In the past issues, I have written extensively on the doubt. In this issue, I will address on standing strong in faith in the midst of unbelief.
Violent and active faith is the principal cure for the doubt, when you grow in faith, then doubt will reduce and vanishes.
According to scripture, only little faith is prone to doubt (Math 14:31) great faith is never prone to doubt. Therefore a synopsis on the operation of faith is essential and necessary.
What is really faith?
It is essential to start with what is really faith.
Faith is the Confidence in God and His Word
Confidence in God’s ability and what His Word says is the bedrock of faith. It is being persuaded that what God has promise He will perform or make good.
Many claim to believe God’s Word from Genesis to Revelation, but they only possess a mental assent- that is I agree syndrome but when challenges and trials come, the true state of their heart is revealed.
This confidence is rooted in the heart. The Lord once spoke to me saying “where you heart goes to when problem arise is the pointer of where your heart and confidence is”
This confidence in God (faith) according to scriptures carries a great recomponce of reward.
Cast not away therefore your confidence, which hath great recompence of reward. (Heb 10:35)
Faith is a divine instrumentality that connect humanity to divinity
In Mark 9:23, Jesus said unto him, If thou canst believe, all things are possible to him that believeth, and in Mark 10:27 And Jesus looking upon them saith, With men it is impossible, but not with God: for with God all things are possible.
Base on the above scriptures, I define faith as divine instrumentality that connects humanity to divinity for a change of story.
Think about it, with man it is not possible, but with God all things are possible (Mk 10:27) and all things are possible by faith (Mk 9:23). This means that faith connect man to God thereby making the impossible possible.
Faith is Action provoked by the Word
According to scripture, the only thing that validates our faith is our action – acting in line with what we claim we believe in our heart. David O. Oyedepo once said that faith without proof is fake.
Even so faith, if it hath not works, is dead, being alone. 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. (Jas 2:17-18)
How Do We Exercise Our Faith?
Faith just like every other spiritual force has it mode of expression, It is not just saying I believe, your faith must be acted or expressed. Kenneth E. Hagin of Blessed Memory referred it to as releasing your faith. Until your faith is released, it never displays its power. According to scriptures faith is released in the following ways:
Words
our mouth is the principal avenue of releasing faith, what you say determine whether you believe or not.
For verily I say unto you, That whosoever shall say unto this mountain, Be thou removed, and be thou cast into the sea; and shall not doubt in his heart, but shall believe that those things which he saith shall come to pass; he shall have whatsoever he saith. (Mar 11:23)
We having the same spirit of faith, according as it is written, I believed, and therefore have I spoken; we also believe, and therefore speak; (2Co 4:13)
For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.
(Rom 10:10)
Faith is of the heart (Rom 10:7-10, Mk 11:23) and the Word said that out of the abundance of the heart, the mouth speak. Your confession of faith is principal way to release your faith.
Please note that a closed mouth is a closed destiny. Whatever you are believing God for according to His promise, confess it and God will confirm it.
It is important to note that there are two mouths recognized in scripture:
- The outer mouth (Luk 21:15)
- The Inner Mouth – your thinking (Math 9:21) The Word speak about the woman with issue of blood, the woman said within herself. What you say within your heart and with your mouth weighs the same before God. (Eph 3:20)
Action
Some years ago, I wrote down certain quotes of faith by the inspiration of the Spirit.
What you say commit God, but it is action that provoke God to confirm His Word.
It is not enough to say, you must extend to the point of acting it.
Even so faith, if it hath not works, is dead, being alone. 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. (Jas 2:17-18)
The Church has reduced faith to just mere confession; but faith is work- hard work.
In James 2:19, the Word said that even the devils believe to a point of trembling and In James 2:20: the Word made us to understand that the faith of our father Abraham was justified (approved) by his action.
Many claim to believe God for healing, yet they still act sickly and they except God to confirm His Word – that is not faith.
If you take time and study the healing that took place in the ministry of Jesus, you will notice that virtually everyone He healed was healed by faith. They all acted on the instruction of Jesus – that is faith.
The only thing that proves that you believe God is your action. People can say anything they want to get what they want but it is what they do after that matters.
Early in the morning of the day, I wrote this issue. After my morning study and devotion, I noticed this unusual weakness and tiredness in my body. After struggling with for 2 hours with sleeping, yet no way, I then decided to engage by faith in God’s Word against it- confessed the Word of God over myself and rebuke the weakness and took a shot of the anointing oil.
