What is faith?

• "Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen" (Hebrews 11:1 NKJV)
• "That leaning of the whole human personality on God in absolute trust and confidence in His power, wisdom and goodness" (2 Thessalonians 1:11 Amplified Bible)
• More definitions

Faith may be the most powerful weapon we have for spiritual warfare.  It can be used as a defensive weapon (Shield of Faith), and also as an offensive weapon. 

Faith is:

• The way we receive salvation from God through Jesus Christ (Ephesians 2:8, 1 Peter 1:5, Galatians 3:8)
• Very powerful when rooted in the power of God (1 Corinthians 2:5); faith can move mountains (Mark 11:23). 
• The spiritual guidance system by which we are to walk with God.  Paul explained that we walk by faith, not by sight in 2 Corinthians 5:7. 
• The pathway of inheriting God's promises through Jesus Christ (Hebrews 6:11-12)
• Dead without works (obedience) (James 2:17,26): "faith, if it does not have works (deeds and actions of obedience to back it up), by itself is destitute of power (inoperative, dead)"  (James 2:17 Amplified Bible)
• Made perfect by deeds and actions of obedience (James 2:22) (example used: Abraham believed in God and obeyed by going to offer Isaac on the altar. God accounted his faith as righteousness)

What faith does:

• Brings God's approval and blessings:  "Without faith it is impossible to please God...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" (Hebrews 11:6 Amplified Bible)
• Believes in things that are not seen:  By faith we know that God made the world by His word:  the things that are seen are not made of visible things (Hebrews 11:3).
• Draws from the hope of God's word and runs contrary to ordinary human hope.   It "calls those things which do not exist as though they did" (Romans 4:18 NKJV).
• Believes all things possible with God:  Romans 4:19 example: Abraham
• Protects from deception: When we are rooted in Christ, established in faith and abounding in thanksgiving.  Deception may try to come "through philosophy and empty deceit, according to the tradition of men, according to the basic principles of the world, and not according to Christ" (Colossians 2:6-8 NKJV)
• Galvanizes the Word's fruitfulness:  Faith combined with the Word maximizes ministry efforts: "For from you the Word of the Lord has sounded forth...in every place. Your faith toward God has gone out, so that we do not need to say anything^" (1 Thessalonians 1:7-8 NKJV).   See also:   Hebrews 4:1-2.
• Builds endurance of persecution and tribulation: "your faith grows exceedingly, and the love of every one of you all abounds toward each other, so that we ourselves boast of you among the churches of God for your patience and faith in all your persecutions and tribulations that you endure" (2 Thessalonians 1:3-4 NKJV).
• Testing of faith produces patience:   "count it all joy when you fall into various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience" (James 1:2-3 NKJV)
• Works together with obedience (James 2:22)

Warfare Faith

• The foundation for a firm fighting stance (1 Corinthians 16:13)
• Serves as a shield against the fiery darts of the enemy
• Power link:  Those who believe will be marked with signs – casting out demons, speaking in tongues, taking up serpents, drinking deadly things and not being hurt and laying hands on the sick, who then recover.  This power is irresistible, as Stephen demonstrated.   Stephen, full of faith and power, did great wonders and signs among the people.  They were not able to resist the wisdom and the Spirit by which he spoke.  (Acts 6:8,10)
• Required to cast out demons with authority of Jesus.   Prayer and fasting helps build that faith to cast them out. (Matthew 17:19-21)
• Cancels fear:  Jesus asks the disciples why they were so fearful and why they had no faith during the storm on the Sea of Galilee (Mark 4:39-41) 
• Prayer of faith restores and heals, canceling the work of the enemy (James 5:15-16)

The key ingredient in healing and miracles:

• Woman healed of flow of blood by touching Jesus’ garment; her faith had made her well (Matthew 9:22)
• Ruler’s daughter resurrected (Matthew 9:18-25); he took her by the hand; ruler had faith that Jesus would heal her even after daughter died (18)
• 2 blind men healed according to their faith (Matthew 9:27-30)
• Epileptic boy w/demon: he often fell into the fire and water; the disciples unable to cure him (Matthew 17:15-16); Jesus rebuked the demon, it came out, and he was healed within the hour.  Jesus explained that their unbelief was the main reason they could not cast it out.  
• Paralytic healed; friends let him through the roof of the house; Jesus saw the faith of the friends who let him down, forgave his sins and healed him (Mark 2:4-12)
• Blind Bartimaeus healed (Mark 10:46-52): Bartimaeus asks for his sight and Jesus heals him due to his faith saying, "Your faith has made you well."
• Lack of faith blocks miracles:  Jesus could do no mighty work except heal a "few" sick people by laying on of hands (Mark 6:5-6); he marveled at their unbelief
• Faith heals lame man at Solomon’s portico: "And His name, through faith in His name, has made this man strong, whom you see and know. Yes, the faith which comes through Him has given him this perfect soundness in the presence of you all" Acts 3:16 NKJV

Put faith into action:

• Speak with faith in God: Speak, do not doubt and believe that the spoken things will be done.
  ^"And Peter, remembering, said to Him, "Rabbi, look!  The fig tree which You cursed has withered away." So Jesus answered and said to them, "Have faith in God.  For assuredly, I say to you, whoever says to this mountain, "Be removed and be cast into the sea,' and does not doubt in his heart, but believes that those things he says will be done, he will have whatever he says" (Mark 11:21-23 NKJV).
• Ask in faith: Jesus asks blindman what he wanted him to do.  He asks for healing and is healed (Mark 10:51-52) 
• Ask without doubting:  ^"But let him ask in faith, with no doubting, for he who doubts is like a wave of the sea driven and tossed by the wind.  For let not that man suppose that he will receive anything from the Lord" (James 1:6-7 NKJV)
• Ask persistently:  Parable of the persistent widow in Luke 18:1-8.
• Believe God is perfectly faithful:  When we believe God is perfectly faithful, we can have faith that does not waver  (Hebrews 10:21-23).
• Show faith through obedience to God:  Faith shown by deeds and actions of obedience (James 2:18)
• Examples of faith in action:  "Gideon and Barak and Samson and Jephthah, also of David and Samuel and the prophets:   who through faith subdued kingdoms, worked righteousness, obtained promises, stopped the mouths of lions, quenched the violence of fire, escaped the edge of the sword, out of weakness were made strong, became valiant in battle, turned to flight the armies of the aliens" (Hebrews 11:32-34 NKJV).

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