FULLNESS OF FAITH

And Stephen, FULL OF FAITH and power, did great wonders and signs among the people – Acts 6:8

The Fullness of God produces the FULLNESSOF FAITH – FAITHFULLNESS! God wants us – His children – to be Full of Faith; to be faithful! Faithfulness is the outworking or overflow of our fullness of faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. Any so-called faith that does not manifest in the form of faithfulness is a fake faith. Faithfulness expresses itself in our unswerving and unreserved loyalty to God at any cost. Paul, the apostle testified of Priscilla and Aquila “who risked their own necks for my life, to whom not only I give thanks, but also all the churches of the Gentile” (Rom.16:4). He said concerning his own ministry among the Thessalonians: “So, affectionately longing for you, we were well pleased to impart to you not only the gospel of God, but also our own lives, because you had become dear to us” (1The.2:8). Those are models of faithfulness; men and women who were outworking the fullness of faith. It means fulfilling our duties and responsibilities within the kingdom of God, irrespective of how inconvenient or difficult these may be.

The Faithfulness of God is the basis of our own fullness of faith. God Himself is faithful! Our faithfulness is the proper response to His faithfulness: “Therefore know that the LORD your God, He is God, the FAITHFUL GOD who keeps covenant and mercy for a thousand generations with those who love Him and keep His commandments” (Dt.7:9). Psalm 36:5 attests of Him: “Your mercy, O LORD, is in the heavens, and Your Faithfulness reaches to the clouds.” God will never allow His faithfulness to fail (Psa. 89:33). His faithfulness transcends generations (Psa. 119:90). Faithfulness is characterized by loyalty, reliability, responsibility, commitment, dependability, and productivity. The practical demonstrations of faithfulness must include: faithfulness to God, in personal devotion, fellowship, worship, and giving; faithfulness between spouses and between parents and children; between leaders and followers; and among brethren.

Faithfulness is a rare quality among fallen humanity: “most men will proclaim each his own goodness, but who can find a FAITHFUL MAN?” (Pro.20: 6). Many people are good ‘testifiers’ but bad testimonies! True faithfulness does not make noise; it is expressed in more actions than words! The world abhors faithfulness but celebrates falsehood, disloyalty, and irresponsibility. A man like Stephen should have been celebrated by his society. When he stood to declare God’s heart, his listeners “were not able to resist the wisdom and the Spirit by which he spoke” (v.10). Rather than celebrate him however, the unbelieving world chose to stone him. The world hates truth and embraces deception, lies, and falsehood. Christians are ordained to be the salt of the earth and the light of the world (Mt.5:13-15). You must let your God-given light – including the fullness of your faith – shine “before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven” (Mt.5:16). Even when you are persecuted for the sake of your faith, you must remain “steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that your labor is not in vain in the Lord” (1Cor.15:58).

What does the Fullness of Faith produce? Thrice, Stephen was described as “a man FULL of FAITH and the Holy Spirit…FULL of FAITH and power.” The Fullness of Faith, of the Holy Spirit and of Power resulted in “great wonders and signs among the people” (Acts 6:5,8). Because of Stephen’s fullness of faith “a great many people added to the Lord” (Acts 11:24). Essentially, Service without faithfulness is unacceptable to God: “moreover it is required in stewards that one be found faithful” (1Cor.4: 2). Ultimately, faithfulness is the foundation of: fruitfulness, fulfillment, favor, and a flourishing life. Faithfulness will also determine our eternal rewards: “His lord said, to him, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant; you have been faithful over a few things, I will make you ruler over many things. Enter into the joy of your Lord’” (Mt.25:23). Fullness of Faith – Faithfulness – is a fundamental litmus test for the Fullness of God in you! Your Faith is the Victory that overcomes the world (1Jh.5:4). Fullness of Faith glories the Lord!