Dear Partner,
You and I, as Partners, have been given a mandate from The LORD Jesus to teach His people the fundamentals of faith—what faith is and how faith works, etc. Let’s begin by looking at Hebrews 11:6:
- But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.
We can tell by this verse that faith is extremely important. Why? Let’s look at nine reasons:
- One cannot be saved without faith. Ephesians 2:8: “For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God.”
- One cannot live the Christian life without faith (Romans 1:17; Galatians 3:11; Hebrews 10:38; Habakkuk 2:4). Remember, Romans 1:17 says: “The just shall live by faith.”
- One cannot walk the Christian walk without faith. Second Corinthians 5:6-7: “Therefore we are always confident, knowing that, whilst we are at home in the body, we are absent from The LORD: (For we walk by faith, not by sight:).”
- One cannot fight the Christian fight without faith. First Timothy 6:12: “Fight the good fight of faith, lay hold on eternal life, whereunto thou art also called, and hast professed a good profession before many witnesses”; 2 Timothy 4:7: “I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith.”
- One cannot overcome the world without faith. First John 5:4: “For whatsoever is born of God overcometh the world: and this is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith.”
- Whatsoever is not of faith is sin. Romans 14:23: “And he that doubteth is damned if he eat, because he eateth not of faith: for whatsoever is not of faith is sin.”
- One cannot stand against circumstances and the devil without faith. Romans 11:20: “Well; because of unbelief they were broken off, and thou standest by faith. Be not highminded, but fear”; 2 Corinthians 1:24: “Not for that we have dominion over your faith, but are helpers of your joy: for by faith ye stand.”
- One cannot quench the fiery darts of the wicked without faith. Ephesians 6:16: “Above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked.”
- One cannot receive THE BLESSING of Abraham without faith. Galatians 3:13-14: “Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the law, being made a curse for us: for it is written, Cursed is every one that hangeth on a tree: that THE BLESSING of Abraham might come on the Gentiles through Jesus Christ; that we might receive the promise of the Spirit through faith.”
The list could go on and on. Look at Romans 4:16: “Therefore it is of faith, that it might be by grace.” No faith, no grace. Now, that’s serious business! Remember, in last month’s letter, we talked about how vital the undeserved favor of God is and His overwhelming desire to treat us as though sin had never happened.
So, what is faith? It’s a spiritual force generated in the reborn human spirit that is released through the mouth with words. Faith-filled words dominate the law of sin and death. Romans 8:2 says: “For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death.”
Spiritual forces are the most powerful forces there are: love—hate, faith—fear, BLESSING—cursing, life—death. All these are spiritual forces released with words. Remember Proverbs 18:21?
- Death and life are in the power of the tongue: and they that love it shall eat the fruit thereof.
No wonder it’s impossible to please God without faith!
Hebrews 11:1 describes faith: “Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.”
Now look at this verse in the Amplified Bible, Classic Edition:
- 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].
Wow! That’s so powerful! “Faith perceiving as real fact what is not revealed to the senses.” The natural, or carnal, mind says seeing is believing. Faith says believing is seeing. Let’s look at it from another angle: Faith is believing and acting on what God has already said and done. Let’s read about Abraham’s faith in Romans 4:16-21:
- Therefore it is of faith, that it might be by grace; to the end the promise might be sure to all the seed; not to that only which is of the law, but to that also which is of the faith of Abraham; who is the father of us all,
- (As it is written, I have made thee a father of many nations,) before [like] him whom he believed, even God, who quickeneth the dead, and calleth those things which be not as though they were.
- Who against hope believed in hope, that he might become the father of many nations, according to that which was spoken, So shall thy seed be.
- And being not weak in faith, he considered not his own body now dead, when he was about an hundred years old, neither yet the deadness of Sarah’s womb:
- He staggered not at the promise of God through unbelief; but was strong in faith, giving glory to God;
- And being fully persuaded that, what he had promised, he was able also to perform.
God said, “I have MADE thee the father of many nations.” Not, “I’m going to” but, “I HAVE.” Abraham had no evidence at all in the natural. There was no possible way for him and Sarah to have a child. The mighty WORD of the living God was the evidence of what he and Sarah hoped for. They believed it and he, like God, called things that be not as though they were. Now let’s read what Jesus said in Mark 11:23, and compare that with what Abraham did:
- For verily I say unto you, That whosoever shall say unto this mountain, Be thou removed, and be thou cast into the sea; and shall not doubt in his heart, but shall believe that those things which he saith shall come to pass; he shall have whatsoever he saith.
