In this post we’ll conclude this series on Faith. If you haven’t already, read Part One, Part Two and Part Three.
Calling things that be not as though they were
The primary example in the Bible of someone who walked in faith (other than Jesus) is Abraham. He was the founder of the Jewish nation, but he is our spiritual father in the faith also (see Galatians 3:7-9; 29).
The first promise that God gave to Abram was that he would become the father of many nations, even though he was childless at the time and his wife Sarai was barren, and passed the age of menopause.
Romans 4:16-27 16 Therefore it is of faith that it might be according to grace, so that the promise might be sure to all the seed, not only to those who are of the law, but also to those who are of the faith of Abraham, who is the father of us all
17 (as it is written, “I have made you a father of many nations”) in the presence of Him whom he believed–God, who gives life to the dead and calls those things which do not exist as though they did;
The name “Abram” comes from the Hebrew word abiyram which means high father. God came along, gave Abram the promise that he would become the father of many nations, and changed his name to Abraham, which means father of a multitude. Now every time Abraham heard his name called, he was reminded of the promise.
Genesis 17:4-5 KJV 4 As for me, behold, my covenant is with thee, and thou shalt be a father of many nations.
5 Neither shall thy name any more be called Abram, but thy name shall be Abraham; for a father of many nations have I made thee.
Notice the tense: “… for a father of many nations I have made thee”. God said that before Isaac was born. Romans 4 explains what God was doing: he was calling those things that did not exist (in the natural or physical realm) as though they did.
Calling those things that be not as though they were (as the KJV is worded) is saying what you believe before you see the results in the physical realm. This is fine as long as what you are saying is what God says in His word. You can thank Him for the answer to prayer before it ever happens.
Now some people have gotten off in this and said some goofy things. Notice that it says God calls those things which do not exist as though they did. It does not say that God calls those things that exist as though they did not.
You do not deny the reality of what is going on. If you are sick, you don’t say, “I’m not sick; I feel fine!” when you don’t. If you lost your job, you don’t say, “I’m not unemployed”. That the Christian Scientists do – they deny the reality of what exists.
What we are to do is acknowledge a higher reality that will supersede what is true in the natural. When our body is sick, we can say, “I believe I receive my healing”, and “by His stripes I was healed.” If we are unemployed we can say, “My God meets all my needs according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus.”
As long as you are saying what God’s word says, you are safe. The Bible uses the word confession. Now we usually think of confessing our sins when we see this word, but it is actually used more times in the New Testament to profess what we believe.
In the Greek “confession” is homologeo, which comes from homo meaning same, and logeo meaning to speak or say. So confession means to say the same thing.
The Father says, “Jesus is Lord”. When we confess Jesus we say the same thing, and make it personal: “Jesus is my Lord.” That’s what confession does; it says what God says, and makes it personal.
Jesus is our “Yes” answer
We have already seen that knowing the will of God is essential to having faith. And that is where a lot of people get hung up. They have what I call “leper theology”:
Mark 1:40-41 40 Now a leper came to Him, imploring Him, kneeling down to Him and saying to Him, “If You are willing, You can make me clean.”
41 Then Jesus, moved with compassion, stretched out His hand and touched him, and said to him, “I am willing; be cleansed.”
We know that God can do miracles. We know that He can save, heal, and provide for needs. We can read the promises of God in the Word. But then we wonder, “Does this really apply to me? Is this something I can have?” Here’s a scripture that should help:
2 Corinthians 1:20 NIV 20 For no matter how many promises God has made, they are “Yes” in Christ. And so through him the “Amen” is spoken by us to the glory of God.
2 Corinthians 1:20 AMP 20 For as many as are the promises of God, they all find their Yes [answer] in Him [Christ]. For this reason we also utter the Amen (so be it) to God through Him [in His Person and by His agency] to the glory of God.
When we see a promise in the Word, and wonder if it applies to us, is it God’s will for us, the answer comes back, “Yes!” Then we in turn can answer back with “Amen! – so be it!”
According to His will
1 John 5:14-15 14 Now this is the confidence that we have in Him, that if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us.
15 And if we know that He hears us, whatever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we have asked of Him.
1 John 5:14-15 AMP 14 And this is the confidence (the assurance, the privilege of boldness) which we have in Him: [we are sure] that if we ask anything (make any request) according to His will (in agreement with His own plan), He listens to and hears us.
15 And if (since) we [positively] know that He listens to us in whatever we ask, we also know [with settled and absolute knowledge] that we have [granted us as our present possessions] the requests made of Him.
1 John 5:14 Phillips NT 14 We have such confidence in him that we are certain that he hears every request that is made in accord with his own plan. And since we know that he invariably gives his attention to our prayers, whatever they are about, we can be quite sure that our prayers will be answered.
