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The Apostles said to the Lord, “Increase our faith!” (Luke 17:5, ESV).
I’ve asked God to “increase my faith” many times, and God always answers, often in unexpected ways.
We find two words in New Testament Greek used for “increasing.” These words, used 41 times in the New Testament, can be translated the same.
“Increase our faith” (Luke 17:5) and “increase the harvest of your righteousness” (2 Corinthians 9:10), though translated “increase,” are different Greek words. They can also be translated as “grow” and “add”.
Easy assumption: God wants us to increase/grow/add to our faith and righteousness!
As Paul writes…
… You have heard before in the word of the truth, the gospel, which has come to you, as indeed in the whole world it is bearing fruit and increasing — as it also does among you, since the day you heard it and understood the grace of God in truth (Colossians 1:5-6).
So, how do we grow or increase in our relationship with Jesus? The answer is simple, as Paul says, “God causes the growth” (1 Corinthians 3:7b). The apostles, knowing this principle, asked Jesus to increase their faith.
Along with asking for increased faith and righteousness, Scripture teaches we should:
Ask for the word of God to grow (Acts 12:24).
Ask that the Lord will prevail mightily (Acts 19:20).
Ask God to give growth (1 Corinthians 3:7).
Ask for growth in holiness (Ephesians 2:21).
Ask for increasing fruit (Colossians 1:6).
Ask for an increase in knowledge of Him (Colossians 1:10).
Ask to grow in our salvation (1 Peter 2:2).
That’s a lot of “asks” — for the Word of God to grow, to prevail in grace, mature in holiness, yield fruit, increase in knowledge, and for our salvation to be secure. James says, “You do not have because you do not ask” (James 4:2b).
The key is asking. Jesus said, “… ask anything in my name, and I will do it” (John 14:13, NLT).
For years, I thought, when reading the passage about the disciples asking for increased faith, “Those apostles, the simpletons, they got themselves into another situation, and now they must ask Jesus for help.” But I’ve finally realized after decades of studying faith (yes, I’m a simpleton) that the greatest step of faith, the most mature thing that we can do for increase, is simply to ask!
Let me repeat that simply asking is not only the key to increasing/growing/adding, but it also signifies great faith. The Apostle Paul wrote a few decades after the apostles asked for increased faith…
He who supplies seed to the sower and bread for food will supply and multiply your seed for sowing and increase the harvest of your righteousness (2 Corinthians 9:10, ESV).
Let me quote myself from my discipleship book, First Steps Conversations…
In the New Testament, the word used most often in conjunction with “prayer” is “ask.” … When we come to God with requests, it’s a reminder that God is God and we … aren’t. We need help. We need guidance … Jesus encouraged his disciples to be childlike in their faith, and children have no problem asking for things. They ask frequently. Repeatedly. For big things, small things, and everything in between. (pp. 103-104)
Jesus wants us to grow by asking!