(1 Cor 12:9 NRSV) to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healing by the one Spirit,
(Rom 12:3 NRSV) For by the grace given to me I say to everyone among you not to think of yourself more highly than you ought to think, but to think with sober judgment, each according to the measure of faith that God has assigned.
The manifestation of Faith, what is it. Over the years and in the age we now live in this is a word that has lost its true meaning. Due to many of today’s religious leaders this is something I feel is blown way out of proportion. There are many terms for what faith is today. By some, you would think there are many levels of faith. Some are made to feel like they do not have enough faith and spend years and many methods to get more faith. Others are told they could do anything because they have great faith. So what is this faith that God gives? What is a manifest faith that the spirit only chooses to move upon people as it sees fit? To start I want to make clear what I feel faith is not, then take a look by scripture what faith is.
Faith is not creative. Your mind maybe able to conceive an invention and you can speak it all you want for years but that will never create anything. As Solomon said, there is nothing new under the sun. Only God can speak something into existents where there is nothing. Through out the Bible there is no example nor is there in the history of anybody that created something out of nothing. I know there are many teachers that will say our words can create, but biblically this is not true. Only by twisting scripture can you make it seem so.
Faith can not stand alone. Faith is not a person or thing; it only works in conjunction with something else. Like James put it. (James 2:26 NRSV) For just as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is also dead. Faith has to be put into something or made active by action. There are people who think that just because they think they have faith they can just sit down confessing by faith, but doing nothing. Guess what they get for their efforts? Nothing! You can confess all year long you are going to lose weight, but if you do not change what you eat and get up and exercise you are not going to change a thing.
Faith is not supernatural. Faith is not a special power given by God to perform anything. Faith will not fill in places where you are lacking. Faith mixed with anything does not make it work better. It will not make your words and wishes come to pass. Having faith will not make you any smarter, richer, or stronger. Faith can not go out and grab something and bring it to you. You will not step out your door one day and move mountains out of your way or dry up trees because they did not have fruit on them. Having faith will not make you instantly a better person. Just because you confess faith doe not mean all troubles will leave you or healings will instantaneously come.
What is faith and why does God give it to us and what to manifest it through us? To find these answers we need only look into God’s own word.
(Heb 10:35-39 NRSV) Do not, therefore, abandon that confidence of yours; it brings a great reward. {36} For you need endurance, so that when you have done the will of God, you may receive what was promised. {37} For yet "in a very little while, the one who is coming will come and will not delay; {38} but my righteous one will live by faith. My soul takes no pleasure in anyone who shrinks back." {39} But we are not among those who shrink back and so are lost, but among those who have faith and so are saved.
(Heb 11:1-3 NRSV) Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen. {2} Indeed, by faith our ancestors received approval. {3} By faith we understand that the worlds were prepared by the word of God, so that what is seen was made from things that are not visible.
I know a lot of people like to quote Heb. 11.1, but by itself is so easily twisted and misunderstood. If you were to read the Bible in the flow it was meant to be you would see, faith is something to be place in someone or something. That someone should be God. Faith is the root of faithful, or you could say steadfast, hope, confidence. In the context and flow of the above scripture the writer is telling believers that no matter what happens we need to have confidence, hope in, and remain faithful to God. Faith is having assurance that even if we do not see yet what God has promised, we will see it if we do not fall back. This is what will get God’s attention in your situation. By completely trusting God, we can understand Him and trust that he created all things, even when the pressure is on us like today that would cause us to doubt. All the examples of great men and women in the Bible put their very lives on the line in their faith in God. Why is that important? Read verse six of Hebrews eleven.
(Heb 11:6 NRSV) And without faith it is impossible to please God, for whoever would approach him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who seek him.
(2 Pet 1:4-9 NRSV) Thus he has given us, through these things, his precious and very great promises, so that through them you may escape from the corruption that is in the world because of lust, and may become participants of the divine nature. {5} For this very reason, you must make every effort to support your faith with goodness, and goodness with knowledge, {6} and knowledge with self-control, and self-control with endurance, and endurance with godliness, {7} and godliness with mutual affection, and mutual affection with love. {8} For if these things are yours and are increasing among you, they keep you from being ineffective and unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. {9} For anyone who lacks these things is nearsighted and blind, and is forgetful of the cleansing of past sins.