Instead of lying down, I decided to took a walk – as a sign of my faith - because strong and health don’t sleep in the morning when they have other things to attended to. Glory to God, the weakness disappeared. I can share testimonies upon testimonies of the validity of faith expressed through action.
Faith Wave
Now you have an understanding of what faith is and how it can be released. In this section, I will be showing you how to fight the good fight of faith – fighting through doubt and challenges to your desired liberty and victory.
1. Possess a Warfare Mentality
Christianity is no funfair but warfare, every child of God is born again to win over the battles of life. A life void of battles is an illusion and don’t exist. The Word didn’t promise trials wouldn’t come, but it guarantees that you will be triumphant.
We are called to warfare
For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places. (Eph 6:12)
The devil don’t want you to lay hold on what God has in stock for you, that is why whenever your faith comes alive in any promise and package of God, he brings doubt so as to stop you.
Don’t be deceived, the devil hates you and all he desires for humanity is destruction. John 10:10 reveals his 3 fold mission
The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly. (Joh 10:10)
And the dragon was wroth with the woman, and went to make war with the remnant of her seed, which keep the commandments of God, and have the testimony of Jesus Christ.
(Rev 12:17)
You must understand that God has blessed you with all spiritual blessings and everything you need for your journey on the earth
Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ: (Eph 1:3)
ACCORDING AS HIS DIVINE POWER HATH GIVEN UNTO US ALL THINGS THAT PERTAIN UNTO LIFE AND GODLINESS, through the knowledge of him that hath called us to glory and virtue: (2Pe 1:3)
You may ask, if the Lord has given me all things, then where are they? Understand that in receiving from God, there is the Giving side (God’s part) and the receiving side (man’s part)
Rise ye up, take your journey, and pass over the river Arnon: behold, I have given into thine hand Sihon the Amorite, king of Heshbon, and his land: begin to possess it, and contend with him in battle. (Deu 2:24)
Note from the verse above that God said He has given them but they still have the responsibility to possess the land.
Just like a radio station and your radio antenna. The radio station transmit radio signal (that is the giving side) but that is not enough to connect, your radio antenna has to connect with signal (that is the receiving end)
Since the devil don’t want you to receive what God has given to you, he decide to block your blessings just like he did to Daniel in Dan 10
For a great door and effectual is opened unto me, and there are many adversaries. (1Co 16:9)
That is why the word admonishes us to fight the good fight of faith
Fight the good fight of faith, lay hold on eternal life, whereunto thou art also called, and hast professed a good profession before many witnesses. (1Ti 6:12)
The above simply means fight the good fight of faith that you may lay hold on what eternal life has to offer…
Your victory is guarantee (1John 5:4) but you must fight, so as you exercise your faith and the devil brings challenges and doubt your way, fight back. You are stronger than him because greater is He that is in you than he that is in the world.
Devil is no gentleman, so be violent, you are solider of Christ, don’t disagree Him. Possess a warfare mentality. Only the violent will take it by force.
The devil has no atom of compassion in him, stand and fight him, he is not stronger than you.
Stay In the Word
The Word of God is referred to as the Sword of the Spirit (Eph 6:17), there is an error that I have seen among believers, whenever they are faced with challenges and obstacles instead of staying rich with the Word of God and prayer, they go about seeking for sympathy.
Understand that the devil want you down, so always load yourself with your spiritual armory. Yes you might be a student of the Word but you still need to stay full and recharge.
Make your environment too hot for the devil by the reason of the quality of the Word in you, so that every direction he follows, he will encounter the two edged sword – IT IS WRITTEN.
If you have noticed, in any long duration sports/games, there are times for break – these times are times of refreshing and re-energizing not a time to chat. So stay recharged and loaded with the Word, pray in the Spirit, keep your spirit man energized and alert.
Violent Exercise Your Faith
In the physical, usage of natural resource result to deplicts but the in the Kingdom of God, usage result to growth and increase (Heb 5:14)
The more you exercise your faith, the more it’s dominion in your life increase and as it grows, fear and doubt fades away like darkness. Release your faith by confessing and by acting in line with God’s Word you believe. As you exercise it, it grows
Kenneth E. Hagin of Blessed Memory put it this way “Your faith can never arise above your confession”
One of my respected mentors of blessed memory: Smith Wigglesworth “Great Faith is born out of great trial”
Release your faith violently, there is no gentlemen in war, so put aside that gentleman Christianity, it has no place in the army of God – God don’t want you warm, He want you hot – ablaze with His Power – a sharp threshing tool.
