Your First Response

What is your first response to a problem? Do you think of how bad the situation is, or is your first response faith? We should so train our minds and mouth to think and speak faith at the first sign of a difficulty. Recently, I received a call in the middle of the night that a close family member was being rushed to the hospital with a serious medical issue. I immediately began to speak, "(her name) shall live and not die. She shall live out her number of days in health." Once you start the Biblical confession, you have to stay with it. It is very easy when things look bad, or even turn worse to abandon your faith. Jairus faced the same problem in Mark 5. In verse 23, Jairus pleads with Yeshua (Jesus): "My little daughter is at the point of death. Come and lay your hands on her, so that she may be made well, and live." (RSV) That is a clear statement of faith in the power of Yeshua to heal as opposed to He might heal. In the interim, the woman with the issue of blood slows Yeshua from getting to Jairus' house. Then comes some bad news. Verse 35 says: While he was still speaking, there came from the ruler's house some who said, "Your daughter is dead. Why trouble the Teacher any further?" (RSV) Yeshua looks at Jairus and says: "Do not fear, only believe." (RSV)

The word "believe" is in the present tense, imperative mood, and active voice. This means that Yeshua is telling him to continue to believe as an on going action. The imperative mood means that Yeshua is commanding Jairus to continue to believe. The active voice means that Jairus is causing the verbal action. How can Yeshua command Jairus to believe? If "belief" is an internal conviction alone, then what Yeshua commands can't be done. You can't command an emotion or feeling. However, if "belief" is based on action then Yeshua could command Jairus to believe. Jairus continues to believe by continuing to escort Yeshua to his home. His daughter is healed because he continued to believe in the power of Yeshua to heal based on his actions.

Our first response to every crisis should be faith in action. Don't worry if your inside thoughts seem to have doubt. Ignore them and continue to act in faith. It begins with the right confession and then sticking to it. Like Jairus, those that continue to believe will see the manifestation of their faith.