by David Falk | Download PDF | Purchase Hardcopy

In his letter to the Romans, Paul said that ‘God has allotted to each a measure of faith’. Rom 12:3. I am reminded of something I recently read in a book. It was based on the concept of auto-suggestion which involves using visualisation to make something happen. The author proposes that if we keep visualising and thinking about what we desire, it will come to pass. There are many people who practise this kind of ‘faith’. However, I define faith as the ability of Christ within us to do the will of God.

Faith does not come from within us, rather it is the gift of God. We don't ‘get’ faith by waking up in the morning and thinking, projecting or focusing harder. That might be a kind of faith. But it's certainly not the faith of Christ. Paul said, ‘I have been crucified with Christ. The life I now live, I live by faith’. Gal 2:20.  Most of the translations interpret that passage incorrectly. It literally reads in the original Greek text, ‘I have been crucified with Christ. The life I now live, I live by the faith of the Son, loving me and giving Himself for me’. The sense of the verse is continuous and dynamic.

We know that faith works by love. Gal 5:6. And in Romans we read that faith comes by hearing and hearing by the word of God. Rom 10:17.  If faith originates in us, it follows that the word we hear must also originate in us, which is most certainly not the case.  Paul said we have been allotted or apportioned a measure of faith. Rom 12:3.  It is a gift. Therefore, by definition, faith does not come from us.  Paul also said, ‘By the grace given to me’.  Rom 15:15.

Faith leads to grace which then leads to blessing. And blessing is the capacity to invoke. It is not auto-suggestion. It is not being persuaded about something by convincing argument. This is not faith nor is it the ministry of faith. Instead, a word comes to us which we hear and believe.  That word stirs and generates faith in us. And as faith is generated, it becomes our capacity to do the will of God.

We are often told that we can be all that we want to be. We are encouraged to be the best person we can be. However, we cannot be whatever we want to be. If we are male we cannot be female. If we are old we can’t be young. We can't change our IQ. Nor can we change our physical stature. We can't by reason of thought add one cubit to our stature. Matt 6:27. This Scripture in the book of Matthew is addressing auto-suggestion.  ‘Who by taking thought can add’ anything to themselves?

But, of course, the Scripture makes it clear that we can be added to.  Paul said in Romans, ‘Through the grace given to me, I say … not to think more highly of himself than he ought’. He goes on to say, ‘To each one is given a measure or an allocation of faith’. If we have an allocation of faith that’s been measured out to each one, then we should not think more highly than that, and certainly not more lowly.  We must think of ourselves according to the measure of faith given. 

And of course, that faith will enable us to do the will of God. Faith will also be producing grace which is the favour and power of God. Faith is not the energy of God but rather it is the power to do His will. Grace is that sovereign exertion of His will which gives us the power to do the thing we are believing for.

Christ Himself believed for grace. He was in faith. He had the faith of the Son which is also our faith. Obviously, we are not the Son as He was. We are individuals born of a mother and a father but we have each been allocated a measure of faith.

When we consider the parable of the sower, we think of the four soils; the wayside, the stony, the thorny and the good ground.  There is tremendous quality in the word that's coming to us. However, if the ground of our hearts is not broken up and our heart is not open, we’re not good ground and the seed cannot lodge. How is the ground of your heart? In the book of Proverbs we are exhorted to keep our hearts with all diligence. Prov 4:23. Let the word of God plough up your heart. Let the word of God penetrate your heart. Let the ground of your heart be broken up so that the rain of the word, the dew of the word of God, can penetrate. In the book of Isaiah we read that the word of the Lord comes like the rain and the dew. And the ground, if it's open, will receive that rain and the rain will return to God. The dew will return in its cycle but it will not return without achieving that for which it was sent. Isa 55:11.  That is only possible when the ground is open and broken and receptive.

