To increase and add to your faith, start with asking God for more faith in earnest prayer (Mathew 7:7; James 1:5).
Through Scripture and the Holy Spirit, we have access to the Lord’s divine wisdom. This kind of knowledge isn’t available through human reasoning. It is of a higher realm and comes through divine revelation. Divine wisdom is Bible-based, Christ-centered, and Spirit-led. So, we should follow James’ advice and keep praying for wisdom.
By studying God’s Word, we can acquire and gain the wisdom to build our faith. That wisdom to increase our faith should not rest on the wisdom of men but on the power of God (1 Corinthians 2:5).
Through God’s Holy Spirit can we understand the truths revealed by God, including Christ crucified for human sinfulness. Those without God’s Spirit are limited to what can be observed and worked out with human reason. God’s Spirit makes it possible for us to understand and believe spiritual things (1 Corinthians 2:2).
In Corinth, the Apostle Paul considered it his job to preach but he knew that it was the Holy Spirit’s job to demonstrate and guide us to greater faith. Paul’s preaching may not have been impressive or persuasive on a human level, but on a spiritual level it had power.
Paul also knew that if a preacher is not careful, he will get in the way of the gospel instead of being a servant of the gospel. They can obscure Jesus by their preaching, either in the presentation or the message. 1
We should put posturing and self-promotion aside and proclaim the truth of God’s Word plainly and clearly so that people might trust in that Word, not our words, so that people might trust in His power, not our eloquence, so the people might trust in God, not in us.
1 Corinthians 1:5 – Allow God’s Holy Spirit to Guide You to Trust in God’s PowerThe advantage of spiritual preaching, not just expository preaching but spiritual preaching, is significant. Paul could have achieved results with “the wisdom of men,” but human wisdom works with human power.
Paul wanted people to trust in God’s power, not in human wisdom.
Rely on the Spirit instead of human wisdom because:
- Preaching strategies centered on the wisdom of men, around emotion, entertainment, and human personality may yield responses but not results for the kingdom of God.
- If someone can be persuaded into the kingdom by human wisdom, they can also be persuaded out of the kingdom by human wisdom.
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Consider the Daily Bread email message sent on 2/19/2024 which says,
1 Corinthians 2:5 – so that your faith would not rest on the wisdom of men, but on the power of God. (NASB)
The wisdom to grow our faith should not rest on the wisdom of men, but on the power of God.
God’s Holy Spirit will guide you toward trusting God and that will increase your faith.
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Cited References:
- David Guzik, Commentary on 1 Corinthians 2, (Enduring Word, https://enduringword.com/bible-commentary/1-corinthians-2/