Faith is Your Servant

And the Lord said, If ye had faith as a grain of mustard seed, ye might say unto this sycamine tree, Be thou plucked up by the root, and be thou planted in the sea; and it should obey you. But which of you, having a servant plowing or feeding cattle, will say unto him by and by, when he is come from the field, Go and sit down to meat? And will not rather say unto him, Make ready wherewith I may sup, and gird thyself, and serve me, till I have eaten and drunken; and afterward thou shalt eat and drink? (Luke 17:6-8)

People spend a lot of time trying to build more faith. They pray for it and ask God to increase it. You can talk to the Father about anything, but Jesus said something here that changes the whole conversation when it comes to faith. He said that if you had faith the size of a mustard seed—which is one of the smallest seeds—you could speak to a sycamine tree, and it would obey you. The issue was never the amount. The issue is whether you're actually using what you already have.

Then Jesus shifted and told a parable about a servant. A man had a servant working out in the field all day, plowing, feeding cattle, and doing the hard labor of field work. When that servant came in from the field, does the master say, "Come on in, sit down, let me fix you something to eat"? No. He says, "Get yourself together, serve me first, and then you eat afterward.” Now that may seem harsh at first. But Jesus was emphasizing the nature of a servant. A servant doesn't choose when to work or rest. A servant doesn't clock out just because things get tough. A servant serves. That is what they do.

Faith is your servant. Faith works for you. However, too many believers have it backwards. They wait for faith to show up and act on its own, when, in reality, faith is waiting on you to activate it and give it instructions. Faith does not move without your voice. Faith does not act without your corresponding action. Faith does not produce unless the seed of the Word is planted, spoken, and stood on. 

Practical Application

Put your faith to work. Speak the Word. Take the step. Make the move God told you to make. Your faith is waiting on you. Not the other way around.

Matthew 17:20; Matthew 21:21