Faith is not cheap talk, faith is hard work and I mean hard work. Behind every triumphant faith is a man or woman that accepts the demand of faith.
This is because, faith is a divine partnership with God in working the supernatural, God instituted man as His contact point on earth and will also need man’s involvement in His moves on earth.
In every divine intervention or movement of God on the earth, there is always the need for human instrumentality. God requires the partnership of man to work on the earth not because He is not all powerful, but because He delegated the control of the earth to Adman – MAN
This partnership require a simple force at work – the force of faith
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. (Heb 11:6)
Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on me, the works that I do shall he do also; and greater works than these shall he do; because I go unto my Father. (Joh 14:12)
All the giants in scriptures that commanded exploits did so by seeing and partnering with the Invisible through faith.
Faith has its demands and discipline is required to comply with those demands. You must accept spiritual responsibility and play your role in this divine partnership.
Any faith that makes God absolutely responsible for the outcome of its desire is an irresponsible faith. Saying “I believe God will do it someday” is irresponsible but the faith that say “I believe God will do it because I have believed and acted on His Word” is a responsible faith.
Hear this: there is something you must do for God to step in. Among the numerous definitions of faith, faith can be defined as an active partnership with God in doing the impossible.
God has His part to play and you have your part to play. I have often said: The bible is not just a book of promises but a book of covenant (that why we have the Old and the New Testament) the word testament means covenant.
This simply implies that there is what you must do before you get what is promised.
The confirmed promises of scriptures are products of complying with the demands and instructions of scriptures (Deu 28:1)
The reason why most Christians are grounded is because have chosen to be irresponsible in their Christian lives. They expect miracles to happen out of nowhere, God is not a God of Abakabara.
The Word instructs us to work out our salvation with fear and trembling (Phil 2:12).
The Child and the Son
The Spirit of the Lord said to me some years ago “The mark of a son is responsibility”
A child always says “Give me this, do this, do that” but a son will always ask “What must I do?”
Sons and daughters in the kingdom are responsibility driven persons.
Hear this: When you and I were born again, God permits the childish attitude – the irresponsibility – “Give me this, give me that” just like a parent treat a child (Gal 4:1-2).
As you begin to grow in the Lord or as time passes by (some Christians have refuse to grow up) God then demand responsibility from you.
But is under tutors and governors until the time appointed of the father. (Gal 4:2)
For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder…... (Isa 9:6)
Isaiah 9 vs 6 say that the government shall be on His shoulders – this connotes responsibility. It is until you become a son, that responsibility comes and only sons can manifest their sonship (Rom 8:14)
When I was a child, I spake as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child: but when I became a man, I put away childish things. (1Co 13:11)
Friend, it is time to wake up and take responsibility. According to scriptures – the authentic proof of faith is word provoked action (James 2:16-22)
You never see a man that enjoys divine backing by the operation of faith that doesn’t provoke God by his actions in line with God’s Word. In every faith walk, there is what you must to prove or show that you believe God, for God to step in and confirm His Word. Faith is no cheap talk, it is hard work.
God’s Part & Man’s Part
It is important to understand this principle of God’s part and Man’s part; it will empower your faith for a flight.
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)
Let examine the above verse of scriptures
I have given into thine hand… This means that God’s part of the deal is completed. Remember Jesus said “IT IS FINISHED”
You may say “No, No, Mark, how can you say that God has done His part? Where is my blessings?, where is my promotion?…” Let show why
The Word said in Eph 1:3
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: where are they?
The answer is in the second part of Deu 2:24
….begin to possess it, and contend with him in battle.
Remember in the first part of that same verse: He said He has given you. This means that God has given you all you need (2Pe 1:3, Eph 1:3) but you have a role to play in order to receive it.
This truth was also validated in 1Tim 6:12
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.
You must the good fight of faith, if you must lay hold on the package of eternal life.
Why fight for our inheritance?
For a GREAT DOOR AND EFFECTUAL IS OPENED UNTO ME, and THERE ARE MANY ADVERSARIES. (1Co 16:9)
And from the days of John the Baptist until now the kingdom of heaven suffereth violence, and the violent take it by force. (Mat 11:12)
So friend, God has done His part, but you must exercise your faith in order to provoke the release of power that will make every adversaries of your destiny to submit.
Christianity is no funfair, it is warfare, wake up and take responsibility.
This principle can also likened to your TV antenna and the TV station. Assume your TV station is broadcasting and you can’t receive the signal, it simply means that your Antenna (receiving end) has a problem.
In the same vein, God’s giving part is on but question is this: Is your receiving end working? – Is your faith at work- acting faith?
It is time to wake up to the demand of scriptures by faith. We understand from God’s Word that the stronghold of Abraham’s faith was obedience – always doing what God says per time.
