Do you know someone who is an extravagant believer? I mean someone who holds nothing back because he expects God to miraculously intervene in his life. I am not talking about someone who is very naive, but someone who knows that God can accomplish what we can never do on our own. Are you such a person?
The Bible has many stories about people who staked their lives on the Word of God. As I said in the previous article, faith is a lifestyle issue beyond theory. These Bible characters believed in extraordinary ways. There were those around them who believed more or less, but they seemed to believe in a way that seemed extreme. Remember, we are discussing faith as a result of hearing God’s Word.
What is an extravagant believer?
You are probably wondering what I mean by “extravagant believer.” Let me define the term for you. An extravagant believer sees beyond the visible reality, who believes in God’s promises especially when everything tells him not to believe, who clings to the Word of his God no matter what, and who suffers while believing. I am talking about those men and women who see the hand of God in their lives through happy or unhappy circumstances. They are extraordinary believers, and they see things happening that others do not see at all.
Now, I don’t mean that Jesus loves them more. I simply mean that these extravagant believers reach out to His Word and see things that many others don’t see. They are willing to go beyond the norm and expect God to work in a greater way.
The Story of an Extravagant Believer
There is a story that is often cited when talking about acting by faith. It is found in Luke 8:43-48. Let’s explore this story.
To understand it, I want you to put yourself in the crowd. Can you see yourself in a huge crowd of people following Jesus as He walked down the street? He had no bodyguards as He walked with His disciples. The crowd pushed and shoved, trying to get closer to Him. They wanted to get a good look at this unusual man, who was becoming famous.
Suddenly Jesus turned around and said, “Who touched me?”
His disciples were confused. “What do you mean? The whole crowd is pressing against you.” Jesus said, “No. Someone has touched me, for I felt power come out of me.” And He turned and looked at the woman who had touched the hem of His garment.
Of course, in that crowd, there was a woman who had been sick for a very long time. She had a hemorrhage that lasted 12 years. She had spent all her money going to doctors, and no one had been able to heal her. The Bible says she was getting worse.
Yet that day, when this woman saw Jesus, she was inspired. She had heard about Him and she thought, If I can just touch the hem of His garment, I will be healed. And that is exactly what happened. When she touched Him, the flow of blood stopped and immediately she was well.
Jesus then said something very different from our mindset. He said, “Daughter, your faith has made you well. Go in peace.”
Let this answer sink in. Your faith has healed you. Understand what Jesus meant. This woman touched the hem of his garment because she had heard about him and decided to act on his words. The crowd was huge, but she managed to squeeze through without being distracted by the noise and the hellish melee. She wanted to be healed. This crowd was not the obstacle, but the opportunity for her to exercise her faith.
This is an extraordinary illustration of the source of faith: faith comes from hearing. Do you understand what this implies for you?
What are you listening to?
In our modern society, it’s total noise. Everyone wants to get your attention. Social media seems to be winning this battle. You’re caught in the net of news, celebrities, funny videos, etc. What or who is your attention focused on?
Jesus is alive today. He walks the earth, in your little corner. But there is this crowd of people all around us, these voices fighting for our attention. If you are like me, you get caught up in this noisy crowd sometimes. You get distracted. And you wonder why you are not healed (or at least why you do not believe). Quite simply, you do not do like this sick woman. You lose sight of your goal by letting yourself be distracted by the surrounding hubbub.
As in the case of this woman, you must go to Jesus despite the noise. You cannot use the noise as an excuse (I have no time, I am busy, I am discouraged, etc.) to avoid touching the hem of His garments (i.e., reading God’s Word). If you do not do this, you will not be able to become an extravagant believer. I would like you to consider these questions:
- How do you integrate your faith (i.e. the Word of God) into your daily reality?
- Are you ready to believe in miracles in your life? In your health? In your family? In your finances?
Perhaps the real question is: Do you know the Word of God, the source of all true faith? These are things you must decide for yourself. Don’t look at the crowd. They probably don’t believe it very much.
A Little Warning About Faith
Don’t misinterpret what I mean. I’m not saying you have to read God’s Word to have miracles. Don’t read the Bible to test God. You have to read the Bible to know God. You don’t have to chase miracles but seek to know Jesus. In having extravagant faith, your confidence is not in your faith—it’s always in Jesus.
Any attitude of faith that does not put Jesus at its center is based on pride and presumption that will eventually cause you to lose your faith. Have extravagant faith in God, but don’t trust in your faith. The key is to believe in God—and believe in Him extravagantly.
