Faithful on Fridays Blog

When I was growing up I heard a lot about having faith but it was never defined; I think it was assumed I knew, I didn’t. I thought it meant just believing in God but as I’ve grown in faith I know it’s much, much more.

Jesus commented on little faith, great faith, seeing faith, healing faith, accomplishing faith, lack of faith, mustard-seed faith, turning from faith, no faith, saving faith, and increasing faith. Not only that but the word believe, which has the same root as faith, has many more references. 

What is faith and what are some definitions or words you can substitute to help you understand? Here are some key words I’ve found: trust, confidence, persuasion, assurance, a response to divine revelation, certainty, and faith is always God-given and never man-produced. Hmmmm, think about that.

Consider the Father of Faith: Abraham. After the Tower of Babel (Gen. 11) God dispersed the people and their one language into many nations and languages. From there Noah’s son Shem moved to what is called the Middle East; that’s where we find Abraham and his family, in ancient Babylonia (modern-day Iraq). Gen. 12 is the first mention of God speaking to this Father of Faith (Rom. 4:16) when Abraham believed and obeyed the LORD. Undoubtedly he’d heard of Yahweh but he made that giant step from hearing about Him to receiving faith from Him all because of a word from God: that’s divine revelation. Abraham trusted, with God-given certainty (divine persuasion), that God would keep His promises of people, land, and favor. 

Romans 4, the great Abraham Chapter, tells us that he did nothing on his own but simply responded to his God-imparted faith and those ‘words from God’.

So faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ. Romans 10:17 

I wonder how many Christians are believing for something but haven’t received that word from God that’s it’s His will for them. We can hope it’s His will but until that rhema (word from God) is given we are simply hoping. Abraham’s word from God persuaded him to obey, taking his family to a foreign land. He believed God. The Hebrew word for belief means confirmed, supported, and long-lasting; Abraham was being built up to stand firm in faith as King Jehoshapat learned generations later,

“… Believe in the Lord your God, and you will be established; believe His prophets, and you will succeed.” 2 Chronicles 20:20c 

Let’s boldly follow in the footsteps of Abraham asking God to give us faith that we can respond to and be persuaded by Him: Mountain-moving Faith. You won’t be disappointed.

Have faith in God. I tell you the truth, you can say to this mountain, ‘May you be lifted up and thrown into the sea,’ and it will happen. But you must really believe it will happen and have no doubt in your heart. Mark 11:22-23