Saints, this week we continue learning how to deal with unbelief by exploring the principle of humility – walking in it fully and positioning ourselves to receive all that God has availed to us by grace. Faith and humility work hand in hand: faith believes God’s promises, while humility positions our heart to receive them. This principle is illustrated in Matthew 8, in the story of the Roman centurion who came to Jesus on behalf of his sick servant. We read, ’Now when Jesus had entered Capernaum, a centurion came to Him, pleading with Him, saying, “Lord, my servant is lying at home paralyzed, dreadfully tormented.” And Jesus said to him, “I will come and heal him.” The centurion answered and said, “Lord, I am not worthy that You should come under my roof. But only speak a word, and my servant will be healed” ‘ (vs.5-8). The centurion was a high-ranking Roman officer; a man of authority and influence, commanding a hundred soldiers. In natural terms, he outranked everyone around him, including the Jews, who were subjects of the Roman Empire. Yet, the man humbled himself before Jesus, a Jewish teacher, and called Him ‘Lord,’ recognizing that spiritual authority is higher than earthly rank. Scripture tells us that “God resists the proud, but gives grace to the humble” (James 4:6). The proud rely on themselves, but the humble rely on God, and this is where faith begins to function effectively. The centurion’s humility made room for divine intervention and unlocked the miracle he was looking for. Understanding the principle of delegated authority, he said: “For I also am a man under authority, having soldiers under me. I say to this one, ‘Go,’ and he goes; and to another, ‘Come,’ and he comes; and to my servant, ‘Do this,’ and he does it” (v.9). The man recognized that just as his soldiers obeyed his commands because of the authority backing him, so too does the Word of God carry the highest authority because it proceeds from the One who rules over all. When he said “only speak a word,” he exhibited remarkable faith, trusting that the Word alone was sufficient to bring healing, that it carries power to accomplish what it is sent to do. Where others sought Jesus’ physical presence, the centurion believed His Word was enough. Seeing this, Jesus marveled, saying, “Assuredly … I have not found such great faith, not even in Israel! … Go your way; and as you have believed, so let it be done for you” (vs.10, 13). Saints, this is the power of humility: it enables our faith to work unhindered.
However, humility is not always easy to maintain, and it is often tested. Pride constantly tries to creep in, tempting us to question God’s instructions or demand evidence before we obey. But, church, faith does not demand proof – it simply believes. And this belief thrives where humility is present, because humility agrees with God’s Word even when it does not make sense to our natural mind. We see this again in the story of the Syrophoenician woman (Matthew 15:22-28 & Mark 7:24-30). She was a Gentile, outside the covenant of Israel, yet she came to Jesus pleading for her daughter’s deliverance from an unclean spirit. She cried out, “Have mercy on me, O Lord, Son of David,” appealing to a covenant that did not legally belong to her. Jesus, knowing this, responded in a way that tested her humility, saying, “It is not good to take the children’s bread and throw it to the dogs.” And though Jesus’ response seemed harsh and dismissive, she refused to take offense. Instead she humbled herself and replied, “Yes, Lord, yet even the little dogs under the table eat from the children’s crumbs,” recognizing that though she was outside the covenant, God’s mercy was wide enough to reach her too. Her humility opened the door for her faith to work, drawing from the abundance of God’s grace. She acknowledged her unworthiness, yet clung to God’s mercy, and Jesus responded, “For this saying, go your way; the demon has gone out of your daughter.” The proud resist correction, but the humble allow themselves to be refined. When humility is tested and found genuine, our faith becomes effective, because humility always yields to God’s Word, even when it challenges us. Therefore if we desire to eradicate unbelief from our hearts, we must first cultivate humility. Unbelief is often rooted in pride and a desire to reason with God’s Word rather than simply trust it, but faith thrives in humility, resting completely on God’s Word and authority. So let us cultivate a culture of humility, allowing our faith to operate without hindrance.
Prayer
Heavenly Father, thank You for Your Word that teaches and corrects us. Help us to walk in true humility, trusting fully in Your authority and submitting to Your Word without hesitation. Holy Spirit, help us to completely cast out pride and unbelief from our dwelling, so that our hearts are positioned to receive all that You have made available by grace. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
