WHAT IS FAITH?

In our last BB~129 we looked at the importance of our being able to recognize the voice of God in our lives, as it is through hearing the word/voice of God that we have faith. So, in looking at faith we can say that faith is our response to what God says. Faith is our demonstration to God that we believe what He has spoken to us and that we are prepared to commit to whatever He says. Know this: God will never ask us to do anything that we cannot do! We may never have done it before, but we can do it. So there is no room for any excuses. Faith is activated by what God says. Faith is an action. It is not a passive acknowledgment. It is a commitment to what God has spoken to us. Nothing happens until we enter into that practical response.  If we believe that whatever God says is true, then we need to follow that belief up with our commitment to demonstrate to God that we are prepared to act upon His word/voice. In my experience, when ever God speaks to me I have to demonstrate my acceptance and belief that it is indeed God speaking to me by my practical obedience to what He says. That commitment is faith. And that faith is what releases God to fulfil what He has promised me/us. As Hebrews 4:1-2 states, we have to “mix faith” in the word preached/heard; otherwise it brings forth no fruit. Passive believing accomplishes nothing! The Christian life is not all of “the sovereignty of God” where He does everything and we simply receive. We have a responsibility to become a part of what God says by our active response. “The word has to become flesh” in us (John 1:14). In other words we have to bring it from the invisible spirit realm into the visible physical realm. Faith accomplishes that! The word heard and received has to have faith mixed to it in order to bring to pass the promises God has spoken to us.

When we have faith we have something to show for it. Faith accomplishes things in such a way that it produces fruit, results. It is a bit like a woman conceiving; she carries the new life within her for a season (when others cannot yet see what she is carrying). But the time comes when she brings forth a new life into this world and everyone can see what she had conceived. So, what have you conceived by the Holy Spirit? What has God spoken to you to do? Do you believe what God has said to you? Then demonstrate to God first of all that you believe what He has spoken to you. Commit to it! Act upon it! When faith is in operation there will always come a visible outworking of that faith. It will produce good fruit. “Faith without works is dead” (James 2:20-25).

Jesus always honours faith. Faith is what pleases Him. He loves it when we demonstrate to Him that we believe Him! (Remember, first and foremost we are called to please Him)! To be a “worker together with God” (2 Corinthians 6:1), we have to have our faith working.

How active is your faith? Can you see what your faith has accomplished? Stepping out in small faith is better than not stepping out at all. So many do not step out because they are afraid they will get it wrong. If our heart attitude is right, it is better to step out and get it wrong than to not step out at all. That way we can learn to make adjustments until we know we are getting it right. Remember this: God will always provide for that which He asks of us. It is not His purpose to set us up to fail. Rather He desires to show us just how much better His ways of faith are than our own natural abilities. Faith in what God says accomplishes His purposes, even in this day and age! It is through your FAITH that you will win the victory! God bless YOU! ~ Rodney W. Francis. 

Bible  Readings:  Matthew 8:5-13;  John 20:30-31;  Romans 10:16-17;  Hebrews 11.

Please Pray This Prayer:

“Dear God, I come to You in the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, and I ask You to help me to be more connected to Your voice. Help me to be humble enough to listen to You, to recognize You, and to be servant-hearted enough to respond to You in faith and obey what You say to me. Help me to eliminate those doubts that stop me from responding to what You ask of me. I really do want to do Your will, and to be an effective and fruitful minister of Your Supernatural Gospel in my day and generation. I desire to fulfil Your vision for my life! Thank You, Lord. Please speak to me today. In Jesus' name, I pray these things. Amen. 

The Gospel Faith Messenger Ministry,  New Zealand. Email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.