When we add our faith, to the Lord's faith, we don't just get the same faith, we get so *much* more!

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Gottservant

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Hi there!

I like to think of Paul's faith in the Letters to the Churches, as reflective of the growing faith the Churches have in the Lord. It is not that we come to faith and hold fast to the Lord, and that is all; rather, we come to faith and a bond is formed between His faith and ours. This is powerful; it is powerful because it is a similar bond to all the other believers already in faith in the Lord. What makes it hard to see, is that the Holy Spirit has not yet been revealed in the world (the fire at Pentecost and the vision of the dove at the Lord's baptism, yes, but not yet the pouring out of the Holy Spirit as promised - exact verse unknown). What I want for you to have, is the idea that this spread of little faiths, combined with the Great Faith of our Lord, is not just a little stronger, it is a lot lot lot stronger.

What powers does really really strong faith have? Remember that Jesus just had to speak and people fell over! I think it is important because it stops people questioning "sin", stirs in them a desire to be righteous (not just for a moment, but for life) and helps them from just going back to sin, when they feel weak. In other words, our "little" faith combined with everyone else's and the Lord's bring about or helps bring about the conversion of the world. This "conversion" is fundamentally what the Devil wants to challenge at this stage - be warned!

This faith is a gentle and meek faith, like the faith of our Lord, it does not need to boast. Paul certainly never boasted that he had all the inspiration of the Holy Spirit that he had - he was just answering his calling. Like Paul, our faith will combine with the Lord's and create an impression on the world. Take Gideon's example, merely by creating sudden light and great noise, he caused the enemies they faced to attack each other! I mean, really! Well done, brothers and sisters, you have become part of something very very important - may you have the Wisdom to hold it and the Compassion to keep it growing (in Jesus' Name Amen).

It is a marvel to the world, that they did not think to combine faith, the way the Lord does. This "marvel" will lead them away to their own nations and will result in greater faith among the nations, not for "anything" but for the coming of the Lord. This is the beginning of what will be the foundation for the Lord's rule. Conviction will break out!

I hope this has been of some encouragement.

God bless.

PS. Try to visualise that faith, in spirit and in truth, with the Holy Spirit and the Lord, into the future (to the end of your life) - that's what's coming!
 
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Anchorite

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Great encouragement from @Gottservant !

When the apostles asked Jesus to increase their faith, Jesus told them to increase their obedience. Growing faith is a result of becoming more disciplined in doing the will of God.

Luke 17

5 The apostles said to the Lord, “Increase our faith!”

6 And the Lord said, “If you had faith like a grain of mustard seed, you could say to this mulberry tree, ‘Be uprooted and planted in the sea,’ and it would obey you.

7 “Will any one of you who has a servant plowing or keeping sheep say to him when he has come in from the field, ‘Come at once and recline at table’?

8 Will he not rather say to him, ‘Prepare supper for me, and dress properly, and serve me while I eat and drink, and afterward you will eat and drink’?

9 Does he thank the servant because he did what was commanded?

10 So you also, when you have done all that you were commanded, say, ‘We are unworthy servants; we have only done what was our duty.’”
 
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Brakelite

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Great encouragement from @Gottservant !

When the apostles asked Jesus to increase their faith, Jesus told them to increase their obedience. Growing faith is a result of becoming more disciplined in doing the will of God.

Luke 17

5 The apostles said to the Lord, “Increase our faith!”

6 And the Lord said, “If you had faith like a grain of mustard seed, you could say to this mulberry tree, ‘Be uprooted and planted in the sea,’ and it would obey you.

7 “Will any one of you who has a servant plowing or keeping sheep say to him when he has come in from the field, ‘Come at once and recline at table’?

8 Will he not rather say to him, ‘Prepare supper for me, and dress properly, and serve me while I eat and drink, and afterward you will eat and drink’?

9 Does he thank the servant because he did what was commanded?

10 So you also, when you have done all that you were commanded, say, ‘We are unworthy servants; we have only done what was our duty.’”
It's awesome you linked faith to obedience. Revelation 12:17 and Revelation 14:12 does the same thing in respect to God's end time people. Notice also who's faith out speaks of. No longer is it ours. It's the faith of Jesus.
 
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Brakelite

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What makes it hard to see, is that the Holy Spirit has not yet been revealed in the world (the fire at Pentecost
You are thinking of the latter rain. The former rain, which waters the seed and brings the plant to life, must precede the latter rain, which grows the fruit and prepares the plants for harvest.

“24 Neither say they in their heart, Let us now fear the LORD our God, that giveth rain, both the former and the latter, in his season: he reserveth unto us the appointed weeks of the harvest. 25 Your iniquities have turned away these things, and your sins have withholden good things from you. ”
Jeremiah 5:24-25 KJV

“Then shall we know, if we follow on to know the LORD: his going forth is prepared as the morning; and he shall come unto us as the rain, as the latter and former rain unto the earth. ”
Hosea 6:3 KJV

“Be glad then, ye children of Zion, and rejoice in the LORD your God: for he hath given you the former rain moderately, and he will cause to come down for you the rain, the former rain, and the latter rain in the first month. ”
Joel 2:23 KJV

The former rain was Pentecost. The latter rain as you said is of far greater magnitude in preaching with great power the final warning message to mankind, Revelation 14:6-12 and 18:5.. But don't be deceived by a false latter rain. The false prophet in Revelation 13 calls down a false fire down from heaven. This could be a false revival and a false pentecostal type spirit bringing great excitement and emotional feelings to many, but no real change of heart and repentance. Such a deception will carry away many.
 
