WHAT IS FAITH?
By Pastor Max Solbrekken, D.D.
“Is there any reason why you should not have faith in God? Has God ever broken one of His promises? I defy any infidel or unbeliever to place his finger on a single promise God ever made, and failed to fulfill. Satan is a liar. Jesus said so. I can open the Bible and show you, how for six thousand years Satan has lied to men, telling them God’s Word is not true. The devil has denied God’s Word, and promised men everything, but has broken every promise he ever made.” - D.L. Moody
Faith is a believing attitude, an abiding trust, an expectant outlook and a positive declaration. Faith is a quiet confidence and a receptive spirit, an inner Strength and a vocal proclamation of assured victory!
Faith believes the words of Jesus Christ, discounts the challenge of the enemy, puts to flight the spirits of fear, lust, torment and sickness! Faith reaches out to God for the impossible in the midst of the storm, in the eye of the hurricane, in the face of persecution, repression and betrayal!
Faith is born of the Holy Spirit, grows by the Word of God and operates through a life that is purified by the blood of Jesus Christ! Faith is a gift of God and a fruit of the Holy Spirit! It operates through love and when mixed with God’s Word, brings answers to prayer!
Without faith, it is impossible to please God. With faith, however, nothing is impossible!
Bible says: “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.” (Heb.11: 6). Faith,
essentially, is three things:
1. Coming to God with your request!
2. Believing that God
exists, and that He is Who He says He is!
3. Expecting an answer
when you pray!
First - You wouldn’t come to God if you didn’t believe that He is greater than you are and has the ability to help you. Coming to God with your request, proves that you do have some faith.
Second - You must believe that God exists! And that He is the eternal, omnipotent, omniscient, omnipresent Lord of the universe. And that He is able and willing to meet your need and keep His Word to you! Third - The faith that ‘does the job’, is a vibrant belief or faith, which EXPECTS an answer when you pray!
Jesus said: “What things soever ye desire when ye pray, believe that ye
receive them and ye shall have them.” (Mark 11:24); “And all things,
whatsoever ye shall ask in prayer, believing, ye shall receive.”
(Matt.21: 22); “If thou canst believe,
all things are possible to him that believeth.” (Mark 9: 23); “With men it is
impossible, but not with God: for with God all things are possible.” (Mark 10:
27)
Dr. Ole Hallesby (1879-1961), Norway’s great theologian and the founder
of the Evangelical Lutheran Seminary, expounds on Matthew 21:22 in God’s
Word for Today:
“Here Jesus draws aside for a moment the veil which separates the visible from
the invisible world. He desires to give us a little glimpse into the eternal
realm, which surrounds us on every hand.
“No one can live in the realm of the
eternal without faith. As soon as faith is present, the realm of the
eternal becomes accessible to us. Through the gate known as the forgiveness
of sins we step into a new environment.
“Here we experience remarkable things: new sorrows and new joys, new
struggles and new
tribulations, new victories and new defeats, new friends and new enemies. In
this realm of the invisible we make new discoveries continually. Not always
great discoveries, but many of them. Both humiliating and exalting!
“Now and then we make discoveries, which ALMOST TAKES OUR BREATH AWAY, namely, when we see what great powers are present in this realm of the invisible. This is especially true when these powers are put at our disposal, when God performs a mighty miracle simply because we ask Him to do so.
“In our text today JESUS SURPRISES US by informing us that these heavenly powers are at our free disposal, that we cannot only cause a fig tree to wither, but even cause a mountain to be taken up and cast into the sea, simply by praying that it be done.
“And then He unveils faith’s secret unto us in these words: “Whatsoever ye shall ask in prayer, believing, ye shall receive.” Who among us can hear these words without being ashamed of our lack of faith? However, we can, as the disciples did, make supplication to Him in our poverty, to Him Who is the originator and perfecter of faith: “Lord, increase our faith.”
D.L. Moody stated: “I prayed for faith, and I thought that some day faith would come down and strike me like lightning. But faith did not seem to come. One day I read in the tenth chapter of Romans, “Now faith cometh by hearing and hearing by the Word of God.” I had closed my Bible, and prayed for Faith. I now opened my Bible, and began to study, and faith has been growing ever since.?
