Title Problem Solving Faith / Matthew 15:21-28
Content Everyone lives with problems. After working hard to solve a certain problem, peace seems to come for a while. But sooner or later, you run into another problem. In this way, people always live with problems.
There are two main ways people react when faced with a problem. One is that when they encounter a problem, they despair, suffer, and cannot sleep at night. away from the Lord. In severe cases, even suicide. The other has many problems, but overcomes them and changes them into a better direction and a blessed life.
The Greek word for man is Anthropos. It means 'a being who looks up, an existence with hope'.
Humans have desires. According to Maslow,
The first is the need for survival. It is the desire to live. There is no desire more intense than the desire for life. The second is the need for safety. The desire to live a more peaceful life. The third is the desire to be recognized for one's existence value. People want to be what they need. I like to be recognized and praised. We develop when we receive praise, and we become frustrated when we do not hear that praise. The fourth is the need for self-actualization. It is the desire to achieve what you have always wanted to do.
However, everything in the world does not go according to one's own desires. I so want to live, but I die. We want safety, but accidents happen everywhere. People feel alienated because they do not recognize the value of their existence. There are many things I want to accomplish in my life, but not many. This is because humans are finite and have limitations.
However, the Bible tells us the way to overcome such a limiting situation. That is faith. If we have great faith, the Lord will grant our wishes according to our faith.
Verse 28, “Jesus answered and said to her, ‘Woman, great is your faith, and it will be done for you as you wish.’ And from that hour his daughter was healed.”
The Canaanite woman faced a problem, but she did not despair but broke through with faith and was victorious. The Lord saw that faith and solved the problem. That's right. Each person's problems depend on their beliefs. If you have faith, problems will be solved.
Please follow the word of the Lord together during this time. “Your faith is great” and “It will be done according to your wishes.” Let's say Amen loudly. Like the Canaanite woman, I earnestly pray that the whole family of Springwater will hear the blessings of the Lord saying, 'Your faith is great,' and 'It will be done as you wish.
What can I do to develop my problem-solving faith?
1. We must come before the Lord in faith.
Verse 22 says, “A Canaanite woman came out of that region.” Faith is responding to God's call.
Isaiah 55:1 says, “Come, you who thirst, come to the waters, and he who has no money, come, buy and eat; come, buy wine and milk without money and without price. The Lord is telling people who are living with problems today to come. Therefore, we must come before the Lord in faith.
What the Lord sees is faith. It is never our wealth, power, health, education, etc. He sees our faith and rejoices. The way to solve the fundamental problems of our lives is to have faith.
According to the Bible, there is big faith and little faith. There is a living faith and a dead faith. If possible, I hope that the members of our Saemmul Church will have great faith. Glory to you with living faith.
1) Meeting Jesus is a great faith.
The Canaanite woman had many problems, but they were resolved by meeting the Lord. Meetings are very important to us humans. An encounter with Jesus is more important and necessary than any encounter. When you meet him, the fundamental problems in your life will be solved. That is, through Jesus we receive forgiveness of sins. The people of hell become the people of heaven. You will live as a child of God. The Canaanite woman met Jesus by faith. This was the beginning of the road to happiness.
We too must meet Jesus. When you meet Jesus, despair turns into hope. I hope you will meet the Lord while reading the Word. I hope you will meet the Lord while you pray. I hope that you will meet the Lord who comes in the midst of this field during worship.
2) It is a right confession of faith.
Confession of faith is very important. Peter pleased the Lord by confessing, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.” That's right. We too must open our lips and confess our faith to the Lord.
The Canaanite woman came before the Lord and confessed that she was 'Cyrios'. This is a confession that Jesus is my ‘Lord’, that is, “He is the Lord of my life.” This woman made a correct confession of faith through faith. That's right. May the Lord be the Lord in your home as well. I hope that Jesus will be the master in your workplace and workplace as well. Believe and confess that Jesus is the Lord of your life.
3) Putting all your expectations on Jesus is a great faith.
To expect is because you believe. The Canaanite woman put all her hopes on Jesus. It means that he completely believed in the Lord.
What we are easily mistaken for is that we think that coming to church is faith. Of course, there are people with faith who are zealous, but zeal itself cannot be equated with faith. Also, I think that what you know a lot is faith. The only true faith is that Jesus is my everything. It is a great faith to come and acknowledge that only He can solve my problems.
You can see that the people of faith in the Bible came out with such expectations of Jesus.
When the servant was sick, the centurion came to the Lord and asked for a favor. The Lord said, “I will go to your house and heal you.” At this time, the centurion said, “Please do not work hard to come home. Just tell me.” When Jesus saw this, he said to him, “Your faith is great.” With that poem, the centurion's servant was healed. (Matthew 8:13-)
The same goes for paralytics. The Lord saw his faith when he healed him. So when he saw his faith, he said, “Your sins are forgiven” (Matthew 9).
