Faith matters. Faith is the constant, abiding trust in something. True faith is the constant, abiding trust in God Himself.
By that we mean faith toward God, not faith in our feelings, our circumstances or other people, even leaders.
True faith is in the present tense as distinguished from hope, which is future-oriented.
Faith comes after repentance and is of the heart, not of the mind.
Where Is Your Faith?
Some of us are able to believe wholeheartedly more readily than others.
I have been through some major disappointments in my life, and I have had to bring those disappointments to God so that He could readjust and refresh my faith.
I am sure I am not alone.
I have come to this conclusion: I am not going to lower the bar of my expectation or faith just because of my present (temporary, difficult) circumstances.
By the grace of God, I am going to keep growing in faith as long as I live.
Faith comes and keeps on coming.
What Is God’s Word to You?
Faith in God gives us the ability to believe His Word and to appropriate it in our lives.
The importance of faith can be seen in the fact that it is impossible to please God without it.
As the author of Hebrews wrote: “And without faith it is impossible to please God, for he who comes to God must believe that He exists and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him” (Heb. 11:6).
We can believe and have faith in God because of who He is. Not only is God’s Word true, but God Himself is trustworthy.
He cannot lie.
When we put our whole trust in Him, we will not be disappointed.
Faith makes a difference in our confidence to be able to receive and gain access to the revelatory ways of God.
Faith Defined in Hebrews 11:1
“Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen” (NASB1995).
“Now faith is the confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see” (NIV).
“What is faith? It is the confident assurance that something we want is going to happen. It is the certainty that what we hope for is waiting for us, even though we cannot see it up ahead” (TLB).
Faith is a present reality, and faith is a certainty.
“Conviction” means it is proof of evidence, whether the evidence can be seen or not at the present moment.
How can we have much certainty in such an uncertain world? How can we live in a present reality of certainty while humankind exercises free will?
We can have certainty because of faith. Faith itself is the certainty.
Faith is my anchor even though my boat does rock and toss on the waves of this stormy world.
The Certainty of God’s Word
Faith is so sure because it is based upon the Word of God.
Consequently, our faith comes by hearing the message of the Word, the message of Christ Jesus Himself. “So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God” (Rom. 10:17, MEV).
Nothing—nothing—is more absolutely certain than the Word of God:
“He did not waver at the promise of God through unbelief, but was strong in faith, giving glory to God, and being fully persuaded that what God had promised, He was able to perform” (Rom. 4:20-21).
“So shall My word be that goes forth from My mouth; it shall not return to Me void, but it shall accomplish that which I please, and it shall prosper in the thing for which I sent it” (Isa. 55:11).
What Are You Believing God For?
As we approach 2020, we are moving from promises revealed to promises fulfilled.
What are the promises that you are believing God for?
Don’t lose heart. Faith is the assurance of things hoped for.
It’s time to root our faith in the Word of God and who He is.
He will fulfill His word to you—every time. {eoa}
James W. Goll is the president of God Encounters Ministries and has traveled around the world sharing the love of Jesus, imparting the power of intercession, prophetic ministry and life in the Spirit. He has recorded numerous classes with corresponding study guides and is the author of more than 40 books, including The Seer, The Lost Art of Intercession, The Coming Israel Awakening and The Lifestyle of a Prophet. James is the father of four wonderful children, with a growing number of grandchildren, and makes his home in Franklin, Tennessee.
For the original article, visit godencounters.com.
Joyce Meyer 
Stephen Strang 
Charisma Media Staff 