Faith in God will cause us to truly walk in obedience to God’s commands. You cannot be out of the will of God when you are being faithful to Him. When you put your complete trust in God you will be able to see the outcome he has intended for you, but you will have to live it out in this life. Notice Peter is telling us just believing is not enough, it is a daily walk and daily growth that we have to work on.
Let’s look at what Jesus had to say.
(Mark 11:22 NRSV) Jesus answered them, "Have faith in God. Jesus himself wants us to put our faith in God. He is the creator of all things and He has laid out His plans to the end. So if our faith is in God what should that look like using Jesus as our example.
(Mat 21:21-22 NRSV) Jesus answered them, "Truly I tell you, if you have faith and do not doubt, not only will you do what has been done to the fig tree, but even if you say to this mountain, 'Be lifted up and thrown into the sea,' it will be done. {22} Whatever you ask for in prayer with faith, you will receive."
Many people have taken the above verse and say they can do any of the mentioned things if they just have enough faith. I want to show you it is never about how much faith you have, it is how solid and in whom it is in. Just believing you want a mountain moved will never get it moved, because you are not the mountain mover. Look what Jesus said about himself. (John 8:28 NRSV) So Jesus said, "When you have lifted up the Son of Man, then you will realize that I am he, and that I do nothing on my own, but I speak these things as the Father instructed me. By following Jesus example we should see Jesus did not speak to the fig tree of his own will but only by God His Father’s will. Is what you are trying to do truly the will of God or yours?
(Mat 17:20 NKJV) So Jesus said to them, "Because of your unbelief; for assuredly, I say to you, if you have faith as a mustard seed, you will say to this mountain, 'Move from here to there,' and it will move; and nothing will be impossible for you
Jesus instructed his followers when they asked why they could not heal and deliver a boy. Jesus was blunt and to the point. Their faith was not fully placed in the right person. Unbelief is anything that is not placed in the right person. Who, knows what happened the Bible does not say. Maybe they tried to just emanate Jesus or they tried to do it in their own strength it does not matter. Jesus simply said the right confidence in God produces results.
So why does God first give us faith or how does he? I think it is this simple. God makes the first move so we could have faith in him. It is not that He just hands out faith to us, but acts first towards us so we could put our faith in him. How, you may ask? To start, He first sent Jesus who died for us, so all we need to do is respond. He loved us first, so we could have little faith to love him back. He acted on our behalf while we were still sinners or just running from him. He has showed us His nature in many ways so we could have faith in Him. He has given everyone this ability to put our confidence in Him. From the beginning of time He has been showing Himself to mankind to put their trust in Him. Even in the case of Abraham, God made the first move and then Abraham responded by putting his faith in God, You do not read that Abraham put his faith in God first, but God showed up for Abraham.
So why does Paul say it the way he did? (Rom 12:6 NRSV) We have gifts that differ according to the grace given to us: prophecy, in proportion to faith; Then in 1 Cor.12 he puts in the list of manifestations. So, if I may I want to offer my honest feelings about this manifestation.
God wants us to have all our allegiance to him and confidence place solely in Him. We should never get the ideal that it is a faith that comes from us. I could never in my own strength be able to see God’s wonderful works working in me. I should never trust in or rely on my own abilities. I must never do my own will when it comes to ministry and serving in the body of Christ. In spite of my failures and mistakes God is still at work in me and through me. The Gifts and manifestations are a work by the holy spirit and not of man, so God goes to work first and then I put my faith completely in him. Then the manifestations begin to truly work, not because I am the one working them but my faith is in the one who is doing it. It is God’s spirit at work in me. I do not manifest, but His spirit is the one manifesting God’s love, power, and glory in and trough me, if I willingly put my faith in Him. Then if it is God at work I do not take the credit if it works and I am not responsible if it does not. All God has asked of me is to but my faith in him and remain faithful. In closing the manifestation of faith is God first working in us as He chooses to revel Himself and power that our faith will completely and solely be in Him.
