We cannot develop faith simply by our own willpower. Faith is an aspect of the fruitage of God’s holy spirit. (Gal. 5:22) Thus, we are wise to follow Jesus’ counsel about praying for more of that spirit because Jesus assures us that the Father will “give holy spirit to those asking him.” (Luke 11:13) Once our faith is established, we must continue to nourish it. Our faith might be compared to a wood fire. When the fire is started, it may come roaring to life in an intense blaze. However, if nothing more is done to the fire, it will eventually die down to hot coals that, in turn, will become cold ashes if left alone. But if you regularly feed the fire with more wood, it can be kept going indefinitely. So, too, our faith can be kept alive if we regularly feed on God’s Word. By progressively studying the Bible, we can develop a deep love for it and its Author, and that will become the basis for building more faith. w15 10/15 2:6, 7