The key phrase in these couple of verses is ask according to His will. This can be looked at in two ways:
- The thing for which you are asking is God’s will for you
- The manner in which you ask is according to the principles that God has laid out
We’ve been saying all along that faith only works for things which are God’s will. That is why we need to have a solid scriptural foundation based on the promises of God for what we ask. If we have a promise, then we can be assured of His will.
Wants and Needs
People have gotten in the ditch on both sides of the road concerning asking for things. The two ditches are illustrated in these verses:
James 4:1-3 1 Where do wars and fights come from among you? Do they not come from your desires for pleasure that war in your members?
2 You lust and do not have. You murder and covet and cannot obtain. You fight and war. Yet you do not have because you do not ask.
3 You ask and do not receive, because you ask amiss, that you may spend it on your pleasures.
Some have thought faith was all about getting things. Well, you can get things with faith, but if that is your main focus, you’ll get off.
Here’s one way you can tell if your desire for a thing is getting out of proportion: can you be content without it? Could you give it away if the Lord asked you to (you can do that cheerfully when you trust that the Lord will replace it)?
The phrase “consume it on your lusts” – this is a desire that cannot be satisfied. It is the “lust for other things” from Mark 4:19 or the “lust of the eyes” from 1 John 2:16. The world says “if you only had this, then you would be happy”. And maybe for a while you would, but when the newness wears off, you’re seeking some other thing to make you happy.
God is not against us having things that we enjoy.
1 Timothy 6:17 17 Command those who are rich in this present age not to be haughty, nor to trust in uncertain riches but in the living God, who gives us richly all things to enjoy.
Do you really want to see your faith work and your prayers answered? Align yourself with God’s heart. Be involved with the things that are important to Him – getting people saved, meeting the needs of people. Develop a strong relationship with Him.
Seek first the kingdom of God, and things will be added unto you.
In the ditch on the other side
Have you ever heard someone say, “God promises to meet our needs, but doesn’t promise to give us everything we want”? This is a true statement, although it’s not a Bible verse. However, people have taken it too far, and ruled out asking for anything that is just a “want” and not a need. This is getting on the ditch on the other side: “You have not, because you ask not.”
There are many scriptures that promise you can have what you want or desire – but they have conditions.
Psalms 37:4 4 Delight yourself also in the Lord, And He shall give you the desires of your heart.
Psalms 145:18-19 18 The Lord is near to all who call upon Him, To all who call upon Him in truth.
19 He will fulfill the desire of those who fear Him; He also will hear their cry and save them.
Matthew 7:7-11 7 “Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you.
8 For everyone who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks it will be opened.
9 Or what man is there among you who, if his son asks for bread, will give him a stone?
10 Or if he asks for a fish, will he give him a serpent?
11 If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give good things to those who ask Him!
Matthew 18:19 19 Again I say to you that if two of you agree on earth concerning anything that they ask, it will be done for them by My Father in heaven.
Matthew 21:21-22 21 So Jesus answered and said to them, “Assuredly, I say to you, if you have faith and do not doubt, you will not only do what was done to the fig tree, but also if you say to this mountain, ‘Be removed and be cast into the sea,’ it will be done.
22 And whatever things you ask in prayer, believing, you will receive.”
John 14:13-14 13 And whatever you ask in My name, that I will do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son.
14 If you ask anything in My name, I will do it.
John 15:7-8 7 If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you, you will ask what you desire, and it shall be done for you.
8 By this My Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit; so you will be My disciples.
John 15:16 16 You did not choose Me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit, and that your fruit should remain, that whatever you ask the Father in My name He may give you.
Notice how in the last two verses that God equates asking for what you desire and Him giving it to you as fruit. I heard one preacher say, “What some call greed, God calls growth.”
John 16:23-24 23 And in that day you will ask Me nothing. Most assuredly, I say to you, whatever you ask the Father in My name He will give you.
24 Until now you have asked nothing in My name. Ask, and you will receive, that your joy may be full.
1 John 3:22-23 22 And whatever we ask we receive from Him, because we keep His commandments and do those things that are pleasing in His sight.
23 And this is His commandment: that we should believe on the name of His Son Jesus Christ and love one another, as He gave us commandment.
1 John 5:14-15 14 Now this is the confidence that we have in Him, that if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us.
15 And if we know that He hears us, whatever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we have asked of Him.
How you ask
Secondly, it also important how you ask. For example, we’ve already looked at James 1:5, which shows us that it is God’s will unequivocally to give us wisdom when we ask Him. That settles the first part, that it is God’s will for us to have it. But look at vs. 6:
James 1:6 6 But let him ask in faith, with no doubting, for he who doubts is like a wave of the sea driven and tossed by the wind.