What did Abraham do? He believed in his heart what God said, and then spoke it with his mouth. That’s the first fundamental of faith. The second fundamental of faith is to act on God’s WORD. How did Abraham do that? He changed his name. Now don’t you know that looked and sounded stupid to all those around him? Here’s a 100-year-old man, with a barren 90-year-old wife, calling himself the father of many nations. However, he paid no attention to what his body said nor what the deadness of Sarah’s womb said. You and I are familiar with the devil’s tactics well enough to know how he was pounding both Abraham’s and Sarah’s minds with the total impossibility of this whole matter. Nonetheless, Abraham staggered not at the promise. He kept on believing it and saying it with his mouth: “I am what God says I am, and we are going to have a son.” If that’s not Mark 11:23-24, I don’t know what is!
Now let’s go to Mark 5:25-34 and look at the case of an incurable blood disease:
- And a certain woman, which had an issue of blood twelve years,
- And had suffered many things of many physicians, and had spent all that she had, and was nothing bettered, but rather grew worse,
- When she had heard of Jesus, came in the press behind, and touched his garment.
- For she said, If I may touch but his clothes, I shall be whole.
- And straightway the fountain of her blood was dried up; and she felt in her body that she was healed of that plague.
- And Jesus, immediately knowing in himself that virtue had gone out of him, turned him about in the press, and said, Who touched my clothes?
- And his disciples said unto him, Thou seest the multitude thronging thee, and sayest thou, Who touched me?
- And he looked round about to see her that had done this thing.
- But the woman fearing and trembling, knowing what was done in her, came and fell down before him, and told him all the truth.
- And he said unto her, Daughter, thy faith hath made thee whole; go in peace, and be whole of thy plague.
Did the woman believe in her heart what she had heard? Yes. Did she say what she believed with her mouth? Yes. Did she act on her faith? Yes. She came in the press (crowd) behind Jesus and touched His garment. What if she hadn’t acted on what she believed? She would have never made contact with Jesus nor with His healing power. The healing power with which Jesus was anointed was passive until it was activated by her touch of faith. Jesus did not say, “My power has made you whole.” We know it was that power because of verse 30. The Greek word translated virtue here is the same word dynamis translated power in Acts 10:38. But Jesus said, “Daughter, thy faith hath made thee whole.”
What else do we know about this woman? We know that she had heard of Jesus. Heard what? It must have been His WORD because faith comes by hearing, and hearing by The WORD of God. We also know that she had suffered many things of many physicians. Why is that so important? Because she must have forgiven every one of them. Faith does not work in an unforgiving heart. She also had spent all she had. She’s not only suffering constantly and bleeding to death, but the weight and constant worry of financial ruin is adding to her desperate needs. Twelve years of this and now, SUDDENLY, SHE IS MADE WHOLE! How? By FAITH! By whom? JESUS! Healed and prosperous in one grand moment of faith in God. Don’t you love it? Oh yes, amen!
Is God a respecter of persons? No. Is He a respecter of faith? Yes, He is. Would she have been whole without her financial needs being met? Absolutely not. Why not? Because the curse is threefold: spiritual death, sickness and poverty. Wholeness is being redeemed from the curse: spiritual life, healing and THE BLESSING of Abraham. Wholeness belongs to every believer in Christ Jesus. It must, however, be appropriated by faith. How? First find the promises and Bible facts that cover your situation. Believe them in your heart, and say them with your mouth. Then talk and act like they’ve already come to pass! Don’t ever say or act any other way. Period!
As you sow your BLESSING seed this month, name it. If it’s healing you need, call it “1 Peter 2:24 seed.” If it’s a financial need, call it “Philippians 4:19 seed.” You get the idea. Now, PRAISE GOD AS IF IT HAS ALREADY COME TO PASS! You’re not done praying until praise and worship is an equal part of faith.
This ministry is exploding with this message all over the world. It’s truly amazing! Thank you for believing with us and praying for Gloria and me the way you do. My, how we love you, and we pray for you every day!
Love,
P.S. SOW IT FORWARD! Be a blessing. Pass this letter on to a family member or friend.
