What Faith Is
ICS Daily Devotions
Matthew 8:8, 10 (NKJV) The centurion answered and said, “Lord, I am not worthy that You should come under my roof. But only speak a word, and my servant will be healed…. When Jesus heard it, He marvelled and said to those who followed, “Assuredly, I say to you, I have not found such great faith, not even in Israel!
From the above verses, we learn that the way to please God is through faith and what is great faith. The Centurion understood that his words of instruction carry power because of the vested authority given to him. Likewise, Jesus, having the authority as the Son of God, has power in His Word. Therefore, all the Centurion asked was for Jesus to say the Word. Jesus didn’t need to be in his home and for him to witness the miracle because the Centurion had faith in the authority of Jesus’ Word!
Faith is established when the Word of God is spoken and we take His Word for it. God and His Word are one. Therefore, He backs up every Word He has spoken and watches over it to perform it in your life. Faith comes by hearing the Word of God, so faith will continue to grow as we listen to His Word because it gives substance to our faith. Things are done when Jesus speaks. We believe He will make good what He has spoken, even though we have not seen it yet.
Faith is the essence of trusting the Lord with all our hearts, leaning not on our understanding, but in all our ways acknowledging that He will make the path straight after He has spoken to you. Faith believes God is whatever the Word says He is. Faith believes He is a rewarder to those who diligently seek Him, but the key is to diligently seek him. We cannot have faith in God apart from God’s written Word, which reveals His will, and God speaks to us personally.
We need to develop our “faith” muscle by exercising faith in the little things and believing in God for great things. Faith is found in the heart, or spirit man, and not in the mind, but the renewal of the mind will make faith in God easier. A mind that is not renewed with the Word hinders our faith in God.
Situations and circumstances always seem impossible whenever God asks us to do something. Thus, we need faith to trust in Him. When we have sought the Lord, and He has spoken to us, it gives substance to our faith, and we can be sure that we have received what He has promised us. Once faith is obtained from the Word, God’s grace will be present in our hearts to hold on until the promise comes to pass. We need faith and patience.
Sermon Series: Growing Your Faith in God
