Understanding Faith

Bible Study

: The Bible Discloses for us the normal path of a Christian’s walk in such passages as “the righteous shall live by faith”; “the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God”; and “we walk by faith, not by sight” (Rom. 1.17 ASV; Gal. 2.20; 2 Cor. 5.7)By faith are we to live. But while this principle may be quickly grasped in the mind it is not so readily experienced in life. 😪
: There is a difference between living in Faith and living within feelings. A sensational man can follow or receive God’s word joyfully but when the mood sways or rather when trouble comes, all the activities terminate💁🏽‍♂️
The life of feeling draws people away from abiding in God to finding satisfaction in joy, while the life of faith draws believers into being satisfied with God by faith. They having possessed God, their joyful feelings do not add to their joy nor do their painful sensations render them woeful. A life of emotion induces the saint to exist for himself but a life of faith enables him to exist for God and cedes no ground to his self life. When self is entertained and pleased it is not a life of faith but simply a life of feeling. 😪
: We have to understand that Faith germinated from Abraham 😊

Abraham was made great and righteous through *FAITH*☺️
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“` Gal.3.6 – Thus Abraham believed in and adhered to and trusted in and relied on God, and it was reckoned and placed to his account and credited as righteousness (as conformity to the divine will in purpose, thought, and action).“`😁
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“`Rom.4.22 – That is why his faith was credited to him as righteousness (right standing with God.“`
[ Ok.. You might wonder how is Faith making someone Righteous 😅

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_Hab.2.4 – Look at the proud; his soul is not straight or right within him, but the [rigidly] just and the [uncompromisingly] righteous man shall live by his *faith* and in his faithfulness._

Now this is the first place in the Bible where God is introducing the mystery of the Faith,,, He is bringing out the power of Faith in a believer’s life ✨.. Check out this confirmation

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“`Rom.1.17 – For in the Gospel a righteousness which God ascribes is revealed, both springing from faith and leading to faith [disclosed through the way of faith that arouses to more faith]. As it is written, The man who through faith is just and upright shall live and shall live by faith.“`
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: So here then it dawns to us that Faith is not just about religious beliefs and hopes 😁

Get this … belief and hope are part of Faith but they alone don’t make Faith complete☺️

So then Faith well understood is a *gift* from God. It is not by mistake that Faith is mentioned in the gifts of the Holy spirit 🤭
[The Faith* was revealed and made complete at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ 🤗

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Gal.3.23 – Now *before the faith* came, we were perpetually guarded under the Law, kept in custody in *preparation* for *the faith* that was destined to be revealed (unveiled, disclosed),
Gal.3.24 – So that the Law served [to us Jews] as our trainer [our guardian, our guide to Christ, to lead us] until Christ *[came]*, that we might be *justified (declared righteous*, put in right standing with God) *by and through faith.*
Gal.3.25 – But now that *the faith* has come, we are no longer under a trainer (the guardian of our childhood).💪💪
: Ok..let’s have something else to prove that this Faith was initially a mystery
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_1Tim.3.9 – They must possess the mystic secret of the faith with a clear conscience_
Now here is another amazing thing from Jude 😊

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_Jude.1.3 – Beloved, my whole concern was to write to you in regard to our common salvation. [But] I found it necessary and was impelled to write you and urgently appeal to and exhort [you] to *contend* for *the faith* which was once for all *handed down* to the saints [the faith which is that sum of Christian belief which was delivered verbally to the holy people of God]._🤗

So here Jude reveals to us that the Faith was handed over or in other words was delivered or to say deposited.
And this explains its mystery which Jesus disclosed to his believers💪
Now for us to define Faith we have already known its source which is ..

Faith is a *spiritual gift* from God ..and we all know spiritual gifts are gained first through conviction then obviously desire for it and finally God grants you 😊 that is exactly the same way to Faith😁

It germinated from Abraham but …

It was made complete through *Christ* ✨

So rightly understood Faith is spiritually discerned and experienced spiritually 😊
: Now then let’s have a full detailed information of what Faith really means to you 🤭

We can only do this through the Holy scriptures from the various great Biblical men and women of Faith which good enough we’ve been summarized for😅..

I guess you know where we are heading to 🦦🦦

*Hebrews 11*🔥
*Faith* grants you divine approval 🤗

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_Heb.11.2 – For by [faith – trust and holy fervor born of faith] the men of old had divine testimony borne to them and *obtained a good report.*_
: I am not going through all of them 😂

Am going to touch on the major elements or principles seen in the chapter 😉

So to begin with there’s this fascinating and gorgeous thing that the writer introduces us to 😊

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*Faith* grants you understanding ✨

_Heb.11.3 – By faith we *understand* that the worlds [during the successive ages] were framed (fashioned, put in order, and equipped for their intended purpose) by the word of God, so that what we see was not made out of things which are visible._
Now let’s just have a brief summary of these great men of Faith 💁🏽‍♂️

Abel offered ✨ ..Faith sanctifies and favors your giving 😁

Enoch walked 💪

The lesson from Enoch is that 👇

_Heb.11.6 – But without faith it is *impossible to please* and be satisfactory to Him. For whoever would come near to God must [necessarily] believe that God exists and that He is *the rewarder* of those who earnestly and diligently seek Him [out]._ 🙂

It was not easy for Noah to build an ark in the middle of dry land
but something greater prompted him to do that 😊
In return he was saved
: Abraham teaches us that Faith makes you to begin a logically unknown but spiritually destined journey 🙂
The life of Moses from when he was placed in the waters reveals that… 👇👇

Faith is resting on God, a confident assurance of God’s word in your life..

