This message is for my students who say that they want a higher level. Those who say, that they are ready for strong meat.

If that’s true, then you have to be ready to unlearn quite a few things that you already thought you knew. One tool and method that will be invaluable to you is to master the use of an Interlinear and see what the verse actually says. Case in Point:

REMINDER: This is just ‘pshat level. Literal interpretation only. Nothing deep or investigatory. Yet, on a basic level, we should have known this as 3 year old in Summer Bible Camp. This is a huge. This verse alone, should shift many paradigms.

Begin with Biblehub.com; Mark 11:22 The translation begins with “theou” and reads “from GOD”. Look past that for a moment and note the abbreviation for the parts of speech. ‘N-GMS’ is telling us that ‘theou’ is a Noun in the Genitive Masculine Singular, which means it is a masc, sg, possessive Noun and here it is rendered as “from GOD.”

Having faith from GOD and having the faith of GOD are two different matters. Both are a few levels above, “…having faith in GOD (KJV).” Having faith from GOD is a gift ( which I don’t think we would argue that it isn’t). Having the faith of GOD would place us at a great advantage. If we had known the expectation was to operate at such a level, understood scripture that way from the beginning and applied it to our lives daily, we would be advanced indeed.

Having the Faith of GOD… is a Completely Different Conversation

But let’s look beneath the surface a bit more and find out just what the Genitive case tell us: Genitive shows possession (although some scholars separate out possession from genitive, and define it as two separate forms. I do not. While the genitive case is not ‘always’ about possession, it is about ‘belonging to.’

That being the case, we can understand Mark 11:22 as Jesus compelling us to have the type of faith that GOD has, or to have the same level of faith as GOD. To operate in His level of Faith, just as we have learned to operate in His strength and not our own, in His ways, in His Will and not our own. We learn from Jesus to operate in GOD’s Faith and not our own.

Having faith in GOD, is sweet, but it’s operating with milk. Having the faith of GOD… that requires grit… i.e. strong meat. Ref: Hebrews 5:11-14

Jesus is offering strong meat.

Related: Prayer Journal Pages

2 Bibles that render this passage, “… Have the faith of GOD” are Douay Rhimes Bible (1582) and Young’s Literal Bible (1862).

Compare: Galatians 2:16 “But knowing that man is not justified by the works of the law, but by the faith of Jesus Christ; we also believe in Christ Jesus, that we may be justified by the faith of Christ...” (both Douay Rhimes Bible and KJV). We are justified by the Faith “of” Christ, as in like manner we are to have the Faith “of” GOD.

Consider a point beyond the letter and the linguistics for a moment. Beyond all the covenants, conditions and restrictions of language, there are a few spiritual… more weightier matters to convey.

In this teaching, the limits have been lifted.

You can reach for the attribute of operating in the faith of GOD, or having faith in GOD. It’s a choice. Either is possible, yet both are not comfortable. One requires you to stretch and the other requires no action whatsoever. The existing ‘believer’ can stay well within their current comfort zone, stay completely as they are. If you hear the call to have the faith of GOD, something more is required of you.

Christ is entering Jerusalem and into the temple. The next day He moves on to Bethany and is now hungry. He sees a fig tree with leaves and no fruit. Fig trees produce fruit before the leaves open. So this particular fig tree is signaling abundance where none actually exist. The fig tree is operating against its own purpose in creation, against its own nature. It’s living in defiance to its own creation and purpose. Jesus says to the tree, “No man eat fruit of thee hereafter, forever”. In other words, “You don’t get to do your own thing, and cast off the Word of GOD in shear disobedience”.

The fig tree shrivels up and dies and the next day Peter notices the overnight change due to the LORDs Words, and ask how this is possible. The Messiah responds, “Have the faith of GOD.”

We could stop at the boundary of having faith in God, or we can proceed to the level of having the faith of GOD. Not just believing in the authority of GOD, but speaking in the authority of GOD.

“Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus: Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God…” Amen.

In the overall context of Mark 11, Jesus empowered the disciples to operate in Kingdom Authority.