Key scripture – [Jesus]said to the man with the withered hand, “Get up and come forward!” And he got up and came forward… After looking around at them all, He said to him, “Stretch out your hand!” And he did so; and his hand was restored.” (Luke 6:8-10).

Did you know that your faith grows as you begin to obey God, and you obey Him by doing what He has told you to do in His Word.

The man that Jesus encountered in the Key scripture didn’t have the faith for his healing, but as he stretched out his hand, faith came. It was in the act of obedience, doing what Jesus told him to do, that faith grew.

If you sense God leading you into something and you don’t have the faith for it, just take the first step and you will see that God will give you the faith you need for the next step, then the one after that, and the one after that, and so on. Faith comes as we obey one step at a time.

The Bible tells us that your faith is made complete when your faith and your actions work together. You are considered righteous by what you do in faith, and not by faith alone. That is why when Abraham stepped out in faith and obeyed God it was credited to Him as righteousness.

“You foolish person, do you want evidence that faith without deeds is useless? Was not our father Abraham considered righteous for what he did when he offered his son Isaac on the altar? You see that his faith and his actions were working together, and his faith was made complete by what he did. And the scripture was fulfilled that says, “Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness,” and he was called God’s friend. You see that a person is considered righteous by what they do and not by faith alone. As the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without deeds is dead.” (James 2:20-24, 26).

The more you go through this process of obedience and faith, the more your faith grows. As your faith grows, your joy also grows. In the words of the old hymn: “Trust and obey, for there’s no other way to be happy in Jesus, but to trust and obey.”

Walking in faith one step at a time is what it means to walk by faith and not by sight. “For we live by faith, not by sight.” (2 Corinthians 5:7).

Go ahead, and take that step in faith.

Pray this – Our Precious Heavenly Father, I am a righteous child of God and I know that I cannot live in fear and faith at the same time. You have said, “But my righteous one will live by faith. And I take no pleasure in the one who shrinks back.” But we do not belong to those who shrink back and are destroyed, but to those who have faith and are saved.” (Hebrews 10:38-39).”In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead.” (James 2:17). Father, give me the strength and power to never ever shrink back. I want to have a reservoir of faith, so that no matter what happens, I will not fear or worry because I know, that I know, that I know that I can stand firm on Your promises and that You will never leave me or forsake me. I understand how important it is that I live a life of obedience and faith, because “without faith it is impossible to please him, for whoever would draw near to God must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who seek him.” (Hebrews 11:6). Like Abraham, I am a friend of God, therefore, I will step out in faith. In Name of Jesus, I pray, Amen.

 Laura Ingle