True faith is pure. You have to think that you can go before Jesus. Just as a woman suffering from bleeding for 12 years was healed by just touching the hem of Jesus' robe, you must have pure faith in the Lord, hope and expectation.
Problem-solving faith is to bring to the Lord no matter how big or difficult a problem is.
Hebrews 4:16 “Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need.”
2. You must have a sincere wish.
When a person has a clear goal and has a wish, he cries out and asks for it.
Matthew 15:22 “A Canaanite woman came out of that border and cried out, “Lord, Son of David, have pity on me, for my daughter is terribly possessed with a demon.” This woman came to the Lord with an earnest wish and cried out for her supplication. The Lord grants each person's wishes. Please believe it.
Esau and Jacob were very different. Esau, a man, and Jacob, a woman, had different appearances. But the more important difference was that Esau was a man who was content with reality, a man without a deep spiritual desire. So, even the birthright was passed on to a bowl of red bean porridge. On the other hand, Jacob had an earnest spiritual desire. How much did you struggle and struggle to receive the blessings that God gave you?
Those who have an earnest desire for the Lord
1) You have a clear goal. So the direction is clear.
2) Make a focused effort. cry out and pray.
3) Never get discouraged. Always active, positive and optimistic.
We should be positive no matter what we say. We confess, “I succeed in the Lord”, “I will be well”. “I believe that God is with me.” What is clear is the fact that it will be as confessed.
Napoleon Hill described the characteristics of a person with a wish. It is self-confidence, creativity, imagination, unquenchable zeal, self-discipline, and focused effort. Do not give up or become discouraged when it is difficult, but I hope that you will become a person who holds on to the Lord's promise until the end and asks for it, a person who burns with wishes. Such a person is a person of faith who solves problems.
3. It is a faith that never gives up.
The Canaanite woman in the text repeatedly asked Jesus to heal her daughter, but was rejected. However, I passed the exam with faith that did not give up and persevering faith.
Saints must overcome temptation, a temptation that comes from the devil. The devil takes hold of people's hearts and minds to tempt them.
John 13:2 “The devil had already put the thought of betraying Jesus into the heart of Judas Iscariot, the son of Simon.” When the devil controls his thoughts, he falls into temptation.
We must beware of negative thoughts, thoughts of the flesh that are enemies with God.
Romans 8:5-8 “Those who are after the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, and those who are after the Spirit set their minds on the things of the Spirit. The carnal mind is hostile to God, for it does not submit to the law of God, nor can it do so. Those who are in the flesh cannot please God.”
The Canaanite woman in the text was tested by Jesus. The woman screamed and begged, but she did not answer a word. And he turned away, saying, “He came for the lost sheep of Israel.” Still, she did not give up and completely ignored the crying woman, saying, “It is not appropriate to throw the bread for the children to the dogs.” He was testing this woman.
Then the woman said, "Yes, even dogs eat the crumbs that fall from my master's table." I had the faith to never give up, the faith to persevere.
What is the result? Jesus was moved and blessed, saying, “Daughter, great is your faith; it will be done as you wish. An immediate response came. The daughter she had so desperately wished for was healed.
We must pass the exam with faith that never gives up. We must never become discouraged while doing good (Galatians 6:9).
Winston Churchill, Nobel Peace Prize winner, speaking at his alma mater, Harlow University, said, “Students! Challenge your dreams. And never give up. never! Never give up never! Never!” he emphasized.
The Canaanite woman was a man of patience. He did not give up until the end even after hearing that he was ignoring him.
1) Patience is waiting until the end. No matter how difficult or difficult it is, you must endure to the end and receive blessings.
2) We must seek the will of the Lord.
Do you think there is something wrong with my prayers and living of faith? Don't be discouraged. Please wait with patience and faith for God's plan of grace. I hope that you will find the will of God there.
3) It is a faith that expects even the crumbs.
Even crumbs are fine as long as the Lord gives them. Even if I'm not the lead, if it's the Lord's work, a supporting role or a minor actor is good. Such humble faith moved the Lord.
Dear friends, do you have a problem? A problem has an answer. Jesus is the solution to the problems of all life. Those who come before the Lord with life's problems will surely be resolved. Please come before the Lord with humility and patience in faith. Please make a good confession of faith. Please cry out to the Lord with the faith of perseverance that never gives up. Like the Canaanite woman, he confessed, “If the Lord gives it to you, it is good even if it is crumbs.” “It will be as you wish” “Your faith is great. I hope that you will become a loving Sammul family who hears the voice of blessing saying, “All problems will be solved according to your faith.”