Print

Article

What Does Real Faith Look Like When You Need a Miracle?

Written by Pastor Amy Smith on October 26, 2026 | Found in: Blog

Maybe you are waiting on a miracle right now. It could be a medical test result, a financial crisis, or a broken relationship you have almost stopped praying for. Somewhere in the waiting, your faith started to feel thin, and you are not sure how to get it back.

The disciples knew that feeling. They once came to Jesus and asked Him plainly, “Show us how to increase our faith” (Luke 17:5, NLT). We need that reminder too. Every so often, we must be reminded of the God we serve and how miraculous He truly is. That is the heart behind our teaching series at City of Life, Miracles, Signs, and Wonders.

Miracles mean nothing to those without faith. But why can you have faith today, and what does real, active faith actually look like in the life of a believer when you need a breakthrough?

What Does Mark 2 Teach Us About Faith and Miracles?

In Mark 2, Jesus returned to Capernaum, and the house where He was staying was so packed that there was no room left, even outside the door.

Mark records what happened next:

“Four men arrived carrying a paralyzed man on a mat. They couldn’t bring him to Jesus because of the crowd, so they dug a hole through the roof above his head. Then they lowered the man on his mat, right down in front of Jesus. Seeing their faith, Jesus said to the paralyzed man, ‘My child, your sins are forgiven’” (Mark 2:3-5, NLT).

These four friends had heard what Jesus was doing—that He opened blind eyes and made the lame walk. They saw their friend lying on the mat and decided to take him directly to Jesus. When they arrived, they found a massive crowd blocking the front door. In the Gospels, a crowd usually shows how many people wanted to be near Jesus. Here, the crowd was directly in the way of someone's healing.

That is often how life works. The moment you most need to draw near to Jesus, something plants itself between you and Him. Your crowd might be a difficult medical diagnosis, a financial hole you cannot see your way out of, or a relationship that seems impossible to restore.

Real faith doesn't mean you never face obstacles; it means you refuse to let them have the final word. When these four men could not get through the door, they went through the roof. They climbed up carrying their friend, pulled back the roofing material, and lowered him down right in front of Christ. That is what holy desperation for the presence of God looks like.

What Obstacles Keep You From Receiving a Miracle?

I am sure these men talked through a plan on the walk over. They expected to walk straight through the front door and ask Jesus for healing. But when their initial plan fell apart, they had to adapt on the spot.

We often let ruined plans completely stop our faith. You show up to an appointment and don't get the answer you prayed for, get passed over for a promotion, or bad news arrives anyway. Disappointment can wear you down until your faith feels weak, and it becomes tempting to turn around and go home.

Sometimes the obstacles are much smaller, yet they still pull our hearts away. As a pastor, let me speak honestly to you: sometimes we let a few raindrops keep us from the presence of God. Other times it is the sunshine, a weekend trip, or a soccer game. None of those things are bad in themselves, but they do reveal our priorities and how hungry we really are for the Lord.

Living here in Florida makes this dynamic clear. We live in the entertainment capital of the world, surrounded by beaches, theme parks, and places like Disney Springs where thousands gather every day. That environment presents a unique challenge for us as believers, but our core priority cannot change. These four men knew that the breakthrough they needed was only found in the presence of Jesus, and nothing was going to stop them from getting there. It was never about simply walking into a building; it was about meeting Jesus face to face.

Are You Overthinking the Details Instead of Trusting God?

Think about the logistical details of that day. That roof belonged to someone's home. If I had been in that group, I probably would have been the one saying, “Guys, this is a bad idea. Who is paying for the damage? We could end up in jail!” As a rule follower, I know there were plenty of practical details to worry about.

Yet these men refused to let logistics paralyze their faith. Their single focus was getting their friend into the presence of Jesus.

If you are not careful, worry and fear will turn you into a full-time analyst of your own problems. You start constantly running the numbers, thinking, “If I work forty hours and pick up a side hustle, maybe I can fix this.” Meanwhile, you forget that God owns the cattle on a thousand hills (Psalm 50:10). When you remain faithful and diligent, He will provide for your needs.

When your body feels sick, you might immediately try to manage it in your own strength instead of standing firmly on the promise that by His stripes you are healed (Isaiah 53:5).

What is the crowd standing in your way right now? It might be fear, the habit of imagining worst-case scenarios, an addiction that feels impossible to break, or a pain you have carried for years. It is easy to decide the situation is too complicated and assume God won't help you. Do not let that obstacle strip away your confidence that He is still the God who restores, heals, and breaks every chain.

If you need prayer for a breakthrough today, please reach out and let us pray with you. Click here to submit a confidential prayer request so our pastoral team can stand in faith alongside you.

What Does Scripture Mean by "Seeing Their Faith"?

Notice Mark 2:5 again: “Seeing their faith...” Jesus saw it instantly without anyone needing to explain a word.

That reveals a vital truth: real faith is visible and recognizable. It carries a noticeable posture. A believer walking in genuine faith lives differently than the world, and people can tell. As James writes, “Thus also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead” (James 2:17, NKJV).

Real faith produces decisive action. These men truly believed Jesus could heal their friend, and that conviction put them on a roof with a mat and tools to dig a hole. They did not keep their faith to themselves; they acted on it. There is a profound difference between merely believing God can do something and actively trusting that He will. Faith lives like He will.

How Is Your Faith Like a Receipt?

Your faith acts as your spiritual receipt. It’s your proof of purchase for what God has promised.

Consider how receipts work today. If you lose a paper receipt, you can usually pull up a digital copy on your phone at the store and feel instant relief because you have proof of purchase. Back in the day, if you had no receipt, you had no refund. You had to show physical proof that the item was bought.

