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It’s not about faith ...

It's About Trust

Kenneth Schortgen, Jr.

Though he slay me, yet will I trust in him: but I will maintain mine own ways before him. _{Job 13:15}

(Note:  See I Believe, Help My Unbelief by Paul Ellis, which is the article that precipitated this response.)

Doubt has a great deal to do with things not happening, but there is also the factor that man tends to place himself as the arbiter of things, not the Almighty.  Man and ministries have this relative arrogance that it is US who are to save the world, save everyone, and if we fail we are to keep pounding away until they accept the message.  No, the responsibility is on the Spirit and on the Almighty (no man can come to the Father but by the Son, and only the Holy Spirit at work can change a man’s heart to accept the Son).  This is true with healing as well.

Did the bleeding gentile woman NEED an intercessor when she trusted that Yeshua would heal her, and all she needed to do was touch the hem of His robe?  When the women did this in the crowd, Yeshua turned around and called out, ‘who touched me’ because He did not know who had done so, but He did know something happened because her Trust in Him tapped into the Power that was within Him.

So, I would venture that the answer to the ‘questions’ is the lack of trust on the part of the boy/father, not the minister they came to for a healing.  Thus, the answer is either "C" or "none of the above."

Remember… there were times in His travels that even Yeshua could not heal a single person in places because of their lack of Trust.  Healing does not primarily come from the Saint given the power, it primarily comes from the person requiring healing, who completely puts their trust (not in a man or minister), but in Yeshua and Yeshua alone.

The author of this link misses something entirely.  The boy at his age does NOT have authority, the Father does until the boy reaches the age of understanding.  (In the Jewish and spiritual realms, it was age 12-13, and why they went through Bar Mitzvah).

I know the example the author gives is compared to the father and boy who needed a demon cast out where the Disciples couldn’t do this.  But if you notice, when Yeshua came onto the scene, YES, he slightly rebuked His Disciples, but did He immediately cast out the demon from the boy?  No.  He HAD to go to the father of the boy to get authority to do so.  The boy was still under the spiritual authority of the father, and it was the father’s trust that was in question.

When the father told Yeshua that His trust was not strong, and could Yeshua help him HAVE the trust, then it was once again a question of authority.  The man willingly gave up his authority over the boy, and gave it to Yeshua for the purpose.  The responsibility for casting out the demon was NOW in the power and authority of Yeshua, and as we see in the bible, Yeshua cast out the demon immediately.

In today’s church, there is no understanding of authority, and little ability of dealing with spiritual things.  The church was constructed as an earthly agency (Nicea/Rome), and going forward, its progression has been built on dealing with problems by physical means.  (Most seminary Pastors learn more about psychology in school than they do about prayer, power, and spiritual growth).

When you accept authority, you accept the Will of the Father… not matter what.

Remember Job?  A book and story about trust.  What did he say when all but the bare thread of his life was taken from him?

Job 13:15 Though he slay me, yet will I trust in him: but I will maintain mine own ways before him.

If someone’s trust or ‘faith’ in God is limited by whether He will heal them, then their full obedience to the Will and Purpose of the Almighty is negligible.  God does NOTHING without purpose, and He is a keeper of His promises to those who are obedient, and trust in Him above all things.  In the example from the author, if the boy is not healed when the Pastor prays and speaks over him with power, what purpose does it serve the Father or Yeshua to leave the boy in torment?  It serves no purpose unto itself, but what it DOES do is provide a signal to the Father of the boy that something is amiss between himself and God, and the Father is trying to reach the man by this activity taking place through his son in front of him.

The father of the boy has several choices here.  One, he can curse the Pastor for failing to heal his son.  This of course is a failed lesson for the man, as the Pastor doesn’t heal of his own power, but of the power given in the name and authority of Yeshua.  Two, he can curse the Almighty or Jesus for failing to heal his son.  This two is a failed lesson for the man, because it proves his trust was dead on arrival.  Three, the man can immediately seek guidance from the Holy Spirit and the Almighty on WHAT (not WHY) he must do or overcome to be in obedience and grow in trust for his son to be healed.  The man must take authority over the situation and the boy, and NOT put reliance on the Pastor.  This is a successful lesson, but may require more growth until he succeeds fully, and the Almighty heals the boy.  Lastly, the man can step out of the boat (like Peter), and place his son completely under the authority, will, and purpose of Yeshua.  He has willingly given up his rightful authority to Jesus, and trusts in Him to make the right decision based on His Will and Authority.

If for some reason the boy is to remain with seizures, or even die… it is our requirement to trust and OBEY the will of the Father… even if he slays me.

This is another reason the church as a whole, and the walking body of Christ has failed.  They live a Christian life based on their terms, not in terms where they willingly accept the Will and Purpose of Yeshua over all things.

Mat 10:37 He that loveth father or mother more than me is not worthy of me: and he that loveth son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me.

When we accept Yeshua and live according to His authority, we are no longer our own.  Our lives, desires, wants, are supposed to be given up to serve the will and purpose of the Father more than ANYTHING.  Even our loved ones.

When people are taught about Christ, and taught about their walk… are they EVER instilled with this?  Or is Christianity simply a quick prayer to save themselves from hell, and there is little responsibility after that?

Trust is something that can’t be learned from reading a book over and over, and it can’t be learned by words alone.  It requires obedience on our part, and evidence from the part of the Almighty.  Heb 11:6… without trust it is IMPOSSIBLE to please Him, and He DILIGENTLY rewards those who trust.

In the end, the scenario that the author gives is the equivalent of a theological discussion.  It argues the basis of situation, but fails in seeing the reality of spiritual authority and responsibility… by all sides.

More from Ken Schortgen:

Faith — Faith comes by hearing the Holy Spirit within us, and the message of the Spirit comes from the voice of the Word of God (Jesus) within us.

Fides vs. Pistis — Fides is belief or belief in something on the earthly realm, Pistis is trust and trust alone, in God and His promises.