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SUBJECT: Faith
QUESTION: What is Faith? How is Faith different from
Emotion?
ANSWER:
Thanks for the question. It is a good one and one that I
have been thinking about for some time. I was just reading
a secular paper on faith and the discussion was about "Faith
vs. Emotion". Most of the world's churches design their
services around bringing the congregation to an emotional
high. They use video projectors throwing beautiful
"religious scenes and text" on a larger than life screen.
They use highly emotional music, often sung by professional
singers. They use large orchestras with lots of trumpets
and violins. They also use the trappings of the church (color,
design, form, etc). Though emotion can be a part
of a Christian's life and Jesus was clearly emotional, this
is not, in and of itself, Faith.
Faith is Conviction. Let us look at the dictionary...
con·vic·tion (k…n-vąk“sh…n) n.
1. Law. a. The judgment of a jury or judge that a person is
guilty of a crime as charged. b. The state of being found or
proved guilty.
2.a. The act or process of convincing. b. The state of being
convinced.
3. A fixed or strong belief. --con·vic“tion·al adj.
Note: "The state
of being convinced". What happens when you are driving and
as you approach the intersection the light turns green in
your favor? You automatically proceed into and through the
intersection CONVINCED that the opposing light is red and
that no wild or drunk driver will run the light and into
you. Nothing emotional there. It is a strong belief based
on years of driving experience. If you were full of fear
about this you would not be able to drive across town. In
fact, your fear would probably result in an accident with
another.
Such is the case with real Christian Faith. Read the Faith
chapter...Hebrews 11. It begins...
Hebrews 11:1
Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence
of things not seen.
"The evidence of things not seen". This is the key.
Question is, "What evidence?" The only evidence is the
evidence YOU GATHER. The ministry can and will point it out
to you but sermons and personal counsel only serve to
encourage you to get into your Bible and your life and prove
these things for yourself. You did it with the
intersections and the stop lights. Isn't it interesting
that when you enter the intersection you cannot see the
opposing red light? You just have a belief that it is
there, don't you. You have faith that it is red and that
everyone will stop. You clear Hope the light is red. Thus
we could say, "Now faith (that
the opposing light is red) is the substance of
things hoped for, the evidence of things (red
lights, sane drivers) not seen.
So what do we do when our faith in God and Spiritual things
is weak?
1) Go to God in prayer.
Psalm 40:4-5
4 Blessed is that man that maketh the LORD his trust, and
respecteth not the proud, nor such as turn aside to lies.
5 Many, O LORD my God, are thy wonderful works which thou
hast done, and thy thoughts which are to us-ward: they
cannot be reckoned up in order unto thee: if I would declare
and speak of them, they are more than can be numbered.
Note: We go to
God and we meditate on His wonderful works which He has
done. There are so many they cannot be numbered. This is a
chief reason for prayer and meditation.
Psalm 86:7-8
7 In the day of my trouble I will call upon thee: for thou
wilt answer me.
8 Among the gods there is none like unto thee, O Lord;
neither are there any works like unto thy works.
Note: When in
trouble we need faith so go to God in prayer and again we
see that meditating on His works helps.
1 Corinthians 14:15
What is it then? I will pray with the spirit, and I will
pray with the understanding also: I will sing with the
spirit, and I will sing with the understanding also.
Note: Key point.
It is by the power of the Holy Spirit that we pray and gain
or strengthen our faith. Remember that
faith is not congered up by our mind or flesh. It is
generated by and through the power of the Holy Spirit.
Proverbs 29:25-26
25 The fear of man bringeth a snare: but whoso putteth his
trust in the LORD shall be safe.
26 Many seek the ruler's favour; but every man's judgment
cometh from the LORD.
Note: Faith comes
from the Spirit of God; it is a fruit of that Spirit.
Mentioned here is fear and we talked about that in
our example of the intersection and lights. Having fear of
intersections is like being caught in a snare. Same with
all our
fears. But if we put it in the hands of God, we are safe.
