Crazy Faith
Jim Mellard
Every normal human being is created with common sense to some extent (Natural Faith). For example, we mail a letter and we by natural faith can believe it will be delivered—some time. We fly, and we believe we will arrive at our destination 99.5% of the time.
BUT tonight, I want to open the eyes of our understanding somewhat to different LEVELS of faith.
The nearest the New Testament comes to presenting a definition of “faith” is in Hebrews 11:1. “Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.”
The one who truly believes and has (Christian) faith will act on God’s Word with perfect assurance that his request will be granted.
Christian faith is based upon God’s promises, rather than feelings, (feelings lie) or visible things. “And being fully persuaded that, what he had promised, he was able also to perform,” (Rom 4:18-22).
I believe there is just one Faith, but different levels of Faith I want to focus on —— level.
THE MEASURE OF FAITH vs. A MEASURE OF FAITH
God has given each of us THE Measure of Faith” as set forth in Romans 12:3.(KJV)”For I say, through the grace given unto me, to every man that is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think; but to think soberly, according as God hath dealt to every man THE Measure of Faith’’
How much faith do I have in The Measure of Faith that God gave me? Faith is the instrument God uses to bring salvation to us.
Now think on this: God gives THE Measure of Faith to each person. I think the key here is THE Measure, not A Measure. We are all given the same amount of faith at birth. The amount that is necessary for salvation–
Many of the translations leave out THE and exchange it for A Measure of Faith, which changes the whole connotation of the verse. What do you believe?
God is not a respecter of persons therefore if He gave you A gift as opposed to THE gift, you could argue that He is a respecter of persons. Acts 10:34 – “Then Peter opened his mouth, and said, Of a truth I perceive that God is no respecter of persons”:
I believe we can say that one level of faith is The Measure of Faith and this faith is given to each person –well I believe we can call it “Saving Faith” by that I mean God has given us The Measure of Faith to bring us to salvation if we use it.
Saving Faith 
Ephesians 2:8 For by grace you are saved through faith and not of yourselves: it is the gift of God.
This faith comes before salvation. It is not the Gift of Faith as described in the 9 spiritual gifts.
After we receive salvation we are given opportunities to receive a higher level of faith based on Romans 10:17 KJV” “Faith comes by hearing and hearing by the word of God”
In Ephesians 4:5 (KJV) we are told, “There is one Lord, one faith, and one baptism”. There is just one faith, but there are levels to the Faith that God gives us. The Measure of Faith is given by God which is enough to bring us into a relationship with Jesus—salvation.
You want more? Well “So faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God”. There is no other way to get a higher level of faith than reading and studying the Word of God.
Now follow this: Ephesians 2:8 – This level of Faith is given to us –I believe even before we are born…BUT to receive more we have to study. Romans 10:17 tells us that faith comes by study of the Word.
ORDINARY FAITH
After salvation we begin to learn—mostly from our preachers/teachers based on the theology of our denomination.
We learn the basics of the Bible. Of course, there are variations based on the denomination.
For example: doing our work–Caring for those in need-
Protecting the vulnerable -Reaching out to the lonely -befriending the friendless keeping the world going-
Contribution to the common good Tithing. Forgiving, helping, witness to God’s presence and GOODNESS IN THE WORLD.
It is all the ordinary stuff we do all the time, taken together and blessed by the Lord.
I believe this ordinary faith is putting one foot in front of another and trusting God to the level of faith we can believe him for.
We can get more faith by studying and seeking His face. Let me put it like this…Build a relationship. The Holy Spirit is our comforter.
THE GIFT OF FAITH
It is one of the nine Spiritual gifts, in fact it is what I call one of the Power Gifts. (FHM) Faith—Healing—Miracles.
The “Gift of faith” will take you into a supernatural ministry—It will cause the Gifts of Healing and Miracles to operate. The question is asked. “How do I get this gift”?
I know that Faith cometh by hearing and hearing by the Word of God.
