What is Faith?
Even secular people have discovered the importance of “believing.” Especially those searching for the meaning of life and how to live it to the max. Claude Bristol’s famous book, The Magic of Believing, reveals what you believe is what you receive. This is a truth right out of the Bible! So is the principle that…
Fear is negative believing. When you are afraid it is because you believe…you believe that something bad is going to happen!
So it is important to understand faith and believing so you can deal with fear.
The righteous person is to live by faith, not fear!
Why You Must Understand Faith
Faith is important! The Bible says “without faith it is impossible to please God” (Hebrews 11:6). You cannot please God without faith!
You may attend church six times a week and go through all kinds of religious rituals. But without faith you cannot please God. God himself says so.
Some people are proud of their doubts: “I’ll have to see it to believe it.” They forget that Thomas had this attitude and Jesus rebuked him: “Stop doubting and believe!”
(John 20:27 NIV)
When Jesus taught in his hometown the people doubted him and were “offended at him.” And "he marveled at their unbelief” (Mark 6:2,6).
Stop doubting and believe!
Why does God want us to believe him? Because faith (belief) opens the door to miracles. And miracles are part of the heroic life God wants us to enjoy.
Super Heart Living!
The pursuit of truth, justice and the biblical way of life!
Faith is necessary for miracles…
A sick, bleeding woman reached out and touched Jesus Christ. He immediately said to her, “Your faith has made you well” (Matthew 9:22).
The woman’s faith opened the door for her healing!
Shortly after that…
Two blind men cried out to Jesus for healing and he asked them “do you believe I am able to do this?” They agreed and he told them “according to your faith be it done to you” (Matthew 9:29).
The blind men’s faith opened the door for their healing.
Jesus instructed his followers in this art of believing. He said, “Whatever you pray and ask for, believe that you have received them and you shall have them” (Mark 11:24).
Believe you have received your answer! And you shall have those miracles.
So faith is the key to miracles in our lives. And if faith is that important, just what is faith, anyway?
First, let’s talk about…
What Faith is Not
What is faith?
Faith is NOT believing what you want to. Faith is NOT “your opinion” of things...
The Bible says “A fool finds no pleasure in understanding but delights in airing his personal opinions”! (Proverbs 18:1)
God says people who brag about their opinions are fools.
When it comes to God’s Word our opinions don’t count. Do you know why? No one can understand God on his own. Jesus, in his prayer to the Father, says “The world does NOT know you” (John 17:25).
The Bible says "the world through it’s wisdom did NOT know God" (1 Corinthians 1:21).
Man just cannot figure God out! (See 1 Corinthians 2:9).
So faith is not “your opinion” of God or spiritual things.
Neither is biblical faith “blind faith.” When you believe God for something you are not flying blind…
All the people in the Bible who believe God for miracles know exactly what they want!
The bleeding lady wants to be made well…
The blind men want to see…
Joshua wants the sun and moon to stand still
(Joshua 10:12).
Real faith knows exactly what it wants. It is not “blind.”
Neither is biblical faith “wishing” or “hoping” for something. The Word makes a sharp distinction between faith and “hope.” It lists them separately, as in the verse that says “faith, hope and love” (1 Corinthians 13:13).
So if faith is not your opinions, blind faith or wishful thinking…
What is Faith? Here is Your Answer…
“Faith is being SURE of things hoped for and CERTAIN of things not seen” (Hebrews 11:1).
Faith is being sure and certain about an outcome! This confidence is the shield of faith, part of the armor of God.
Abraham became “fully assured that what [God] had promised he was able also to perform” (Romans 4:21).
Faith is being fully assured that God can do what he has promised to do.
What is faith?
“Whatever you pray and ask for, believe that you have received them and you shall have them”
(Mark 11:24).
Faith is believing you have received your answer. You know what God says, you believe what He says and you consider it done.
“Whoever may tell this mountain, 'Be taken up and cast into the sea,' and doesn't doubt in his heart, but believes that what he says is happening; he shall have whatever he says.” (Mark 11:23)
Faith is believing that the things you say are coming to pass. Its believing in your God-given authority to make it happen by speaking God’s Word in faith.
So, faith is being sure and certain that what God has spoken and we have believed and spoken is happening. That’s what Super Heart Living is all about! The confident heart of God’s superheroes.
Now that we see what the believer’s faith is, let’s see…
How You Get Faith
Do you get faith by wishing or hoping or gritting your teeth in determination?
No!
The Bible says “Faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the Word of God” (Romans 10:17)
You get “faith” (believing) by hearing God’s Word!
Hey, you cannot believe what God says until you first hear what God says. Right?
That’s why the Apostle Paul speaks about “the word of faith, which we preach” (Romans 10:8). Hearing God’s Word produces faith in your heart!
There is no other way to believe God for anything than to hear what God says on the subject.
Want to believe God for healing? You must first hear what God says on the subject…
“I will heal my people and will let them enjoy abundant peace and security” (Jeremiah 33:6).
Now you can begin believing God for healing…because you are hearing what God says on the subject. God’s “words” produce the faith (believing) in your heart! That’s the shield of faith, part of the armor of God!
This same principle applies to whatever you want to believe God for. First, find out what God says on the subject! This will begin building faith in your heart.
You say Rick, that will take time! Yes, but there are ways to speed up the process. That’s why God calls people into the “ministry”…to help you believe Him quicker and more thoroughly.
And that’s why we are producing multimedia training DVDs, to show you…
How to Rapidly Build Your Faith
On our Power DVD we are going to give you the rock-solid basis for building a solid faith in God and his Word. We’ll show you how to walk in faith and believe for miracles. We’ll actually give you the necessary insights to trust God and experience miracles in your life. Stay tuned!
Meanwhile, our first DVD in the Super Heart Living series, The Self-Esteem of Sonship, lays the groundwork of believing by showing you why you can receive miracles. It’s all because of who you are.
What is faith?
It’s trusting God and His Word.
And your faith really begins when you discover the truth about “Who am I in Christ.” When you discover your relationship with God, then and only then will you have the courage to believe God! And rise above the humdrum of everyday living.
That’s when you will discover the real meaning of life and the abundance Jesus Christ provides for you.
Put on the armor of God and apply the shield of faith in your daily walk.
What is faith? It’s the doorway to miracles for God’s superheroes!
Now, that’s Super Heart Living!
You must answer the question "What is faith?" Because the Bible says “the righteous shall live by faith” (Romans 5:17).
And the shield of faith is part of the armor of God you need for spiritual warfare. The cosmic battle between good and evil.
Faith is a necessary part of your lifestyle as a believer. Faith enables you to rise above your circumstances and “super-conquer” in life (Romans 8:37).
By Rick Josey
