“He staggered not at the promise of God through unbelief; but was strong in faith, giving glory to God;” (Romans 4:20)
This verse by Paul speaks about Abraham. Against all odds he believed. He was old. His wife Sarah was old, and way pass her time of bearing a child. Sarah was 90-91 years old and Abraham 100 years old. Yet Abraham continued to believe what God said.
This is faith. This is faith that will move mountains, that will overcome obstacles and that will come to fruition. This is the kind of faith God requires. It’s faith that doesn’t look at the circumstances, but at God’s Word. It’s faith that won’t accept anything less than what God has promised.
First, faith is essential in believing we are saved. We don’t see the Lord. We don’t hear His voice. We believe first what He said and what He did. “For it is by our faith that we are put right with God; it is by our confession that we are saved.” (Romans 10:10) And it is by faith that we are saved. “For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast.” (Ephesians 2:8-9 KJV)
When we pray, we pray in faith. We believe God hears us. Otherwise, it would be a waste of time to pray if we didn’t believe that God hears us. We pray with hope in the One Who gives us hope. We pray in faith, believing He hears us and will grant us what we need if it’s in His Will and it’s according to His Purposes. We believe He is our Provider and that He gives His children what is good for them. We trust the Lord to do the best for us. “We have courage in God's presence, because we are sure that He hears us if we ask Him for anything that is according to His will. He hears us whenever we ask Him; and since we know this is true, we know also that He gives us what we ask from Him.” (1John 5:14-15)
Faith is the way we should live. We should live by God’s Word and not by what is going on in the natural. “For our life is a matter of faith, not of sight.” (2Corinthians 5:7) It is what pleases our Lord. “No one can please God without faith, for whoever comes to God must have faith that God exists and rewards those who seek him.” (Hebrews 11:6)
James tells us what happens when we’re not sure and when we doubt. We’re tossed about by whatever comes our way. We can’t receive anything because of our doubt. “But let him ask in faith, nothing wavering. For he that wavereth is like a wave of the sea driven with the wind and tossed. For let not that man think that he shall receive any thing of the Lord.” (James 1:6-7)
But with faith, everything is possible. Jesus spoke to the father of the boy who had an unclean spirit and none of the disciples were able to deliver the boy. "Yes," said Jesus, "if you yourself can! Everything is possible for the person who has faith." (Mark 9:23)
But that faith comes with testing. There is nothing the enemy of God and humanity would want more than to see your faith falter. He is eager to oppose whatever is of faith. It’s in those times when it looks like our faith is failing that we need to persevere. We have to be strong and endure the testing so that in the end we will see the victory. “My friends, consider yourselves fortunate when all kinds of trials come your way, for you know that when your faith succeeds in facing such trials, the result is the ability to endure. Make sure that your endurance carries you all the way without failing, so that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing.” (James 1:2-4)
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