How Can I Have Reckless Faith?

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In Luke 7 : Jesus said, “Not even in Israel have I found such great faith.” What was it that Jesus had called “great faith”? How do we have great faith, or reckless faith?

Lets take a look at this entire passage from Luke:

Luke 7: 1-10 - The Faith of the Centurion
1When Jesus had finished saying all this in the hearing of the people, he entered Capernaum. 2There a centurion's servant, whom his master valued highly, was sick and about to die. 3The centurion heard of Jesus and sent some elders of the Jews to him, asking him to come and heal his servant. 4When they came to Jesus, they pleaded earnestly with him, "This man deserves to have you do this, 5because he loves our nation and has built our synagogue." 6So Jesus went with them. He was not far from the house when the centurion sent friends to say to him: "Lord, don't trouble yourself, for I do not deserve to have you come under my roof. 7That is why I did not even consider myself worthy to come to you. But say the word, and my servant will be healed. 8For I myself am a man under authority, with soldiers under me. I tell this one, 'Go,' and he goes; and that one, 'Come,' and he comes. I say to my servant, 'Do this,' and he does it."

9When Jesus heard this, he was amazed at him, and turning to the crowd following him, he said, "I tell you, I have not found such great faith even in Israel." 10Then the men who had been sent returned to the house and found the servant well.

The centurion used a personal example to illustrate that he understood what it meant to be taken at His word and obeyed. Jesus said to him, “I say to you, not even in Israel have I found such great faith.”

Jesus seemed to be saying that “great faith” was simply taking Him at His word. Most of us try to make having great faith something really complex or serious, when it appears that Jesus just wants us to believe, without a shadow of doubt, that He is the Savior.

Hebrews 11 is often referred to as “faith’s hall of fame,” and in these verses there are countless examples of other people who took God at His word.

After reading and rereading the passage, with all its references to the phrase “by faith,” I began to see that all the people mentioned had one thing in common:

No matter whom the writer of Hebrews was talking about, each person had simply taken God at His word and obeyed His command. Without a shadow of doubt. Without hesitating. Without questioning. Without fear.

They are reconized and remembered in the Bible for their faith, and for acting on that faith, even if it seemed reckless.

God told Noah to build an ark because He was going to bring a massive flood. Noah took God at His word and built the ark.

God told Abraham to go out to a place that he would receive as an inheritance. Abraham took God at His word, left his familiar surroundings, and he went.

God indicated to Sarah, who was long past the age of childbearing, that she would conceive a son. The Scripture states: “She considered Him faithful who had promised.”She took God at His word.

Do you want to have reckless faith today? If your answer is yes, then just start trying to take God at His Word. Instead of questioning whether you think that what He has called you to do makes common sense, or if His call lines up with your ideas and plans, just take Him at is Word.

Believe what His Word promises.

Believe that He has equipped you to step out in obedience.

Believe that He has a plan and a purpose for you, if you fave great faith.

Great faith requires us to act according to our belief in Jesus's Word, and not act according to our feelings or own human rationale. If we allow our human feelings to prevent us from saying yes to God, we will never see what amazing things He can do through us and in our lives. As a result, we will miss out on the awesome and incredible opportunities to live out our lives exercising great faith. We will miss our opportunities to step out of the boat, and letting others see His greatness, through us.

Dont let fear paralyze you from moving forward. Ask God to help you have reckless faith today.