We are bound to thank God always for you, brethren, as it is fitting, because your faith grows exceedingly, and the love of every one of you all abounds toward each other,
For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith to faith; as it is written, “The just shall live by faith.”
Faith is a spiritual virtue that has the capacity to grow. In our opening verse, we are told that the faith of the Church at Thessalonica grew exceedingly; not sparsely or sparingly, but greatly. It is good to know that faith can grow, but it is better to know how to grow it. In Romans 10:17, the Word tells us that faith comes by hearing, and that hearing by the Word of God. When we receive the Word by hearing it, we receive potential for faith. Learning the Word, meditating in the Word and listening to the Word, bring us to receiving potential or capacity for faith. All that doesn’t build faith. It only brings capacity to believe the Word. We can only believe God’s Word that we have heard and received; for faith begins where the will of God is known. When the Word is preached unto us, and we hear and receive it, then we can believe it. But without the Word preached unto us, we cannot believe it, no matter how much we try to believe it (Romans 10:13-17). How then does faith grow? How is faith developed?
The development or growth of faith is like developing body muscles. Everyone has muscles but not everyone is muscular. The difference between just having muscles and being muscular is exercise. When muscles are exercised, they develop. When faith is exercised, it develops also. To grow your faith, you have to hear the Word, learn it, receive it, and believe it. Now, having believed the Word, you have to be a doer of it. You have to let the Word live in you by acting on it. When we act on the Word, the potential of faith in the Word that we have believed is transformed into a dynamic, potent, vital and operative force that builds faith in us. The Church at Thessalonica grew exceedingly in their faith because they were doers of the Word. When they were persecuted, they endured it in patient (steadfast) faith (2 Thess.1:4). When your faith is tried and you stand on the Word, no matter what, your faith grows. Growing your faith is more than just having the right beliefs but requires that we live in line with our beliefs. Let us be people whose faith moves us to action. Remember that the obedience of faith is the exercise needed to develop your faith muscles. Be swift to act out your faith!
MY SOLID FRONT (YOUR CONFESSION):
In the Name of Jesus Christ, I declare that I am a doer of the Word. I live in the obedience of faith. My actions are consistent with my conviction, and I refuse to cave in to the challenges of life in Jesus’ Name! Amen.
Further Meditation: 2 Thessalonians 1:3-5; 2 Peter 3:18.