I also know that James 4:2 says, “Ye have not, because ye ask not.” God expects us to ask! 
I like John 14:13, Whatever you ask in my name, this I will do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son.
JOHN 16:23–24
23 And in that day ye shall ask me nothing. Verily, verily, I say unto you, Whatsoever ye shall ask the Father in my name, he will give it you.
24 Hitherto have ye asked nothing in my name: ask, and ye shall receive, that your joy may be full.
The Gift of Faith which is different from just ORDINARY FAITH. It will cause the SUPERNATURAL TO MANIFEST.
Let’s go deeper
Tells us about the nine spiritual gift that are available to us.
TIP—Tongues –Interpretation – Prophecy
WWD – Word of Wisdom-Word of Knowledge-Discerning of Spirits.
FHM…Faith-Healing-Miracles.
These gifts are given to men in proportion to their faith, by that I mean when I received the Baptism in the Holy Spirit and I began to speak in Tongues. I went to many conferences before I had the faith to give a message in Tongues, and it took longer for me to be able to have enough faith (to believe) that I had an Interpretation of the Tongues.
WWD – To be able to operate in this level of Faith. Well I was put in situations that in order to help (counsel) I needed a Word of Wisdom or Knowledge. I served as a Chaplain in a County Jail for 5 years and I began to notice that I could operate in Discerning of Spirits.
Put it like this: I studied—went to school—and built a relationship with the Holy Spirit and I asked for the gifts.
We all have what I call, your own personal level of faith. This faith comes by hearing and meditating on the word of God through personal study and devotion. Romans 10:17.
Faith, no matter the source, in one sense is a gift from God, but this Gift of Faith from 1 Corinthians 12 is always supernatural in its origin.
The personal faith which comes by hearing the Word is given in seed form. This is what makes the difference between the two. Don’t misunderstand me. There is only one Faith, but the origin of the faith determines whether or not it is the Gift of Faith in operation.
Personal faith is resident in the heart of every believer. This faith is a product of the born-again Spirit. Your Spirit is the soil in which the word of God (incorruptible seed) is planted, and faith is grown and developed therein. Therefore, its origin is from inside you. However, there will be times that our own levels of faith in the Lord will not be enough to get the job done with what He may be asking us to do for Him. Here is an example:
Say God has been manifesting the Gift of Healing through you from time to time to heal a few minor ailments or illnesses on a few people. Your confidence and faith levels are then starting to build up because God is now starting to use you in this manner and you now have had a few good successes on these smaller illnesses. But then all of a sudden God tells you to walk up to a paraplegic, lay hands on him, and then command him to get out of his wheelchair and start walking.
All of a sudden you can immediately sense in your mind and in your Spirit that your own levels of faith are not going to be good enough or high enough to try and do this, as you have never tried to heal someone of something this heavy before.
And this is where the Holy Spirit will now be moving in big time so this miracle can be fully accomplished for the Lord.
The Holy Spirit will then manifest His own divine faith right up into you so you can now believe and operate on that faith – so you will now have the actual courage to walk up to this person, lay hands on him, and then tell him to get out of that wheelchair and start walking.
Sometimes it will take higher levels of faith to pull down a major miracle from the Lord, and where our faith levels will not be high enough or good enough to be able to do this, this is where the direct faith of the Holy Spirit Himself will then move up in us and pick up the slack with our own imperfect faith levels so God can then manifest the miracle that He will be looking to do through us.
Crazy Faith
Many are called—few choose to pay the price for this kind of faith.. This kind of faith can only be proved by – Acting on it.
God wants much more from us than just “Head Knowledge” of who He is…He wants obedience in our life that will allow Him to make us become catalyst that He can use to perform the necessary miracles to get His will done in people and the world.
Crazy Faith allows us to worship and thank God before we actually see the fruit as though it has already happened.
Crazy Faith is not believing God can do it…but knowing that He will if we speak to those things that be not as though they are. Romans 4:17
Where there is great risk—Crazy Faith is called for—and there are great rewards…They go together.
