How can we apply the apostles' humility in asking for more faith? An Honest Cry of the Heart “ And the apostles said to the Lord, ‘Increase our faith!’ ” (Luke 17:5) The men who had already seen the dead raised and demons cast out still sensed lack. They did not hide it. They blurted it out—open, needy, expectant. Their humility is our pattern. Why Their Request Matters Today • Faith is essential to please God (Hebrews 11:6). • Faith is received, not manufactured (Ephesians 2:8-9). • Faith grows in proportion to our view of Christ, not our view of ourselves (Hebrews 12:2). Hallmarks of Humble Faith-Seeking 1. Recognition of limitation • “I do believe; help my unbelief!” (Mark 9:24). • Pride says, I’ve got this. Humility says, Lord, without You I can do nothing (John 15:5). 2. Direct appeal to Jesus • They did not ask techniques or formulas; they asked a Person. • “Ask and it will be given to you” (Matthew 7:7). 3. Willingness to obey what He already revealed • The request follows Jesus’ command to forgive repeatedly (Luke 17:3-4). • Obedience in small things enlarges capacity for faith (John 14:21). Practical Ways to Ask for More Faith • Saturate the mind with Scripture – “Faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of Christ” (Romans 10:17). – Schedule daily, unrushed reading; speak verses aloud. • Pray the apostles’ words verbatim – Short, sincere, repeated: “Lord, increase my faith.” – Couple with thanksgiving for the measure already given (1 Thessalonians 5:18). • Embrace trials as training grounds – “You know that the testing of your faith produces endurance” (James 1:3). – Instead of asking Why me? ask What are You growing in me? • Stay in fellowship – Mutual encouragement keeps hearts from hardening (Hebrews 3:13). – Share testimonies of answered prayer to spark fresh trust. • Practice immediate obedience – Forgive, give, serve, speak—each act affirms confidence in Christ’s words. Guardrails Against Pride • Remember the source: “What do you have that you did not receive?” (1 Corinthians 4:7). • Keep boasting only in the Lord (Jeremiah 9:24). • Submit to God and resist the devil’s whisper of self-sufficiency (James 4:6-7). Promises That Encourage Bold Asking • “He gives more grace” (James 4:6). • “If you have faith like a mustard seed…nothing will be impossible for you” (Luke 17:6). • “Whatever you ask in My name, I will do it” (John 14:13). A Picture of Growing Faith Imagine a tiny seed pressed into soil. It disappears, then breaks, then pushes upward by a power not its own. Over time it becomes a tree that offers shade, fruit, and shelter. That is what happens when humble hearts echo the apostles: “Increase our faith.” God hears, answers, and the harvest blesses many. |
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