Monday Rhapsody Of Realities - Faith In The New Testament

And Jesus answering saith unto them, Have faith in God (Mark 11:22).

In the New Testament, faith isn’t something we’re counselled to have. The one who’s born again is born with faith; faith is our conscious lifestyle. This wasn’t so in the Old Testament. What they had was trust and confidence in God; they “believed” and expressed confidence toward God for different things, but faith actually goes beyond believing with confidence and trust.

In the New Testament, we live in a realm that’s unperceivable to the senses; we live spiritually. Therefore, the Word gives us a clear definition of what faith really is. Hebrews 11:1says, “Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.” In the Old Testament, when they wanted something from God, they released their faith toward Him, but it was more a matter of “Lord, I trust you to do what you promised.” Abraham had the best of it, because the Bible says he made an unqualified commitment to God; he broke all the limits.

In the New Testament, faith means more; it calls real, or sees the materiality of that which you’ve hoped for. In other words, even though that thing isn’t visible in the physical realm, you know it’s real and as a result, you declare that you have it! You’re not “trusting God” to make it happen; you know that it’s done; it’s real, even though you can’t touch it!

Moreover, when the Bible says, “faith is the evidence,” or “title deed”; it means that there’s something it represents. When you purchase a property, the realtor doesn’t carry the property to you; what he gives you is the title deed. That document is the proof or evidence that the property belongs to you. You don’t carry the property around with you to show that you own it. Where necessary, the title deed is all you show.

Faith is your “title deed”; it’s the evidence of your right to things you don’t see: “NOW FAITH is the assurance (the confirmation, the title deed) of the things [we] hope for, being the proof of things [we] do not see and the conviction of their reality [faith perceiving as real fact what is not revealed to the senses]” (Hebrews 11:1 AMP).

CONFESSION: All things are possible to me! My life is the expression of the glorious realities of the Gospel of Christ. My faith is working and producing results today! By acting on the Word, my faith grows and prevails, and I move from glory to glory, in Jesus’ Name. Amen.

Further Study: Hebrews 11:6 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.

Hebrews 10:38-39 Now the just shall live by faith: but if any man draw back, my soul shall have no pleasure in him. 39 But we are not of them who draw back unto perdition; but of them that believe to the saving of the soul.

Hebrews 11:32-40 And what shall I more say? for the time would fail me to tell of Gedeon, and of Barak, and of Samson, and of Jephthae; of David also, and Samuel, and of the prophets: 33 Who through faith subdued kingdoms, wrought righteousness, obtained promises, stopped the mouths of lions. 34 Quenched the violence of fire, escaped the edge of the sword, out of weakness were made strong, waxed valiant in fight, turned to flight the armies of the aliens. 35 Women received their dead raised to life again: and others were tortured, not accepting deliverance; that they might obtain a better resurrection: 36 And others had trial of cruel mockings and scourgings, yea, moreover of bonds and imprisonment: 37 They were stoned, they were sawn asunder, were tempted, were slain with the sword: they wandered about in sheepskins and goatskins; being destitute, afflicted, tormented; 38 (Of whom the world was not worthy:) they wandered in deserts, and in mountains, and in dens and caves of the earth. 39 And these all, having obtained a good report through faith, received not the promise: 40 God having provided some better thing for us, that they without us should not be made perfect.

1-Year Bible Reading Plan: Hebrews 12:14-29, Ezekiel 13-15
2-Year Bible Reading Plan: John 12:20-29, 1 Chronicles 16