I encourage you to put childish things away like Paul and take up responsibility. In closing:
Every promise of God is available for any believer that is ready to comply with the demand of that promise. Every promise of God has a demand
And it shall come to pass, if thou shalt hearken diligently unto the voice of the LORD thy God, to observe and to do all his commandments which I command thee this day, that the LORD thy God will set thee on high above all nations of the earth: (Deu 28:1)
If ye be willing and obedient, ye shall eat the good of the land: (Isa 1:19)
Faith Stride
In this section, I will show you how to engage the word by instrumentality of faith for the delivery of the promise of God’s Word.
1. Begin In the Word of God
Before you believe God for anything, sit down with the Word of God and locate the promises that cover your area of need. Faith begins where the Word of God begins (Rom 10:17)
Personally I feel sorry for Christians that pray without the word of God in them –such prayer is annoying to me and it is bound to fail. Answer to prayer anchors on your faith and faith answer to the understanding of God’s Word (James 1:6-7, Mk 11:24)
There must be a promise of God you are standing on, that why need revelation which comes principally by the Holy Spirit, through word study and enhanced by the ministry of anointed men and women in form of preaching or books (Rom 10:16-17)
Kenneth E. Hagin of blessed memory once said that during his ministration, he normally ask the people that came to be ministered to “What promise of God’s Word are you standing on?” He said 9 of 10 will answer none in particular and He will answer them “that what you will get - nothing”
I want you to understand that the bible is not just a book – it is life, it carries the power of God within it. God’s Word is the God’s controlling valve.
Behind every successful prayer is the promise of God, because if we pray according to His Will (which is in His Word) then our petition has already been granted (1 John 5:14)
Hear this: Satan can allow you pray all day provided you are wordless because He knows you are not alarmed. In Eph 6:18 prayer is the platform for scripture warfare but the Word is the Sword of the Spirit. When you pray and you lack the Word, you can be likened to a soldier in battleground without weapon. Also without the Word in you, you lack faith and as such you lack the spiritual shield to stop all fiery darts of the devil.
Above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked. (Eph 6:16)
Basically it means that without word in you, when you pray you can be likened to a solider with weapon and without shield. This is the reason why most Christians experience more attack when they pray, because they are powerless and just making noise in the realm of the spirit.
Imagine a solider well dressed but goes into battle without his weapon – that is the height of stupidity, so why should a child of God, solider of Christ called to fight the good of faith goes into warfare without his shield and sword.
Even David when he was faced with Goliath, first went and gathered fine stone, and before you face that situation, sit down the Word and gather fine stones that will penetrate the head of the devil.
2. Acquaint Yourselves With The Demand Of The Word
Every promise of God’s Word has it own demand, don’t just take the promise and forget the demand of that promise. Hear what the Lord said in Deu 28:1-2
And it shall come to pass, if thou shalt hearken diligently unto the voice of the LORD thy God, to observe and to do all his commandments which I command thee this day, that the LORD thy God will set thee on high above all nations of the earth: And all these blessings shall come on thee, and overtake thee, if thou shalt hearken unto the voice of the LORD thy God. (Deu 28:1-2)
It is your obedience of faith that trigger the release of His blessing. So sit down and understand the demand of the promise
For instance, many have encountered worries and anxiety and decided to believe God’s Word in 1Pet 5:7
Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you. (1Pe 5:7)
They want God to help them with that issue they are facing with, but they are not ready to let go of the care.
In Ps 46:10 The Lord commanded us to be still and know I am God, but many Christians have failed to meet with its demand, they have refused to be calm and still for God to act.
For instance: if you are faced with financial problem – there are three demands: speak prosperity, find a work and be a giver, but many have failed to comply with its demand.
And it came to pass at the time of the offering of the evening sacrifice, that Elijah the prophet came near, and said, LORD God of Abraham, Isaac, and of Israel, let it be known this day that thou art God in Israel, and that I am thy servant, and THAT I HAVE DONE ALL THESE THINGS AT THY WORD. (1Ki 18:36)
The key to Elijah’s fire commanding prayer was in 1king 18:36 – that I have done all these things at thy Word. Locating the demand of scripture will help determine the faith action to take per promise.
3. Engage God by Prayer
One of the vital platform that we exercise our faith is through prayer (Mk 11:23-24). After you have located the Word of God, then present your case before God.
Produce your cause, saith the LORD; bring forth your strong reasons, saith the King of Jacob. (Isa 41:21)
Put me in remembrance: let us plead together: declare thou, that thou mayest be justified. (Isa 43:26)
When you presenting your case to God, don’t approach His throne like a child – children only ask, sons take. Approach the throne of your father boldly based on what you have discovered from His Word.