The Bible explains that faith is “the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen” (Hebrews 11:1, NKJV). Your faith is your receipt for what has already been purchased for you through the blood of Jesus Christ. As a child of God, you have a divine inheritance. Healing, freedom, and restoration belong to you because Jesus took the stripes on His back to pay for them. That means you can open the Word of God with confidence and know those promises apply directly to your life.

It is time to look at your spiritual receipt and study what Scripture says belongs to you in Christ. Too many believers have been thinking far too small about the God they serve. If your faith has gotten stuck on what you can see with your natural eyes, remember that we are called to walk by faith and not by sight.

How Does Real Faith Change the Way You Pray?

When a crisis or bad report arrives, a person of faith responds differently, especially in their prayer life.

While the world prays with uncertainty, “God, if You are up there, please help,” a person of faith prays with biblical conviction:

“Lord, I know You are a healer. My child may be far from You right now, but good seeds have been planted, and I trust You are bringing them home. This situation looks impossible to my eyes, but I know You can restore anything. I have seen You work miracles before, and I trust You to move in my life today.”

Faith also shows up in your daily devotion. You do not have to be talked into reading your Bible or spending time with the Lord when you know He holds your life.

True faith looks like steady obedience. Job declared, “Though He slay me, yet will I trust Him” (Job 13:15, NKJV). You only say something like that when you trust God more than any specific outcome. Even when things in life don't work out on your preferred timeline or in your preferred way, faith says, “God, You have the better plan, and disappointment will not keep me out of Your presence.”

Does Having Faith Earn a Miracle From God?

Your actions and faith do not earn a miracle. Works do not buy God's favor; rather, your actions reveal the faith you have in the One who performs the miracle. Action is simply the natural overflow of genuine trust.

A while ago, our family faced a pressing need. My first human instinct was to feel troubled and anxious. But I chose to respond in faith, saying, “God, I refuse to receive that fear.” That is not ignoring reality; it is choosing to anchor your heart in a higher, spiritual reality.

I learned that lesson deeply when our son Jude was diagnosed with cancer. He went through intensive treatment, and we had to walk that journey step by step. All along the way, I had to choose what to focus on. I could have focused constantly on his failing body and every setback that made it feel like we were moving backward. Instead, I chose to look through eyes of faith, believing my son would be healed. God healed him completely.

So when a new challenge arose recently, an old subtle thought tried to sneak back into my mind. It was the lie of “limited goodness”—the idea that if God did something huge for our family in the past, He might be running low on power for our present need. I caught myself wondering, Lord, did we use up all Your power when You healed our son? Is it okay to keep asking?

The answer is an absolute yes. God is never in short supply. Jeremiah 32:17 declares, “O Sovereign Lord! You made the heavens and earth by your strong hand and powerful arm. Nothing is too hard for you!” Whatever you are believing for today, let that truth settle into your heart. Nothing is too hard for Him.

If you want to hear more about how God moves through powerful miracles, watch the full sermon from our Miracles, Signs, and Wonders series here.

Why Is Forgiveness the Greatest Miracle of All?

Returning to the story in Capernaum, four men tore open a roof to lower their paralyzed friend down into the middle of a room. His physical need was obvious to everyone present. Yet when Jesus looked at him, He said, “My child, your sins are forgiven.”

Imagine what his friends might have thought in that moment: We appreciate that, Lord, but we brought him here for physical healing!

Meanwhile, the religious leaders in the room were thinking, Only God can forgive sins—who does He think He is?

Jesus knew their thoughts and asked them directly:

“Is it easier to say to the paralyzed man ‘Your sins are forgiven,’ or ‘Stand up, pick up your mat, and walk’?” (Mark 2:9, NLT).

To prove His divine authority on earth to forgive sins, Jesus commanded the man to get up. Instantly, the man stood, grabbed his mat, and walked out in front of everyone. The entire crowd praised God, exclaiming that they had never seen anything like it before.

That man walked out of the house physically healed, but more importantly, he walked out completely forgiven. Forgiveness was the greater miracle.

If we want to keep our sense of wonder and maintain a fresh, vibrant faith, we must remember that salvation is the ultimate miracle. God saw us lost in our sin and sent His Son, Jesus Christ, to pay our debt on the cross so we could be fully restored to Him. Even when we fail, His grace covers us and our names are written in His Book of Life.

If God never did another physical miracle for you, His gift of salvation would still be more than enough. He has already secured your eternal soul through the blood of Christ. And because He has taken care of your eternity, you can trust Him completely with the temporal trials you face today.

How Can You Bring Your Need to Jesus Today?

Whatever crowd or obstacle is standing in your way this week, do not let it send you home in defeat. Bring your need directly into the presence of Jesus, and bring whatever faith you have along with you.

If you are looking for encouragement and a community that will stand with you in prayer, we invite you to join us at City of Life Church. Whether you join us in person or watch our services online, you will find a church family believing God for great things.

Take Your Next Step in Faith

If you have never accepted what Jesus did for you on the cross, you can start a relationship with Him right now. Pray this simple prayer from your heart:

Lord Jesus, thank You for dying on the cross for me. I ask You to forgive me of all my sins. I believe You are the Son of God and that You rose from the dead to give me new life. Come into my heart, take control of my life, and be my Lord and Savior. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

If you prayed that prayer or need prayer for a miracle in your life, we would love to connect with you and help you take your next steps.

Join Us This Sunday — Online or In Person:

Looking to grow alongside others? Connect with a community this week through City of Life Small Groups.

© City of Life. All rights reserved.