Lesson 7 – Our faith in Him
Read Psalm 56 - www.bible.com/bible/59/psa.56.esv

We learned in a previous lesson how obedience builds trust in God, even when we don’t see or understand how our obedience is being used by God. In this lesson we want to look more at how that obedience builds our faith and through faith our fear is also conquered.
First, let’s read Jesus’ answer to His disciples when they asked Him to increase their faith. Please read in Luke 17. Their request is in verse 5, and Jesus describes faith that can move mountains in verse 6. But look at verses 7 through 10 for what Jesus said about HOW their faith would increase. He told of a servant’s life, how he goes out to work for his master all day. Yet when he comes home in the evening he doesn’t expect the master to feed him and care for his needs. His job as the servant is to do those things for his master. And when everything has been done for his master, THEN the servant can see after his own needs.

Jesus’ lesson to His disciples was that faith is not something we can build or increase by focusing on our faith. We must focus on obeying Him and our faith will grow along the way. He asks me to do something, and I agree. I start, and find I cannot do what He has asked. Maybe I am afraid to try or need wisdom or think I’m not the right person. Yet, God asked ME to do this thing. If I am wise, I run back to Him and tell Him how I’m feeling. Psalm 56:3 says, “When I am afraid, I will put my trust in You.” We tell God honestly that we can’t do what He asks of us, but we don’t stop there. We continue with saying to Him that we are available for Him to use us to accomplish what He wants done.


Not long ago, the opportunity came for me to tell people in 3 different meetings about how I am serving God. I am not a public speaker because I am shy and forget everything I want to say when I face a group of people. Even though I had prepared, I stood up, faced the people, and forgot everything I had planned to say. But I had also prayed! I had given myself to God for this – and in my moment of complete panic, I turned back to Jesus asking Him to speak through me. I do not remember what I said after that, but I had peace in my heart that God was speaking for me. In that 30 minutes, my faith in Him grew – just because I WATCHED Him do this thing I could not do, yet He did it through me. The second and third meetings were easier because I KNEW – I trusted in Him and I knew He would do it again.

Verses to memorize:
3 When I am afraid, I will put my trust in You.
4 In God, whose word I praise, In God I have put my trust; I shall not be afraid. What can mere man do to me? Psalms 56:3-4 (ESV)