Introduction

Jesus encountered many people during his ministry with varying levels of faith. But there were two individuals that caused Jesus to commend them for having “great faith.” In Matthew 15, Jesus was drawing away from the crowds when a Gentile woman came running after him. Her daughter suffered from demon possession, and she pleaded for him to heal her. Jesus seemed to reject her request, saying, “I was sent only to the lost sheep of the house of Israel . . . It is not right to take the children’s bread and throw it to the dogs.” But she didn’t relent. She responded that even dogs received scraps. In response, Jesus not only granted her request, he publicly praised her: --- “Then Jesus answered her, ‘O woman, great is your faith! Be it done for you as you desire.’ And her daughter was healed instantly.” — Matthew 15:28 --- In another instance, Luke notes the time a Roman centurion sent Jewish elders on his behalf to ask for healing for his severely sick servant. He knew he was at a disadvantage as an officer of the Roman army. He considered himself unworthy to have Jesus come into his home. But he also used his position to explain why he believed Jesus could heal even from far away: “I too am a man set under authority, with soldiers under me: and I say . . . to my servant, ‘do this,’ and he does it.” Here’s how Jesus responded: --- “When Jesus heard this, he was amazed at him, and turning to the crowd following him, he said, ‘I tell you, I have not found such great faith even in Israel.’” — Luke 7:9 (NIV) --- Matthew used the Greek word “megas” to describe the Gentile woman’s faith. The word means “of considerable size, number, magnitude, or extent.” Luke used the Greek word *tosoutos* to describe the centurion’s faith. The word means “vast in quantity and amount; large; notably above average in size and magnitude.” In this guide, we will study men and women of great faith. They were people with significant flaws in their character and often made big mistakes in their life, but they all exhibited great faith. They were ordinary men and women, but they had confidence in an extraordinary God. Flawed and fallible but filled with faith. Let their lives inspire and provoke you to have great faith during this week of prayer, fasting, and consecration. Each day also features faith confessions adapted from God’s Word. Scripture constantly points to the strong connection between our faith and the words of our mouth. When the disciples asked Jesus to increase their faith, he told them, “If you have faith . . . you can say . . . ” (Luke 17:5–6, NIV). The author of Hebrews urged the saints to endure difficult times by holding fast to the confession of their faith (Hebrews 4:14). Paul said the very spirit of faith was connected to the words of our mouth. --- “It is written: ‘I believed; therefore I have spoken.’ Since we have that same spirit of faith, we also believe and therefore speak.” — 2 Corinthians 4:13 (NIV) --- May this guide help you develop a habit of meditating, speaking, and acting on the Word of God.

Preparation for the Fast

Genesis 15:1–6, Romans 4:19–21, Genesis 12:1–9

“He did not weaken in faith when he considered his own body, which was as good as dead (since he was about a hundred years old), or when he considered the barrenness of Sarah’s womb. No unbelief made him waver concerning the promise of God, but he grew strong in his faith as he gave glory to God, fully convinced that God was able to do what he had promised.” — Romans 4:19–21 Read: Abraham’s faith was an informed faith; it was not a faith divorced from reality. He weighed the facts carefully. He contemplated his own body. He recognized how old he was, and how barren Sarah was. He was aware of the odds against their having a child. But through his careful analysis, he never became weak in faith. The promise of God carried more weight than his circumstances—as hopeless as they seemed. “Under utterly hopeless circumstances he hopefully believed.” “Abraham did not shut his eyes to these unfavorable circumstances; he took them into careful consideration. But when he set them over against the promise of God, he found that the certainty of God’s ability and will to fulfill his promise outweighed them all.” Faith does not deny reality, but it does acknowledge that there is something more real: God’s Word. This is not always easy, especially when we are bombarded with contrary circumstances. But it is how faith works. As Martin Luther said: “It is a quality of faith, that it wrings the neck of reason and strangles the beast. But how? It holds to God’s Word, and lets it be right and true, no matter how foolish and impossible it sounds. So did Abraham take his reason captive and slay it, inasmuch as he believed God’s Word.” Apply: 1. What was so remarkable about Abraham’s faith as described by Paul in Romans 4:19–21? Why do you think that an informed and realistic faith is difficult for people to understand? Have you encountered the challenge of having to face facts squarely in the eye without losing faith? What did God teach you in those circumstances? 2. When was the last time you received bad news? How did you respond? How should you have responded? What can you do to ensure that the next time you hear bad news, you will respond in faith? Pray: *Adapted from Romans 4:20–21; Mark 9:23; Matthew 9:29, 17:20; Romans 1:17; 1 Timothy 6:12; Proverbs 6:21–22; Psalms 40:8, 119:89, 119:160, 138:2; Hebrews 10:16.* I respect the promises of God, and I do not waver in unbelief. I am strong in faith. I give glory to God. I am fully assured that what you promised, you are able to perform. All things are possible to me because I believe. It is done to me according to my faith. The righteous shall live by faith. I have faith the size of a mustard seed, and nothing is impossible to me. I fight the good fight of faith; I take hold of eternal life; I make the good confession. I bind your Word on my heart; I tie it around my neck. When I walk about, it will guide me; when I sleep, it will watch over me; when I awake, it will speak to me. I delight to do your will; your Word is within my heart. For you made this covenant with me; you put your Word upon my heart and wrote it upon my mind. Your Word is settled forever in heaven. You have magnified your Word according to your name. The sum of your Word is truth, and every one of your righteous ordinances is everlasting. Memorize: “Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen.” — Hebrews 11:1 Great faith confronts adversity and overcomes it with the Word of God. “THE FIRST TOOL GOD HAS GIVEN US TO STRENGTHEN OUR FAITH IS THE BIBLE . . . IF OUR FAITH ISN’T ROOTED IN THE BIBLE, IT WILL WITHER LIKE A PLANT PULLED OUT OF THE SOIL.” —Billy Graham, American Evangelist

