Five Important Bible Verses about Faith
I struggled with doubtful thoughts and also experienced faith moment in my journey with the Lord. God says, it is impossible to please Him without faith. so what is faith?
ENGLISH - BASICS
YTM
3/22/20267 min read
I struggled with doubtful thoughts and also experienced faith moment in my journey with the Lord. The first time I experienced the faith moment was back in 2006, that was about 6 months after I was water baptized. It was a Sunday afternoon, my wife was sick at home. I went to my local church by myself. When I went home, I just had a “confident knowing” in side of me that if I lay my hands on my wife, she will get well. I did that, and she got well over night. At that time, I have no clues what was happening, I thought it was just a coincident. Now I know that was the gift of faith given by the Holy Spirit. Unfortunately, I was clueless at that time.
What we about to discuss today was not about the gift of faith. Instead, I wanted to share with you five Bible verses that may hep you to develop your faith while looking upon Jesus who is the author (originator) and finisher (perfecter) of our faith (Heb 12:2).
#1: Hebrew 11:1
Now faith is the substance (realization) of things hoped for, the evidence (confidence) of things not seen. (NKJV)
Now faith is the assurance (title deed, confirmation) of things hoped for (divinely guaranteed), and the evidence of things not seen [the conviction of their reality—faith comprehends as fact what cannot be experienced by the physical senses]. (AMP)
The best way for me to understand of the definition of faith is like this:
Faith is the assurance of things we hoped for, and the confidence of things we have not seen.
When we have the assurance of things that we are hoping for, our physical eyes have not seen such things yet. But in our hearts, we already have the assurance, or you can call it confidence. Such assurance and confidence is above feelings and logic. It’s a type of deep-inside, peaceful knowing. Such knowing may not involve any mind analysis at all. Or regardless of your positive or negative thoughts, you just know it...This is faith.
Many times, after we prayed about something, if we still don’t have such peaceful assurance or confidence, that means we have not had that “specific faith” for the things we were praying for. If this is the case, do not give up, we need to continue to work on it. I believe the following God’s words will help our faith to grow.
#2: 1John 5:14-15
Now this is the confidence that we have in Him, that if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us. And if we know that He hears us, whatever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we have asked of Him. (NKJV)
One of the reasons that we have confidence in Him is by knowing God’s will. If we really don’t know that the salvation (sozo) of our Lord Jesus includes the physical healing, we are lacking of confidence when we were approaching God for healing in prayers. Thus, you will pray just like many other people had prayed, oh Lord, if this is your will, please heal so-and-so.
When we know it’s God’s will to save us and heal us. It will become much easier for us to have faith in pray for people’s salvation and their physical healings. Because God says in His words that if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us. And if we know that He hears us, whatever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we have asked of Him.
However, when we are facing the questions such as “is it God’s will to marry this person” , or “is this God’s will that we should buy or sell this property”, or “should I live in this city or another one”, since there were no direct scriptures about God’s will which related to these daily life decisions, we become less certain (lost the confidence). If we have not received rhema word from the Lord, then it’s very easy for us to waver in our prayers. Then, how can we have confidence when we approach the Lord under such situations?
#3: 1John 3:18-23
18 My little children, let us not love in word or in tongue, but in deed and in truth. 19 And by this we (shall) know that we are of the truth, and shall assure our hearts before Him (set our hearts at rest in his presence). 20 For if our heart (conscience) condemns us, God is greater than our heart, and knows all things. 21 Beloved, if our heart does not condemn us, we have confidence toward God. 22 And whatever we ask we receive from Him, because we keep His commandments and do those things that are pleasing in His sight. 23 And this is His commandment: that we should believe on the name of His Son Jesus Christ and love one another, as He gave us commandment. (NKJV)
When we pray and ask for God’s help and His guidance. One of problems that stand in our way is our non-sanctified conscience. Human-being all have conscience. Conscience, before corruption, in nature is very good at keeping people from doing evil by witness God’s law. (Rom 2:14-15) However, a sin-sensitive conscience may likely condemn a person when he comes to the Lord, especially when this person is under the bondage of spirit of slavery and religion mindset. Also, it’s possible that this person is listening to the enemy’s lies because he accuses the brethren day and night. If this is the case, that person will not have any confidence in approaching God for His favor and grace.
