“For everyone born of God overcomes the world. This is the victory that has overcome the world, even our faith.” (1 John 5:4 NIV)

Faith – Bible Dictionary definition:

“Belief, trust, and loyalty to a person or thing. Christians find their security and hope in God as revealed in Jesus Christ, and say "amen" to that unique relationship to God in the Holy Spirit through love and obedience as expressed in lives of discipleship and service.” – Baker’s Evangelical Dictionary

Faith - Bible’s definition:  

The most definitive definition of faith in the Bible is, “Now faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see.” (Heb. 11:1 NIV) 

It’s impossible to please God without faith

“And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him.” (Heb. 11:6 NIV) 

The above verse explains that faith comes by doing  two “musts”

1)    You must believe that He is.

2)    You must believe that He rewards those who earnestly seek Him.

Faith is asking and believing without doubt

“But when you ask, you must believe and not doubt, because the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind.” (James 1:6 NIV)

Examples of faith in action

An old woman has a child: “And by faith even Sarah, who was past childbearing age, was enabled to bear children because she considered him faithful who had made the promise.” (Heb. 11:11 NIV) 

A blind man is healed: “Go,” said Jesus, “your faith has healed you.” Immediately he received his sight and followed Jesus along the road.” (Mark 10:52 NIV)

Therefore…

“Though you have not seen him, you love him; and even though you do not see him now, you believe in him and are filled with an inexpressible and glorious joy, for you are receiving the end result of your faith, the salvation of your souls.” (1 Peter 1:8-9 NIV)

“For we live by faith, not by sight.” (2 Cor. 5:7 NIV)

“Out of a man’s heart does he speak.” (Matt. 15:18) 

I have a friend who hates very strongly anything that resembles the doctrine of “name it and claim it.” He calls it, “blab it and grab it.” And, yes, there has been a lot of abuse in this area among the body of believers.

Confession of God’s Word is different! 

There is much value to be gained from the positive confession of God’s Word. It has the power to reinforce His Word in your mind, and even to increase your faith! A simple definition of faith is this: Faith appropriates what God has already supplied in the spirit world. You align your way of thinking to God’s way of thinking until your way of thinking becomes like His way of thinking. Then, you will have the mind of Christ. (1 Cor. 2:16)

What you say is from the heart!

Jesus said: “A good person produces good things from the treasury of a good heart, and an evil person produces evil things from the treasury of an evil heart. What you say flows from what is in your heart.” (Luke 6:45)

As a follower of Jesus, you have a lot of positive confessions to boldly declare! Confess the following out loud to yourself!

MY POSITIVE CONFESSIONS

By faith…

• I confess: That the devil has no control over my life, for “Greater is He that is within me than he that is in the world.” (1 John 4:4)

• I confess: That I have victory, for “God always causeth me to triumph in Christ Jesus.” (2 Corinthians 2:14)

• I confess: That I am free from bondage, for “Where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty.” (2 Corinthians 3:17)

• I confess: That I have wisdom, for “Christ Jesus is made unto me wisdom from God.” (1 Corinthians 1:30)

• I confess: “I can” for “I can do all things through Christ Jesus which strengthens me.” (Philippians 4:13)

• I confess: That I have faith, for “God has dealt to every man the measure of faith.” (Romans 12:3)

• I confess: I have no lack, for “My God shall supply all of my needs according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus.” (Philippians 4:19)

• I confess: That I will not fear, for “God has not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.” (2 Timothy 1:7)

• I confess: That I have strength, for “The Lord is the strength of my life.” (Psalm 27:1). “The people that know their God shall be strong and do exploits.” (Daniel 11:32)

• I confess: That I am well, for “With His stripes I am healed” (Isaiah 53:5). Jesus, “Himself took my infirmities and bare my sickness.” (Matthew 8:17)

• I confess: That I won’t dwell on worries and frustrations, for I am “Casting all my cares upon Him, who cares for me.” (1 Peter 5:7). In Christ I am “care-free.”

• I confess: That I am free from condemnation, for “There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus.” (Romans 8:1). I am in Christ; therefore, I am free from condemnation.

• I confess: That I am free from loneliness, for Jesus said, “Lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world.” (Matthew 28:20). “I will never leave you, nor forsake you.” (Hebrews 13:5)

• I confess: That I am free from curses or bad luck, for “Christ has redeemed us from the curse of the law, being made a curse for us…that the blessing of Abraham might come on the Gentiles through Jesus Christ; that we might receive the promise of the Spirit through faith.” (Galatians 3:13-14)

• I confess: That I am free from discontent because “I have learned, in whatsoever state (circumstances) I am, therein to be content.” (Philippians 4:11)

• I confess: That I am now righteous in God’s sight, because “He has made Him to be sin for us who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in Him.” (2 Corinthians 5:21)

Therefore…

“A man’s belly shall be satisfied with the fruit of his mouth; and with the increase of his lips shall he be filled. Death and life are in the power of the tongue: and they that love it shall eat the fruit thereof.” (Prov. 18:20-21)

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“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.” (Eph. 2:8 KJV)

Grace and faith

There are two parts to salvation, grace and faith. You are saved by grace but it’s through faith!

