The nature of faith is that it must be permanent and absolute in God. It is described in Hebrews 11: 1-2 thus, now faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see. This is what the ancients were commended for. Upon exhibiting faith in God no matter the circumstances, the Lord will commend us because we honour and please him by faith.
Faith is an unfailing and unshakable trust in God that he will honour his word. Acts 20: 21 says I have declared to both Jews and Greeks that they must turn to God in repentance and have faith in our Lord Jesus. Faith is knotted with repentance and righteousness, hence obedience to God’s will. Faith must be exercised. James 2: 14 says what good is it, my brothers and sisters, if someone claims to have faith but has no deeds? Can such faith save them?
Why do we need faith?
The bible has set out many reasons why we need faith in God among which are as follows;
Faith is our weapon in difficulty
God knows the challenging terrain in which we are, hence he has implored us to have faith in him. In a time of war, Jehoshaphat said to the people of Israel in 2Chronicles 20: 20, “Listen to me, Judah and people of Jerusalem! Have faith in the Lord your God and you will be upheld; have faith in his prophets and you will be successful.” Faith is the key that opens the doors to God’s plan for our lives. Jesus said in Matthew 21: 21; Luke 17: 6, “Truly I tell you, if you have faith and do not doubt, not only can you do what was done to the fig tree, but also you can say to this mountain, Go, throw yourself into the sea,’ and it will be done.
Faith is the key to sealed doors
When Jesus touched the eyes of the blind, he said in Matthew 9: 29, “According to your faith let it be done to you.” And their sight was restored. In contrast, when the Jews did not believe in Jesus describing him as the carpenter’s son, calling the names of his mother, siblings, and took offense at him, Jesus said in Matthew 13: 57-58, “A prophet is not without honour except in his own town and in his own home.” And he did not do many miracles there because of their lack of faith. Doubts, lack of faith or unstable faith do and will obstruct the miracles we expect in our lives.
Faith measures our belief in God
It shows the extent of our obedience and honour to him. Paul said to his converts in Acts 27: 25, so keep up your courage, men, for I have faith in God that it will happen just as he told me. Paul believed God through Christ Jesus by his word so in spite of the dangers of the cross, he soldiered on in obedience to finish his mission as the Lord Jesus assigned to him. We cannot say we have faith in God yet disbelieve his word in other circumstances.
Faith justifies our relationship
God is described in Romans 3: 25 as the one who justifies those who have faith in Jesus. Romans 3: 28 says for we maintain that a person is justified by faith apart from the works of the law. Faith thus justifies us against spiritual destruction. The Lord said to Judah in Isaiah 7: 9, if you do not stand firm in your faith, you will not stand at all. When we lose the relationship with God, we will be destroyed. When we keep faith, it produces results. James 2: 26 says as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without deeds is dead. (For examples, read Matthew 16: 8; 15: 28; 9: 2, 22)
Faith glorifies God
When God desires to glorify his name, he sometimes puts us through circumstances to elicit our faith. Jesus asked in Matthew 16: 8, You of little faith, why are you talking among yourselves about having no bread? Do you still not understand? Don’t you remember the five loaves for five thousand, and how many baskets you gathered? Or the seven loaves for the four thousand, and how many basket fulls you gathered? Jesus was glorified when he fed the five thousand and four thousand respectively when there was practically no food yet challenged his disciple to find some for the crowd that followed him.
Faith attracts God’s attention
Jesus acts on our faith as the point of attraction. Mark 2: 5 says, when Jesus saw their faith, he said to the paralyzed man, “Son, your sins are forgiven.” The woman with hemorrhage for twelve years touched Jesus expecting healing based on her faith so Jesus said to her in Mark 5: 34, “Daughter, your faith has healed you. Go in peace and be freed from your suffering. Jesus said to the blind man who wanted to see based on his faith in Mark 10: 52, “Go, your faith has healed you.” Immediately, he received his sight and followed Jesus along the road. The sick man was lowered through the roof based on their faith to reach Jesus so Luke 5: 20 says, when Jesus saw their faith, he said, “Friend, your sins are forgiven.”
Jesus expects faith from us
Jesus expects us to have faith in God. At sea, the disciples went and woke Jesus up saying, “Master, master, we’re going to drown!” He got up and rebuked the wind and the raging waters; the storm subsided, and all was calm. Jesus asked his disciples in Luke 8: 25, “Where is your faith?” Jesus said in Mark 11: 22, “Have faith in God.” In Galatians 3: 9, those who rely on faith are blessed along with Abraham. In Romans 4: 9, Abraham’s faith was credited to him as righteousness. In Romans 4: 13, righteousness comes by faith. In Romans 4: 16, promise comes by faith, so that it may be by grace and may be guaranteed to all Abraham’s offspring not to only those who are under the law but also to those who have the faith of Abraham.
Faith enables us to stand
Paul said in 2Corinthians 1: 24, it is by faith you stand firm. We also live by faith for Galatians 3: 10; Romans 1: 17 say “the righteous will live by faith. So, we do not stand on our own accord but as children of God for Galatians 3: 26 says, in Christ Jesus you are all children of God through faith. We can keep standing only if we are clothed by faith in battle as children of God. Ephesians 6: 16 says take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. Galatians 3: 26 says in Christ you are all children of God through faith. Do we have faith and exercise faith in God?
Prayer
Dear Lord Jesus Christ, increase our faith in you we pray. Help us to exercise it so we may reap its fruits as you have planned for your children who have and exercise faith in you. Justify us before your throne as we please you by our faith in you. We pray in your holy name, Amen!!
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