Based on John’s teaching, when we love one another in actions and truth, God is pleased. Our heart (conscience) will not condemn us, then we have confidence toward God. Then John further taught that after we had approached God with confidence to tell God of our needs, we will receive from Him whatever we ask because we keep his commandments and do things that are pleasing in His sight. There is His commandment: we should believe on the name of His Son Jesus Christ and love one another. I guess this may be the reason why Pastor Thurman (Living Savior Ministry) always say that God will gave His obedient children what they asked for. And this is another reason why he focus on dealing with sin issues when sick people are seeking healings from the Lord. To live a God-pleasing life is a condition to receive blessings from the Lord. And the above Bible verse clearly told us of God will how to live a such a God-pleasing life.
Of cause, we need to have clean conscience and motivations when we decide to live such a God-pleasing life. It’s not because we want to receive whatever we ask from God that motivate us, but because of loving Him motivate us.
You may say, I tried my best to love people and love God, but many times I fall short. If this is the case, how would I be able to receive any blessings from our God?
#4: Hebrew 10:22
19 Therefore, brethren, having boldness (confidence) to enter the Holiest by the blood of Jesus, 20 by a new and living way which He consecrated for us, through the veil, that is, His flesh, 21 and having a High Priest over the house of God, 22 let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water. 23 let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for He who promised is faithful. (NKJV)
Understanding of this paragraph starts with “therefore”. The “therefore” argument goes back to chapter 9 which talks about earthly tabernacle and worship service regulations are all illustrations or shadows, because all the gifts, blood of animals, sacrifices were not be able to clear the conscience of the worshiper. (Heb 9:9) But the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered Himself without spot to God, cleanse our conscience from dead works (acts that lead to death) so that we may serve the living God. (Heb 9:14) In chapter 10, the author of the book of the Hebrews pointed out clearly that it’s impossible for the blood of bulls and goats to take away sins, but an annual reminder (consciousness) of sins. In the heart of the worshipers, their conscience condemn their sins. To solve this problem, it’s God’s will to sacrifice His Son for our sin-sensitive conscience. And Jesus came to fulfill the Father’s will. (Heb 10:7-9) That’s why when Christ came into the world, he said: “Sacrifice and offering you did not desire, but a body you prepared for me”. (Heb 10:5) It’s God’s will that we have been sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all. (Heb 10:10), and Jesus’s offering had perfected us who were sanctified. (Heb 10:14)
Because all of these...
Therefore, we can enter the Holy of the Holy with confidence by the blood of Jesus, and by God’s way of consecration of us through Jesus’ body. (Heb 10:19-20)
Therefore, we can draw near to God with our hearts have full assurance of faith because our High Priest Lord Jesus is helping us, and our evil hearts (evil conscience) had been cleansed by the His blood. (Heb 10:21-22)
Therefore, we can hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, because It’s God Himself who promised such way of getting near to Him. And He who promised is faithful. (Heb 10:23)
Therefore, we can come boldly (approach with confidence) to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need. (Heb 4:16)
This is THE WAY that our God had DECIDED how to bless the people who are willing to put their faith in His Son. Because whoever wants to seek Him and seek Him diligently will have to go through Jesus Christ. Because Jesus said, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.” (John 14:6) God also DECIDED whoever seek Him diligently, He will reward them. He will reward them with eternal life, with honors as royal priesthood, as kings and queens to rule the nations with His Son in the ages to come. Will He chooses to reward people with prosperities in this world? This is another topic for another day.
#5: Hebrew 11:6
But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him. (NKJV)
You may or may not like this idea, but that’s God’s way to reward who has faith in Him. Like it or not, it’s your choice.