Focus: Growing Faith (Pt.1)

Text: 2Thes.1:3

"We are bound to thank God always for you, brethren, as it is meet, because that your FAITH GROWETH EXCEEDINGLY, and the charity of every one of you all toward each other aboundeth."

Faith is a living thing; it has capacity for growth. Paul uses the expression "groweth exceedingly" to describe faith. 

The word in the Greek is huperauxanō, and it is a compound word. The main word is auxanō. The initial word is 'huper,' a prefix that intensifies a verb. The two words combined refer to growth or increase that is way beyond what is normal. It means that the growth is huge or superabundant. The word auxanō is used to refer to the growth of seeds, plants, humans, the word of God, etc. Faith like a seed, a plant or a child grows. 

No less than three times, Luke tells us in the book of Acts that "the word of God grew" - that is, increased and multiplied. In the parable of the sower, the Lord Jesus Christ tells His disciples that the seed is the word of God. Seeds, when planted, die, germinate and grow into a mature plant or tree. In the same vein, faith is a living thing, and growth applies to all living things. 

Paul says in Rom.12:3, that "God hath dealt to every man the MEASURE of faith." In verse 6, he says, "Let us prophesy according to the PROPORTION of faith." Faith is given to us by God in a measure, according to a certain proportion, and by use and exercise it grows. It is fed by the word and watered by the Spirit. The fountain of the Spirit in us waters it. Peter says, "As newborn babes, desire the sincere milk of the word, that ye may grow thereby" (1Pet.2:2). The believer feeds on God's word and grows up by it. Paul declares that we are "rooted and built up in him, and stablished in the faith, as ye have been taught, abounding therein with thanksgiving" (Col.2:7).

Your faith has the divine capacity to grow exceedingly. It is alive, active, and capable of being greatly enlarged.

Stephen and Barnabas are described as men "full of faith." They were fully filled with faith. Mountains moved by their faith. They operated on full faith.

Believe God. Rely on God's word. Let your faith feed fat on God's delicious word. Act on the word of God. Store God's word in your heart. Confess your faith. Take faith-prompted steps. Overcome the world by your faith. Persevere in your faith. Don't yield to temptations. Surmount obstacles and subdue pressures. Build up your most holy faith by praying in the Spirit. That is how faith grows.

by Bishop Moses E. Peter