One of God’s most amazing works in our lives is faith. Now I will be honest, God ever takes me to new places to be able to show me the many mysterious facets of His faith. It is important to understand faith is not ours it is a work of God in us of the Spirit of God.
We can not work it up by listening to our favorite praise and worship song, pray it up, or even fast it up. For us to operate, by the Spirit of God in faith, we must be able to hear God speak to us. For it is in the hearing and receiving what God speaks, is contained the faith needed to do whatsoever God has asked us to do. When God speaks to us He provides everything we need in His words to us. This is how, “man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God.” (Matthew 4:4 and Deuteronomy 8:3) . Hearing the word of God (preaching or teaching tapes) will not do it. Many people Sunday after Sunday hear message after message and still have no faith. Paul shares these words with us, “ So then faith cometh by hearing and hearing by the Word of God.” (Romans 10:17) I believe the Greek version of this verse is more in keeping with what the Spirit wants to teach us, “Faith cometh by hearing a word from God.” (Romans 10:17 (Greek)) Do you see (understand) the difference? When we hear and receive a word from God we will have all of the faith we will ever need. Nothing no nothing will be impossible to us, why? Because now we are moving not with our fleshly strength and power, but now we are moving in the strength and power of God almighty.
When God speaks there are many elements moving in His word to us: In faith; there is what faith is, “Now faith is the substance of things hoped for the evidence of things not seen.” (Hebrews 11:1) How faith works, “ . . ., but faith worketh through love .” (Galatians 5:6) Please understand this is not the type of love we think of today; but it is a deeper, mature, and a complete type of love. It is a love that requires a dedication divorced of all human emotions. The word agape means dedication. This type of love, a perfect or mature love where, “There is no fear in love; but perfect (mature, complete) love (dedication) casts out fear, because fear involves torment , but he who fears has not been made perfect (mature) in love.” (1 John 4:18) Unless our love has been made “perfect” through God’s dealings and judgments in lives we will fear. The fear we will experience will be the loss to our self-life and us not getting our way. We will be tormented by not being able to come into a rest God has for us. But, when we allow the God to conform us into His dear Son’s (Jesus Christ) image He can bring us into a place of no fear, nothing will be impossible, we will be at rest. Let us allow God to work in our lives so that we may be able to possess a mature and perfected dedication for Him and the Brethren to a point where we just get lost in His love. Also moving in God’s word to us is the key to how faith operates, “Did I not say to you if thou wouldst believe thou shall see the glory of God.” (John 11:40) God had to take me to India to teach me this wonderful lesson. Contained in this one verse is three separate truths, but combined they give us an understanding and knowledge to move correctly in faith. “Did I not say to you” (HEARING) God must speak and we must hear it or it will not happen. I do not care how long you claim something or want it to happen, God must speak it and we must take it into our spirit. Always know God is speaking, when He has something to say, but it is our hearing where the breakdown in communication occurs. Let us draw near to Him so we will be able to hear His voice. “If thou wouldst believe.”
(BELIEVING) When we hear God speak now we have something to hold on to, even if we cannot see it or it makes no sense. Here is the mystery part. But I like this part, for it is the unknown mystical realm that keeps faith in the simplistic and practical application in our life. It is a basic thought of just believing what God said. No need for hyper-spirituality but, just hear God’s word long enough to plant a mustard seed measure of faith in our spirit. “ Thou shall see the glory of God” (RECEIVING) What shall we receive? All of God’s precious promises? Oh no my friend, only what God has spoken. God speaks it, we hear it, we believe it, and then we shall receive it, “the glory of God.” Brethren let us not get God’s order wrong if we do we will never receive anything from God get frustrated and be moved out of God.
In 1 Kings 17:11-16 we see faith’s character. Always remember our real character like our testimony is what people see of us and what we speak.
“And as she was going to fetch it , he called to her, and said, Bring me, I pray thee, a morsel of bread in thine hand. 12 And she said, As the LORD thy God liveth, I have not a cake, but an handful of meal in a barrel, and a little oil in a cruse: and, behold, I am gathering two sticks, that I may go in and dress it for me and my son, that we may eat it, and die. 13 And Elijah said unto her, Fear not; go and do as thou hast said: but make me thereof a little cake first, and bring it unto me, and after make for thee and for thy son. 14 For thus saith the LORD God of Israel, The barrel of meal shall not waste, neither shall the cruse of oil fail, until the day that the LORD sendeth rain upon the earth. 15 And she went and did according to the saying of Elijah: and she, and he, and her house, did eat many days. 16 And the barrel of meal wasted not, neither did the cruse of oil fail, according to the word of the LORD, which he spake by Elijah.” (1 Kings 17:11 -16) Here in these verses is contained the character of what our faith MUST be to be able to operate with a holy and sovereign God. First and foremost our faith MUST be obedient. (verse 15) It is the obedient alone that are honoring to God. If God cannot teach us to be obedient, to Him and man, then He cannot use us. We disqualify ourselves for service. God must be able to work obedience in us. Please note I said God and man. Many Christians think they must obey God, but treat God’s man and His children any old way, well my friend this is wrong thinking that will move you quickly out of God and if we are not careful it will lead us to death. Next our faith must always give away. (verse 13) Giving is at the heart of the Gospel, “for God so loved (dedicated) the world He gave . . . ” (John 3:16 )
Like our obedience, if God cannot teach us to be a giver He cannot use us. We disqualify ourselves for service. Now I am not a prosperity teacher, however, I have learned it is easy to give our heart to the Lord, but once He gets a hold of our wallet He has all of us. God must be able to teach us to open our hand and give if not He will not be able to bless us. Our receiving from God is directly proportionate to our giving. This is why it is more blessed to give them receive (Acts 20:35 ). Next our faith always sacrifices something. (verse 12) Sacrifice always calleth for God’s help in time of need. Today many in the Church seem to want to avoid persecution and not endure sacrifice, well this is not God’s way. “Persecutions, afflictions, which came unto me at Antioch , at Iconium, at Lystra; what persecutions I endured: but out of them all the Lord delivered me. 12 Yea, and all that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution.” (2 Timothy 3:11-12) Maybe this is why many in the Church do not “live godly in Christ Jesus.” Always remember, to sacrifice just to sacrifice will do nothing for you, but if we sacrifice and learn the lesson God desires to teach us, through our sacrifice, we will not sacrifice in vain. It is best to give God the sacrifice He is looking for and remember God gets to pick the sacrifice, “The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit: a broken and a contrite heart, O God, thou wilt not despise.” (Psalm 51:17) This too is why the broken alone are useful to God. And lastly faith always operates in the supernatural. (verse 16)
This operating in the supernatural while simply believing keeps the application of faith in the simplistic and practical realm. Do not expect God to operate in the natural. He has given us a good mind to do this, but we must expect God to operate in the supernatural where only He can make changes on our behalf and others. God does not give us His supernatural power and ability to see who can get the most, but God gives us His supernatural power and ability to do supernatural things for Him and when we receive faith it opens the door to the supernatural.