For instance, you need healing, don’t say Lord heal me of this disease, instead say Father, I thank you for your provision of divine healing, base on your Word, I receive my healing by faith. Confirm your Word in my life.
Why prayer likes this: you must understand in God’s system – there is the giving and the receiving side. Whatever God said is done and completed
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)
Note what the scriptures say: Who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessing. It didn’t say Who will bless us with all spiritual blessing, instead it say WHO HATH BLESSED US.
You may ask: where are they?
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)
God told the Israel that He has given into their hand Sihon the Amornite, king of Hesbon and his land BUT they have to possess it by fighting for it.
It is important to understand the singular truth, it will enable you pray effectively. Let’s examine an incident in God’s Word about praying in this line.
In Act 2, God sent His Spirit upon the earth as prophesied by Joel. In Act 8:15, Peter and John went down to pray the people of Samaria to receive the Holy Spirit.
They didn’t pray: “Heavenly father send your Spirit upon these new convert” or “Father, Baptize your people with your Spirit” Instead they prayed that they might receive the Holy Spirit.
Who, when they were come down, prayed for them, that they might RECEIVE the Holy Ghost: (Act 8:15)
This is because from God’s side of thing, God has done what He promised, all you need now is to begin to possess it, by contending and fighting the fight of faith in order to take hold of your inheritance (Deu 2:24, 1 Tim 6:12)
All your heavenly father has is your, take it by faith. The place of the Word is the place of faith and the place of faith is the place of authority.
Approach the throne of God with confidence and boldness and demand for your needs, not as a child begging but as a son demanding for his right on the basis of God’s Word.
Instead crying, approach His throne with your spiritual based argument. Father your Word say this and that, by that provision. This is not supposed to be so. Thank God for that provision. I declare as I step out in Faith, your Word will be manifest in my situation.
Remember God is the judge of the whole earth and He has given you an open access to His throne. Storm the throne room and make your argument from Law of God.
4. Release your Faith
And this is the confidence that we have in him, that, if we ask any thing according to his will, he heareth us: And if we know that he hear us, whatsoever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we desired of him. (1Jn 5:14-15)
According to 1 John 5:14: when you presented your case before God in accordance with God’s Word which is His will. The bible guaranteed us that our petition has been granted.
The word of God calls this assurance as confidence that we have in him. This talks about your faith in Him and in His Word.
But you must not stop at having this confidence or faith only at your heart. You must release that faith, because it by faith that you obtain good report of God’s Word.
All the blessing of God are spiritual (Eph 1:3) because God is a spirit, but it is through the operation of faith that it is made manifest on the earth.
At this stage, you must catch your net of faith in order to draw in your spiritual harvest.
You must confess what you believe in accordance with your mouth. You must make your thought pattern to align with what you believe and your action must prove the same.
For instance, you are believing for healing, You declare “I am healed because God said He took my infirmities and bore my sickness. By His stripes I am healed”
You must also fight every contradicting thought that enters your mind and bring it to captive to the knowledge of Christ. Once doubt comes, speak the word just like Jesus did: “It is written”
Remember you have two mouths, the physical mouth and inner mouth (your mind)
Once the contradictory thought like “can’t you see you are getting weak?” Don’t argue with it. Just cancel it out by forcing your thought back to the truth – “I walk by faith not by sight. Jesus took my infirmities, the healing power of God is working in me and gradually, My health will be restored.”
Finally, you must act well as much as your strength- can carry you. Stop looking and acting sickly. Start acting healthy.
5. Be Spiritual Disciplined
It is not enough to release your faith, you must keep at it. You must keep saying, you must thinking and you must keep acting it – whether you feel like it or not.
That confidence or faith in God’s Word must be keep alive until the promise manifest. Your faith is the only evidence you have for what you believe God for. If you lose it, you lose the reward,
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)
This is why – you need to be discipline and patience in your exercising of faith – You must be committed to the demand of the faith you have in God’s Word.
- You Must believe in your heart
- Your words must line up with What you believe
- Your Thought pattern must align with what you believe.
- Your action, countenance must align with the Word you believe.
This is why faith is no cheap talk, but hard work. Abraham waited for the promise of God for 25years and the bible said in Heb 6:15
And so, after he had patiently endured, he obtained the promise. (Heb 6:15)
And while he was waiting, He was committed to the demands of that faith.
And being not weak in faith, he considered not his own body now dead, when he was about an hundred years old, neither yet the deadness of Sara's womb: He staggered not at the promise of God through unbelief; but was strong in faith, giving glory to God; (Rom 4:19-20)
It is my prayer that grace to not only comply with the demands of faith but to stay with it until the promise is delivered be released upon this day.