Pastor Huang – From Praying to God According to Your Own Plan to Obeying God’s Demands

John 4: 43~54

1. The faith the nobleman had: came to Jesus in Galilee from Capernaum
The faith of praying: ask God to do as I
The imminent faith V47: pay the price (walked 40 km) to come to ask Jesus and believed that Jesus can heal his child.
We all have our own thoughts, which come from our needs, problems, situations, backgrounds, personalities, value systems, and opinions.
It is typically hard to change these thoughts, we do not want God to change them either! Instead, we want God to proceed as our plans to heal us and fulfill our prayers.

2. Problems with faith promoting: God does not proceed as man wanted v48
This seems to be blaming the nobleman, pointing out his problems; it also seems like pointing out the weakness of the public from scolding him; being self-centered, won’t have faith in God until seeing signs or wonders.
If Jesus agreed immediately, it won’t show that the faith the nobleman had for God could be promoted to a higher level, different from other noblemen.

3. When man obey the guidance from God faith will be tested
•When Jesus asked, the nobleman immediately obeyed and acted. v50
You wanted me to go to your house and heal your child; my way of action is; however, you go back home, and I said your son has come back to life and if you believe me you need to take actions to follow my way and I will answer your request in my own way!
Jesus made it more challenging for some was to promote their inner faith, which will then demonstrate through actions, and become the blessings and role models for others.

4. Check the fruit and faith is promoted v52~53
After hearing the report from the servant, he immediately asked when the child was healed, indicating he was checking and experiencing. This is the attitude that faith has passed test.
If he did not pay attention and observe, even if God has done the work, he would not be able to explain in detail, and hence not able to give glory to God, his faith for God would also be blurry!
Even with obstacles, still obeyed the lead of God which is “not expected by man”, experienced the fulfillment of God’s words, in this way one has then passed the test from God and his/her faith is then elevated.