Where is boasting then? It is excluded. By what law? Of works? No, but by the law of faith. (Rom 3:27)
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. (Heb11:6)
Introduction: Many people serve God diligently and yet don’t have their needs met. They erroneously believe that since they are faithful in God’s service, they will automatically receive God’s blessings. It is true that faithfulness in God’s service positions one very well to be rewarded with His blessings but unfortunately it doesn’t go beyond the positioning; it doesn’t deliver the blessings into one’s hands directly. The blessing is apportioned and signed off with the person’s name on it but the only vehicle that is qualified and certified to deliver it is FAITH………the just shall live by his faith. (Hab 2:4b).
Faith is the only language that God understands in delivering people’s blessings into the physical realm. Rom 3:27 makes us to understand that faith is a law. ‘Where is boasting then? It is excluded. By what law? Of works? No, but by the law of faith. (Rom 3:27). In other words, faith is a principle that God cannot violate. He can give you opportunities to learn and exercise it but he cannot change the law just because of you.
I have interacted with many good Christians serving God diligently and trying to trust God for different things especially life partner, healing and financial breakthrough and it pains me that they don’t seem to understand how the power of God works to deliver what they need.
God’s power in the spiritual realm can be compared to electricity. You need to understand how it works for you to enjoy it. The fact that the power of God is present does not automatically mean that it will work. Faith is needed to plug into it and make it work. You can plug into his power right where you are now if only you can believe his word and receive what you want. The major way to switch it on and make it to start working is by having FAITH in the word of God. The fact that a good and faithful Christian is suffering does not mean that the power of God is not present in his life or that of his Pastor or his church. The person needs to plug into the power by faith.
The woman who had hemorrhage as recorded by Mark 5:25 -34, received the power of God for healing through her faith. Jesus said to her in v34, “Daughter, your faith has made you well. Go in peace, and be healed of your affliction. That means it wasn’t just the virtue that went out of Jesus that healed her, it was her faith that drew out the power. If she has touched Jesus’ dress mistakenly or absent mindedly; even though the same anointing was upon that dress, she would not have been healed. That further proves that you need the combination of your faith and the anointing of God to resolve your challenges. Thank God that even though Jesus is not here physically, the same anointing that was upon Him physically is on his word because he is the word of God. Therefore just connect your faith with the word and you will surely receive your miracle.
How to develop faith or make faith to grow strong
Faith grows by hearing, and hearing all over again the word of God that deals with the issue one is exercising faith for (Rom 10:17). For you to hear and keep hearing it all over again, it is important not just to read the scriptures or listen to sermon but to meditate on the word of God continuously.
You can hear when people speak to you but you can also hear in your heart when you read. Hearing here doesn’t mean with your outer ear alone. The emphasis on hearing and hearing here means you will not just hear or read the scriptures about the need just once (whether healing or provision or marital or financial success). You must read or hear them several times.
Speaking about healing for example, If someone is being treated by orthodox medicine, there are dosages and time schedule for taking the drugs. Some are taken two tablets morning, afternoon and night. The person who needs healing has no choice but to take them as prescribed. The word of God should be given similar chance. Take it many times a day and keep believing that you are already healed and the symptoms will disappear.
The exercise of faith has to be from your heart not your head or mind or understanding. Anything done from your head is not in faith. Faith requires following the word of God entrenched in your heart, not what your head says. ‘For with the heart man believes unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. (Rom 10:10) Faith is what is certain in your heart concerning the word of God. There are some things you are struggling to believe in your head, and sometimes doubt, you are not yet in faith concerning those things. When you hear or meditate on the word of God over and over again and it gets to a point that it becomes very real in your heart that God has done it, then you are in faith.
Your wife cannot eat for you to live healthy
The person who needs something must learn to exercise faith for himself and that means every Christian must learn to locate the word of God that deals with the issue posing as a challenge in their lives and believe that word. No matter how much you love your spouse, you cannot eat food on his/her behalf to live healthy. This is why it is difficult to exercise faith for another person including your spouse. A sister cannot use her faith to receive a husband for another sister, though she can join her in standing on the word of God. No matter the age of the person who needs a husband, she herself must believe the word of God that says ‘…..With men it is impossible, but not with God: for with God all things are possible (Mark 10:27).
Some people may not be able to exercise enough faith in the word on their own, they may need someone who is anointed to solve the particular challenge they are facing to pray for them. That is acceptable; but the person who has the need also has to switch on the power by exercising his faith. It is your faith that gives action to the power of God.
Faith is not general, it is specific for a particular need
If someone has faith in different scriptures that deals with different aspects of life, he can receive everything he believes. However, if someone has faith for only divine provision based on Philippians 4:19 that says ‘And my God shall supply all your need according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus.’ And he is not sure whether God wants her to marry she may never get married.
Exercising faith is specific. In fact, if someone has faith that he will be healed of an eye problem, and doesn’t believe that a chronic leg pain can be resolved; the pain may remain there while the eye problem is solved. You need to trust God for each thing you desire and believe that you have already received it, then, you shall experience it.
You have a measure of faith, turn it loose and receive your miracle
If you are born again, you have the ability to exercise faith for anything !!!!!!. At salvation, you were told about Jesus, you believe that it is true he came to this world, died and rose again. You repented of your sins based on that word, confessed Jesus and you became saved. You might not have felt anything but you believed, confessed and received.
In the same way, locate the word of God concerning anything you desire, believe that it is true and confess the word several times a day until you see desired result. Confess your healing, academic success, marital or financial or ministry breakthrough, or anything in line with the word of God. Confess your faith. There’s no faith without confession. As you confess your desire, faith rises up within you. ‘And since we have the same spirit of faith, according to what is written, “I believed and therefore I spoke,” we also believe and therefore speak’.
Keep saying what you desire, don’t change based on circumstances. The scriptures say in Heb 4:14 ‘Seeing then that we have a great High Priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession. And in Heb. 10:23 Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for He who promised is faithful. These two verses mean that we should keep saying the same thing no matter what is happening physically. Say that the power of God is at work in your life to deliver your desire in Jesus name. You will surely see the manifestations.
Do not ask God over and over again. Make subsequent prayers relative to what you have asked. If you have asked God for success in your business and you believe that you have received, thereafter praise God continually for the success you have received.
Conclusion: God‘s power is available all the time for all his children to solve all their problems no matter the church they attend. However, that power will not work just because they are faithful in serving God. It works based on their belief in God’s word that deal with a particular situation. You must believe that you have received a particular thing before you can see the manifestation.