His boldness and courage depicts that Faith is about certainty and not luck 😊
: Faith at its best changes one’s reputation
Rahab and Paul are our good examples
Faith in God results to many things ..just go through this wonderful summary 😊👇👇

_Heb.11.33 – Who by [the help of] faith subdued kingdoms, administered justice, obtained promised blessings, closed the mouths of lions,_
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Heb.11.34 – Extinguished the power of raging fire, escaped the devourings of the sword, out of frailty and weakness won strength and became stalwart, even mighty and resistless in battle, routing alien hosts.
Heb.11.35 – [Some] women received again their dead by a resurrection. Others were tortured to death with clubs, refusing to accept release [offered on the terms of denying their faith], so that they might be resurrected to a better life.
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There are many things to get but I know you are already tired of this examples 😂

Let me just show you the last one from the gospels😊
Think of Luke 8 and the woman with an issue of blood🤒

There’s an amazing thing she is going to teach us🤭
That’s not enough 😂
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The thing to understand from this woman is that she ventured upon the testimony she had received about Jesus 😁

She touched him hopefully-tremblingly but trustingly🙂

No doubt she wanted to be undiscovered🤭

But Faith is not generated to be hidden 🙌🙌
: In the midst of the jostling crowd Jesus asks “Who touched me”😳
A hundred people had touched him but this time it wasn’t just a normal touch ☺️

It was the touch of *Faith*🔥

By the touch of Faith one soul was separated from the multitude and came to personal recognition by the King 👑 🙌
So from all these and many more lessons on Faith we come to a very simple understanding of what Faith is 🤗🤗

“`Faith is not only having the assurance of things hoped for but also…

The response of the human will to the word of God`“.

That’s why we get to see this 👇👇

: Jas.2.14 – What is the use (profit), my brethren, for anyone to profess to have faith if he has no [good] works [to show for it]? Can [such] faith save [his soul]?
Jas.2.17 – So also faith, if it does not have works (deeds and actions of obedience to back it up), by itself is dead.😁

So basically Faith is
*Hearing*
*believing*
*obeying*
*Claiming*

. : Is there a measure of Faith 🤔🤔

Definitely yeeesss😅✋

I know you need scriptures..so let’s start with a very clear and defined scripture🤭 👇👇👇

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👇Rom.12.3
– For by the grace (unmerited favor of God) given to me I warn everyone among you not to estimate and think of himself more highly than he ought [not to have an exaggerated opinion of his own importance], but to rate his ability with sober judgment, each according to the *degree of faith* apportioned by God to him. 👇👇👇

Rom.12.6 – Having gifts (faculties, talents, qualities) that differ according to the grace given us, let us use them: [He whose gift is] prophecy, [let him prophesy] according to the *proportion of his faith;* 😁

Let me go direct to the matter because we’ve already certified that indeed everyone has his or her own measure of Faith 🙂

They are basically four types of measure of Faith 👇👇

Much Faith*
•Due to increased knowledge and experience in the word of God

*Little Faith*
Due to less knowledge and experience in the word of God

*Weak Faith*
Due to lack of practising the word of God ..and also due to being double minded

*Strong Faith*
The best words for this is ..
*Active and lively Faith* :

Now you have to mind about this ..

You can have much but weak Faith 😒
•The Disciples and some Pharisees are a good example😂

Matt.16.8 – But Jesus, aware of this, said, “O you of little faith, why are you discussing among yourselves the fact that you have no bread?

And you can have little but strong Faith 💪💪
•No doubt Jesus said if you have little Faith like a mustard seed you can move mountains 😊

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Faith can stagnate when one is comfortable with his current state and does nothing to grow

Faith can depreciate or fail if faced with big challenges that the believer allows in his life without standing steadfast and firm on his principles..
That’s why while Jesus was going He said this 👇👇

Luke.22.32 – But I have prayed especially for you [Peter], that your [own] faith may not fail; and when you yourself have turned again, strengthen and establish your brethren.

Meaning he knew a point will come when the believer’s faith will be tested to the point of almost falling 🙂
Finally the last thing about growing and sustaining Faith ✨✨

It is very important for you and believe me it’s very simple 🤭 but it takes your will, courage and strength 💪

Let’s just give the elaborate way of doing so 🙂👇
About growth you have to check on the source 😊

1. Read the word
2. Practise to experience the word

Those are the basic things on the growth 🤗 Put this in mind🤭

Growth is natural with the necessary conditions so you give the conditions
. The rest is automatic ✨
Sustaining your Faith is crucial and critical for you 😊

By this I mean

It is not a one day event or activity 😊

You know what I mean 😉👇👇

PRAYER
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It’s what you should have been doing right now..it is your lifestyle… it is your edifying factor… Prayer sustains you 🤗🤗🤗… So you grow through being saturated by the word and daily practise on the word for you to have more enconter and experience with God . And as you do so you pray always … Just as Jesus said to the disciples to pray always and not to faint because if they fail to pray they are prone to fall.

And that is all about Faith

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May the LORD continue to be with you as you grow into HIS WILL.