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Table of Contents
Definition of Faith
- And what more shall I say? For time will fail me if I tell of Gideon, Barak, Samson, Jephthah, of David and Samuel and the prophets, who by faith [that is, with an enduring trust in God and His promises] subdued kingdoms, administered justice, obtained promised blessings, closed the mouths of lions, extinguished the power of [raging] fire, escaped the edge of the sword, out of weakness were made strong, became mighty and unbeatable in battle, putting enemy forces to flight. Hebrews 11:32-34 AMP
- Now faith is the assurance (title deed, confirmation) of things hoped for (divinely guaranteed), and the evidence of things not seen [the conviction of their reality—faith comprehends as fact what cannot be experienced by the physical senses]. Hebrews 11:1 AMP
Insights
1. Primarily on a Person
- I know Him [and I am personally acquainted with Him] whom I have believed [with absolute trust and confidence in Him and in the truth of His deity], and I am persuaded [beyond any doubt] that He is able to guard that which I have entrusted to Him until that day [when I stand before Him]. 2 Timothy 1:12 AMP
2. Necessary to please GOD
- without faith it is impossible to [walk with God and] please Him, for whoever comes [near] to God must [necessarily] believe that God exists and that He rewards those who [earnestly and diligently] seek Him. Hebrews 11:6 AMP
Other versions
- 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
Read: PLEASE GOD
3. A measure of Faith
- For through the grace given to me I say to everyone among you not to think more highly of himself than he ought to think; but to think so as to have sound judgment, as God has allotted to each a measure of faith. Romans 12:3 NASB
Henceforth, none of us need think or say that we have no faith.
4. Faith like a Mustard Seed
- And Jesus rebuked the demon, and it came out of him, and the boy was cured instantly. Then the disciples came to Jesus and asked privately, Why could we not drive it out? He said to them, Because of the littleness of your faith [that is, your lack of firmly relying trust]. For truly I say to you, if you have faith [that is living] like a grain of mustard seed, you can say to this mountain, Move from here to yonder place, and it will move; and nothing will be impossible to you. But this kind does not go out except by prayer and fasting. Matthew 17:18-21 AMPC
The apostles said to the Lord, “Increase our faith!” And the Lord said, “If you had faith like1 a mustard seed, you would say to this mulberry tree, ‘Be uprooted and be planted in the sea’; and it would obey you. Luke 17:5-6 NASB 1995
We all have been given a measure of faith. Faith that grows like how a mustard seed does can achieve great things.
Read: A measure of Faith.
Read: A measure of Faith.
5. Faith needs to grow
- We ought and indeed are obligated [as those in debt] to give thanks always to God for you, brethren, as is fitting, because your faith is growing exceedingly and the love of every one of you each toward the others is increasing and abounds. 2 Thessalonians 1:3 AMPC
6. Build Faith
1. Through Tongues
- But you, beloved, building yourselves up on your most holy faith, praying in the Holy Spirit, keep yourselves in the love of God, looking forward to the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ to eternal life. Jude 20-21 NASB
- He who speaks In a tongue builds up himself. 1 Corinthians 14:4 NKJV
2. Through Prayer & Fasting
- Then the disciples came to Jesus and asked privately, Why could we not drive it out? He said to them, Because of the littleness of your faith [that is, your lack of firmly relying trust]. For truly I say to you, if you have faith [that is living] like a grain of mustard seed, you can say to this mountain, Move from here to yonder place, and it will move; and nothing will be impossible to you. But this kind does not go out except by prayer and fasting. Matthew 17:18-21 AMPC
Implying that His (Jesus’s) faith had grown by prayer and fasting.
