"Walking in Faith"
Continuing in his series, "Walking in the Footsteps of Jesus", Pastor shared a message today from Matt. 8:5-13.   This message is where the Centurion's servant was healed, all because the Centurion approached Jesus in great faith.   He told Jesus about his servant being paralyzed and ill, and Jesus said that He would come and heal him.   The great faith of the Centurion rose up and he told Jesus that "if you will just say the word, my servant will be healed.  For I, too, am a man under authority, with soldiers under me, and I say to this one, 'Go" and he goes, and to my slave, "do this" and he does it."   Jesus marveled and told those around him "Truly I say to you, I have not found such great faith with anyone in Israel."     Because of the Centurion's great faith, Jesus told him "Go your way, let it be done to you as you have believed."   And the servant was healed that very hour.
Faith is not a good happy thought, wishing that God would do something.   Faith is deep-seated belief that God WILL do it, believing and knowing in your heart.
 
Faith is the basis for our covenant with God through Jesus.   The Centurion was not a Jew, but he knew he could approach Jesus through faith.   He stepped in and asked Jesus to heal his servant, which was standing in the gap and having faith on behalf of someone else.   The Centurion recognized the authority that Jesus walked in and he exhibited his faith by telling Jesus that his servant would be healed if only Jesus spoke the word, that it was not necessary for Jesus to go there in person.   We are to speak the Word, for that is the faith that becomes superior to our circumstances.   In Genesis 1, it was the Word that created the Heavens and the earth.   
 
We must allow ourselves to be open for God to deposit increased faith in us.  If we do not totally open up to Him, then we will not be filled.   We may get some faith, but not enough, nor all that God wants us to have.    We must remember that faith is always superior to circumstances, as well as fear.   We must not let fear overpower us, but stay in faith by focusing on God's Promises. 
 
The servant was healed the same hour Jesus spoke it.   This is a testimony for us, that our prayers will be heard by God.   We must pray in faith, speaking forth the Word of God, and believing in God's desire to answer our prayers and in the authority that Jesus has.