Grace is God’s part

It’s His unmerited favor. It’s a free gift. You cannot work for it. You cannot earn it.

Faith is your part

It is your positive response to what God has already done for you by His grace!

Without faith, you cannot unlock the power of grace! What is faith? It’s what you must do in response to what He has said. Simply put, you’ve got to believe what he has already provided in His Word in order to receive.

“If you (by your faith) declare with your mouth, ‘Jesus is Lord,’and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, (by His grace) you will be saved. For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you profess your faith and are saved.” (Rom. 10:9-10 NIV)

Therefore…

“Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.” (Heb. 4:16 ESV)

“And whatever you ask in prayer, you will receive, if you have faith.” (Matt. 21:22 ESV)

“And without faith it is impossible to please him, for whoever would draw near to God must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who seek him.” (Heb. 11:6 ESV)

“And from his fullness we have all received, grace upon grace.” (John 1:16 ESV)

Quotes:

“And now let me address all of you, high and low, rich and poor, one with another, to accept of mercy and grace while it is offered to you; Now is the accepted time, now is the day of salvation; and will you not accept it, now it is offered unto you?” – George Whitefield

“Trust wholly in Christ; rely altogether on His sufferings; beware of seeking to be justified in any other way than by His righteousness. Faith in our Lord Jesus Christ is sufficient for salvation. There must be atonement made for sin according to the righteousness of God. The person to make this atonement must be God and man.” - John Wycliffe

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“For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.” (Eph.2:10 NIV)

This is a promise that I personalize and say to myself as part of my daily routine.

I say it this way:

“I am God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus, to do good works which He has prepared in advance for me to do!”

By repeating this passage in first person, I am doing several things. First, I am making this promise mine! Secondly, I am stating it as though it has already been done for me (and it has been done already “in advance.”) Thirdly, I’m recognizing in this promise that God has created me for a specific purpose that I am able to do because he has prepared both it and me to do it.

Activate your faith

Believing and confessing these things personally is an active part of faith! It activates the promises and makes them happen!

Therefore…

“For we live by faith, not by sight.” (2 Cor. 5:7 NIV)

“Now faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see.” (Heb. 11:1 NIV)

“And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him.” (Heb. 11:6 NIV

“Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask for in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours.” (Mark 11:24 NIV)

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“For unto us was the gospel preached, as well as unto them: but the word preached did not profit them, not being mixed with faith in them that heard it. (Heb. 4:2 KJV)

One group did and one group didn’t!

This promise is talking about two groups (types) of people hearing the same Word of God that was preached to both of them. One group heard it and profited from it and one group heard it and did not profit from it! Many Christians don’t believe the Word of God completely (wholeheartedly), and so they get no profit from it! It doesn’t work for them! Oh, they say they believe. But, when push comes to shove, and the chips are down, so to speak, they don’t actually do. And, the proof is in the results. To follow them around and watch them, and to listen to their “talk” (what rolls out of their mouths), you would never think they were Christians. Out of their mouths come worry-words and doubt-words. And this makes the Word of God not work for them!

Why is this so? 

The Bible puts it this way, “the word preached did not profit them, not being mixed with faith in them that heard it.” The promises of God are all faith activated! The Word of God only works for those who mix faith with it! That explains why some Christians benefit from the promises of God while others do not!

This is a huge problem in the church!

Christians who should be walking and living victoriously by faith, and enjoying the “fruit” of God’s thousands of promises, which cover every conceivable need, act and behave like unbelievers. 

Here is another example

God promises in James 1:5 that you can ask God for wisdom and He will generously supply it. But, you read a little further in the same passage and you will find this qualifier (James 1:6-8 KJV) “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 that man not suppose that he will receive anything from the Lord. A double-minded man is unstable in all his ways.” A double minded man! Unstable in all his ways! That is the problem!

Here’s what to do!

Decide today to trust the Word of God completely, no matter how things may look! If the Word of God promises it, that must settle it for you! Mix your faith with His Word and it will work for you every time!

Therefore…

“And without faith it is impossible to please him, for whoever would draw near to God must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who seek him.” (Heb. 11:6 ESV) 

“And whatever you ask in prayer, you will receive, if you have faith.” (Matt. 21:22 ESV)

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But let him ask in faith, with no doubting, for the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea that is driven and tossed by the wind. For that person must not suppose that he will receive anything from the Lord; he is a double-minded man, unstable in all his ways. (James 1:6-7 ESV)

 What to do:

“And Jesus answered them, “Truly, I say to you, if you have faith and do not doubt, you will not only do what has been done to the fig tree, but even if you say to this mountain, ‘Be taken up and thrown into the sea,’ it will happen. And whatever you ask in prayer, you will receive, if you have faith.” (Matt. 21:21-22 ESV)