Only the violent will take their portion by force. When the devil comes, exercise your faith violent. You can take back what someone took from you with gentleness; no you take it back with violence or force. The man of God David …
Personally, whenever the devil comes so hard, I will purposely burst into laughter (even if I don’t feel like laughing)
In Isa 37: Rabshakeh, the messenger of the King of Assyria threatened Israel with mighty word but hear the Word of the Lord in verse 22
This is the word which the LORD hath spoken concerning him; THE VIRGIN, THE DAUGHTER OF ZION, HATH DESPISED THEE, AND LAUGHED THEE TO SCORN; THE DAUGHTER OF JERUSALEM HATH SHAKEN HER HEAD AT THEE. (Isa 37:22)
You are of Zion, the bride of Jesus – so go on, laugh the devil to scorn, despise him – he is just a bulldog without teeth. He is like a roaring lion but he is not a lion. Jesus is the Lion of the Tribe of Judah and you as a child of God is a part of that Lion. Praise God.
You are born overcomer because whatever is born of God overcome the world (1 John5:4). You have power to mess the devil up and walk out free (Luk 10:19), Jesus made you a devil master (Mk 16:17)
Stand Strong Like Valiant Men
…ye are strong, and the word of God abideth in you, and ye have overcome the wicked one. (1 Jn 2:14)
Stand strong like strong men, when you begin to exercise your faith, the devil will bring bad stories, bad news and challenges –all in the quest to discourage you from exercise your faith.
Hear the Word of God “you can do nothing against the truth but for the truth”
Some years ago – the Spirit of the Lord said to me “The Word of God is the fact, anything that contradict the Word are mere hypothesis and are bound to fail”
The devil know he can stop God from honoring your faith in His Word because He is too faithful to fail, so the devil decide to try you and stop that faith.
The Spirit of the Lord said to me that whenever your faith is on the verge of triumph, the devil increase his attack so as to stop you.
In Math 14:27-31: the Peter exercised his faith to walk on water to where Jesus was. He was doing well but on the verge of getting to where Jesus was, the bible recorded that wind became boisterous and he was afraid and started sinking.
Many people have lost out of their healing and blessing because of this, refuse to bow in defeat, don’t be a ungrateful child – whom God has loaded with virtue and still fail.
If you fail, the devil will laugh at you, stand up and fight. If the devil want it hot, then give it to him hot. Your victory is sure – hear what the word of the Lord has to say
Cast not away therefore your confidence, which hath great recompence of reward. For ye have need of patience, that, after ye have done the will of God, ye might receive the promise. For yet a little while, and he that shall come will come, and will not tarry. Now the just shall live by faith: but if any man draw back, my soul shall have no pleasure in him. (Heb 10:35-38)
When the devil increases his attack, increase your own attack, don’t play defensive, be on the attack mode. You are more loaded than him.
Luk 21:15 For I will give you a mouth and wisdom, which all your adversaries shall not be able to gainsay nor resist.
Refuse to bow – engage the blood of Jesus, the fire of the Holy Spirit, the anointing oil, the name of Jesus, the Sword of the Spirit.
In my personal life, whenever I experience delay of setback – I engage what I call hit him fast and hard, this simply mean hit him at every given opportunity you have and hit him so hard – hit as if it the last chance you have to hit the devil.
Stand strong, your victory is on the way, God is not man, remembers His Word in Heb 10:35-38.
God boasted with Job and Job didn’t fail God, probably God is boasting with you – see my son, see my daughter- see how strong is he/she is standing on My Word. I am proud of him/her.
Make your heavenly Father proud.
Be Gone, Unbelief; My Saviour Is Near
Here is an inspiring hymn titled “Be Gone, Unbelief; My Saviour Is Near”
Be gone, unbelief, my Savior is near
And for my relief will surely appear
By prayer, let me wrestle and He will perform
With Christ in the vessel, I simile at the storm
Though dark be my way, since He is my Guide
Tis mine to obey, tis His to provide
Though Cisterns be broken and creatures all fail
The Word He hath Spoken shall surely prevail.