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June 19, 2020

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Living by Faith

"Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen." Hebrews 11:1

Faith is the defining principle that activates the spiritual life of the true believer. It extends to everything revealed in God's Word and encompasses the whole of our life. It is the means by which the "just" shall live. It is to the soul what the senses are to the body. The unbeliever sees nothing, knows nothing, and cares for nothing, except what is visible, tangible, and temporal to him. His hopes, fears, joys, and sorrows are altogether carnal, the opposite of spiritual. So it was with the believer; but it is no longer, for he views all things by faith. All of the vanities of this world that once attracted him are now eclipsed by the Son of God and are excelled by a greater glory, the indwelling of the Holy Spirit, and the very presence of God Himself. A transformation wrought by the Holy Spirit (Ephesians 2:1-10)!

When faith is activated in our lives, there is a shift in our resources. They are now in God, not in us, which will revolutionize our daily walk and life. "Faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the Word of God." The more active our faith, the more abundant is its fruit. "According to your faith, it will be done unto you."

What is this faith without which we cannot please God (Hebrews 11:6)? Three things are the objects of true and saving faith: (1) God has an independent and unchanging existence. He is eternal. He always was and always will be, unchanging in His perfection. He is the same yesterday, today, and forever. (2) God is the moral governor of the Universe. He responds to those who seek Him. He observes all the ways of man, and will reward him according to his works, the fruit of his faith. "Faith without works is dead." (3) God faithfully fulfills all of His covenants to us, whether in redemption, reconciliation, restoration, or being our sufficiency in all things. He is ever faithful and true to His own.

The measure of our service will be in direct relation to our respect for His authority and in the commanding of His Word as the rule to which it is conformed. Our service is for His glory. Faith is not a mental or intellectual "assent" to the truth of His Word, but a steadfast, confident trust in the faithfulness and character of God, and in the firm belief and expectation that God will perform all that He has promised. We are assured, "He is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we can ask or even think." Faith is confident expectation based on who God is: the Creator of all things, who sustains all things, and by whom all things exist and are held together. The believer recognizes what He has done. He took our place on Calvary to pay the debt of our sin for who we were, to reconcile us to God, and to make us what He wants us to be. Faith appropriates what God has done through Jesus Christ, and applies the provisions of His Grace to all we need. He arose from the dead to make us what we are in Him. LET FAITH IN GOD BE YOUR RULE OF LIFE!

© 2007 by Ed Powell. Used by permission.


This page was reprinted by permission from: http://litmin.org/dare.php?date=2020-06-19


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