“Now the just shall live by faith: but if any man draw back, my soul shall have no pleasure in him. But we are not of them who draw back unto perdition; but of them that believe to the saving of the soul…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 10:28-29 & 11:6
What pleases God? Faith pleases God. There are some that think faith is simply believing in God. However, when we read the bible, we can clearly see that faith is much more than that. Faith is not just believing that God exists, but believing that God actually wants the best for us, and that we can live in that reality of God’s best every day of our lives by using our faith to receive it. Jeremiah 29:11 (NIV) says: “For I know the plans I have for you, declares the LORD, plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.” When we believe God’s promises more than what we see, it pleases God. (For we walk by faith, not by sight).” 1 Corinthians 5:7 Faith is: “being fully persuaded that what God has promised, He is well able to perform.” See Romans 4:21
We can see the difference between faith and unbelief very clearly in Numbers 13 & 14. God brought the Israelites out of Egypt with many miraculous signs and wonders. He parted the Red Sea, provided Manna in the desert, water from a rock and many more mighty acts. He brought them to the promised land, which He had already told them in advance “flowed with milk and honey.” All they had to do was take the land and possess it. For them to walk by faith, all they had to do was believe His promise and take the land by faith, believing that God would surely do what HE said HE would.
Moses sent twelve spies into the land to search it out. They came back and indeed confirmed that it was just as God said and even better than they could imagine. In fact, it was so bountiful that in order to carry one cluster of grapes they had to put it on a staff between two men to bear it.
Yet, after all that God had done for them to show time and time again that He is a good God, a loving God, a faithful God that answers prayers and keeps His promise; they chose to look at the circumstances instead of God. They chose to believe what they saw instead of what God said. Ten of the spies came back with an evil report, describing how big and how strong the inhabitants were and how their cities were mighty and walled.
Caleb perceived that their conversation wasn’t one of faith and going in the wrong direction, so he stilled the people and proclaimed in faith saying: ”Let us go up at once, and possess it: for we are well able to overcome it.” Numbers 13:30 Instead of agreeing with God’s word, the ten other spies spoke what was in their heart; which was unbelief. They said they would not be able to take it, there were giants in the land and they looked like grasshoppers in their sight. The congregation of the people chose to hearken to the negative report instead of God’s report. As a result in Psalm 78:41 it says: “Yea they turned back and tempted God, and limited the Holy One of Israel.” As a result, only Joseph, Caleb and the Israelites’ children were eventually able to enter the land, forty years later.
How did they limit God? With what was in their heart, which eventually came out of their mouth. We can either speak words of Faith or words of unbelief. Our future is determined by the words we speak.
It is so important that we be alert to what word we hearken to. Don’t listen to the bad report. Only hearken unto the Word of God. God has already called us rich in His word, He has called us healed and blessed. It is up to us to receive it and let it dominate our thinking and our speech. Faith is released by the words we speak. Negative words carry unbelief. God’s Word is a carrier of Faith! Don’t speak the circumstances. Only speak the word of God by faith.
Many people will talk about what they can’t do, but we are to talk about what God can do with us and for us. The LORD “… calleth those things that be not as though they were.” Romans 4:17b. Therefore, we need to be like our Heavenly Father and do the same! There are obstacles and circumstances we face in life but the bible declares that we are well able to overcome them. 1 John 5:4 says: “For whatsoever is born of God overcometh the world: and this is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith.”
Once we’ve received Jesus as our Lord and savior, we are given “the measure of faith.” As believer’s we all have faith in our hearts. In addition. the Word of God already has faith in it. It is pregnant with Faith. Therefore, to build your faith, as you hear the Word and spend time in the Word and then act on the Word you are building and working your faith, which makes you stronger and stronger in faith.
Let us determine to be like Caleb and Joshua and refuse to listen to the bad report or to speak it. Instead, only listen to what God has promised and speak that only! We have the ability to shape our future with our words. Speak to your circumstances the word of God and watch as they begin to change and line up with what God has promised!
Romans 12:3b
“…according as God hath dealt to every man the measure of faith.”
Romans 10:8
“But what saith it? The word is nigh thee, even in thy mouth, and in thy heart: that is, the word of faith, which we preach; that if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shall believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.”
Deuteronomy 31:6
“Be strong and of a good courage, fear not, nr be afraid of them: for the LORD thy God, He it is that doth go with thee; He will not fail thee, nor forsake thee.”
Joshua 1:7-9
“Only be thou strong and very courageous, that thou mayest observe to do according to all the law, which Moses my servant commanded thee: turn not from it to the right hand or to the left, that thou mayest prosper withersoever thou goest. This book of the law shall not depart out of thy mouth; but thou shalt meditate therein day and night, that thou mayest observe to do according to all that is written therein: for then thou shalt make thy way prosperous, and then thou shalt have good success. Have not I commanded thee? Be strong and of a good courage, be not afraid, neither be thou dismayed: for the LORD thy God is with thee withersoever thou goest.”
Further reading: Romans 4:18-25, Numbers 13 & 14, Psalm 78, Hebrews 11:1-35