2) Allow your faith to be tried and tested
James 1:3-8
3 Knowing this, that the trying of your faith worketh
patience.
4 But let patience have her perfect work, that ye may be
perfect and entire, wanting nothing.
5 If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth
to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be
given him.
6 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.
7 For let not that man think that he shall receive any thing
of the Lord.
8 A double minded man is unstable in all his ways.
Note: Our faith
(which is a gift of God and a fruit or product of the Spirit
of God) is made strong by "trying" it. Verse 5 says ask
God. Verse 6 says ask God IN FAITH. Notice the
definition of the word "Faith"...
test (tµst) n. 1. A procedure for critical
evaluation; a means of determining the presence, quality, or
truth of something; a trial. 2. A series of questions,
problems, or physical responses designed to determine
knowledge, intelligence, or ability. 3. A basis for
evaluation or judgment. 4. Chemistry. a. A physical or
chemical change by which a substance may be detected or its
properties ascertained. b. A reagent used to cause or
promote such a change. c. A positive result obtained. 5. A
cupel. --test v. test·ed, test·ing, tests. --tr. 1. To
subject to a test; try. 2.a. To determine the presence or
properties of (a substance).
b. To assay (metal)
in a cupel. --intr. 1. To undergo a test. 2. To administer a
test. 3. To achieve a score or rating on tests. 4. To
exhibit a given characteristic when subjected to a test. --test”a·bil“i·ty
n. --test“a·ble adj.
Note: "a means of
determining the TRUTH of something."
When we TRY or TEST our faith we gain the Experience of
Faith fulfilled. That is, we see faith work. Prayer is
answered, we are healed, we see a principle of God work, we
experience a miracle, we are visited by an angel or we
experience the unction (communication)
of the Holy Spirit. The more this happens the easier it is
to have CONVICTION.
I sometimes refer to faith as having the "Richard Collier
Effect". I take the name from a movie starring Christopher
Reeve, "Somewhere In Time". In the movie, which takes place
in about 1977, Richard Collier, a playwright falls in love
with a stage actress from 1915. His love is so great that
he decides that he will go back through time to find his
love. He goes to an old college professor he knew from his
college days that had written a book about time travel.
The professor tells him that IF HE BELIEVES that he can go
back through time he can. He sets about doing just that but
his Faith is weak.
He tries and tries with no success. He is actually at the
Grand Hotel in Michigan where he knew she was back in 1915
doing a play. Even this was not enough. He then gets an
idea. If he actually was able to travel through time, he
would have had to check into the Grand Hotel in 1915. He
simply asked management for the guest ledger for 1915,
April. Imagine the emotion he felt, the CONVICTION he felt
when he actually saw his name in the guest ledger. He
promptly went back to his room and at once went back through
time to his love.
Point is that because he saw his name his belief and
conviction were solid, just as solid as when you and I
approach an intersection with the light green. You can have
this same "Richard Collier Effect" in your life. Study the
people mentioned in the Faith chapter (Hebrews 11). That is
why it was inspired; to help us strengthen our faith. We
have their stories, we have God promises (study
faith and prayer with your Nave's Topical Bible)
and we have God's Spirit. With them we can create or own
"Richard Collier Effects".
Faith like any "fruit" of the Spirit must be planted,
watered, tended and HARVESTED. Surround yourself with other
faithful people. Talk to them, write to them, encourage
THEM to be faithful. Visit a widow, help someone attend the
Feast, pray for those listed on the National Prayer Network.
Also learn everything you can about BOLDNESS AND BOLD
CONFIDENCE....Caleb had it, Apollos had it and so did
James. This is also a principle of God and therefore a
fruit of the Spirit of God. David had it when he RAN out to
slay Goliath. We can have that same bold
confidence.....CONVICTION....BELIEF. It is ours for the
asking and for now we have the time to TRY and TEST it.
See the letter on Bold Confidence – Faith:
click here
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