What is Faith?

Hebrews 11:1 Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.

Our faith is in YeHoVaH and in Messiah Yeshua whom YeHoVaH sent.  Our faith is that we believe in the Messiah who is able to save us.  We are to have the faith OF Yeshua.  This means that like Yeshua, we MUST comply with the Will and Commands of YeHoVaH.

What causes or produces Faith?

Romans 10:17 So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of Elohim.

• Hearing the Word
• Remembering the Word
• Speaking the Word
• Standing on the Word
• Living the Word
• Being a doer of the Word
• Trials and tribulations

  You will know a person’s faith by their works.  Faith without works is dead.

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.

James 2:26 For as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also.

How do we add to our faith?

There are character traits that we need to add to our faith.  The Bible says that if we do these things, we will never fall.  We will never stumble.  If we add these things to our faith, our salvation will be sure.

2 Peter 1:5-10 And beside this, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue; and to virtue knowledge; And to knowledge temperance; and to temperance patience; and to patience godliness; And to godliness brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness charity.  For if these things be in you, and abound, they make you that ye shall neither be barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Yeshua Messiah.  But he that lacketh these things is blind, and cannot see afar off, and hath forgotten that he was purged from his old sins.  Wherefore the rather, brethren, give diligence to make your calling and election sure: for if ye do these things, ye shall never fall:

Adding to our faith is a continual educational process because we are all tested in our faith walk.  If you don’t grow in faith, you will be unfruitful.

Galatians 5:22-23 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law.

Hebrews 10:38 Now the just shall live by faith: but if any man draw back, my soul shall have no pleasure in him.

Our spiritual walk is very similar to our physical walk.  You don’t pass on to the next spiritual or grade level unless you can demonstrate that you have learned the materials at the current level.  If you don’t know the materials, you must repeat that level.  This failure phenomenon has often been called “going around the mountain … again!”  We don’t want to keep going around the same mountain due to a lack of adding to our faith.

Hebrews 6:12 That ye be not slothful, but followers of them who through faith and patience inherit the promises.

How do we perfect our Faith?

Perfection doesn‘t mean being a perfectionist.  It is the idea of our faith maturing in Messiah.

Ephesians 4:13 Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of Elohim, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Messiah:

1 Thessalonians 3:10 Night and day praying exceedingly that we might see your face, and might perfect that which is lacking in your faith?

Perfecting our faith is a journey that we start and endure until the end.  This journey consists of diligently seeking the Almighty.  As you grow, the more He grows you!  If we lose focus, we will give in to some of the myriad of temptations in this world.  We become whatever we do not resist. 

Matthew 24:13 But he that shall endure unto the end, the same shall be saved.

Live your faith. Before you can share your faith with others, you must first live it. We must live what He is doing in our lives, and we must share what He has done through our testimonies. We must do what we have been instructed, not just talk what we have heard! We must demonstrate our faith. We have to demonstrate the power of YeHoVaH in our lives. What is the point in having power if you can’t demonstrate the power?

2 Corinthians 5:7 (For we walk by faith, not by sight:)

Galatians 3:11 But that no man is justified by the law in the sight of Elohim, it is evident: for, The just shall live by faith.

Why do we need Faith?

YeHoVaH gave man faith to be able to please Him.  The very nature of faith is the ability to believe in that, which is unseen.  When we trust in YeHoVaH for that which is yet unseen or not manifested, He causes it to manifest or to become visible.  You don’t need faith to obtain that which you already have.  Without faith, it is impossible to please YeHoVaH.  You see, Father wants you to please Him.  That’s why He gave us faith.

Hebrews 11:6 But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to Elohim must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.

Ephesians 2:8 For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of Elohim:

Galatians 3:26 For ye are all the children of Elohim by faith in Messiah Yeshua.

Revelation 14:12 Here is the patience of the saints: here are they that keep the commandments of Elohim, and the faith of Yeshua.

Doubt and faith conflict with one another.

James 1:6 But let him ask in faith, nothing wavering. For he that wavereth is like a wave of the sea driven with the wind and tossed.

Hebrews 10:23 Let us hold fast the profession of our faith without wavering; (for he is faithful that promised;)

To doubt is to waiver, or not believe.  To have faith is to believe.  Many factors can cause or produce doubt.

Additional Scripture References:

• Proverbs 28:20
• Habakkuk 2:4
• Matthew 25:21
• Luke 8:48
• Luke 17:5
• John 20:27
• Romans 5:1
• Romans 5:2
• 1 Corinthians 2:5
• Ephesians 6:16
• 1 Thessalonians 5:8
• Hebrews 6:1
• Hebrews 11:1-3
• James 1:3
• James 5:15 

There can be no remission of sin without repentance!

For believers, doubt and belief should not cohabitate.

To doubt is to waiver, to not believe. Faith is to believe.

We have to learn how to respectfully disagree, even to agree to disagree.

You don’t have to defend yourself from ignorant people!

If you take the Scriptures literal, then you might become literate. If you don’t take the Scriptures literal, maybe it is because you are illiterate.

There are a lot of deceived believers who know what the word says, but they are not doing what the word says.

Some people’s minds are closed. They believe what they believe, no matter what you say.

Until next time… Blessings to You and Yours,

Sharon