Day 2

Exodus 12:29–42, Acts 7:20–36, Hebrews 11:24–27

“By faith Moses . . . considered the reproach of Christ greater wealth than the treasures of Egypt, for he was looking to the reward. By faith he left Egypt, not being afraid of the anger of the king, for he endured as seeing him who is invisible.” — Hebrews 11:24–27 Read: On July 4, 1952, long-distance swimmer Florence Chadwick dove into the Pacific Ocean off Catalina Island. She planned to swim the twenty-plus miles to the California coast. But the conditions that day were not in her favor. The water was icy and the fog nearly impossible to see through. Several times her team drove sharks away with rifle fire. She could barely even see the boat she was following. After fifteen hours in the water, she gave out. Her trainer urged her on, but all she could see was fog. She quit—one mile from her goal. She said later, “If I could have seen the land I might have made it.” Two months later in clear weather, Florence swam the channel successfully, setting a new speed record. There was no fog, and she could clearly see her goal. Because the land was in sight, she endured to the end. Faith is like that. When the promises of God are clear, we can endure—despite the obstacles that are before us. Moses faced the anger of the king and the reproach associated with the people of God. But he endured to the end because he saw him who is invisible. The consequences he was facing did not daunt him. The promises of God may be unseen to the natural eyes, but they are perceived by the eye of faith. These promises are eternal, unchanging, and permanent. For heaven and earth will pass away, but God’s Word stands forever. Apply: 1. Hope is a clear picture of what God wants to do in and through your life. The clearer the picture, the stronger your hope. How clear is your picture and how strong is your hope? What can you do to strengthen it? 2. We inherit the promises through faith and patience. What specific promise from God are you waiting on at this time? What are the challenges you are facing as you wait? How can you encourage yourself to continue to hold onto God’s promise while you wait? Pray: *Adapted from 1 Corinthians 15:58; Hebrews 6:12; Romans 5:3–5; Galatians 6:9; Hebrews 12:1–3; Colossians 1:11; Psalms 62:2, 112:7–8; Ephesians 6:11.* Because Jesus Christ gives me the victory, I am steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that my toil in the Lord is not in vain. I am not sluggish, but I imitate those who, through faith and patience, inherit the promises. I rejoice in tribulation because it brings perseverance, and perseverance proven character, and proven character hope, and hope does not disappoint. I do not lose heart in doing good, and in due season I will reap—because I do not grow weary. I run the race with endurance by fixing my eyes on Jesus, who, for the joy set before him, endured the cross. I do not grow weary and lose heart. I am strengthened with all power to have great endurance and patience. I will never be shaken. I do not fear evil tidings. My heart is steadfast trusting in you. My heart is upheld; I do not fear. I will look with satisfaction on all my enemies. I stand firm against the schemes of the devil. Memorize: “And we desire each one of you to show the same earnestness to have the full assurance of hope until the end, so that you may not be sluggish, but imitators of those who through faith and patience inherit the promises.” — Hebrews 6:11–12 Great faith sees the promises of God. “FAITH IS TO BELIEVE WHAT YOU DO NOT SEE; THE REWARD OF THIS FAITH IS TO SEE WHAT YOU BELIEVE.” —Augustine of Hippo, Fourth/Fifth Century North-African Theologian