God Has a Plan for you | Faith For the Future | Christine Caine

God Has a Plan for you | Faith For the Future | Christine Caine

Stir Up Your Faith: The Greatest Miracles Are Ahead

Believe in God. Stir up the faith He has deposited within you—stir it up! Your greatest miracles lie ahead of you, not behind you. The doors that will open for you are ahead, not behind. But you must stir up your faith to see them.

In the book of Luke, we find a powerful story. Jesus had just finished His Sermon on the Mount and entered Capernaum. There, a centurion had a servant who was critically ill. This centurion, a Roman officer, was highly regarded by the Jewish community because of his compassion for them. He had even built them a synagogue.

When the centurion heard about Jesus, he sent Jewish elders to ask Jesus to heal his servant. They pleaded with Jesus, saying, “He is worthy to receive your help because he loves our nation.” Jesus agreed to go with them.

As they neared the centurion’s house, the centurion sent friends to say, “Lord, do not trouble yourself. I am not worthy to have you come into my home. Just say the word, and my servant will be healed. I too am a man under authority, with soldiers under me. I say to one, ‘Go,’ and he goes, and to another, ‘Come,’ and he comes. I tell my servant, ‘Do this,’ and he does it.”

When Jesus heard this, He marveled at the centurion’s faith and turned to the crowd, saying, “I tell you, I have not found such great faith, not even in Israel.” The messengers returned to find the servant healed.

This story reveals several key lessons. First, Jesus had just completed His teachings in the hearing of the people. He entered Capernaum, a strategic city for His ministry. Before He even entered the city, the Jewish elders came to Him on behalf of the centurion.

The centurion, a captain in the Roman army, commanded about 100 soldiers. In that time, Roman soldiers were often disliked because they represented the occupying force. It was unusual for a Roman officer to show such compassion for a slave or servant—especially one considered disposable at that time. This centurion, however, was different. He genuinely cared for his servant’s well-being and wanted him healed.

Despite the cultural norm of disregarding slaves, this centurion’s compassion stood out. The Jewish elders testified to his kindness and his respect for their nation, even going so far as to build them a synagogue—a remarkable gesture of goodwill from an enemy officer.

The centurion’s faith in Jesus was profound. He recognized the authority of Jesus, understanding that a word from Him could heal his servant. Jesus was amazed by this faith, declaring that He had not found such great faith even in Israel.

This story teaches us not to underestimate what God can use to bless us. He may use unexpected people or situations to bring about His miracles. Don’t limit your belief—God’s ways are greater than ours, and His blessings may come through surprising channels. Stay faithful, stir up your faith, and expect great things ahead.