On strength of faith, in Tough Times Never Last, But Tough People Do, Dr. Robert H. Schuller of the Christ Cathedral Church in the United States: Presents five phases of faith as – Nesting phase, testing phase, investing phase, arresting phase, and cresting phase.
Foremost, Romans 10:17 says, “Faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.” Indeed, faith is the greatest miracle-working power imaginable.
Faith never fails a person. We only fail when we give up on our faith. Faith is like a seed. In case you do not plant a seed, it cannot bear fruit. But planting is just the first phase.
Unless the seed is watered, it will not sprout. Sprouting is the second phase.
Once you plant and water the seed, God will make it grow in leaps and bounds.
No wonder Apostle Paul of Tarsus writes to the Church in 1 Corinthians 3:6, “I planted the seed, Apollos watered it, but God is the one to make it grow.”
Again, unless the plant is nourished, it will not reach full maturity. It will not blossom, which is the third phase.
Then, when buds are beginning to form, when proper climatic conditions do not exist, the stalk will produce no fruit. There will be no ear on the corn. Bearing fruits is the fourth phase of the cycle.
When you nurture every seed properly, it will reach its full maturity. Consequently, when the fruit is ripe, you will harvest it at the right time — or else, wild wisps of wind and pain of rain may cause it to drop to the ground, where it would rot a lot.
In 1 John 5:4, we read, “For everyone born of God overcomes the world. This is the victory that has overcome the world, even our faith.”
Faith sees the invisible, believes in the incredible, and believes in the impossible. Faith is what you believe, not what you know.
It is faith, and not reason, which compels men to act. Intelligence is content to point out the road but never drives along it. Faith is a sounder guide than reason. Reason can only go so far, but the strength of faith has no limit.
Faith changes obstacles to miracles and makes barriers become breakthroughs. It is the way to God’s divine influence.
Faith is simply bringing God into the picture. Ramona Carol describes faith as “Putting all your eggs in God’s basket, and then counting your blessings before they hatch.”
Faith is like a radar that sees through the fog the reality of things at a distance that a human eye cannot see.
God meets us at the level we expect, not the level we hope. Faith is the anchor of the soul, the stimulus to action, and the incentive to action.
Faith gives us knowledge and courage to face the present with confidence, and the future with expectancy.
Faith keeps the man who keeps the faith. Faith either moves the mountain or makes a tunnel through it.
Saint Augustine of Hippo sagely said, “Faith is to believe what we do not see, and the reward of this faith is to see what we believe.”
Hebrews 11:1 says, “Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.” Again, in Hebrews 11:6, we read, “But without faith, it is impossible to please Him (God):
For anyone that comes to Him, must believe that He is a rewarder of those who seek Him diligently.”
All the strength and force of humankind come from faith in things unseen. The one who believes is strong, but the one who doubts is weak.
Strong convictions and conscience precede actions. Life without faith in something is too narrow of a space in which to live.
Faith is building on what you know is here, so you can reach what you know is there.
The only limit to our realization of tomorrow will be our doubt of today.
No problem is too large for God’s intervention, and no person is too small for God’s attention.
You may not understand the situation, but you understand God. The miraculous realm of God, involves multiplication, not addition. Let us expound on the five phases of faces.
- The Nesting Phase
This is the first phase of faith. It is when a viable idea drops in the mind and just like an egg drops in the bird’s nest.
God drops ideas into our minds every day like eggs in a nest.
Therefore, the first stage of faith requires you to believe in yourself. Positive ideas that flow into your brain come from God.
Therefore, do not reject ideas simply because you know your imperfections. Positive results follow a positive mental picture.
This is the irrevocable law of faith, built by God into the universe.
- The Testing Phase
How do you test the ideas that come into your mind? I test mine with this universal principle: Will my faith, acted upon and firmly embraced, cause my life and my activity to be an inspiration to somebody else to become a better person or to achieve more in life?
Suddenly, tough times become good times when our positive reaction becomes an inspiration to others.
- The Investing Phase
This is the point at which you make a public commitment. You commit time, money, energy, and — possibly the most valuable products of all — pride and prestige to the publicly announced project.
- The Arresting Phase
When you have started, you have made the commitment, you have put your name on the line, and you have started to run.
Now, problems assail you. Troubles block you. Defeat seems certain and imminent. You begin to think you are missing the mark.
You begin to think you have committed a grievous goof. You wonder whether you really picked the right investment.
The arresting phase of faith is God’s way of testing us before the final victory.
In the whole scheme of things, trust the clouds, but trust the shine.
Do not set your compass by the flash of lightning, but set it by the stars. Trust the sun.
Do not trust the shadows. Believe in the (be)dazzling beauty of your dreams. Do not accept to be enticed by despairing thoughts.
Have faith in God. Trust in Christ. Expect to get hope and help from God Almighty. God is able to repair your despair.
- The Cresting Phase
The crowning phase of faith is the cresting phase. You reach and perch on the epic peak of the mountain. You finally access success.
A bad habit is broken.
Money begins flowing your way. The chains become loose. There is healing.
The doctor tells you that you are whole: Hale and hearty.
You can go home. You walk into the sunshine.
You sort out the broken relationship. A faithful friend fills the emptiness and loneliness in your life.
The court case closes. A job opportunity comes your way. Winter passes; the spring returns. Business survives and thrives.
Faith begins when you begin to believe in the ideas that God sends to you. Greatness does not depend upon your position in life but upon your respect for the positive ideas that flow into your imagination.
But never forget, prayer, faith and action are cognates.
Prayer is the power that pulls everything together successfully.
But you have to back faith with action. In James 2:6, we read, “Just as the body without the spirit is dead, so also faith without work is dead.”
The writer visits schools to speak in Sunday services, rallies, weekend challenges and prayer days. vochieng.90@gmail.com. 0704420232
© Victor Ochieng’
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