By faith Sarah herself also received the ability to conceive seed, and she bore a child when she was past the age, because she judged Him faithful who had promised. Hebrews 11:11 MEV
What is Faith? Why is it important to study and understand Faith? What role does Faith play in our everyday life practically speaking?
To answer these questions let's revisit the Word and gain insight and wisdom and truth for our life. The Word of God tells us without Faith we can't please God. This alone shows us the vitalness of Faith.
But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him. Hebrews 11:6 NKJV
If we desire the fullness of all that God has for us, it appears Faith plays a major role in receiving it. Because of this, we need to know and understand what Faith is and how it works in our life. What is Faith then?
Now faith is the assurance (the confirmation, the title deed) of the things [we] hope for, being the proof of things [we] do not see and the conviction of their reality [faith perceiving as real fact what is not revealed to the senses]. Hebrews 11:1 AMPC
What a powerful definition of Faith. Many of us have owned a car or even a home. We know when we had the title deed of that property, we didn't need to use our physical senses to confirm ownership. That title deed proved we owned that car or home. Faith is the title deed that what God said to us is in fact ours.
Now as powerful, truthful, and thorough as this passage is let's go deeper in understanding what Faith is. How so? By asking why is Faith the assurance? Why is it the proof of what we hoped for?
A title deed is only good as the company or person giving it. To be clearer, I could give you the title deed to the Brooklyn Bridge. Does that mean you own it? Of course not. I have no right, no authority, and no ability to give it to you or even sell it. It's not mine to give.
So it is with Faith. The nature and character of God are why we have the assurance, the confirmation, and the title deed. So what is Faith?
Faith is resting in a Good opinion of God. To rest is to put all your trust in something knowing that it is fully accomplished. We rest by trusting in Him and His Goodness and Love alone. Faith is not a struggle, Faith rests in His Goodness. We are trusting in Him and His Love and Goodness not our own.
Understanding this, we now can see how there exist Faith failures and why some fail to receive all God has for them. Faith's greatest enemy is unbelief. What then is that unbelief rooted in? Or where does it derive its power from? Not the enemy alone, but in us having a negative opinion of God.
Where there exists a negative opinion or belief about God Faith cannot operate fully. Faith is trusting in God. If we have a negative opinion of God in some area we aren't fully trusting in God in that area. If we aren't fully trusting God, then we are not fully in Faith and therefore we won't receive all He has purchased for us in redemption.
Concerning provision and prosperity, if we have a negative opinion of God concerning finances and our needs being supplied how can we say we are trusting in Him to provide? If we look at the experiences of others saying, they gave, they prayed and they are still struggling, provision must not be God's will, how can we say we trust God to provide for us? We are holding on to a negative opinion of God concerning provision.
Let's look at the woman with the issue of blood in Mark 5. She had a Good opinion of Jesus. She didn't even ask Him to heal her. She just trusted and believed in His Goodness and Love. Faith, having a Good opinion of God, gave her the assurance and confirmation that what she desired was in fact hers. She reached out and took it and received all God had for her. Jesus commended her Faith.
So how do we get a Good opinion of God? We go to His Word. We study, we meditate, we feed on the Word concerning His Goodness and Lovingkindness.
We see in the Word how He delivered the children of Israel time after time. We see how the Cross has forgiven us of all our sins forever. How we are made irrevocably Righteous by the Blood. We see how He bore all our sickness and disease and pain on the Cross purchasing and providing our healing. We see how He redeemed us from the curse of the Law, procuring new life, provision, and prosperity for us. We look at Jesus and see the heart and will of the Father.
In summation, Faith is having a Good opinion of God. We trust in His Faithfulness and Love for us. We can rest knowing our needs are met and supplied in full because Christ loves us and provides for His own. We can rest knowing He is our healer because He took all our sickness. We can rest knowing we are loved, accepted, and approved of God because of Jesus. This is walking by Faith. Faith in His all the time Goodness and Love.
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