1. Woman with issue of blood – “Daughter be of good comfort; Thy faith hath made thee whole.” (Matt. 9:20-25)
2. Man
sick of the palsy –“And Jesus
seeing their faith (the cripple and those who carried him) said,
son, be of good cheer, thy sins be forgiven thee.” (Matt.9: 2)
3. Two
blind men – “Believe ye that I am able to do this? …According to your faith,
be it unto you.” (Matt.9: 27)
4. Roman
centurion and servant – “When
Jesus heard it, He marvelled…
Verily, I say unto you, I have not found so great faith,
no not in Israel.” (Matt. 8: 10)
5. Disciples
in Storm: Jesus asleep in boat – “Why are ye fearful, O ye of
little faith.” (Matt.8: 26)
6. Jairus: Daughter dead – “Fear not. Only believe.” (Mark 5:36)
7. Thomas
doubted Jesus’ resurrection
– “Be not faithless, but believing.” (John 20: 27)
8. Healing
of deaf and dumb boy – “Oh
faithless generation, how long shall I be with you? How long shall I suffer you? Bring him unto
Me…Lord, I believe; help thou mine unbelief.” (Mark 9: 17-23)
9. Peter
walks on water: Then sinks
– “O, thou of little faith. Wherefore didst thou doubt?” (Matt.
14: 31)
10. Faith
as a grain of mustard seed
– “If ye have faith as a grain of mustard seed, ye shall say unto
this mountain, Remove hence to yonder
place; and it shall remove; and nothing shall be impossible unto you.”
(Matt.17: 20)
11. Jesus
to disciples – “How is
it that ye have no faith? “ (Mark 4: 40)
12. Jesus
to father of sick child
– “Have
faith in God.”(lit.Greek -“Have the faith of God.”) (Mark 11:
22)
13. Jesus
on His coming
–“Neverthless, when the Son of Man cometh shall He find faith on
the earth?”(Luke 8:18)
14. Jesus to Saul of Tarsus – “But rise, stand upon thy feet: for I have appeared unto thee for this purpose, to make thee a minister and a witness both of these things which thou hast seen, and of those things in the which I will appear unto thee; Delivering thee from the people, and from the Gentiles, unto whom now I send thee,
“To open their eyes, and to turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan unto God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins, and inheritance among them which are sanctified by faith that is in Me.” (Acts 26: 16-18)
PAUL - “Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. But without faith it is impossible to please Him; for he that cometh to God must believe that God is, and that He is a rewarder of them that diligently seek Him.” (Heb.11: 1,6)
“For therein is the righteousness of God revealed from faith to faith: as it is written, The just shall live by faith.” (Rom.1: 17); “Behold, his soul which is lifted up is not upright in him: but the just shall live by faith.” (Hab. 2:4)
“For unto us was the gospel preached, as well as unto them: but the word preached did not profit them, not mixed with faith in them that heard it.” (Heb. 4:2) “For in Jesus Christ neither circumcision availeth anything, nor un-circumcision; but faith which worketh by love.” (Gal.5: 6)
“And God, which knoweth the hearts, bare them witness, giving them the Holy Ghost, even as He did unto us; And put no difference between us and them, purifying their hearts by faith.” (Acts 15: 8,9)
“But now the righteousness of God without the law is manifested, being witnessed by the law and the prophets; Even the righteousness of God Which is by faith of Jesus Christ unto all and upon all them that believe: for there is no difference:
“For all have sinned and come short of the glory of God; Being justified freely by His grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus: Whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation (mercy seat) through faith in His blood, to declare His righteousness for the remission of sins that are passed, through the forbearance of God.
THE LAW OF FAITH!
“To declare, I say, at this time His righteousness: that He might be just, and the justifier of him which believeth in Jesus. Where is the boasting then? Is it excluded? By what law? of works? Nay, but by the law of faith.
“Therefore we conclude that a man is justified by faith without the deeds of the law.” (Rom.3: 22-28) “But what sayeth it? The Word is nigh thee, even in thy mouth, and in thy heart: that is, the word of faith, which we preach;
“That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised Him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.” (Rom. 10: 8-10)
PETER – “Who (believers) are kept by the power of
God through faith unto salvation ready to be revealed in the last time. Who
by Him (Jesus Christ) do believe in God, that raised Him
up from the dead, and gave Him glory; that
your faith
and hope might be in God.
“…Behold I lay in Zion, a chief Corner Stone, elect, precious: and he that believeth on Him shall not be confounded. Unto you therefore which believe He is precious: but unto them which be disobedient, the Stone which the builders disallowed, the same is made the head of the corner.”(1 Peter 1: 5, 21; 2: 6, 7)
JOHN – “These things have I written unto you that believe on the name of the Son of God: that ye may know that ye have eternal life, and that ye may believe on the name of the Son of God. And this is the confidence that we have in Him, that, if we ask any thing according to His will, He heareth us; And that if we know that he hear us, whatsoever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we desired of Him.” (1John 5: 14, 15)
“And many other signs truly did Jesus in the presence of His disciples, which are not written in this book: But these are written, that ye might believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that ye might have life through His name.” (John 20: 30, 31)
JAMES – “If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God…But let him ask in faith, nothing wavering. For he that wavereth is like the wave of the sea driven with the wind and tossed. For let not that man think that he shall receive anything of the Lord.” (James 1: 5-7); “Even so faith which hath no works is dead, being alone… Abraham believed God, and it was imputed unto him for righteousness…For as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also.” (James 1: 17, 23, 26)
Martin Luther – “O’ when it comes to faith, what a living, creative, active powerful thing it is. It cannot do other than good at all times. It never waits to ask whether there is some good work to do.” – Martin Luther’s Preface to the Epistles of Romans by John Dillenberger.
