Faith

February 21, 2023

INFORMATION ABOUT FAITH

 “FAITH”, is a word that I’m sure you’ve heard that has been spoken at one time or another by those within the Christian world and by those without. People of the world use this word on an everyday basis with a natural understanding of its meaning.

Many Christians, unknowingly and unconsciously, will use the same definition as the world. But more and more Christians are coming into the knowledge of FAITH (from a biblical perspective), and its usage.

“Faith” - Webster’s Definition: To trust, 1. unquestioning BELIEF in God, religion, 2. Complete trust or confidence

 WordWeb: 1. A strong belief in a supernatural power or powers that control human destiny, 2. Complete confidence in a person or plan etc, 3. An institution to express belief in divine power, 4. Loyalty or allegiance to a cause or a person.

 You may have said or even heard others say, “Brother/ Sister, I have faith in you….” Or I have faith that I’ll get to work on time”. (And there is nothing wrong with those statements).  However, we need to realize that this is only in reference to the natural realm, or “Natural Faith”.

There are two kinds of faith mentioned in the Bible:

Natural and Supernatural.

 

Q: WHAT IS FAITH?

One of the common answers is given in Hebrews 11:1:

 (Heb 11:1 KJV)  Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.

 Notice: Faith gives substance to the things you are hoping for. Faith is the substance to hope,

 Example of Substance:

“Cooking a cake or Pie”, The substance needed? (eggs, flour, sugar, etc.) but the picture on the box is the hope

“Building a home”, the substance is the (wood, pipes, nails, screws, stucco, plywood, etc…) but the drawing plans are the hope

 

So then Faith is that substance, which reaches out into the realm of dreams, and hopes (unrealities), and provides the supplies that your dreams and hope need, bringing them into reality.

 Rom 4:17 says,

“faith calleth those things that be not as though they were.”

 Faith does not call things that are as though they are not (do not exist).

[Example: A person is sick, now faith does not deny that sickness exists, but it will deny its right to exist in your body].

So, what do you do? You call for what is not there (HEALING).

  1. Faith is the substance (Heb 11:1)
  2. Faith is evidence / Proof (Heb 11:1)
  3. It is acting on and trusting in what you believe
  4. A law (Rom. 3:27)
  5. A servant (Lk. 17:1-10)
  6. Faith is the practical expression of your confidence in the word of God (meditate on the word of God enough to know you should step), but TRUST takes the step.

Trust is the practical expression of your COMMITMENT to God and his word.

 Note: You cannot TRUST God until your FAITH has developed.

 

The Importance of FAITH:

Faith, (to the Christian), is the most important subject in the bible. Why is this statement true? Let’s see.

  1. FAITH is a LAW: (Rom. 3:27 / Rom. 8:1), A LAW is something that is right, that works every time, it is UNCHANGEABLE, and because of this – we need to know how to use it.
  2. We must Live by Faith: (Rom. 1:16,17; Hab. 2:4), The Christian life, is a life of faith and we are to exercise faith constantly, proving its importance. Everything we do (in life) should be done by and in FAITH.
  3. We are Saved by FAITH: (Eph. 2:8)
  4. Must Fight the good fight of FAITH: (1Tim. 6:10-12) there is no other fight that we’re to fight except the faith fight
  5. Cannot please God without FAITH: (Heb. 11:6, cp/w Heb. 4:1-3 they did not mix faith in what they heard), When we attempt to operate the laws and the word of God without faith it puts us in a place where we can be overthrown – therefore, not being pleasing to God (1Cor. 10:5).
  6. Walk by FAITH, not by Sight: (2 Cor. 5:7) Do not allow yourself to be moved by what you see [5 physical senses].
  7. Overcome the world by FAITH: (1Jn. 5:4)
  8. We are KEPT by FAITH: (1Pet. 1:5) . We are kept by the power of God through FAITH. Kept meaning, GUARDED, Protected, to watch over.