Justin Matthew Reid

Bible Teachings - You will have as much faith as you will to have

Dear saints,

Romans 10:17

So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the Word of God.

Saving faith in Jesus Christ comes by first hearing His Word. When we *will* to believe the Word, we appropriate faith.

Galatians 3:2

This only would I learn of you, Received ye the Spirit by the works of the law, or by the hearing of faith?

In Acts chapter 1, Jesus Christ commands all His believers to be baptized with His Holy Spirit. Once we hear the many scriptures about receiving the BHS, we can *will* to believe that the BHS is for us. This faith will then allow us to receive!

Jude 20

But ye, beloved, building up yourselves on your most holy faith, praying in the Holy Ghost,

Once we receive the baptism of the Holy Spirit, the Spirit helps us pray (in a language we don't know), which in turn will build more faith in us. This is a continued progression of having faith in more and more areas. As we prove to God that we want His kind of faith, He is gracious to assist us in procuring more faith! The amount of faith we can potentially have is as limited as God is.

Galatians 5:22

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith,

Galatians 5:25

If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit

*If* we walk in the Spirit, we will reap some seriously good fruit. To continue in this walk, we must continue to sow the Word into our hearts. As we *will* to do that, we'll continue to grow in faith, by the Spirit.

Galatians 5:6

For in Jesus Christ neither circumcision availeth any thing, nor uncircumcision; but faith which worketh by love.

Faith works by love. What is love?

1 John 5:3

For this is the love of God, that we keep His commandments: and His commandments are not grievous.

Yes, love is obedience to the Word of God.

James 2:18

Yea, a man may say, Thou hast faith, and I have works: shew me thy faith without thy works, and I will shew thee my faith by my works.

What kind of works? Works of the law, or works of the Spirit? Well, certainly James was walking in the Spirit, as the Spirit gave him the epistle of James to write. Again, faith works by love. Faith works by obedience to the Word. Spiritual works are simply actions produced by a mind that has heard the Word of God and followed up with a will that has believed what he has heard enough to act on it. When James says that faith without Spiritual works is dead, he's stating a simple truth. God's kind of faith is more than mentally assenting to a fact. Faith without obedience isn't faith at all.

Hebrews 11:6

But without faith it is impossible to please Him: for he that cometh to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of them that diligently seek Him.

We can't please God without faith. It's impossible. Therefore our eternal destiny must lie within our own wills. God is no respecter of persons. He's not picking some to have faith and be saved and others to not have faith and be damned. He's provided the means for any man or woman to have faith in Him. We are held accountable for this moral responsibility He has implanted in each of us. We must choose to be righteous by faith in His Son, Jesus Christ.

As I was reading Galatians tonight, I was blessed as the Spirit taught me more about faith. He is the perfect teacher. The things of God are so simple. Anyone can understand His Word and then run with it!

1) It would be impossible to please God if we could not *will* to have faith.

2) You *will* have as much faith as you *will* to have.

3) Since faith comes by hearing/reading the Word and by praying (in English and in the Spirit), there is no quick fix to having faith and pleasing God. Why would we want a quick fix? To commit to serving Christ is a lifestyle for a lifetime! Let's quit saying we want to have faith and please God. Let's give Him our *wills* AND our *time* so that He can continue to develop us as willing, sold-out servants for His glory.

May God continue to make us zealous for everything that is of Him and dead to all that is not.

In Christ,
Justin

September 28th, 2006