Many people take faith to mean faith in God or faith in Jesus Christ. I will not and cannot disagree with this at all but will share what faith really is and what the Bible says about it. Faith merely means belief (dictionary.com). Each definition they gave had the word belief in it, because to have faith means to believe in something or someone. We can probably all recite the scripture how faith is the substance of things hoped for, and the evidence of things not seen (Hebrews 11 v1). Not a single Christian has seen everlasting life, but we believe in eternal life (substance hoped for) because it is written it will come to pass (evidence not seen).
So clearly, what does the Bible say about faith? To have faith in someone we must have confidence and trust in that person or thing. The Bible says to trust in the Lord our God with all our mind and not to depend on our own understanding of things (Proverbs 3 v5). When we trust in God, we have faith in Him to deliver on all that He says He will do. However, we have to show we trust or believe in Him. An example of faith is the old sacrificial laws of killing the lamb or goat for sin offerings. Now that Jesus Christ has become the official sin offering sacrifice, and the blood of bulls and goats cannot remove sin; the continuance of killing an animal for sins would show a lack of faith in Jesus.
Why?
Because the Jesus is the lamb of God that was slain and has become our sin offering. If someone says we all must bring food to a potluck and you suggest to bring the cake; and someone else brings a cake because they believed you will either forget or select a bad cake, they have shown a lack of trust and faith in you. In these examples, I wish to show how faith is always followed by works (James 2 v17).
Now it is important to walk by faith, especially when we talk about eternal life in the Kingdom of God. We must walk by faith and not sight because we do not see the actual kingdom, except in ourselves by doing the things it takes to get access into the kingdom of God.
We can also have faith in things we wish to see completed in the earth. If your health is challenged, you can pray to the Father in Jesus name for healing doubting nothing but the end result. Asking in faith, that is in the strong belief you will receive, then you will receive (James 1 v6). Jesus did many things for people based on their belief that He was able to do this for them through the power of God the Father (Matthew 9 v29). If they did not believe, He could not help them. We have to really think about this carefully. If you do not believe in something or you do not believe a matter can be done, it will not be done and nor come to fruition for you. Jesus told us to have faith in God and we will be able to do all things. If we do not doubt, but believe that what He says will come to pass, it will be done (Mark 11 v22-24).
Faith is belief and by belief in something we must take some action, otherwise known as works. Even the lottery player has to at least go buy a ticket to play before he can bring to pass his faith in winning a million dollars. Have faith in all things you do to the glory of God and have faith in God and His Christ. God bless you today in the mighty name of Jesus. Amen
Jamal Warner
BibleStudyMinistry.com
Have Faith In God was a great subject, I have been preaching this for the last seventeen years, faith without works is dead (James 2). Jesus can do anything but fail. It is according to your faith in Jesus to do the impossible through you, that is when it becomes a miracle. I tell people all the time the lottery is not evil, God owns everything and everybody and he can do what He choose (Psalm 24). Money is not evil itself, only when we consume it for our own selfish lust (Ecclesiastes 5; 1 Timothy 6) . We need money to win soul and build his church, which is people.
Hey Mary, Amen to you, keep doing the ministry of God and God bless you.