The Power of Faith

Of course there is nothing really “magic” about faith, except that the results of it are so remarkable that it appears to be as magic to the eye of the uninitiated. Faith is power that brought the worlds into existence. Faith is the power that changes the impossible to the possible. Faith turns defeat into victory, sickness into health, darkness into light and dreams into reality. Now God has given a measure of His faith to every born-again man or woman. And all may use it if they will (2 Peter 1:1-4). Indeed, even the nominal Christians are exercising human faith in the natural and psychic spheres. Jesus once said, “The children of the world are in their generation wiser than the children of light (Luke 16:8).” Not wiser in eternity, of course, but wiser for the time in which they live. His words have a strange application today in the cults that invoke the laws of faith which properly belong only to the children of God! They have bravely moved into the faith realm, using that power in the lower sphere for material benefits, without reference to spiritual things. For faith produces results as well as the spiritual sphere. A similar recipe was used by the magicians of Pharaoh when they were able to duplicate some of the miracles wrought by Moses. However, there were definite limits to where they could go. (Exodus 7:9-21; 8:5-19) The Lord has offered His followers all that cults can offer and thousand times more. Jesus Christ not only promised life more abundantly in this time, but in the world to the come, life everlasting. Satan suffers his greatest blow when a soul accepts Christ as their Savior. He, Satan, is therefore determined to keep that person from obtaining his rights as a believer. While Satan permits the false cults to teach their followers that they can all have an abundance of material things such as: health, happiness, and prosperity—conversely, the enemy is poised to delude Christians into believing that God makes sick and that they must suffer disease for His glory. The further delusion is that they must struggle through life in perpetual poverty, and failure should be the lot of the Christian. Christ has given to His people the use of His Name by which they can appropriate all that they need. There is indeed a heavenly magic in that Name! The believer who sets a faith course, who assumes a life attitude of believing, will find that things will continually work out in his favor instead of against him. We are not speaking of faith operating in the psychological realm; we are referring to the faith that operates in the spiritual realm. There is an important distinction to be made. Some have said that is does not matter what you believe, just so you believe. This is as false as can be. True faith is faith in God’s promises. It is faith in the name of Jesus. “What things so ever you desire, when you pray, believe you receive them, and you shall have them (Mark 11:24).” Apostolic ministry therefore is basically designed as a faith ministry by God. It is not to be confused with the religious culture operations of mental accent. Rather, this power comes from another source—the Lord Jesus Christ. Through the use of His Name, He has given us power that transcends and goes beyond all other powers. What tremendous power is represented in that Name! Jesus has placed on our shoulders eminent power. The Apostles used the Name without abandonment, and it should be done so today by us. What does it mean to use the “Name of Jesus”? It means that we have power of attorney; we have the authority to use all the might back of that name. All that Christ could do when He was on Earth can now be done by the believer who uses His Name in faith. This is the reason that Christ said the believer would do the works that He did and even greater works (John 14:12). The blind have been made to see, the deaf to hear, and the lame to walk. Even death has given way before that Name. Praying the Name of Jesus means the believer is acting as representative of the acended Christ and is using His (Jesus’) authority to fulfill His will on Earth. Through it, He has power to deliver humanity that is bound and in the toils of Satan. This is truly the Apostolic Doctrine. (Mark 11:22-24) Here is the revealed secret of faith--the means by which the power behind the Name can be released. This is what all humanity was designed by God to reveal. The power and authority in Jesus Name. Faith does not look at circumstances and conditions, but rather, it sees the promises of God. Christ spoke these words in connection with the cursing of the fig tree (Matt 21:19). He was hungry, and expected fruit from a tree that was supposed to have fruit. Likewise, shouldn't our faith bear us substance in spite of the forecast in the natural realm? Do we not all run for the same prize? That prize, which is to be able to declare a thing in the likeness of our Redeemer? The prize of the high calling that is in Christ Jesus. Yes, the spirit-filled believer must look past these things and focus on the Word of God—which beholds the promises. The believer must believe they receive, and later the hand of faith will bring the promise into the natural realm. Jesus did not look at the leaves of the fig tree after He cursed it. By the eye of faith He saw the roots dry up. We must remember that faith is only faith when we don’t feel anything more or see anything. This is the only time we can exercise faith. Faith is not some mysterious thing—working up some strange feeling. It is the irrevocable decision of the soul (mind, will, emotions) to base its belief upon what God has said. That is the secret: visualize the answer. A believer must be first be a partaker of the Fruit of the Spirit (Gal 5:22). If he or she believes in divine healing, one ought to claim that promise for their household. They should stand on God’s Word which declares that He (God) should, “bless thy bread, and thy water; and I will take sickness away from the midst of thee (Exodus 23:25 KJV).” It is true however, Satan will contest every new step of faith, but the fruit of the victory are sweet and worth the cost a thousand times over. God intends that His children should be financially solvent (3 John 2). What a mess to see a Christian slinking away from creditors. In such cases, the believer has lost their dignity. As a child of God, let him claim the promise. The child of God has been granted immense power and authority. The believer must ask the Holy Spirit where is the stoppage and blockage to expected manifestation and must be on the alert. A Christian carries the shield of faith in front; therefore, he or she must keep the line of defense intact at all time. By using this shield, they can withstand all the fiery darts of the enemy. To live in the realm of faith means we must day by day stay close to God. As we abide in His presence and maintain an unswerving attitude of faith, we shall find things working together for us rather than against us.