Growing up, my parents would encourage me to follow my dreams. They would tell me that God had big plans for my life and that He had given me talents and abilities that were limitless. I have had a myriad of dreams and opportunities and ideas for my future. I have thought about attending school to study sports medicine, business, psychology. I have dreamed of being a famous musician, a photographer, a professional counselor, and even owning a Starbucks. I feel I can seemingly see the end of any road I would be in complete control of. Likely it would be empty. Now, I can confidently say there is really only one road I want walk long-term. I believe the road that I cannot see an end to is the ultimate road for me and everyone.
DOCTRINE #20: FAITH
Faith is belief without seeing. Faith is a belief in something that you can't see or something that hasn't happened yet. Faith is proven by actions. Faith is built with experience and/or understanding.
Question: Do you believe faith is something you can build?
Next Doctrine: Doctrine #21
Table of Contents
If you need it, here is the support from the Word of God...
SCRIPTURE
"1 Now faith is assurance of things hoped for, a conviction of things not seen." (Hebrews 11:1)
(This is the definition of faith. Notice, you would have faith if you have a belief in something you cannot see. This goes beyond demons who see, and the way a man naturally thinks. There are two reasons you can't see the object of your belief: it is invisible and/or it hasn't happened yet.)
"6 And without faith it is impossible to be well-pleasing unto him; for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that seek after him." (Hebrews 11:6)
(Believing that "God IS," is a belief in something you can't see. The belief that God is a rewarder of them that seek after Him, is belief in something that hasn't happened yet. If you do not believe these two principles it is IMPOSSIBLE to please Him. Do you believe that God will reward you if you seek after Him? A man focuses on getting his reward now, just like we saw in Matthew 6 within Doctrine #14: HOW/WHY vs. WHAT.)
"16 And I brought him to thy disciples, and they could not cure him.
17 And Jesus answered and said, O faithless and perverse generation, how long shall I be with you? how long shall I bear with you? bring him hither to me." (Matthew 17:16-17)
(The disciples could not cure someone because they didn't have faith to do it. Jesus called them "faithless" because their actions did not solve the problem. The effect did not happen because they did not have faith; the causes. The disciples did not have the experience and understanding to cure the man. Jesus most certainly had the faith. Remember, we have the Mind of Christ. Do you have experience and understanding in that belief?)
"6 And Jesus said unto them, Take heed and beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and Sadducees.
7 And they reasoned among themselves, saying, We took no bread.
8 And Jesus perceiving it said, O ye of little faith, why reason ye among yourselves, because ye have no bread?
9 Do ye not yet perceive, neither remember the five loaves of the five thousand, and how many baskets ye took up?
10 Neither the seven loaves of the four thousand, and how many baskets ye took up?
11 How is it that ye do not perceive that I spake not to you concerning bread? But beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and Sadducees.
12 Then understood they that he bade them not beware of the leaven of bread, but of the teaching of the Pharisees and Sadducees." (Matthew 16:6-12)
(Jesus asked why they reasoned about the wrong thing. Jesus wanted to know the causes, which was why He asked a question. He asked why they didn't understand because the "leaven" was something spiritual (God's Thinking) instead of physical (Man's Thinking)? Why didn't they understand from experience of Jesus' other miracles? The disciples saw Jesus' miracles, yet they were still focused on the physical and only looking through the eyes of the physical. Jesus warned about the teaching of the Pharisees and Sadducees, which were WORDS!)
"5 And when he was entered into Capernaum, there came unto him a centurion, beseeching him,
6 and saying, Lord, my servant lieth in the house sick of the palsy, grievously tormented.
7 And he saith unto him, I will come and heal him.
8 And the centurion answered and said, Lord, I am not worthy that thou shouldest come under my roof; but only say the word, and my servant shall be healed.
9 For I also am a man under authority, having under myself soldiers: and I say to this one, Go, and he goeth; and to another, Come, and he cometh; and to my servant, Do this, and he doeth it.
10 And when Jesus heard it, he marvelled, and said to them that followed, Verily I say unto you, I have not found so great faith, no, not in Israel." (Matthew 8:5-10)
(The centurion had a HOW/WHY behind his WHAT. It was against Roman law for him to call Jesus LORD, yet the centurion had understanding who Jesus was spiritually. The centurion referenced understanding and experience from his own life. The experience he had was that if he SPOKE to the people who were under his authority they did as he said. His understanding was a belief that Jesus could do the same because all are under HIS authority. This was great faith and absolutely worthy to be marveled at! The centurion did not have a back up plan and even prevented Jesus from entering his house. All the centurion wanted from Jesus was His WORDS. The centurions actions proved what he believed.)
"17 By faith Abraham, being tried, offered up Isaac: yea, he that had gladly received the promises was offering up his only begotten son;
18 even he to whom it was said, In Isaac shall thy seed be called:
19 accounting that God is able to raise up, even from the dead; from whence he did also in a figure receive him back." (Hebrews 11:17-19)
(Abraham was promised that his children would outnumber the stars in the sky, yet God asked him to offer his son as a sacrifice. Abraham's actions were Right, he had a Right DO, because he had faith. He had understanding and experience of God, and he even believed that God could raise his son Isaac from the dead because Abraham believed that God would bless him through his only son, Isaac. Do you believe that God could raise someone whom you loved from the dead?)
