There are people who have faith, but there are people who have UNCOMMON FAITH. Uncommon faith is not ordinary faith. It’s above, beyond, and “out there” faith. It’s when a person has a boldness and a confidence to EXPECT for the extraordinary. They just know God will do it. Average faith is “God help me to survive this recession.” Uncommon faith is “God, you will prosper me in the midst of this recession.” Average faith is “One day maybe I’ll get out of this problem.” Uncommon faith is, “I don’t only know I’m coming out, but I’m coming out better than when I went in.” Common faith is “I believe God for my monthly house payment.” Uncommon faith is “I am going to pay this house off.” Common faith is asking God to help you control your addiction. Uncommon faith knows God will totally set you free from any addiction.

Uncommon faith is radical extreme faith. You believe God will do anything for you. For example, you don’t only say, “God, just allow me to go as far as my parents did in life. Then I’ll be successful.” Instead, you say, “I will have twice as much as my parents. I will go twice as far as those before me. I will give twice as much. I will have twice the influence, twice the wisdom, twice the creativity, twice the income.”

How many of us parents want our children to take the limitations off God and believe him for the extraordinary supernatural? My reason for asking that is I want to see our next generation not only experience supernatural lives, but take this region for the kingdom of God. I want them to take what we have done and go further than we have.

Average faith is good. You love God and believe God to make it through. However, if you want to see and experience the awesomeness of God, take it one-step further and move to uncommon faith. Take the limits off God. Uncommon faith pleases God.

Hebrews 11:6  And without faith it is impossible to PLEASE God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that HE REWARDS THOSE WHO EARNESTLY SEEK HIM.

For how much reward can you believe? That’s uncommon. I’ve heard people say, “I don’t want to bother God with my stuff. If he wants to bless me, he will bless me. If he wants to make me well, then he will heal me.” That sounds good, but that’s not pleasing to God. God wants you to earnestly and diligently seek him for more rewards. The truth is if you are not stretching your faith, you are not tapping into all God will do for you.

When’s the last time you EARNESTLY sought God with uncommon faith? The Greek word translated please is euaresteo and means to gratify entirely.Believing God to reward you fills God up. It puts a smile on his face. It pleases God entirely when you believe him and seek him for “out there” things. Average faith brings average things. Great faith brings great things, but UNCOMMON FAITH brings uncommon things.

Joshua had no trouble expecting God’s UNCOMMON intervention into his life. Though no one mentions it much, this unique quality made Joshua a hero of the Bible to me. People say the Lord chose Joshua to replace Moses because Joshua was a military-minded leader. I’m sure that is true, but Joshua had UNCOMMON FAITH. They talk about the amazing things that happened in the Book of Joshua, but don’t talk about Joshua’s boldness to EXPECT the supernatural.

Once he was in the midst of a great battle against five armies. The children of God were winning the battle. The enemies were running. Joshua wanted to finish them off, but the sun was going down and nightfall was coming upon them. Joshua didn’t want them to live to fight again. We see Joshua’s uncommon faith.

Joshua 10:12  On the day the LORD gave the Israelites victory over the Amorites, Joshua prayed to the LORD in front of all the people of Israel. He said, "Let the sun stand still over Gibeon, and the moon over the valley of Aijalon."

I wonder what people thought when Joshua EXPECTED the Lord to do things that had never been done before. Not only did Joshua ask the Lord to stop the universe, he spoke exactly where to stop it. That’s uncommon faith that obviously pleased God thoroughly. God probably said, “There goes that Joshua again. He believes I will do anything for him. Joshua, if you’re bold enough to ask it, I’m bold enough to do it.” The universe stopped!

Joshua 10:13-14  SO THE SUN AND MOON STOOD STILL until the Israelites had defeated their enemies… The sun stopped in the middle of the sky, and it did not set as on a normal day. The LORD fought for Israel that day…

God sent hailstones that day. God will do amazing things when we step it up a notch and are bold enough to expect it. Do you ever go “out there” and ask God for supernatural favor and breaks? Do you settle for the average, or expect the supernatural? The medical report may say it’s impossible to get well. No, it’s not. I’ve seen God stop the universe for people. God’s report says all things are possible. Say, “God, I don’t see a way, but I know you can make a way. If you stopped the universe for Joshua, you can heal my body.”

Joshua developed his uncommon faith. When he was younger, he was part of the twelve-member spy team Moses sent into Canaan. Ten of them came back saying the land surely is wonderful, but… There are walled cities. There are giants and we are grasshoppers. Their fear spread through the camp like a vicious virus. However, Joshua (along with Caleb) EXPECTED God to do amazing things.

Numbers 14:6  Joshua son of Nun and Caleb son of Jephunneh, who were among those who had explored the land, tore their clothes and said to the entire Israelite assembly, "The land we passed through and explored is exceedingly good. If the LORD is PLEASED with us, he will lead us into that land, a land flowing with milk and honey, AND WILL GIVE IT TO US… WE WILL SWALLOW THEM UP. Their protection is gone, but THE LORD IS WITH US..."

