REAL FAITH

We do not know the date or place George Müller preached this sermon, but what a gem it is! May your faith and trust in God be fully realized as you seek to read His word and grow in dependence upon Him who is able.

Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen. For by it the people of old received their commendation. By faith we understand that the universe was created by the word of God, so that what is seen was not made out of things that are visible. (Hebrews 11:1-3, ESV)

The subject of our meditation this evening is this: What is faith? How can it grow? I will try to explain the growth of faith by sharing some of my own experiences—those which, by God’s grace, I have learned through trusting in His promises as revealed in His Word.

First: What is faith? In the simplest way I can say it, faith is the assurance that the thing which God has said in His Word is true, and that God will act according to what He has said in His Word. This assurance, this reliance on God’s Word, this confidence, is faith. Faith has nothing to do with impressions or feelings. They have neither one thing nor another to do with faith. Faith has to do with the Word of God. It’s not impressions or our feelings, whether strong or weak, that will make a difference. We have the written Word. We have to rely on the written Word, and not on ourselves, our feelings, or our impressions. 

Probabilities are also not to be taken into account. Many people are willing to believe in those things that seem to them probable. The province of faith begins where probabilities cease and sight and sense fail. A great many of God’s children are discouraged and lament their lack of faith. They write to me, saying they have no impressions, no feeling; they see no probability that the thing they wish will come to pass (see Luke 18:27). Appearances are not to be taken into account. Impressions, feelings and probabilities are not to be taken into account. The question to ask is if God has spoken it in His Word. Now, before what I have to say to you, dear Christian friends, bear in mind that it is because there is so much dependence on these that we have so little blessedness among us. All these things must be left alone. The Word of God alone is what we are to depend upon. This is enough for us. 

And now, beloved Christian friends, you are in great need to ask yourselves whether you are in the habit of meditating in your inmost soul over what God has said in His Word, and whether you are sincerely seeking to find out whether the thing you want lines up with what He has said in His Word. If it does, then the thing you ask for will come to pass is as sure as that you were able to confide in Him. 

Second: How faith may be increased! God delights to grow the faith of His children. He is thus glorified before an ungodly world and the powers of darkness. The confidence of His children in times of trials, discouragement, pain and sorrow gives great encouragement to other Christians. God delights that He may do good to others through them and that they themselves, through the exercise of faith, may obtain a maturing in it. For difficulties, costs, obstacles, hindrances, grief and losses, though we shrink from them, these are the very things God uses to mature us more and more. Just as a baby’s weak limbs develop and grow stronger until they have the strength of an adult, so it is with our faith. I don’t believe we can attain strong faith all at once, any more than a baby can spring into adulthood overnight!  Our faith, which is weak at first, is matured and strengthened through use. 

Instead of wanting no trials before victory, no exercise for patience, we need to be willing to take them from God’s hands as a means. I say, and I say it deliberately, trials, discouragement, pain and sorrow are necessities, the very food of faith. I get letters from so many of God’s dear children who say, “Dear Mr. Müller, I’m writing this because I’m so weak in my faith.” Just so surely as we ask to have our faith strengthened, we must be willing to take from God’s hands the means for strengthening it. We must allow Him to educate us through trials and griefs and troubles. For it is through trial that faith is sharpened, maturing more and more. God lovingly permits difficulties so He may increasingly mature that which He is willing to do for us; and to this end we should not shrink, but if He gives us sorrows and hindrances, losses and afflictions, we should take them out of His hands as evidences of His love and care for us in maturing in us that faith which He is seeking to strengthen in us. 

Again, we must seek to acquaint ourselves with God as He has revealed Himself in the Scriptures. We must not content ourselves with the notions that people have about God, but we must diligently seek to know what He has disclosed regarding Himself. And we must not take the notions which the Church and many professing Christians have of God; for I say deliberately that the notions which the Church of Christ has about God are not the truth, and we do not want to gather our views from what the Church says about God, or what Christian men say about Him—instead, we want to come to the very fountain, the revelation the Lord has made of Himself in His written Word, and step by step, as we read, to learn not only of the power, infinite wisdom, justice, and holiness of our God, but also of His gentleness, pity, beauty and generosity. When we read and see what God has revealed of Himself in His Word, we shall find out more and more from it that God is the lovable One, God is the lovable One, GOD IS THE LOVABLE ONE; and before I go any further, I stop to ask you what the response of your inmost soul is? Is God, to you, the lovable One? If not, you are not acquainted with Him. You have yet to find out that He is the most lovable One. Oh, strive to say in your inmost heart that He is the lovable One! The result will be that you will confide in Him unreservedly, at all times, in all circumstances. Though He slay you, yet will you trust in Him (see Job 13:15). Turn and read Psalm 9. With your very own eyes, read verses 9 and 10 (NIV): 

The Lord is a refuge for the oppressed, a stronghold in times of trouble. Those who know your name trust in you, for you, Lord, have never forsaken those who seek you.

We who learn to see God as He has revealed Himself in His Word are so satisfied with Him, and in His dealings with us, we see how everything is for our good. On this account, it is so deeply important for our usefulness and for our growth in faith that we get correct ideas of God from the fountain of truth contained in His Word. In the exercise of our faith and in the study of His Word, our faith grows. I say this deliberately, advisedly, and tens of thousands of God’s faithful children will say the same thing. 

