Faith Is a Gift from God
Faith is given.
Ephesians 2:8 – “For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God.”
Faith is dealt.
Romans 12:3 – “…God hath dealt to every man the measure of faith.”
Faith comes.
Romans 10:17 – “So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.”
Faith Pleases God
Hebrews 11:6 – “But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God
must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.”
Is it impossible for us to have faith? NO!
In the literal Greek, Mark 11:22 says, “…Have the faith of God.”
If God provides a means whereby faith can be obtained, then the responsibility is on us to get it.
God’s Word tells us how to obtain faith, so if we don’t have it, it’s not God’s fault.
To blame God for a lack of faith is nothing but ignorance.
What Is Faith
Hebrews 11:1 (Moffatt) – “Now faith means that we are confident of what we hope for, convinced of what we do not see.”
Faith is giving substance to things hoped for.
Faith is the title deed. The thing we have hoped for is at last ours.
Faith is a substance. Faith is the evidence of things not seen.
Faith grows from the Word of God.
Faith is fed by the Word.
Job 23:12 – “Neither have I gone back from the commandment of his lips; I have esteemed and treasured up the words of his mouth more than my necessary food.”
Faith for Salvation
How do we get faith to be saved?
Ephesians 2:8 – “For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God.”
Romans 10:8-10, 13-14, 17 – “That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation” (vv.9-10). “For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved” (v.13).
Faith for Healing
Acts 14:8-10 – “Said with a loud voice, Stand upright on thy feet. And he leaped and walked” (v.10).
The man was not healed by Paul’s faith, but by his own.
Paul preached the Word of God, and faith came by hearing.
The man heard the Word, and faith was created in his heart.
God’s Word is the source of his faith and power.
Romans 1:16 – “For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God
unto salvation to everyone that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek.”
Salvation (in the Greek): deliverance, safety, healing, and soundness 5. Acts 8:5-8 – “And the people with one accord gave heed unto those things which Philip spake, hearing and seeing the miracles which he did” (v.6).
The miracles came as a result of the things Philip preached.
Why don’t all receive healing who hear the Word?
Hebrews 4:2 – “…the word preached did not profit them, not being mixed with faith in them that heard it.”
They didn’t mix faith with the Word preached.
Your Faith Will Overcome The World
1 John 5:1-5 – “… and this is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith” (v.4).
Your faith is the method of victory over everything that Satan throws your way.
John 16:33 – “These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.”
1 John 4:4 – “Ye are of God, little children, and have overcome them: because greater is he that is in you, than he that is in the world.”
Romans 8:37 – “Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us.”
Faith that Overcomes the World Is Based on God’s Word
Faith that overcomes the world always wants to know what God thinks.
Proverbs 3:5-6 – “In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths” (v.6).
Faith that overcomes the world always agrees with God’s Word.
Unbelief contradicts the Word.
Faith that overcomes the world realizes that God’s Word is His will.
Faith that overcomes the world realizes that God’s Word is a revelation of the life of God and how that life can be lived.
Faith Versus Mental Assent
John Wesley once said that the devil has given the Church a substitute for faith, one that looks and sounds so much like faith that few people can tell the difference. This substitute is called mental assent.
How can you tell if you are operating in faith or mental assent?
Mental assent says, “I know the Word is true, but…”
Faith says, “If the Word says it’s so, then it’s so. I have the answer now.”
Faith that Overcomes the World Sees the Answer as Having Already Happened
Mark 11:24 – “…What things soever ye desire, when ye pray, believe that ye receive them, and ye shall have them.”
Many pray but never see themselves with the answer. Instead they see themselves getting worse.
You must believe first, simply because the Word says it is yours, and then it will materialize.
Get your mind on the answer.
See yourself as having received.
Constantly affirm, even in the face of contradictory evidence, that God has heard your prayer
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