Joshua knew it would PLEASE God and EXPECTED God to do uncommon things if they moved in uncommon faith. Do you expect God to do amazing things for you? Joshua said powerful people can’t stop God. Walled cities can’t stop God. No matter how big they are, or any giant you ever face, your God is bigger. No matter what you are facing today, it can’t stop God no matter how big it is. What giant situation are you facing? It’s not a giant to God. Is it your health, finances, marriage, child, occupation? Avoid the negative ten people. Hook up with the “Calebs” and “Joshuas” of life and you will watch uncommon things happen.

It came time for the people of God to enter the Promised Land. The problem was the Jordan River was at flood stage making it impossible to cross. Joshua told the people to line up and when the priest feet stepped into the Jordan, the water would stop and they would cross. Joshua EXPECTED a miracle.

Joshua 3:7  And the LORD said to Joshua, "Today I will begin to exalt you in the eyes of all Israel…

Joshua 3:16  the water began piling up at a town upstream called Adam… And the water below that point flowed on to the Dead Sea until the riverbed was dry. Then all the people crossed over near the city of Jericho.

Do you believe the Lord desires to exalt you? When you step out into a flood situation with uncommon faith, God will stop the flood and pile up those things trying to block your progress. I believe it’s time for some of you to step out and get your feet wet in uncommon faith. Isn’t that one reason you come to Life Gate?

We all probably know the story about Jericho. It was a city with huge walls. Jericho was first on Joshua’s hit list, but how could he take it out? Jericho was one of the oldest cities in the world. No army ever conquered those walls. However, Jericho was no problem for Joshua’s uncommon supernatural faith. Joshua EXPECTED the Lord would make the walls fall down flat. You know what happened.

Joshua 6:20  So the people shouted when the priests blew with the trumpets: and it came to pass, when the people heard the sound of the trumpet, and the people shouted with a great shout, that the wall fell down flat, so that the people went up into the city, every man straight before him, and they took the city.

God wants us to have uncommon faith when attacking financial walls, addiction walls, marital walls, occupational walls, health walls. Get beyond how everyone else attacks it. You attack it with uncommon supernatural faith. Watch it fall down flat.

Several years ago, we were on vacation in Panama City Beach, Florida. That year, several hurricanes came up the Gulf of Mexico forecasted to hit the Panama City area. It seems that year there must have been about five hurricanes heading our way. As soon as I began hearing about one coming, I began shouting at it. I would bind. I would release. I would sing. I would shout – “No hurricane.” Every single one of those hurricanes turned and went some place else. “Oh Delbert, that’s just a coincidence.” You can call it what you want, but no hurricane came to Panama City. “Delbert, do you think it was right to want the hurricane to blow on someone else?” I didn’t want it to blow on anyone, but I certainly did not want it blowing on my vacation. If God stopped the sun and moon for Joshua, he will move a hurricane for you.

Maybe you don’t need something as trivial as moving a hurricane so you can enjoy your vacation. Maybe you need God to heal your child. Maybe you need your marriage restored. Maybe you need favor at work with your boss. Perhaps you need a break in a legal situation. My point is this: Are you releasing your faith for the extraordinary, uncommon, and supernatural? If you are bold enough to shout at a hurricane, you are bold enough to shout at your marital problem. I have shouted at marital problems, financial problems, and personal hurricanes, you name it and I’ve seen walls fall down flat. 

Years ago a couple in our church was expecting their second child. I received a call about 3 a.m. The mother’s water broke and the baby was very premature. It looked bad for the baby. The doctors did everything they could to make the pregnancy go longer. Every day was critical for the baby. However, the baby was coming, but a new dilemma uncovered. The baby was feet first instead of headfirst. I told the parents, “God can turn her.” I went to the hospital, laid hands on the mother and baby in the mother’s tummy. I spoke to the baby to turn into the proper position. “Delbert, can you do that?” Will God stop the universe? A few hours later, a two pound fully formed baby girl was born headfirst. She had to stay in observation for a while, but today that tiny two-pound girl is a beautiful, intelligent, righteous young woman.

God can do what people cannot do and will do what you EXPECT him to do. I’m not saying to go around being flaky denying reality, but too often, we accept things as “this is the way it’s going to be.” We accept what the doctor said, or some expert told us. I respect that, but there is a bigger doctor, a bigger expert who smiles, and nods when we diligently seek him with uncommon faith. We have to stop accepting and begin EXPECTING. Just as God will turn a baby in the womb, he will stop your universe from spinning out of control so you can get your victory. Just as he stopped the Jordan River at flood stage, he will make your flood stop so you can cross over and live in your dreamland.

The question is, are you bold enough to release your faith in radical ways? What’s holding you back? Ask yourself, “Is my faith radical?” Is what you believe for big enough to make someone think, “That’s way out there? Who do they think they are?” Are you stuck in a rut saying, “That’s just the way things are?” If you will take the limits off God, you will experience some unlimited things. God will stop the sun and moon for you if you will expect it. He will stop your floods so you can cross into your promised land. He will bring down walls and remove your giant problems if you will earnestly expect him to reward you. You will experience UNCOMMON FAITH like Joshua and you will be on the hero list.