I will never know how much I owe to someone else’s faith. God does not always grant me blessings on the strength of my faith. Sometimes my faith is very weak; yet blessings come just the same. I can only explain this in terms of Galatians 2:20, “I live by the faith of the Son of God” (KJV). Is it possible that Jesus believes for me, as well as dies for me and lives for me?
I am not sure I know the answer to this mystery. I do know that a paralyzed man was forgiven his sins because four of his friends believed for him. “When Jesus saw their faith, he said unto the sick of the palsy, Son, thy sins be forgiven thee” (Mark 2:5, KJV, italics added). Isn’t this also implied in Paul’s word to the Philippian jailer: “Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you shall be saved, you and your household” (Acts 16:31)? This is a strange activity of faith. It overflows the possessor and infills the surrounding needy ones until it blesses them also.
I think the message to me is: Be a reservoir of faith, not a well. A reservoir fills up and then overflows and continually blesses its surroundings. A well demands work and coaxing.
I must not lament the lack of faith in my family, my church, my neighborhood. I must believe for them! God will bless them, not because of their lack, but because of my fullness. This does not mean that God will bless them unconditionally (without faith, who can please Him?). It simply means that my faith triggers God’s action. Once God begins to act, tiny slivers of growth begin to appear where before there was nothing but barrenness. Thank You, Lord, for the “gift of God,” which is faith (Ephesians 2:8), the gift whereby not only I, but dear ones around me, are blessed with a spread table.
“In hope against hope he believed, in order that he might become a father of many nations, according to that which had been spoken, ‘So shall your descendants be’” (Romans 4:18).
Daily with the King 