We have the faith of God inside because we have Him inside. Faith is so powerful that it only takes a pinch--the size of a tiny mustard seed--to move a mountain!
A Very Little Thing
In Luke 12:26, Jesus called adding an hour to a man's life a "...very little thing..." We consider such a thing impossible--when medical reality says that's it, we see adding hours or days or years to a dying life as an impossibility that only a mighty miracle can accomplish. And of course, we've been brainwashed to believe that it might not be God's will to heal, He might want to kill [or 'take' in Christian-speak] instead of restore, depending on the whimsy of His Benevolence.
But Jesus, who also said that nothing would be impossible to us [Matthew 17:20] and that all things are possible to him who believes [Mark 9:23] calls adding an hour to a man's life a "...very little thing..."
In context, He was telling His disciples not to worry, because if they couldn't do such a little thing like adding an hour to a man's life, how did they think worrying was going to help? But this analogy also show His perspective on power...on the 'all things' that are possible with God [Matthew 19:26].
He knew several things that the disciples didn't. First, He knew that the Father had breathed Himself into the earthen vessel called Adam, and that Adam and his descendants were created to dominate the earth. Second, He knew that even fallen man retained much of his original power, having seen what men accomplished at the Tower of Babel. He knew that, apart from Divine intervention, nothing that they purposed and said would be impossible for them.
He also knew that His disciples would die with Him, be raised up together with Him and seated with Him in heavenly places. [Ephesians 2:4-6; Colossians 3:3] He knew that they would soon be one Spirit with Him and become His body on the earth. He knew that their calling would be to reign in life through the One, Christ Jesus [Romans 5:17]--that they would be reborn.
He also knew that, in the Spirit, these things were already accomplished--He knew who they already were!
Ye of Little Faith
After He stilled the storm, He turned to them and "Why are you afraid? Do you still have no faith?" [Mark 4:40] This is usually interpreted as meaning that they had no faith in Him to keep them safe, or that they had no faith in His words "Let us go over to the other side."
But I think He was probably yelling at them, saying, in essence, I can't believe you didn't stop the storm yourselves! Why did you wake Me up?
Think about it...He told them on more than one occasion that if they had faith as a mustard seed, they would speak to the mountain or tree, and tell it to be moved! He knew that faith, coming out of a man's mouth, would affect physical reality...in this case, a storm!
How about the dad who came to Jesus with the son whom the disciples couldn't heal? [Matthew 17] Jesus was clearly angry with them and said "You unbelieving and perverted generation, how long shall I be with you? How long shall I put up with you? Bring Him here to Me." Doesn't sound happy to me. In fact, I bet He felt that way a lot--sort of 'Yikes, how long do I have to be with these dummies? I sure do love 'em, but they're not very bright...'
After He had healed the boy, they asked Him why they couldn't do it and He replied "Because of the littleness of your faith; for truly I say to you, if you faith the size of a mustard seed, you will say to this mountain, 'Move from here to there,' and it will move; and nothing will be impossible to you." [Matthew 17:20]
[An aside here, the following verse about prayer and fasting (v.21) isn't even in early manuscripts...I wonder how that got there? Satan cleverly voided the whole teaching about faith by sneaking that verse in later translations, moving faith from being a powerful tool of the spirit back to the realm of works...if you don't fast enough or pray just exactly the right way, it won't work for you...yikes!]
Anyway...in the boat, He was, in essence, telling them that they should've used their faith to still the storm and let Him sleep! He had already given them authority over all the works of the enemy and told them nothing would injure them. [Luke 10:19] They had watched Him in action and knew that faith change things by speaking to them. They just panicked, like we do, and cried out for Him to fix it. They didn't believe in their God-given power to fix it themselves!
In Conclusion...
Meditate on Mark 11: 22-25. Close your eyes and see it with the eyes of your heart as being absolutely real. See yourself speaking to physical reality and it responding...see yourself believing you receive when you pray...see yourself believing that what you say happens! And don't forget v.25--see yourself forgiving any and every one you hold anything against--remember, faith works by love!
[ps. v.26 doesn't exist in earlier manuscripts either...you've already been forgiven of all your trespasses, past, present and future! Don't forget it! It's part of you freedom...]