7. Contend for the Faith
- Beloved, although I made every effort to write to you about the salvation we share, I felt it necessary to write and urge you to contend2 earnestly for the faith entrusted once for all to the saints. Jude 1:3 BSB
- And will not [our just] God defend and avenge His elect [His chosen ones] who cry out to Him day and night? Will He delay [in providing justice] on their behalf? I tell you that He will defend and avenge them quickly. However, when the Son of Man comes, will He find [this kind of persistent] faitha on the earth?” Luke 18:7-8 AMP
- until we all attain to the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a mature man, to the measure of the stature which belongs to the fullness of Christ. Ephesians 4:13 NASB
aIndicative that a person of persistent faith will pray persistently.
Read: Pray with Perseverance
Read: Pray with Perseverance
8. People who spoke with faith
- Unwell woman: she was saying to herself, “If I only touch His cloak, I will get well.” Matthew 9:21 NASB
- Centurion: just say the word, and my servant will be healed. Matthew 8:8 NASB
All these got what they believed.
Read: Believing Unbelievers
9. Faith places a demand on God
- Mary: And when they ran out of wine, the mother of Jesus said to Him, “They have no wine.” Jesus said to her, “Woman, what does your concern have to do with Me? My hour has not yet come.” His mother said to the servants, “Whatever He says to you, do it.” Now there were set there six waterpots of stone, according to the manner of purification of the Jews, containing twenty or thirty gallons apiece. Jesus said to them, “Fill the waterpots with water.” And they filled them up to the brim. And He said to them, “Draw some out now, and take it to the master of the feast.” And they took it. When the master of the feast had tasted the water that was made wine, and did not know where it came from (but the servants who had drawn the water knew), the master of the feast called the bridegroom. John 2:3-9 NKJV
- Unwell woman: a woman was there who had suffered from bleeding for twelve years. She had borne much agony under the care of many physicians and had spent all she had, but to no avail. Instead, her condition had only grown worse.When the woman heard about Jesus, she came up through the crowd behind Him and touched His cloak. For she kept saying, “If only I touch His garments, I will be healed.” Immediately her bleeding stopped, and she sensed in her body that she was healed of her affliction. Mark 5:25-29 BSB
By faith you can get what you can believe God for without precedence.
Read: Spectacular things God did for one Person
10. Faith without Action dead
- So too, faith by itself, if it does not result in action, is dead. James 2:17 BSB
Other versions
- Thus also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead. James 2:17 NKJV
- So too, faith, if it does not have works [to back it up], is by itself dead [inoperative and ineffective]. James 2:17 AMP
See examples
- And what more shall I say? For time will fail me if I tell of Gideon, Barak, Samson, Jephthah, of David and Samuel and the prophets, who by faith [that is, with an enduring trust in God and His promises] subdued kingdoms, administered justice, obtained promised blessings, closed the mouths of lions, extinguished the power of [raging] fire, escaped the edge of the sword, out of weakness were made strong, became mighty and unbeatable in battle, putting enemy forces to flight. Hebrews 11:32-34 AMP
11. Faith demands an action
- “Where is your faith?” He asked. Luke 8:25 BSB
- Then Jesus got up and rebuked the wind and the raging waters, and they subsided, and all was calm. Luke 8:24 BSB
Read: COMMAND
12. Take Steps of Faith
As He came near to Jericho, it occurred that a blind man was sitting by the roadside begging. And hearing a crowd going by, he asked what it meant. They told him, Jesus of Nazareth is passing by. And he shouted, saying, Jesus, Son of David, take pity and have mercy on me! But those who were in front reproved him, telling him to keep quiet; yet he screamed and shrieked so much the more, Son of David, take pity and have mercy on me! Then Jesus stood still and ordered that he be led to Him; and when he came near, Jesus asked him, What do you want Me to do for you? He said, Lord, let me receive my sight! And Jesus said to him, Receive your sight! Your faith (your trust and confidence that spring from your faith in God) has healed you. And instantly he received his sight and began to follow Jesus, recognizing, praising, and honoring God; and all the people, when they saw it, praised God. Luke 18:35-43 AMPC
Jesus said “Your faith has healed you.” See steps of faith the blind man took underlined.
