Faith. What is it?
The American Dictionary defines faith as: Confidence or trust in a person or thing.
The Hebrew word for Faith is: “Aman” which means to believe, trust or rely upon.
The Greek word for Faith is: “Pistis” which means to have assurance or forensic proof.
What does God’s Word say about Faith?
“Yea, a man may say, Thou hast faith, and I have works: shew me thy faith without thy works, and I will shew thee my faith by my works.” James 2:18
“That the trial of your faith, being much more precious than of gold that perisheth, though it be tried with fire, might be found unto praise and honour and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ; Whom having not seen, ye love; in whom, though now ye see Him not, yet believing, ye reoice with joy unspeakable and full of glory; Receiving the end of your faith, even the salvation of your souls.” 1 Peter 1: 7-9
“And Jesus said unto them, Because of your unbelief; for verily I say unto you, If ye have faith as a grain of mustard seed, ye shall say unto this mountain, remove hence to yonder place; and it shall remove; and nothing shall be impossible unto you.” Matt. 17:20
“Jesus answered and said unto them, Verily I say unto you, If ye have faith, and doubt not, ye shall not only do this which is done to the fig tree, but also if ye shall say unto this mountain, Be thou removed, and be thou cast into the sea; it shall be done; And all things, whatsoever ye shall ask in prayer, believing, ye shall receive.” Matt. 21:21-22
“Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.” Heb. 11:1
“In repentance and rest is your salvation, in quietness and trust is your strength.” Isaiah 30:15
It seems to me the most important thing in life (spiritual or natural) is faith. You cannot survive either without it. Faith is a matter of the heart; it is the hope that rises above the circumstances. It is the fuel to drive us to push past the discomfort or trials we have and to reach for something that only our hearts can see. My favorite definition of faith is what Heb. 11:1 states: “It is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.” Faith in God gives us the power to go through difficult trials and circumstances knowing that He is there beside us. Faith is believing that God can take those very trials and use them for something good. You will know a person who has this kind of faith, because through every circumstance their heart attitude never becomes bitter. They keep believing and seeing something that the natural world is not showing them. They have a peace, a rest in their souls just as Isaiah 30:15 reflects. Personally, my faith in God is what has kept me alive, focused and inspired as I drift through this life of constant discouragements, disappointments and failures. I wonder how anyone gets by one day without knowing for sure that God is rooting for them, lifting them up, and using them for a greater good. Do you want the kind of faith that will make living in this world an experience of hope and promise instead of a downward spiral with no hope for anything better? Let’s pray for MORE faith together!
“Dear Heavenly Father,
This world tells us that only a few things in life matter. What we look like, what we aquire (in wealth) and what we have to offer in goods and services. These are matters of materialism. The things that will not matter when we are on our deathbed. Why we so consumed with them that we WASTE our lives in a ruthless pursuit of them is beyond comprehension. Lord, have mercy on us. We have lost so much faith that our vision is blurred to see very little of the value of our spirits, hearts, families and our relationships…most of all, our relationship with you. I pray for all of us who don’t have enough faith to hope for a life that is deeper than the reality of this world. Give us hope, fill our hearts with faith to see what you see. Show us what is valuable and open our hands to let go of the things that truly don’t matter in your eyes. As we open our hands to release those empty, vain and heavy distractions, I pray that you lift our spirits from those burdens. As we are lifted and the blinders on the eyes of our hearts are lifted, I pray that we will never be the same again. Our faith will be the driving force that will cause us to be the best we can for you, for our families and for ourselves. In Jesus’ precious name, breathe upon us the breath of faith, and as we receive it, may we pass it onto all who are around us. In Jesus’ precious name, call us faithful to the end, Amen.”