the wind, instead of holding us back, the powerful force of the wind propels us. God is like the wind driving to impact our lives by experience—everyday.
Things happen in the world that you did not see happen with your eyes but when you hear or read about it you will agree took place. Some of the things might even be hard to believe but you choose to believe it. You even gotten burned believing things by faith that perhaps you should have investigated more carefully. But you go on believing things by faith that you haven’t seen yourself. So then why is it so difficult to believe in the promises and assurances of God made known to us in His Word? Paul made it his point to state clearly that he is confident—always confident—living by faith based on the evidence of God’s touch on his life even though he cannot see God with his eyes.
“You don’t have enough faith,” Jesus told them. “I tell you the truth, if you had faith even as small as a mustard seed, you could say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it would move. Nothing would be impossible.” Matthew 17:20 (NLT)
Jesus spoke about the reality of the Kingdom of God that is unseen to the finite human mind. He was illustrating the assurance of faith in this unseen reality.
It is like a mustard seed planted in the ground. It is the smallest of all seeds, but it becomes the largest of all garden plants; it grows long branches, and birds can make nests in its shade.” Mark 4:31-32 (NLT)
The mustard seed only starts out small. The mustard seed as tiny as it is represents the seed of faith. Until the seed grows it is only a seed; a useless seed if it is allowed to remain as a seed. The seed needs to be planted in the ground, nurtured and cultivated. The seed needs light. It needs to be watered and fed. Unless these things happen the seed remains a seed; a lifeless seed.
Jesus referred to the mustard seed to make the point about faith since it is the smallest among seeds. As the mustard seed is nurtured, it grows into something largely alive. It becomes the largest of all garden plants, with branches so long and lush that birds make nests in the shade of its branches. What happens in the nests of the birds? More nurturing. More life!
While Jesus did say that something as small as a mustard seed can tell a mountain to move from this place to that place; what he meant was that faith, when it is nurtured and fed to grow into something amazing can and will have the power so beyond anything you are capable of on your own. It is when faith grows into confidence that we are empowered to move mountains in our recovery-from-selfish-sin experience. It is full-grown faith—at the very least growing faith—that contains within it life and resurrection power.
NLX 101 challenges participants to examine their own life through questions targeting the issue of faith and confidence in their relationship with God that He will do what He says He will do. The lesson acknowledges struggles with fear and doubt is natural to the human experience and challenges participants to consider how big God is no matter how small they feel through increased confidence by faith to trust Him.