Christian Living

---

Faith

Hebrews 11:1-6

What is Faith?
Faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. Looking at this verse thru the dictionary in an attempt to break it down more it says…Belief that is not based on proof is the essential part of facts or circumstances to the feeling that what is desired is also possible, the grounds foe belief which tends to prove or disprove something not seen with the eyes.

I was watching a television show a while back and they said it a little different but it had the same meaning but simpler. Seeing is not believing, but Believing is seeing. What they were saying is that if you see something then you no longer need the faith to believe in it. But if you really believe in something thru faith you will see it, in every aspect.

It is the expectation that you are going to receive what you need or desire even though you don’t know how it is going to come about. It is the trust in God in all circumstances, which enables the believer to persevere (hang in there) and remain steadfastly loyal to God and his word at all times. Faith believes in Spiritual realities.

Natural Faith is going up to a light switch and flipping it on and expecting the lights to come on. You don’t know how it is supposed to work, you just know that when you do something the lights are supposed to come on and you expect it to work. You don’t get surprised when it does work you are surprised when it doesn’t work.

Spiritual Faith is when you take a request to God and expect it to happen. Just like the light switch you are not surprised unless it does not happen. Instead we are surprised when it does happen, that is not faith, that is God working despite us. When nothing happens we should look at ourselves and find out why God did not work on our behalf. Is our life where it should be with God? Are we on speaking terms with God or do we just talk to him when we need something?

With out faith you cannot live either spiritually or naturally you have to trust in something to exist.

Why do I need Faith?
Hebrews 10:38 states…now the just shall live by faith: but if any man draw back, my soul shall have no pleasure in him.

The writer of Hebrews states that no matter what we are going through we must have faith. Faith brings life and energy into everything that we do and it builds more faith in God. With out faith it is the cause of severe displeasure and anger from God. We are telling God that he is not big enough or good enough to handle what I need done.

Hebrews 11:6 states that without faith it is impossible to please him: For he that cometh to God must believe that He is and that He is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.

If we do not completely believe in God without reservations we will not act when he tells us to do something and if we do, we will not expect anything to happen, or we may halfway expect it but we will have a backup plan just incase it does not work the way we want it to.

John 14:12-14 states; Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on me the works that I do shall he do also; and greater works that these shall he do; because I go unto my Father. And what so ever ye shall ask in my name, that will I do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son. If ye shall ask anything in my name I will do it.

Jesus said you know what I have done. If you trust me completely and allow the Holy Ghost to come upon you and work through you, you can do this and more because I will tell my Father and he will allow the Holy Ghost to do it so my Father will get the glory. What a lot of people do not realize is that the Holy Ghost is the one that makes the Father’s will happen on earth. When God wanted the earth formed then Jesus the word of God spoke it and the Holy Ghost made it happen.

We must remember that when we are dealing with God, Prayer may be the door that we must go through but Faith is the key to unlock the door.

How do I get this faith with signs and wonders?
Lets start at the Old Testament… Psalms 37:5 states…commit thy way unto the Lord; Trust also in him and he shall bring it to pass.

Give everything to God without looking back; expect him to be able to handle everything that you give him. Then let go of your request and let him do it his way. He knows what is best.

Proverbs 3:5-6 states…Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him and he will direct thy paths.

Again, Let It Go!!! Don’t concern yourself as to how he is going to handle it and he will get it done, what ever way is best for the situation. JUST LET GO!

Mark 11:22b-2 states…Have faith in God. For verily I say unto you, that whosoever shall say unto this mountain, be thou removed, and be thou cast into the sea; and shall not doubt in his heart, but shall believe that those things which he saith shall come to pass; he shall have whatsoever he saith. Therefore I say unto you, what things soever you desire, when ye pray, believe that ye receive them, and ye shall have them.

And when ye stand praying, forgive, if ye have ought against any: that your Father also which is in heaven may forgive you your trespasses. But if ye do not forgive, neither will your? Father which is in heaven forgive your trespasses.

You must have clear communications between you and God. There can’t be any unforgiveness. That is another wall between you and God. Whether you hurt someone or they hurt you, get it taken care of…then Let It Go. Then go to God with the complete work pictured in your minds eye, not how to do it but see it done. Let God work out the details and let it go.

Romans 10:17 states…Faith cometh by hearing and hearing by the word of God.

Dig into the word especially the Gospels to see what Jesus did on earth, but don’t forget that he worked through the prophets also…ordinary people who trusted him. Don’t do this just in church but do it at home and listen to what God has to say.

Ephesians 3:12 states…In whom we have boldness and access with confidence by the Faith in him.

When you get used to letting go you will build a confidence in God and start coming boldly to him with your requests knowing that he is going to handle everything you take to him. It may not be in your time but it will be taken care of.

Ok, lets break this all down.
Give God everything without reservation…Believe that he is more capable to handle everything than you are. Remember He designed it and created it, what makes you think that he can’t take care of it? What makes you think that you can do a better job of handling it than the maker? He knows every aspect of it.

Forgive everyone that has anything against you or that you have anything against them. You ask: Why should I forgive like that? Because if you don’t it will build a wall between you and God. God will not be able to forgive you if you don’t forgive them and get forgiveness from them for whatever you may have done to cause problems between the two of you. It will also start a deterioration process that will eat at you until you are no longer able to talk to God at all. Your Faith will wither away if you hold bitterness in your heart toward anyone.

Read the word of God and listen to the word of God. Get God’s word inside of you. Then you can start believing what the word says. When you start believing the Word then you can come with Boldness and confidence in God and start expecting things to happen when you ask.

