How Does Faith Work?
by Olga Hermans
Many people are talking about faith. Faith is not only believing. It is not simply confessing or just hearing the Word. Faith requires doing, yet that’s not all. Although faith includes prayer, there is still more. Meditation is not the final answer either. Learning how to receive from God is a big part of faith too. Praise is powerful, but it needs to be supported by the other parts of faith.
So, how does faith work? Most people think they know, but do they really? Can you explain how faith works to somebody? If you really like to discover the life you were born to live and fill it with passion, you need to know how faith works. So, let’s have a look!
In a given situation, a person may exercise great faith by utilizing only two or three parts of faith. It is not just a cut and dried formula that must be rigidly followed. It is a breakdown of faith that gives us an inner picture of how faith is developed and operate great faith by using everything God has given us.
The growth, development, and release of faith includes hearing the Word, believing the Word, praying according to the Word, receiving the promise, confessing the Word, praising God, and doing the Word.
Let’s say you would have a V-8 engine. The engine is to the average person just a machine. The person, who knows engines, however, knows it is made up of many stationary and moving parts. Primarily, the engine itself has eight cylinders with pistons inside of them. Timed explosions in each of these cylinders causes power to be released to move the pistons. The moving pistons turn a shaft that harnesses the power from the explosion of the gasoline in the cylinder and eventually channels that power to turn the wheels.
Even though some of the pistons or cylinders are not functioning properly, the engine will still run, but it will be rough. It is the same with people and faith. Some people will get a lot of mileage out of a little bit of faith, but the full potential can only be reached by continuous exercise of all parts of faith. Jesus must be our example for He is the one person who developed His faith to perfection. Our faith will grow the same way, because it is His faith that we have been given.
Your faith is very similar to the V-8 engine used in many cars. It is one operation, yet the power is generated through a series of operations within the engine itself. Each operation in faith has a specific place and will produce power if it is run by the Spirit. Although the engine may run on fewer than all 8 cylinders, its power and efficiency are greatly reduced. For highest performance every part of your faith must be operating.
A car engine must be properly tuned and the timing set for it to run properly. Depending on the make and year of the car, the spark plugs and/or points must be firing with precision or the explosion of the gasoline air mixture will not be good. Likewise the pistons, valves, and cylinders need to be in good shape. If all these things are not in order, the engine will run rough, lack power, start poorly, and cause many problems.
If so much knowledge is needed just to run an automobile, why shouldn’t we be more concerned about the great powerhouse God has given us? Don’t wait until a crisis arises to check your faith because it will be too late.
Faith includes hearing, believing, praying, receiving, confessing, meditating, praising and doing. All of these things are important, and you will probably discover other things that help our faith grow and mature to the place that it can be used to meet the needs of those around us. Remember, this is not a dead formula, a set of rules, or another do-it yourself kit. It is a simple explanation of the various parts of faith using a modern parable.
It is a great privilege to build our lives on a foundation that cannot be shaken and will stand firm against every wind, storm, and flood of the adversary. Faith reaches for the eternal and brings it into existence in order to change the natural things.
You may be burdened with sin, sickness, discouragement, or confusion, but your faith in the eternal Word of God can overcome those feelings and give you victory in every situation.
The temporal things will be changes by the Eternal, and you will be established on the rock. How wonderful is that!!
What things have you see change in your life because of your faith? Tells us about in the comment section…
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