“Faith is absolute trust in God.”
Oswald Chambers
It’s much easier to believe in things we actually see with our own eyes. Believing before seeing, takes faith. Faith is defined as trust, having a firm conviction about something and accepting it as true. It’s having confidence in God’s character and His Word. Hebrews 11:1 states, “Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see.” Once while teaching on faith I demonstrated it by having a friend stand behind me to catch me when I fell backwards. I had faith Tami would catch me.
Last week’s musing focused on fear, which is the opposite of faith. Sometimes it’s our reasoning that causes us not to believe. For several years I got stuck on things having to make sense. Quite frankly, some of the things God asks me to do simply does not make sense to my logical human mind and reasoning and that’s when faith needs to take over. God whispers to my heart, “Trust Me.”
Childlike faith is a necessity to live out the Christian life. Having that simple trust in our heavenly Daddy, not in ourselves or in the circumstances of life, gives the Father great pleasure. (Hebrews 11:6) We need to have the heart attitude, “If God says it, it must be true.” When I believe God, then faith is displayed through my actions.
I’m so thankful God doesn’t say I need a HUGE amount of faith in order to see His will come to pass. God requires only a “mustard seed of faith.” A mustard seed is 1-2mm in diameter and yet God promises if we have that teeny tiny amount of faith it will be enough to move mountains. (Matthew 17:20-21) He goes on to claim that NOTHING is impossible.
At times I struggle with unbelief and it’s during those times, God encourages me to ask. To ask Him for more belief. To ask Him to believe enough so I can see it. Our God is willing to come alongside of us and blow upon the embers of our faith. I think that’s why I love prophecy. It unleashes faith to believe before we see it come to fruition. Prophesy births life in our dry bones. (Ezekiel 37:1-14)
What strikes me the most while watching “The Bible” on the History channel this past month is how over and over again their walk with God required great faith and over and over again, God showed Himself faithful. It reminds me of the “faith” chapter, Hebrews 11, which lists the faithful acts of several Old Testament characters. Most of the paragraphs begin with the words, “By faith.” I once wrote my own personalized faith chapter and began each line with, “By faith Norma.” It was encouraging to see how God had led me on my journey with Him. Faith began my personal relationship with God and faith is what my entire Christian walk hinges upon.
More recently I listed specific areas I desired God to break through and answer in my prayer requests. I began these sentences with, “By faith God will.” In essence I’m asking God to blow upon the embers of my faith and to cause my faith to burn as a blazing fire. Where does your faith need to be stoked?
My desire is to believe God like Abraham believed…in “the God who gives life to the dead and calls things that are not as though they were.” (Romans 4:17) The supernatural
becomes natural if we believe. Scriptures go on to say in Romans 4:20-21, “Yet he did not waver through unbelief regarding the promise of God but was strengthened in his faith and gave glory to God, being fully persuaded that God had power to do what He had promised.” Faith doesn’t deny what looks true today, but instead it looks beyond reality into the gaze of God knowing all things are possible with Him.
“Faith is not believing that God can. It is knowing that God will.”
Ben Stein
Relevant Reflections:
1. In what areas of your life is God whispering, “Trust Me,”? Tell Him, “I believe.”
2. What mountains need to be moved and what dry bones need to be resurrected in your life?
3. Ask God to blow upon your belief and give you a prophetic word, birthing life into your soul.
4. Write your own faith chapter highlighting your acts of obedience, as a result of faith, along with God’s faithful response.