From the Archives… 
I once received an email from a lady who said she wanted me to pray with her about something because I had ‘crazy faith.’ I still laugh every time I think of that – probably because it is true – I do have radical faith or crazy faith, as she called it. And I have seen the hand of God fulfill the focus of my faith time and time again.
Yet there is a difference between radical faith and reckless foolishness. I have also seen people who read a book or hear a message preached about what God did for one person and then take that word and try to force it to work for themselves – and if God tells you to do that then it will work for you. But if He doesn’t, He may very well have a different or better way for you. The key is to get the instruction of the Lord for your personal life…first.
How do you do that? By spending time with God and in His word, if you are spending time with God then you will hear and recognize His voice – you won’t be led in a reckless way or foolish way if you are listening to God. It’s through studying His word and prayer that we learn to recognize that voice. The more time you spend with God, the easier it will be to recognize when He speaks to you.
How do we know the difference between radical faith and reckless foolishness? We will know by the end results – if God said it to you – it will come to pass. If it doesn’t come to pass, it wasn’t God – that is pretty simple.
It doesn’t matter how reckless it may appear, if it is God, it will come to pass. Think about David, facing Goliath with a few stones – that must have looked like suicide to those standing around – talk about reckless – yet he had heard from God and he had victory that day.
Then I think about Gideon – leading an army of 32,000 men. What an army! It must have appeared to be an awesome sight to behold, yet when it came time for battle; God told him he had too many men. Too many men? First God eliminated the fearful and afraid, then He eliminated those who drank a certain way – when all was said and done, Gideon had 300 men left to battle. That looked like a reckless step of foolishness – yet, Gideon had heard God and they had victory that day.
God may have told you to do some pretty radical things in your life – but if you have heard God, they will come to pass. One thing you are going to have to be certain of is that you HAVE HEARD GOD. If you haven’t, it won’t happen – if you have – you will see it with your eyes and you will be able to walk in peace throughout.
Now, that being said, your radical faith may appear to be foolishness to those around you. They may think you have lost your mind and you have gone off the deep end. They may criticize you and ask you what in the world you are thinking…but don’t be upset with them, they didn’t hear from God – you did – and you have to walk it out. In the end, the word you are standing on will speak and then the next time God tells you to do something radical, they won’t be surprised at all.
This faith walk is a wild and glorious ride. I wouldn’t have it any other way – I know so many people who say they just want the normal life – yuck! I don’t want anything normal – I want the supernatural, awesome life that God sent His only Son to die on a cross to give me and I won’t settle for anything less. Sometimes that kind of stand requires radical faith. But the wonderful thing is that God has already equipped us with the faith we need. Just as He did David, and Gideon and Abraham and Moses…and the list goes on and one.
You will never know if you can indeed walk on water until you step out of the boat. Ask God to cause you to walk in radical faith. First ask Him to cause you to hear His voice clearly and correctly and then ask Him to cause you to walk in radical faith – the God kind of faith. The mountain moving faith. The sea parting faith. It is available to you – just grab hold of it.