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KUWN

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Hi there!

I like to think of Paul's faith in the Letters to the Churches, as reflective of the growing faith the Churches have in the Lord. It is not that we come to faith and hold fast to the Lord, and that is all; rather, we come to faith and a bond is formed between His faith and ours. This is powerful; it is powerful because it is a similar bond to all the other believers already in faith in the Lord. What makes it hard to see, is that the Holy Spirit has not yet been revealed in the world (the fire at Pentecost and the vision of the dove at the Lord's baptism, yes, but not yet the pouring out of the Holy Spirit as promised - exact verse unknown). What I want for you to have, is the idea that this spread of little faiths, combined with the Great Faith of our Lord, is not just a little stronger, it is a lot lot lot stronger.

What powers does really really strong faith have? Remember that Jesus just had to speak and people fell over! I think it is important because it stops people questioning "sin", stirs in them a desire to be righteous (not just for a moment, but for life) and helps them from just going back to sin, when they feel weak. In other words, our "little" faith combined with everyone else's and the Lord's bring about or helps bring about the conversion of the world. This "conversion" is fundamentally what the Devil wants to challenge at this stage - be warned!

This faith is a gentle and meek faith, like the faith of our Lord, it does not need to boast. Paul certainly never boasted that he had all the inspiration of the Holy Spirit that he had - he was just answering his calling. Like Paul, our faith will combine with the Lord's and create an impression on the world. Take Gideon's example, merely by creating sudden light and great noise, he caused the enemies they faced to attack each other! I mean, really! Well done, brothers and sisters, you have become part of something very very important - may you have the Wisdom to hold it and the Compassion to keep it growing (in Jesus' Name Amen).

It is a marvel to the world, that they did not think to combine faith, the way the Lord does. This "marvel" will lead them away to their own nations and will result in greater faith among the nations, not for "anything" but for the coming of the Lord. This is the beginning of what will be the foundation for the Lord's rule. Conviction will break out!

I hope this has been of some encouragement.

God bless.

PS. Try to visualise that faith, in spirit and in truth, with the Holy Spirit and the Lord, into the future (to the end of your life) - that's what's coming!
You might want to think of this: Jesus does not have faith. An omniscient Being can not have faith. They can have faithfulness, but not faith.
 

Anchorite

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You might want to think of this: Jesus does not have faith. An omniscient Being can not have faith. They can have faithfulness, but not faith.
The human side of Jesus did exercise faith and trust in God the Father, just like the rest of us. If Jesus did not have to exercise faith, He did not participate fully in the human experience.

Jesus grew in stature with God and man.

Hebrews 5:8 states: "Although he was a son, he learned obedience through what he suffered."

This explains that while Jesus was the divine Son of God, He fully embraced the human experience, choosing to undergo the ultimate test of submitting to God’s will, even unto death on the cross. Jesus had to exercise faith to learn obedience.

In Gethsemane, Jesus asked God if the cup of God’s wrath could pass from Him. But Jesus concluded that God’s will be done, rather than Jesus’ own personal will. That takes faith in God’s will being the best.
 
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KUWN

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The human side of Jesus did exercise faith and trust in God the Father, just like the rest of us. If Jesus did not have to exercise faith, He did not participate fully in the human experience.

Jesus grew in stature with God and man.

Hebrews 5:8 states: "Although he was a son, he learned obedience through what he suffered."

This explains that while Jesus was the divine Son of God, He fully embraced the human experience, choosing to undergo the ultimate test of submitting to God’s will, even unto death on the cross. Jesus had to exercise faith to learn obedience.

In Gethsemane, Jesus asked God if the cup of God’s wrath could pass from Him. But Jesus concluded that God’s will be done, rather than Jesus’ own personal will. That takes faith in God’s will being the best.
There is no two natures within Christ. He is not man and God. What is more true (the sentence that Paul wrote) is that Jesus Christ came in the LIKENESS of man. Jesus is not both man and God. He is the God-man. He is the Word of God that took on (human) flesh, but not a human nature. You can not talk to Christ by carrying on a conversation with his deity side and also speak to him from is human side. He can not carry on a conversation with his human side and deity side. Jesus did not have a human soul and spirit. His nature was that of God, but Jesus also FUNCTIONED as man. As man he could do most thing that humans can do, but he can not sin.
 

Anchorite

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There is no two natures within Christ. He is not man and God. What is more true (the sentence that Paul wrote) is that Jesus Christ came in the LIKENESS of man. Jesus is not both man and God. He is the God-man. He is the Word of God that took on (human) flesh, but not a human nature. You can not talk to Christ by carrying on a conversation with his deity side and also speak to him from is human side. He can not carry on a conversation with his human side and deity side. Jesus did not have a human soul and spirit. His nature was that of God, but Jesus also FUNCTIONED as man. As man he could do most thing that humans can do, but he can not sin.
To take on flesh means to have a human nature. Jesus thirsted, hungered, grew weary, wept, needed sleep — all of these attributes proves He had a human nature. Jesus was God manifested in the flesh.

Historically defined by the Council of Chalcedon in 451 AD, Christian orthodoxy maintains that the two natures of Jesus are united. Jesus is very man and very God. This is the core Christian doctrine of the hypostatic union, which teaches that Jesus Christ is one single person who possesses both a fully divine nature and a fully human nature.