13. Fact x Truth
- Abraham: Against all hope, Abraham in hope believed and so became the father of many nations, just as he had been told, “So shall your offspring be.”Without weakening in his faith, he acknowledged the decrepitness of his body (since he was about a hundred years old) and the lifelessness of Sarah’s womb. Yet he did not waver through disbelief in the promise of God, but was strengthened in his faith and gave glory to God, being fully persuaded that God was able to do what He had promised. Romans 4:18-21 BSB
- Sarah: By faith even Sarah herself received the ability to conceive [a child], even [when she was long] past the normal age for it, because she considered Him who had given her the promise to be reliable and true [to His word]. Hebrews 11:11 AMP
Faith in spite of knowing the Fact (circumstance) believes the Truth (God and His word). GOD’s word is truth. See
- Sanctify them in the truth [set them apart for Your purposes, make them holy]; Your word is truth. John 17:17 AMP
14. Proclamations in Faith
- The centurion answered, “Lord, I am not worthy to have You come under my roof. But just say the word, and my servant will be healed… Then Jesus said to the centurion, “Go! As you have believed, so will it be done for you.” And his servant was healed at that very hour. Matthew 8:8,13 BSB
- Then Jesus told him, “Get up, pick up your mat, and walk.” Immediately the man was made well, and he picked up his mat and began to walk. John 5:8-9 BSB
- One Sabbath Jesus was teaching in one of the synagogues, and a woman there had been disabled by a spirit for eighteen years. She was hunched over and could not stand up straight. When Jesus saw her, He called her over and said, “Woman, you are set free from your disability.” Then He placed His hands on her, and immediately she straightened up and began to glorify God. Luke 13:10-13 BSB
- Then Peter said, “Silver and gold I do not have, but what I do have I give you: In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, rise up and walk.” … And His name, through faith in His name, has made this man strong, whom you see and know. Yes, the faith which comes through Him has given him this perfect soundness in the presence of you all. Acts 3:6,16 NKJV
- In Lystra there sat a man crippled in his feet, who was lame from birth and had never walked. This man was listening to the words of Paul, who looked intently at him and saw that he had faith to be healed. In a loud voice Paul called out, “Stand up on your feet!” And the man jumped up and began to walk. Acts 14:8-10 BSB
15. One word in Faith enough for a Miracle
- But Peter said, “I do not have silver and gold, but what I do have I give to you: In the name of Jesus Christ the Nazarene, walk!” Acts 3:6 NASB
16. Faith has the highest place among our weapons of warfare
- above all, taking the shield of faith with which you will be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked one. Ephesians 6:16 NKJV
Other versions
- Above all, lift up the [protective] shield of faith with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. Ephesians 6:16 AMP
Read: WARFARE
17. Focus on Jesus: Author & Perfector of Faith
- Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses [who by faith have testified to the truth of God’s absolute faithfulness], stripping off every unnecessary weight and the sin which so easily and cleverly entangles us, let us run with endurance and active persistence the race that is set before us, [looking away from all that will distract us and] focusing our eyes on Jesus, who is the Author and Perfecter of faith [the first incentive for our belief and the One who brings our faith to maturity], who for the joy [of accomplishing the goal] set before Him endured the cross, disregarding the shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God [revealing His deity, His authority, and the completion of His work]. Hebrews 12:1-2 AMP
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Footnotes
- 5613 ὡς [W(S] {hōs} \hoce\ probably adverb of comparative from 3739; which how, i.e. in that manner (very variously used, as follows):--about, after (that), (according) as (it had been, it were), as soon (as), even as (like), for, how (greatly), like (as, unto), since, so (that), that, to wit, unto, when(-soever), while, X with all speed.
- 1864 ἐπαγωνίζομαι [E)PAGWNI/ZOMAI] {epagōnízomai} \ep-ag-o-nid'-zom-ahee\ from 1909 and 75; to struggle for:--earnestly contend for.