Webster’s Dictionary says Faith is belief in the truth, value or trustworthiness of someone or something: loyalty and allegiance.
Vines and Douglass biblical dictionary says Faith comes from the Greek word PISITS – primarily, firm persuasion, a conviction based upon hearing (akin to peitho, to persuade), is used in the N.T. always of faith in God or Christ, or things spiritual. You also see words like trust, reliance, fidelity and trustworthiness.
James shows us how faith and deeds (works) come together in James 2:14.
Paul shows us righteousness through Faith in Romans 3:22 and even shows us Faith vs The Law in Galatians, Chapter 3.
Paul lays Faith out side-by-side with Love & Hope as one of the greatest gifts in 1 Corinthians 13:3. We have Faith being one of the Fruits of the Spirit in Galatians 5:22.
With all these beautiful, clear cut instructions and promises, a lot of times we tend to have little Faith. And the Bible tells us how Faith, as little as a mustard sees, can move a mountain.
So I give you Hebrews 11:1,”Now Faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.
The word “substance” translates from Greek as “express image”. The Faith here is the God-given present assurance of a future reality. “Evidence of things not seen” – True Faith is not based on empirical evidence, but on divine assurance, and is a gift of God (Ephesians 2:8).
I believe the lack of Faith is not our problem. Our problem is that we have Faith in the wrong things and don’t realize it. See, even before us coming to Christ, we had Faith. When we went to sit in a chair we had faith the chair was going to hold us. Walking into a room and turning on the light, we had faith it would come on. Even if we don’t know how the electricity really works, we BELIEVE.
Even when we came to the Lord’s house, some of us had more Faith in the Pastor, the church and the people than in who we should have had our Faith in. As a matter of fact, we can have Faith in our mates, and even sometimes have Faith in different situations, and we get let down.
In order to have strong solid Faith, we need to have Love, Trust and Faith in God (Faith and Belief are in the N.T. 500 times).
Abraham’s Faith was not in God’s promise or the situation, but his Faith was in God Himself.
We must have Belief and Faith in God, according to Hebrews 11: 6.
In conclusion, we are seeing that we should keep our Faith in God and not put our Faith in the outcome of our situations, because He knows what is best for us. Because what we think is best for us and what God knows is best for us is different a lot of the time.
In order for us to Trust, Love, Believe and have Faith in God, we need to stay close to Him and His Word. We need to stay God Conscious on a daily basis with some form of a Spiritual Fitness Plan. Remember, if you don’t have one, the Devil has one for you.
Fear knocks on the door, Faith answers and no one is there!
Pastor Kevin B. Mitchell
