“Oh, if only I had more faith.” Ever say or think that? Jesus didn’t think we needed more faith. In Matthew 17:20b He said if you had faith as small as a mustard seed you could move a mountain. Romans 12:3b says we’ve all been given the measure of faith, so we have more than enough faith to move the biggest mountain of sickness, disease, poverty, fear, lack, bondage to sin, and yes even a literal mountain or whatever mountain is standing in our way of fulfilling God’s glorious plan for our lives.

Then what is the problem? What is keeping our faith from being released to do its job of activating God’s promises in our lives so we can live the prosperous and overcoming life promised us in God’s word? Jesus gives us the answer in Matthew 17:20a when He tells his disciples why they could not cast the demon out of the “lunatic” boy. Jesus said, “Because of your unbelief.” Unbelief is the culprit, not the lack of faith. Get rid of the unbelief and the problem is solved.

So it is time for you to activate those “exceeding great and precious promises” and begin living the abundant life Jesus spoke of in John 10:10. Here is what you do to release your faith in God’s promises:

  1. Find two or three promises that cover your situation, whether it is for healing, peace, joy, a financial breakthrough, weight loss, deliverance from some sin, wisdom, confidence or for whatever situation you want to see made right.
  2. Personalize those scriptures. Examples: “By his stripes I was healed.” ” Sin no longer dominates me.” “Whatever I do prospers.”
  3. Spend fifteen or more minutes a day speaking those promises because “faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God” (Romans 10:17).
  4. This may sound stupid or even blasphemous. You thank God for the problem. Why would you thank God for sickness or some devastating thing in your life? Because God tells you in Romans 8:28 “All things work together for good to them that love God.” And in Ephesians 5:20 we are told to give thanks for all things. That includes both good and bad things.
  5. Finally, understand that God is sovereign and nothing happens in your life unless He has given the okay. When you thank God for both good and bad things, you allow Him to go to work on those good and bad areas in your life to perfect them. David said in Psalm 138:8 God would perfect those things concerning him.

Let me give you a testimony to show you the power of thanking and praising God for something bad in your life. A woman was married to an abusive alcoholic husband. One day the mother discovered the power of thanking and praising God for both good and bad things. She made a covenant with her daughter to thank God for her alcoholic husband. That night he came home sober and never returned to his alcoholic and abusive lifestyle.

Follow these five steps and see how powerful and faithful our God is to turn “mourning into dancing” (Psalm 30:11

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