This involves the manner in which we ask – we must ask in faith, and not doubt. We must believe that God will speak to us in such a way that we will get what He is saying. If not, vs. 7 says forget it – you won’t receive anything.
Phillipians 4:6 says instead of worrying, make your requests known to God, with thanksgiving. A request is when you ask for something. So if all you do is tell God about your problems, you haven’t made a request.
Mark 11:24 told us to believe we receive, when we pray. Mark 11:23 told us to believe the things we say will come to pass. Therefore we should be speaking the things we do want to happen, and not speak the things we don’t want to happen.
Building our Faith
There are two main scriptures that address specifically how to gain faith or build it up.
Romans 10:17 17 So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.
Jude 1:20 20 But you, beloved, building yourselves up on your most holy faith, praying in the Holy Spirit.
Hear the Word
Faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the Word of God (see my post Faith Comes By Hearing). It doesn’t just say, “faith comes by listening to preaching.” It can, provided the preacher is teaching the Word of God. Unfortunately, there is a lot of preaching going on that is men’s traditions rather than the Word.
Hebrews 6:11-12 11 And we desire that each one of you show the same diligence to the full assurance of hope until the end,
12 that you do not become sluggish, but imitate those who through faith and patience inherit the promises.
You need to be listening to people who preach and experience the results that you want to have. I mean, if you have sickness in your body, do you want to listen to someone who is preaching that healing has passed away or you don’t really know whether it’s God’s will to heal you? No, you want to listen to someone who has experience being healed and ministering healing to people, who can show you from the scriptures that it is God’s will to heal you. That will build your faith. Jesus said, “Take heed what you hear”.
You need to be doing your own studying also and not just rely on what others tell you. Also, study the scriptures that specifically apply to your need. The parable of the sower likens the Word of God to a seed. Well, a spiritual and natural law is that seed reproduces after its kind. Studying scriptures on healing is a good thing, but they won’t necessarily build your faith for finances.
Study the love of God. Your trust in Him – which is the whole foundation for faith – will grow as you learn He is a good God and that means He wants good things for you. And not just for when you get to heaven, but in the here and now.
Do you feel that you are disqualified for the promises of God, because you know you don’t measure up to His standards? Study about righteousness – right standing with God – and how it comes.
Pray in the Spirit
Jude 20 tells us another way to be built up in faith is by praying in the Holy Spirit – i.e., in other tongues. If you are not filled or baptized with the Holy Spirit, you need to be. That will help you immensely.
Do trials cause faith to grow?
“Trials cause your faith to grow”
That’s like saying, “barbells make your muscles grow”. No they don’t. Many people are passive concerning trials, hoping that God will do a work in them. That’s like lying down, and having barbells dropped on you. It will crush you!
No, it’s when you resist the trial with your faith that your faith will grow. If you read James 1 and 1 Peter 1 carefully, you’ll see that it does not say that trials cause your faith to grow. It says that trials test your faith, and show up what is genuine faith. You had better have some faith before you encounter a trial, or you’ll flunk the test. The main purpose of a test is to find out if you know what you are supposed to know, not to teach you.
It is when you resist a trial with your faith that your faith will grow. When you push back against the pressure of the weight of those barbells – when you resist the gravity pressing you down – that will build muscle up over a period of time and repetition. I.e., one bench press isn’t going to turn you into Mr. Universe.
Similarly, when we push back on a trial with our faith, resisting its tendency to steal, kill, and destroy us, and put patience/perseverance to work and be constant and immovable (the meaning of the word patience in James 1:2-4) – that will build our faith.
Your faith can grow in trials. When you continue to trust God in the midst of a trial, and He comes through for you and you are delivered and come out the other side with a testimony, when you’ve been proven (that’s the meaning of “tested”), that builds your hope that He will come through for you next time, too. But it was not the trial itself that brought the growth, it was your reaction to it.
There are many Christians that believe that every bad thing that happens in their life, i.e., every trial, is part of God’s plan for their life to develop their character. This is not true. They forget that we have an enemy out there who wants to destroy us:
John 10:10 10 The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy. I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly.
There are many places where the Bible tells us to resist the devil. If you believe that everything that comes is from God, you will not resist it.
“Oh, maybe He didn’t cause the trial, but He allowed it”. God allowing something to happen – meaning that He did not prevent it – does not mean that it was His will or that He wanted it to happen. God will allow someone to go to hell. Does that mean He wants the person to go there? Absolutely not.
I like what Bill Johnson, the lead pastor of Bethel Church in Redding, CA says: “How many storms did Jesus bless? How many did He redirect to some city to cause havoc so they could learn a lesson to trust in God more? To how many people who came to Him for healing did He say, “No, God gave you this sickness to teach you patience and cause you to grow.”?
This is a whole subject in itself, that we will not take the time to go into here in detail.
