The Art Of Faith -By Seun Elere

What is faith?

Simply put, faith is complete confidence and trust in the ability and capability of God. It is an exhibition of complete trust in the works of God both seen and unseen. Faith is an assurance of things we hope to receive from God -Hebrew 11:1. That is, believing that God will or have done what we anticipated or asked of him. Faith is also believing that what we have seen or received came from God even when they beat human logical reasoning -John 20:29.

Thomas said, until I see and feel the holes in His palm, I wont believe. Now, many misrepresent Thomas as a doubter, this is far from it. Thomas demonstrated a form of faith. To see and believe that they are works of God is a demonstration of faith. There are people who wouldn’t believe that God made the heaven if they had not seen the cloud above and yet many see the cloud but still don’t believe that God made it, they are, up till this day, still trying out some scientific explanations. Therefore, to see and believe is a demonstration of faith. However, Jesus Christ highlighted a better form of faith in part (b) of John 20:29 – Blessed are those who have not seen, and have believed – believing without seeing. Now, this is what we mostly recognize as faith and it is the greatest demonstration of faith – believing that God can do the impossible. Believing that HE can: heal cancer, make the barren bring forth a child, heal HIV, pull out of debt, jack the dead back to life, heal blind eyes, and so much more even when they negate human apprehension or scientific justifications. When God steps in, ALL things are possible. We must however know that until I see faith reinforces the I believe even without seeing faith. I believed that God can change genotypes but I believed even more (and nothing can change that) after HE changed my wife’s genotype from AS to AA. I saw it happen and now I believe even the more that if HE can change blood group, HE can do absolutely anything. My prayer is that all those in the realm of until I see faith will receive a touch of God’s finger even as they read this article. Only fools doubt proofs -Bishop Oyedepo.

Faith empowers all believers to do so much more than Christ – John 14:12. This means that, if we believe, we can do greater miracles than Jesus performed while on earth. Faith is a currency and credit line that can never run dry because Christ Himself said …whatsoever we asked, believing, we will receive -Matt 21:22. Unfortunately, we are not tapping into this as we should. We hold on to the struggles, stress, pains, lacks, misery, etc because we can explain them instead of letting go of what we can explain by believing what we cannot. Things of God cannot be explained (Is 55:8) and that is why we need faith to tap into it.

Redemption and Challenges

We need to understand that salvation does not insulate us from challenges. Being a believer does not mean you wont face challenges. They will surely come but when they do, don’t say why just know that you have the way out through faith in God. It is not unscriptural or unspiritual to have challenges but what is not scriptural, or spiritual is defeat by those challenges. We cant be defeated by what has already been defeated ahead of time and with our trust and faith in God, we overcome the challenges to the glory of the name of God Almighty – John 11:4.

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 -John 16:33. The word shall connote certainty that tribulations would come. We only need to believe that it has been overcome by Christ and our victory is assured.

So shall they fear the name of the LORD from the west, and his glory from the rising of the sun. When the enemy shall come in like a flood, the Spirit of the LORD shall lift up a standard against him – Is 59:19. The enemy will certainly come but our faith in God gives us victory. The enemy didn’t spare Jesus Christ even as fired up as HE was, as a matter of fact, the enemy went up to HIM for forty days while HE was fired up in prayer -John 4:1-2. You would be tested but you will come out victorious through faith.

So the king gave the order, and they brought Daniel and threw him into the lions’ den. The king said to Daniel, “May your God, whom you serve continually, rescue you!” – Daniel 4:16. The incorruptible Prophet Daniel was thrown into the lion’s den for serving God and by faith, he (Daniel) was kept alive and the lions became his pet. God could have easily destroyed the mischief makers but HE allowed them to proceed to make a public show of HIS majesty and demonstrate HIS dominance ALL. Manifestation of God’s majesty through faith was also demonstrated in Daniel 3:16-25. Three Jews were into the furnace but God showed up in the fire, loose their bounds and they walked out of the fire unhurt. Perhaps you feel like you are in a lion’s den or in a burning furnace, don’t ask why just believe and HE would make the lions pet and turn the fire that were meant to burn you to air conditioner.

The challenges you are facing is not because of your unrighteousness, you will however be defeated if you are not right with God and lacking in faith. Remember Job? God Himself introduced him as the most righteous man on earth, yet he (Job) was exposed to trials.

Faith and Prayer

…You do not have, because you do not ask – James 4:2.

Unfortunately, we kill and maim ourselves for things that God has given unto us cheaply because we want to follow a way that we deem logical to human thinking (Prov 14:12). We have unwavering covenant of God to always receive whenever we ask (John 14:13). If you are right with God and pray in faith, answer is assured (James 5:16). If you, then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good gifts to those who ask him! -Matt 7:11.

The commandant is for us to ask and the assurance is that we shall receive (Matt 7:7). These are not just words, they are the words of GOD and HE and HIS word are one (John 10:30). If you believe God then you must also believe HIS word and vise-versa. Once you have this understanding, you will find that there absolutely nothing you ask HIM that HE wouldn’t do because HE is committed by HIS word to do it.

When we pray, we must align HE can do it faith with HE has done it faith. By choosing to pray, you are demonstrating the HE can do it faith. You pray because you believe God can do it and will answer. Prayer is a demonstration of faith and because of this, answer is immediately release when we pray. “… Since the first day you began to pray for understanding and to humble yourself before your God, your request has been heard in heaven…” – Daniel 10:12. If you are right with God, HE answers your prayer (Is 59:1).

Most of the times, however, we experience delay in answer to prayers because we mostly find it difficult to transition from HE can do it to HE has done it realm of faith – we want to see the answers before we believe. Unfortunately, when we pray, we must believe that we have received. What things soever ye desire, when ye pray, believe that ye receive them, and ye shall have them -Mark 11:24. From this scripture, we can see that if we don’t believe it, we cant receive it. It is good that you have demonstrated faith in God by praying to HIM but you must also go a step further by believing that HE has done it.

Repeated representation of the same prayer requests to God is a sign that faith is lacking. Hannah has been going to Shiloh to pray for several years and seemingly without answer but she did something in 1Sam 1:18, she activated the HE has done it faith. She believed she has received the answer – she, unlike her previous appearance in Shiloh, became excited. God is not deaf and HE is not like that judge in Luke 18:1-8. If you must pray about that issue twice, watch it, faith must be lacking (Mark 6:5-6). If we pray in line with God’s word and will are upright with HIM, HE hears. God is ready when you are ready – it is to you according to your faith (Matt 9:29).

It is also very important to note that faith is a journey and not a destination because it is constantly in need of development and sharpening. Faith comes by hearing the word of God (Rom 10:17). The word hearing represents persistence continuous refueling of faith through the word of God. The more word-filled you are, the more faith-filled you will be and since the word of God is God Himself, this means constant panting after God through His holy scriptures. When you have pretty good knowledge on what God can do, believing Him won’t be difficult.

Brethren, it is better to fly the highway of faith than the hard way of man. Come for all things are now ready (Luke 14:17). There is nothing God cant do if only we belief. Explore the art of faith and live a better and peaceful life. Faith gives you peace of mind even in the face of challenges, you are certain that you already have victory. Faith commits God to action. Build your faith to experience bigger acts of God.

Remain blessed.