“And whatever you ask in prayer, you will receive, if you have faith.” (Matt. 21:22 ESV)

 Quotes:

“When the devil sees a man or woman who really believes in prayer, who knows how to pray, and who really does pray, and, above all, when he sees a whole church on its face before God in prayer, he trembles as much as he ever did, for he knows that his day in that church or community is at an end.” - R.A. Torrey

“Do not strive in your own strength; cast yourself at the feet of the Lord Jesus, and wait upon Him in the sure confidence that He is with you, and works in you. Strive in prayer; let faith fill your heart-so will you be strong in the Lord, and in the power of His might.” - Andrew Murray

“Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need.” (Heb. 4:16 KJV)

Approach God through faith in Jesus with freedom and confidence

“In him and through faith in him we may approach God with freedom and confidence.” (Eph. 3:12 NIV)

 Hold firmly to your confidence and hope

“But Christ is faithful as the Son over God's house. And we are his house, if indeed we hold firmly to our confidence and the hope in which we glory.” (Heb. 3:6 NIV)

“(for the law made nothing perfect), and a better hope is introduced, by which we draw near to God.” (Heb. 7:19 NIV)

 Therefore…

“Therefore, brothers and sisters, since we have confidence to enter the Most Holy Place by the blood of Jesus, by a new and living way opened for us through the curtain, that is, his body, and since we have a great priest over the house of God, let us draw near to God with a sincere heart and with the full assurance that faith brings, having our hearts sprinkled to cleanse us from a guilty conscience and having our bodies washed with pure water. Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for he who promised is faithful.” (Heb. 10:19-23 NIV)

Today’s Promise to Memorize* 

“Truly I tell you, if you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it will move. Nothing will be impossible for you.” (Matt. 17:20)

You don’t need large faith 

Mustard seeds are tiny. They are usually about 1 to 2 millimeters (0.039 to 0.079 in) in diameter. I believe the point Jesus is making in this passage is that you don’t need large faith to move mountains. Even the very smallest amount of applied faith will accomplish amazing things! Consider the thousands of promises listed throughout the Bible covering every conceivable need you could possibly have. Each and every promise is already pre-approved by Jesus Himself! He has said “yes” to each of them for you (see 2 Cor. 1:20 below). You just need to find them in the Bible, apply them personally, and then mix them with faith (sincerely believe them because they are faith activated - Heb. 4:2). 

Additional References

“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 Cor. 1:20 NIV)

“By which he has granted to us his precious and very great promises, so that through them you may become partakers of the divine nature, having escaped from the corruption that is in the world because of sinful desire.” (2 Peter 1:4 ESV)

“And whatever you ask in prayer, you will receive, if you have faith.” (Matt. 21:22 ESV)

 A Reminder

*Over the next few days I am posting Bible promises every believer MUST know (and commit to memory) to be fully equipped no matter what they are faced with. Meditate on them and memorize them. 

 Proven ways to help memorize:

1.     Hand write it on 3x5 card.

2.     Always include the Bible reference at the beginning and repeat it again at the end. 

3.     Read it through several times and think about what it means (mediate on it). 

4.     Say it out loud a few times.  

5.     Refer to it throughout the day and say it to yourself (a few words at a time if necessary) until you can say it correctly without looking. 

“And without faith it is impossible to please him, for whoever would draw near to God must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who seek him.” (Heb. 11:6 ESV) 

Faith pleases God

If you want to please God, the above passage says you must, with faith, believe that He is and that He is a rewarder of those who seek Him. 

Faith gives substance to what is hoped for

“Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.” (Heb. 11:1 NKJV)

Faith comes through hearing the Word of Christ

“So faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ.” (Rom. 10:17 ESV)

We walk by faith not by sight

“For we walk by faith, not by sight.” ( 2 Cor. 5:7 ESV)

Our faith is the victory 

“For everyone who has been born of God overcomes the world. And this is the victory that has overcome the world—our faith.” (1 John 5:4 ESV)

Therefore…

“Be watchful, stand firm in the faith, act like men, be strong.” ( 1 Cor. 16:13 ESV)

“I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.” (Gal. 2:20 ESV)

“That your faith might not rest in the wisdom of men but in the power of God.” (1 Cor. 2:5 ESV)

“So now faith, hope, and love abide, these three; but the greatest of these is love.” (1 Cor. 13:13 ESV)

Quotes:

“Faith is not the belief that God will do what you want. It is the belief that God will do what is right.” - Max Lucado

“To have Faith in Christ means, of course, trying to do all that He says. There would be no sense in saying you trusted a person if you would not take his advice. Thus if you have really handed yourself over to Him, it must follow that you are trying to obey Him. But trying in a new way, a less worried way. Not doing these things in order to be saved, but because He has begun to save you already. Not hoping to get to Heaven as a reward for your actions, but inevitably wanting to act in a certain way because a first faint gleam of Heaven is already inside you.” - C.S. Lewis