The word faith can mean a couple of things. It can mean “faith” as in Christian beliefs
and the development of a Christan worldview – ie, “I’m of that faith”. Or it can mean
“faith”, as in being “fully persuaded that God [has] the power to do what He [has]
promised” (Romans 4: 21). We know that, “without faith it’s impossible to please
God” (Hebrews 11:6); and that, “faith without works is dead” (James 1:16).
At River of Life, we hold the cultural value of faith where we are fully persuaded that
God has the power to do what he has promised, being settled in our hearts of what
God says, DEPSITE the natural realm indicating something else. We value
being in full agreement with heaven, hearts completely settled and totally convinced
of what God says!
How do we develop a faith like that?
Faith comes through hearing the word of God (Romans 10:17).
I love Gary Kesee’s biblical example of how to develop our faith. I recommend his
book “Doing Faith Right”, for a fuller understanding of this principle. The parable in
Mark 4: 26 - 29 talks about planting a seed, it being watered and growing, day and
night, and “when the seed in the head of the plant is mature it will look exactly like
the seed that was sewn into the ground” (pg 26). This means that studying and
meditating on what God’s Word says about His Kingdom perspective on healing, or
finances, or love, or any number of topics (studying and meditating equals the
growing of the stalk, the head and the full kernel in the head) causes it grow to in
you. When it is fully grown, the fruit that is produced in you is exactly like what you
have been meditating on. Then you take the sickle to it and see the harvest that
God has waiting for you!
Andrew hurt his ankle pretty bad last week… crutches and moon boot were looking
like the order of the day. But then we decided to do something in faith… the kids and
I sat with him for about half an hour in the afternoon. We loved on him, and anointed
him with oil. We prayed, we declared and spoke healing over his ankle… he noticed
a positive physical shift in his ankle at the time, and by the next morning he had no
limp or pain. We were fully convinced and settled in our heart what God says,
despite the natural realm indicating something else… Praise the Lord for his
goodness, grace and love in our lives.
How have you seen God at work as you put into practice your faith?