In the second part of the parable, the kingdom of God is likened to a man who casts seed on the soil.  He goes to bed at night and the seed sprouts and grows up. But the next verse says that the man himself does not know how the seed grows. Mark 4:27. Faith is an amazing mystery. According to the measure of the faith allotted to each of us, the seed will grow. There are many kinds of seed. In Australia we have the very fine eucalyptus seed or spore. The wind carries it and often in Australia, we see a big craggy rock face with a sixty foot eucalypt growing out of it! The interesting thing is this; if we live by the faith of the Son this principle comes into play immediately. It's not about making things grow. It grows we know not how. Every seed has its own DNA and its own capacity to grow.

In my garden during times of drought, I often let the weeds grow up around the young plants. The weeds shelter the little plant as it's growing and help keep the moisture in the soil. As the weeds grow up they also push the plants up to look for the light.  Once the plant is large enough, I can then spray the grass down.  Likewise, every seed or measure of faith from God has within it an ability to produce the thing for which it was given. We don't need to worry about how it grows. We only need to worry about killing it! Think of the harsh environment in Australia. Plants grow with little water. Most people kill indoor plants by over watering not under watering. Most people kill things in their gardens, notwithstanding a drought, by over-fertilising. But if you put the right seed in its natural or right environment, it will grow. Life is resident within the seed so we should not be principally concerned with making something grow. Instead, we should not impede its growth.

The first phase of the parable of the sower addresses the good ground of our hearts. The second phase teaches that good seed will grow. ‘It grows we know not how.’  This passage has always been read in the negative. But I think it's meant to be read positively. Jesus went on to say, ‘If any man has ears to hear, let him hear’. Matt 13:19.  He was saying, ‘Take care how you hear’, or as some translations suggest, ‘what you listen to’. He also told the disciples, ‘By your standard of measure it shall be measured to you, and more shall be given you besides this’. We sometimes interpret this verse to mean to take heed what we hear and be careful how we measure everybody, because if we measure them inappropriately we'll be measured the same way. But, I don't think it's saying that. If there is a measure of faith that has been meted to each one, then it's appropriate we hear in relation to that. It is quite simple. We don’t need to worry about anybody else.  If we have been given faith for healing, we need to exercise that. If we've been given faith to preach the word, then we need to exercise it. There is faith for hospitality, faith for care, faith for every kind of gift. But, be careful how you hear. Be careful what you do with the allocation of faith that’s been given to you personally. So, by your standard of measure it shall be measured to you.

I get the sense that Christ Himself is standing at our side strengthening us by grace according to our measure of faith. He wants faith to promote grace which will then become blessing. He wants to bless the work of our hands. The final work of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob was not faith or grace. Their final work was to lay hands on the next generation and to bless them.  Blessing is the evident power of God in our life to bring forth fruit.

We can't ask for more faith in an area of our choosing. But we can find more faith where our measure is. And He continues, ‘And more shall be given you besides this’. Mark 4:25. For who ever has, to him shall more be given. And whoever does not have even what he has shall be taken away from him’. Matt 13:12. We also find those verses in the parable of the talents. Matt 25:29. There is a measure of faith.

The seed of faith grows ‘we know not how’, by loving and giving. There is nothing magical. There is no auto-suggestion.  If we keep our heart with all diligence, we will love and we will give.  In Galatians, we read of a Saviour who is now seated at the right hand of the Father and He is giving an allocation of faith to us. He is continuing to engage us while we live by His faith. 

No one by reason of thought can add one cubit to their stature. A cubit is about 18 inches so it is a lot to add to your height! It is not going to be possible. We might be looking at someone with great ability and we might be of a moderate ability. But, that is of no moment for more can be given. Give yourself to your measure of faith. Think about it, pray about it and wait on your measure of faith so you can begin to bring forth fruit. This is the blessing of the fullness of Christ.

Author: David Falk | Toowoomba Christian Fellowship TCF
Published by Vision One at Toowoomba Christian Fellowship TCF
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