Faith is sometimes interchanged with belief. They however differ. Faith goes beyond belief. Faith is
What is faith?
It is a spiritual asset and of the heart. It is blind to its circumstances. It is resilient and stubbornly unshakable irrespective of the situation. Faith is a show of unfailing trust in a deity to discharge a certain function based on his unlimited nature. Faith remains unchanged whether or not the deity performs. It is positive and deeply seated in the heart. It is a gift from God but it can be lost.
Faith honours God. It stems from the notion that God is supreme and the ultimate. It is based on man’s absolute surrender to God and total dependence or reliance on God. Faith is based on God’s word and it grows or increases over time subject to a relationship with God, 2 Corinthians 10:15. Paul says faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen, Hebrews 11:1. It is accepting and acting on God’s word without an iota of doubt.
What is belief?
Belief on the other hand is material and of the mind. Acts 16:31 says believe in the Lord Jesus Christ, and you will be saved, you and your household. It is not a gift of God but as part of human nature. In Mark 9:24 the father of the child seized with spirits said to Jesus, help my unbelief. Belief is of man’s control.
Belief is hope in a thing or a being or a situation based on a prediction or supposition. The belief is based on human or psychological analysis of an event or situation. It is not permanent but continues to shift subject to the outcomes. Belief may be founded on events of which one may or may not be privy to. Believing is a mental exercise.
Why do I need faith?
Faith is a necessary tool to overcome the impossible, Matthew 21:21. We need faith to keep trusting God as Paul did through the challenges of life, Romans 8:35-39. Faith calms our anxiety. Jesus said, O men of little faith, Matthew 6:30. Faith pleases God. Jesus said, Truly, I say to you, not even in Israel have I found such faith, Matthew 8:10. It helps us to overcome our fears. Jesus said in Matthew 8:26, why are you afraid, O men of little faith?
We need faith to receive positive answers from God. In Matthew 21:22 Jesus said whatever you ask in prayer, you will receive, if you have faith. Faith brings healing and health. Jesus said, Take heart, my daughter, your faith has made you well, Matthew 9:22. We receive from God according to our faith. Jesus touched the eyes of the blind man and said to him, according to your faith be it done to you, Matthew 9:29. Others also received their healing based on their faith, Matthew 15:28.
We receive forgiveness through faith, Mark 2:5. We need faith to trust in God, Mark 11:22. Faith brings us salvation, Luke 7:50. We are justified by faith, Romans 5:1. God reveals his righteousness to us through faith, Romans 1:17; 3:22. We receive God’s promises through faith, Galatians 3:14. We are saved through faith, Ephesians 2:8. We have boldness and confidence of access through our faith in Christ, Ephesians 3:12. Through faith we are able to resist the devil, 1 Peter 5:9.
How to get faith
We must trust in the Lord absolutely. We must not lean on our own knowledge. We must acknowledge that God knows best. We must trust him to do what is good for us. We must understand that God knows us more than we know ourselves. We must know that anxiety and fears cannot produce answers to our needs but only God, the owner of life and the world.
We must acknowledge that God still sits on his throne and all powers are subject to his command. We must accept that we are mere tools in God’s hands and he does with us as he will. We must understand that we cannot alter God’s plan save by grace through faith in him. Our dealings and relationship with God must not be subject to our physical situation or circumstances or things around us but by his command or instructions. We can have faith through obedience and righteousness in Christ.
We must guard against the tools of the enemy which include fear, doubt, frustration, anxiety, unbelief, pain, sorrow and bitterness. We must watch and pray, Matthew 26:41; Mark 14:38; Luke 21:36. We must feed on God’s word always as Joshua directed, Joshua 1:8; Psalms 1:2. We must at all times gird our loins with the whole armor of God listed in Ephesians 6:13-18 and 1 Thessalonians 5:8.
Jesus said he will never fail us nor forsake us, Hebrews 13:5. He has also said I am with you always, to the close of the age, Matthew 28:20. He has further provided for us a Counselor to be with us forever, John 14:16 who will teach us all things. Why do we quake in faith? Do we still doubt Jesus?
Prayer
My faith looks up to you my most gracious Lord. Clothe me with your armor of faith to trust in you in all things. Thank you Jesus for an answered prayer, Amen!!
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