A Nugget from New Life Network
(by Dr. Larry Ollison)
Scripture for the Day (December 21, 2016)
For we walk by faith, not by sight. (2 Cor. 5:7)
When we study faith in the Word of God, we find many truths.
First, we find that according to the Bible, faith is required to be saved. The Bible says in Ephesians 2:8, “For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God.”
Secondly, we find that faith is required to please God. Hebrews 11:6 says,”Without faith it is impossible to please Him.”
Thirdly, we find that the prayer of faith will heal the sick. James 5:15 says, “And the prayer of faith will save the sick and the Lord will raise him up.”
And lastly, we find that a man who doesn’t pray in faith shouldn’t expect to receive anything from the Lord. James 1:6-7 says, “But let him ask in faith, with no doubting, for he who doubts is like a wave of the sea driven and tossed by the wind. For let not that man suppose that he will receive anything from the Lord.”
We also see that according to Romans 14:23, anything that is not of faith is sin, and we find in Hebrews 4:2 that the gospel did not profit some who heard the gospel because they did not mix it with faith in their hearts. Also John 5:4 says that “Whatever is born of God overcomes the world. And this is the victory that has overcome the world, our faith.”
With all these verses we find that:
1) We are saved by faith.
2) We are healed by faith.
3) We need faith to please God.
4) If we don’t pray in faith, we shouldn’t expect to receive anything.
5) Anything that is not of faith is sin.
6) The gospel is only profitable to those who mix it with faith.
7) Faith is our victory that overcomes the world.
Too often ministers tell us what we need without telling us how to get it. So, with this in mind, I would like to give you briefly the four building blocks of faith.
Block #1 – We must know that God cannot lie. This is the most important fact concerning faith. If we believe that it is remotely possible that God could lie, then doubt exists. Where there is doubt, there is no faith. Only by believing that God cannot lie can we trust Him completely. Hebrews 6:18 and Titus 1:2 both tell us that it is impossible for God to lie and that is the first building block of faith.
Block #2 – We must know the Word of God. If we believe that God does not lie and only speaks truth, then we must know what it is He says. We find this by reading His Word, the Holy Bible. Romans 10:17 says, “So then faith comes by hearing and hearing by the Word of God.”
Block #3 – We must speak the Word of God. Jesus said we are to speak to the mountain (Mark 11:23). According to the Bible, our words are to contain faith. Jesus didn’t think to the storm to calm it, He spoke to it (Mark 4:39).
Block #4 – We must act on the Word of God. James 1:22 says that those who hear the Word and do not do it deceive themselves and James 2:17 says that “faith without works is dead.”
So, it’s this way. To have faith we must believe God, know what He said in His Word, speak the Word, and act on what we speak. That’s faith!