Do you have Crazy Faith? — You’re crazy not to!!!
To those of us who believe, no explanation is necessary. To those who do not believe. No explanation is possible.
MY EXPERIENCE IN MEXICO
STORY OF THE BLIND MAN.
In 2008 I was in Mexico and was teaching/ministering in a rather large church –understand I have a small southern accent and it is hard for some people to translate for me. This was the case here. I had gone through one translator and was using another one when a man stood up in the congregation. He did not speak English—He said nothing. I just ignored him but after the third time he stood up, a man in the congregation and said he wants to be healed.
I thought ok…so I walked down from the stage to him. I thought He might have a migraine or something. I asked him what he wanted God to do for him — a man in the sound booth shouted. He is blind –I thought Uh—well Lord — So I laid hands on him and spoke the Word over him—I asked him. What do you see? —translated… nothing. So, I prayed again and laid hands on his eyes. Again, what do you see? nothing… I said to myself — Lord there is a problem here. I have stepped out in faith they are coming after me not you. What do I do? I do not recall the exact words, but I heard –believe –and spit on your fingers and lay hands on his eyes and command his eyes to open.
Rabbit Trail: Have you every asked God ..”Are you sure” –do you really want me to do this? I tell you it entered my mind….BUT I was immediately reminded of — Mark 8:23 “ And he took the blind man by the hand, and led him out of the town; and when he had spit on his eyes, and put his hands upon him, he asked him what he saw “–
When that scripture came to mind. I knew that I knew. So I spit on my fingers and laid hands on his eyes and commanded his eyes to open.. His eyes opened. And he began to explain what he was seeing. Now in my opinion that is Crazy Faith.
Another ….
I was in a prayer meeting with some members of a Church. The Pastor’s wife was present and they had just accepted the call to this church. They had come from a vastly different climate and she had gotten sun burned and bitten by many different bugs which had caused infection on her body.
Rabbit Trail: Have you ever smelled the fragrance of the Lord when He was present? Sometimes you can smell His presence.
Having said that I heard the Lord say Use YOUR CRAZY FAITH — I knew what He meant ..I called for prayer and asked someone to pray.. They did, but I was impressed to pray…that the bugs would not be able to bite her any more because as they came near they would smell the presence of the Lord —There were smiles—you know, Oh! that is just the crazy prophet…Well –???
If you want this kind of faith you have to step out and use it or it will not happen.
The Gift of Faith cannot be developed. It is Gods Faith in manifestation. God’s Faith doesn’t need developing. Although this gift cannot be developed itself, you can however develop yourself in the operation of it. I know a little play on words.
The primary way in which you can develop yourself in the operation of this Gift of Faith, is by the development of your own personal faith. Your own personal level of faith is directly tied to the consistency, accuracy & strength of all 9 gifts of the Spirit in your life. Rom 12:6 Having then gifts differing according to the grace that is given to us, whether prophecy, [let us prophesy according to the proportion of faith; do want this kind of faith?- Crazy faith—will you pay the price? Many want this but are not willing to pay the FULL price.
The Spirit of God is seeking whosoever will pay the price for this—are you one of them?
TODAY MOST CHURCHES DON’T BELIEVE. WE ARE DESTROYED FOR LACK OF KNOWLEDGE. MANY CHOOSE THE GIFTS THAT THEY WANT AND DON’T BELIEVE IN SPEAKING IN TONGUES. WE DON’T ACCEPT ALL THE GIFTS. IT IS LIKE A BUFFET TABLE. WE PICK AND CHOOSE. WE REFUSE THE BAPTISM IN THE HOLY SPIRIT THEREFORE WE REFUSE TO ACCEPT THE POWER THAT IS PROVIDED TO US.
Most of the main denominational churches today don’t believe in the Gifts—they pick and choose the Gifts they can accept—Therefore they are – “My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge – Hosea 4:6.