The Church of Christ is not stirred to see God as the beautiful and worthy One He is—and that is why we experience so little of His joy and blessing. Oh, beloved brothers and sisters in Christ, seek to know this for yourselves, for I cannot fully describe the joy of it! In the darkest moments, I can confide in Him because I know how good, kind, faithful, and loving He is. And if it is the will of God to put us in the furnace, let Him do so, for through it we come to know Him more deeply as He reveals Himself to us. The more we know Him, the more we can say He is the most worthy One, and we are satisfied in Him and can say, “He is my Father—let Him do as He wills.”

When I first began allowing God to deal with me, relying on Him, taking Him at His Word, and set out fifty-one years ago, simply relying on Him for myself, my family, taxes, traveling expenses, and every other need, I rested on the simple promises. I found a passage in Matthew 6:25-34 (NIV):

“Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothes? Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? Can any one of you by worrying add a single hour to your life?

“And why do you worry about clothes? See how the flowers of the field grow. They do not labor or spin. Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these. If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will he not much more clothe you—you of little faith? So do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.

I believed the Word. I rested on it and practiced it. I took God at His Word. Though I was a stranger and foreigner in England, knowing seven languages that could have provided me with a good living, I instead consecrated myself to labor for the Lord. I put my reliance in the God who has promised, and He has proven Himself faithful by His Word. I’ve lacked nothing—nothing. Yes, I’ve faced trials, challenges, and times when my wallet was empty, yet over the years, the Lord has supplied everything needed—tens of thousands of pounds for the work that has gone on these fifty-one years. I have faced great difficulties, great trials and perplexities. There will always be difficulties, always trials. But God has sustained me under them and delivered me out of them, and the work has gone on. 

Now, this is not, as some have said, because I am a man of great mental power or endowed with energy and perseverance—no, these are not the reasons. It is because I have confided in God! It is because I have sought God and He has cared for orphan homes—homes which, under His direction, include 117 schools with teachers and many other departments I’ve mentioned before. The difficulties in such an undertaking have been gigantic, but I have read in Psalm 25:3 that those who put their trust in the Lord shall not be ashamed. Nearly twenty years ago, a beloved brother from America came to see me, expecting to find me an old man, helpless and decrepit, bowed down with burdens, and he was amazed that I did not look old. “How is this?” he said, “How is it that you remain so young while carrying such a heavy load?”

“My dear brother,” I said, “I have always cast my burdens on the Lord. I do not carry even one-hundredth part of it. The burden comes to me, and I take it to Him.” I do not carry the burden. And now, in my seventy-sixth year, I have physical strength and mental vigor for work just as great as when I was a young man in the university, studying and preparing Latin orations. I am just as vigorous as at that time! 

How is this possible? Because in the last half-century of work, I’ve been able, with the simplicity of a little child, to rely on God. I have had my trials, but I have grasped hold of God, and thus He has sustained me. God not only allows us but also positively commands us to cast our burdens on Him. Oh, let us do it, my beloved brothers and sisters in Christ. “Cast your burden on the Lord, and He will sustain you” (Psalm 55:22, ESV). Do this daily. Even this morning, I brought to the Lord sixty matters related to the church I pastor—and this I have done daily, monthly, yearly for the past forty years. And now, my beloved brothers and sisters, come before the Lord with your burdens, the burdens of your work, your profession, your trials and difficulties, and you will find help! 

Many people suppose it is only about money that I trust the Lord in prayer. I do bring this money question before the Lord, but it is only one out of many things I speak to Him about, and I find He helps. Often, I have a challenge in finding people capable (both in character and ability) for various roles and needs. Sometimes weeks and months pass, and day by day, I bring the matter before the Lord, and without fail, He helps. It’s the same for praying for the salvation of people—sooner or later, prayer turns to praise when God answers. It’s the same with our needs for distributing tracts and books, and in missionary efforts—after a time, God always helps. We are never abandoned, never disappointed.

However, do not expect to be fully mature in faith all at once! Jumping into full maturity, I do not approve!  I do not believe in it, I repeat: I do NOT believe in it—and I want to make that perfectly clear! Growth ought to come naturally. The little I have obtained did not happen all at once. I say this particularly because I receive letters full of questions from those asking how their faith can be strengthened. My answer is this: Anchor your soul in the Word of God, and there you will find your faith will grow as you exercise it on what He says.

One final thing. Some say, “Oh, I will never have the faith of Mr. Müller!. He has real faith.” Believing this is a very great mistake, a very great error—there is not even a hint of truth in it! This faith I have is the very same faith that all God’s children have. It’s the same faith as Simon Peter, and all Christians may have it. My faith is their faith, though I may have more of it because my faith has been matured by practicing it. But friends, your faith is precisely the same faith I have, only I have exercised mine more! What little faith I have is the grace of faith, not the gift. But he who has the grace of faith always has it accompanied by love, rendered “charity.” The gift of faith commands—and may even command devils. The grace of faith has to do with the written Word of the Lord. 

Now, my beloved brothers and sisters, start with little steps. At first, I was able to trust the Lord for ten pounds, then for a hundred pounds, then for a thousand pounds, then for a hundred thousand pounds, and now, with the greatest ease, I could trust Him for millions of pounds if there was occasion! But, first, I should quietly, carefully, deliberately examine and see whether what I was trusting for was something in accordance with His promises in His written Word. If I found it was, the amount of the difficulties would be no hindrance to my trust. Fifty-one years, and God has never failed me! Trust Him for yourselves and find how true to His Word He is. 

May God’s richest and most abundant blessings rest upon you now, and upon all who are encouraged to place their entire trust in Christ from this moment on. From then on, true peace, joy, and happiness will be experienced as you begin to live by faith—faith united with love and trust. Amen.