Ezekiel 24-26 / Hebrews 11:1-16 / Psalm 110 / Proverbs 27:14
Faith is one of those topics that is so wide-ranging we could never cover it all in one post. That said, I want to talk about faith today. How can one not talk about faith when reading through Hebrews 11? It is, after all, the faith chapter.
Verse one begins with defining faith as: “The reality of what we hope for; the evidence of things we cannot see.” New Living Translation, (NLT).As I enjoy doing, I want to look at the definition of faith according to Webster’s Merriam Dictionary. Faith is defined as, “A strong belief or trust in something or someone.”
When looking at Abraham’s life, Romans 4:3 NLT tells us, “Abraham believed God, and God counted him as righteous because of his faith.” Do you see that faith and believing God are the same? We have each been given a measure of faith by God (Romans 12:3). That means our faith is a gift from God and not something we’ve earned or can earn.
So, that gift of faith allows us to do what? It allows us to believe God. When we read our Bible or hear Holy Spirit speaking to us, we will have some ability to believe what we’re hearing. Sometimes there are things in our souls that keep us from being able to believe; these things are called soul wounds. Soul wounds can keep us from believing the Truth we are hearing from God.
Even our gift of faith can be covered in mud, not allowing us to receive the grace and truth God wants to bring. Therefore, if we are having a hard time believing the truth of God’s Word, we need to ask Him to show us what needs to be healed in our souls. Once our souls are healed in an area, we will once again be able to use the gift of faith we’ve been given to take God at His Word.
As we continue to believe what God says in His Word, we will continue to be healed and to be encouraged. We will find ourselves being changed into the image of Jesus Christ, behaving, and choosing the will of the Father as He did while He was here on earth.
Another aspect of faith is that it causes us to act. We cannot say we have faith if we do not have an action to follow that faith. I can say I have faith to get a new job, but if I never fill out an application or go on an interview, I will not get a new job. James 2:14, NLT, proves our actions are necessary: “What good is it, dear brothers, and sisters, if you say you have faith but don’t show it by your actions? Can that kind of faith save anyone?”
Romans 10:17, NLT, says this, “So, faith comes from hearing, that is, hearing the Good News about Christ.” If your faith does not feel active, perhaps you need to hear more of the Good News. The Good News is the Gospel regarding Jesus Christ’s coming, death, burial, and resurrection. The entire body of Scripture that proves the nature of our loving, powerful Father is also necessary for our faith to be made active.
It is not that you need more faith, God has given us that gift. I believe we need the faith we have been given to be made active if it has gone to sleep by misuse or neglect. The gift of faith is within you since you have received Him. Activate that gift again by reading God’s Word, and through conversation with Him.
He wants your faith to be strong and active so that you will fulfill all He intends for you, and so that others will see the light of Christ through your life.