"5 And Abraham said unto his young men, Abide ye here with the ass, and I and the lad will go yonder; and we will worship, and come again to you.
6 And Abraham took the wood of the burnt-offering, and laid it upon Isaac his son. And he took in his hand the fire and the knife. And they went both of them together.
7 And Isaac spake unto Abraham his father, and said, My father. And he said, Here am I, my son. And he said, Behold, the fire and the wood. But where is the lamb for a burnt-offering?
8 And Abraham said, God will provide himself the lamb for a burnt-offering, my son. So they went both of them together." (Genesis 22:5-8)
(Abraham said to the men he was with, that himself and Isaac would come back after they worshiped God. Abraham said God would provide a lamb for the burnt-offering. Where was this lamb? Abraham did not see it, yet believed! Abraham had assurance that God would do as He said, and knew that God would provide for the sacrifice. Abraham had faith!)
Faith raises a great question: Does the devil have faith? Well, he most certainly has a ton of experience, but we know that the devil can only kill, steal and destroy; he cannot create. We know the definition of understanding is, "facts that create new facts". So if the devil cannot create, then he does not have understanding, and therefore does not have faith!
It is amazing how we can use our definitions to answer these seemingly complicated questions! If someone asks you a question, break the words down and understand the definitions of the words in the questions. We will all be able to access the mind of Christ in us, if we, "with all our getting" get understanding!
ADDITIONAL SCRIPTURE
This was the "Faith Hall of Fame". Notice, all these people had understanding and experience with God.
"4 By faith Abel offered unto God a more excellent sacrifice than Cain, through which he had witness borne to him that he was righteous, God bearing witness in respect of his gifts: and through it he being dead yet speaketh.
5 By faith Enoch was translated that he should not see death; and he was not found, because God translated him: for he hath had witness borne to him that before his translation he had been well-pleasing unto God:
6 And without faith it is impossible to be well-pleasing unto him; for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that seek after him.
7 By faith Noah, being warned of God concerning things not seen as yet, moved with godly fear, prepared an ark to the saving of his house; through which he condemned the world, and became heir of the righteousness which is according to faith.
8 By faith Abraham, when he was called, obeyed to go out unto a place which he was to receive for an inheritance; and he went out, not knowing whither he went.
9 By faith he became a sojourner in the land of promise, as in a land not his own, dwelling in tents, with Isaac and Jacob, the heirs with him of the same promise:
10 for he looked for the city which hath the foundations, whose builder and maker is God.
11 By faith even Sarah herself received power to conceive seed when she was past age, since she counted him faithful who had promised:
12 wherefore also there sprang of one, and him as good as dead, so many as the stars of heaven in multitude, and as the sand, which is by the sea-shore, innumerable.
13 These all died in faith, not having received the promises, but having seen them and greeted them from afar, and having confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth.
14 For they that say such things make it manifest that they are seeking after a country of their own.
15 And if indeed they had been mindful of that country from which they went out, they would have had opportunity to return.
16 But now they desire a better country, that is, a heavenly: wherefore God is not ashamed of them, to be called their God; for he hath prepared for them a city.
17 By faith Abraham, being tried, offered up Isaac: yea, he that had gladly received the promises was offering up his only begotten son;
18 even he to whom it was said, In Isaac shall thy seed be called:
19 accounting that God is able to raise up, even from the dead; from whence he did also in a figure receive him back.
20 By faith Isaac blessed Jacob and Esau, even concerning things to come.
21 By faith Jacob, when he was dying, blessed each of the sons of Joseph; and worshipped, leaning upon the top of his staff.
22 By faith Joseph, when his end was nigh, made mention of the departure of the children of Israel; and gave commandment concerning his bones.
23 By faith Moses, when he was born, was hid three months by his parents, because they saw he was a goodly child; and they were not afraid of the king's commandment.
24 By faith Moses, when he was grown up, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh's daughter;
25 choosing rather to share ill treatment with the people of God, than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season;
26 accounting the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures of Egypt: for he looked unto the recompense of reward.
27 By faith he forsook Egypt, not fearing the wrath of the king: for he endured, as seeing him who is invisible.
28 By faith he kept the passover, and the sprinkling of the blood, that the destroyer of the firstborn should not touch them.
29 By faith they passed through the Red sea as by dry land: which the Egyptians assaying to do were swallowed up.
30 By faith the walls of Jericho fell down, after they had been compassed about for seven days.
31 By faith Rahab the harlot perished not with them that were disobedient, having received the spies with peace.
32 And what shall I more say? for the time will fail me if I tell of Gideon, Barak, Samson, Jephthah; of David and Samuel and the prophets:
33 who through faith subdued kingdoms, wrought righteousness, obtained promises, stopped the mouths of lions,
34 quenched the power of fire, escaped the edge of the sword, from weakness were made strong, waxed mighty in war, turned to flight armies of aliens." (Hebrews 11:4-34)