Sometimes God will expect you to put him on the spot to prove what he will do and in order to test your faith in him. The Word says that God will not let you down…If you are where you need to be with him. Then when he comes through, your faith will grow by leaps and bounds.

James 1:5-8 states…If any man lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him. But let him ask in faith nothing wavering. For he that wavereth is like a wave of the sea driven with the wind and tossed. For let not a man think that he shall receive anything of the Lord. A double minded man is unstable in all his ways.

This may be talking about wisdom but the Lord looks at all requests in the same manner. Ask for an increase in Faith, then trust God to do what you ask. Use the little bit of Faith that God gave you when you were born again and make it grow. Sometimes God puts you in a position where you must use all the faith that you have in order to get more.

James 2:20 states…but wilt thou know, O vain man, that faith without works is dead?

You may ask: What kind of works are you talking about? Earlier in this chapter it talks about people having a need and you have the means to help them. If you want your faith to work then you need to help them, if you don’t then it plainly says that your works are dead therefore your faith is dead also.

How much faith does it take for signs and wonders?

Luke 17:6 states…if ye had the Faith as a grain of mustard seed, ye might say to this Sycamine tree be thou plucked up by the roots, and be thou planted in the sea; and it should obey you.

Matthew 17:20 states…a grain of mustard seed faith can move a mountain. And nothing shall be impossible to you.

So it does mot take a lot of faith at all and through the Power of the Holy Ghost it shall be done. The only limitation is your doubt. When flesh gets in your way it says, “you can’t do that!” and you listen to your flesh instead of taking the authority that Christ gave you and telling the flesh yes, I can do that through Jesus Christ who said I can and more, because He sent us the Holy Ghost to help us.

When you ask your earthly dad for something do you go to him believing that you are going to get it? Or do you go the same way you go to God, with a backup plan not expecting anything? If you go with a back up plan not expecting any thing then you may as well save your breath. How much faith does it take to ask you earthly dad for something and get it? Isn’t God much more capable of providing for all your needs?

How do I get this Faith to work for me?
To get this faith to work for you there is a battle that you must win. It is the battle between the flesh and the spirit. Before you can win any battle in the flesh whether it is sickness, death, financial, whatever it is, you have to win it on your knees before God. Sometimes this even takes Fasting and Prayer. Jesus fought the devil in the wilderness before he cast the demons out of the people during his ministry. He also had to win this battle before he could heal the first person. This is not a battle that you can win one time forever, but this battle must be fought every day and won in your prayer time.

Here are some things to do to get this faith to work for you.

Give God everything without reservation…yourself, your family, your house, your cars, your land, your animals, everything. Don’t hold back anything. If you hold anything back it is like building a wall between you and God, saying, you cannot handle that. It is also placing that item between you and God you have made it an idol and God doesn’t work for people with idols.

Praise God in all things…When things go wrong Praise Him. When things go right Praise Him. When you are sick Praise Him. When you feel great Praise Him. When you are hurting Praise Him. When you are on top of the mountain Praise Him. When cancer has a hold on you Praise Him. No matter what you are battling Praise God. Prayer is communication with God…build it. Praise moves God He can’t sit still and listen to someone praising Him without doing something. If you want to see him move try this little exercise. Praise God for 30 minutes with out praying or asking God for any thing just Praise Him 30 minutes non-stop. See what he will do. It is amazing.

When God tells you to do something, DO IT!!! Do it with everything inside of you without hesitation. I have heard it said, “I don’t know whether it is God or me.” Jesus said, “My sheep know my voice and a stranger they will not follow.” To clear up the question in your mind answer this question, Will it glorify God? In other words, will it bring Glory to God? If the answer is yes, do it with everything inside of you. If the answer is no get away from it as fast as you can, don’t look back.

I am going to ask you some questions, you don’t have to answer them out loud but answer them honestly between you and God.

Do you believe without a doubt that God exists?

Do you believe without a doubt that God is all-powerful and can do all things?

Do you believe that if you need something either it does not exist or it is not available that God would create it just to meet your need?

Are you willing to pay the price? And there is a price for everything including salvation…Jesus paid for that and God gives it to us.
Are you filled with the Holy Ghost?

If you can truthfully answer yes to these questions there is no doubt that you have the faith that it takes to move a mountain. If you truly believe then signs and wonders will follow you, not should but will follow. If they are not then you need to check your relationship with God.

If you are having a hard time believing, you need to search yourself and find out what is in there stopping you. Where are your doubts coming from? What are you not releasing? Start building that communication with God both ways to him and from him. When you talk to him then you have to spend a little time on your knees listening to what he has to say. Yes he will answer you or talk to you. Most people think that it is just them thinking but if you pay attention to what is being said it is more than likely God talking to you. Weigh it out does what he say bring you closer to God or closer to the world?

Yes, I preached this to the Christians but if you are not a Christian you need this faith that I talked about. You can have it also by asking Jesus Christ into your life and allowing him to take over.

If you think this faith will only work for someone else you are wrong. It will work for anyone who is willing to pay the price.

This faith was given to the Last Days Christians and that is us. In order to convince the world that Jesus Christ is alive and well living in the Christian. We have le it go, we have settled for the leftovers instead of the real meat. We have really stopped believing in the Power of God. Lets go back. Give everything to God and allow him to work in your life. Let go of everything. Let God move in and take over.

---

PLEASE ENCOURAGE AUTHOR BELOW LEAVE COMMENT ON ARTICLE