Charles Finney – “I am speaking now of the kind of faith that insures the blessing. Do not understand me as saying that there is nothing in prayer that is acceptable to God, or even obtains the blessing sometimes without this kind of faith.” – Revival Lectures by Charles Finney.
Moffat translates Hebrews 11:1 as follows: “Faith means we are confident of what we hope for, convinced of what we do not see.”
Faith is the conviction that God will grant what we ask of Him, even though we do not understand the mechanics of it! Our duty is to petition Him in faith believing - to present our request before the throne of mercy - and His duty is to answer and meet our need; in His own time, and in His own way for our good and the extension of His kingdom!
The Bible says: “And this is the confidence that we have in Him, that, if we ask any thing according to His will, He heareth us: And if we know that he hear us, whatsoever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we desired of Him.” (1 John 5: 14, 15)
Again the Holy Scriptures state unequivocally: “Beloved, if our heart condemn us not, then have we confidence unto God. And whatsoever we ask, we receive of Him, because we keep His commandments, and do those things that are pleasing in His sight.” (1 John 3: 21, 22)
Let us pray until we know that all sin has been cleansed from our innermost being by the blood of Jesus Christ, until the condemnation and guilt is gone! Then and only then, will we have confidence or faith to approach the throne of God for a miracle!
WHY IS THIS THE CASE? Sin brings condemnation and as long as guilt reigns in our hearts, faith will be missing because condemnation destroys faith and stops it from operating! We can then in good conscience, ask God for a miracle of healing and deliverance because we are “keeping His commandments and doing those things that are pleasing in His sight.”
We can be absolutely certain that it is the ‘Will of God’ to forgive our sins, save our relatives, heal the sick, free people from demon power and bless His people! HOW DO WE KNOW THIS? It was for that purpose that Jesus suffered, bled and died for us. And rose in power and victory over all the power of the Evil One!
The Bible says: ‘The thief (devil) is come to steal, kill and destroy. I am come that ye might have life and have it more abundantly.” (John 10: 10);
“…For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that He might destroy the works of the devil.” (1 John 3: 8); “How God anointed Jesus of Nazareth Who went about doing good and healing all who were oppressed of the devil, for God was with him.” (Acts 10: 38)
Christ’s Victory plus Satan’s defeat equals our Liberty! The Holy Record states: “Forasmuch then as the children are partakers of flesh and blood, He also Himself likewise took part of the same; that through death He (Jesus) might destroy him who had the power of death, that is the devil and deliver them who were all their lifetime subject to bondage.” (Heb. 2: 14, 15)
Reading the Holy Scripture that had been given seven hundred years earlier - concerning Him - Jesus stated: “The Spirit of the Lord is upon Me, because He hath anointed Me to preach the Gospel to the poor; He hath sent Me to heal the broken hearted, to preach deliverance to the captives, and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised, to preach the acceptable year of the Lord.” (Luke 4: 18, 19)
My dear friend, take this opportunity to get to know God on a personal basis, through his Son Jesus Christ, Who died for our sins and rose again for our justification! Then, you will really be living! Praise the Lord!
A PERSONAL INVITATION FOR EACH OF US!
Jesus invites us: “Come unto Me all ye that labour (burdened with sins, guilt, disappointment) and are heavy laden and I will give you rest.” (Matt.11: 28); “Him that cometh unto Me, I will in wise cast out.” (John 6: 37) What an offer from the highest authority in heaven and earth!
Our Heavenly Father, Creator and Saviour, calls us unto Himself. We can come just as we are and He will receive us! It is of no avail, to try to better ourselves before approaching His throne of mercy and grace. Any changes that need to be done, He will personally attend to it by the power of His precious blood and His Holy Spirit!
Let’s not blow this great opportunity to be involved with the One who to know is Life Eternal! Amen.
Max Solbrekken World Mission Box 44220 RPO Garside, Edmonton, AB T5V 1N6; Email: [email protected]; comehometojesus.ca; YouTube; Facebook. Donations can be made by e-transfer. Make donations to [email protected]. God bless you!
