We are tasked with fighting the good fight of faith (1 Timothy 6:12).  We often struggle with this kind of fight.  We tend to want to do something.  What can I do, what can I say, where can I go…etc.  So, what is this fight of faith and what is faith anyway?

Hebrews tells us a lot about faith.  In chapter 11 verse 1 we find out that faith is the substance of things hoped for and the evidence of things not seen.  Let’s take a deep look at this:  Faith is substance.  Today when we think of substance we think of what makes things up, physical stuff.  However, in the Greek substance means that which stands under.  We need to look at what the Greek definition is because we need to understand what words meant when they were written.  This Greek definition is like a foundation.  I think of a foundation for a house.  It is what everything else rests on.  This also tells that faith is real; it is actual reality.  Faith is a condition of the human heart that is as real to God as what we are asking for is reality to us. 

 

Faith is evidence.  Evidence, what proves or disproves something, or ground for belief.  Faith is not what we see or don’t see or human feelings, but completely on what God says (I John 5:14-1).  Evidence is not a feeling, rational, visible or even sensible to human thought.  Evidence is what makes things clear.  This makes me think of all of the CSI television shows where it is all about the evidence. 

 

Faith is salvation, thankfully.  We must have faith that Jesus died for our sins and it is because of Him that we get to spend eternity in Heaven (Romans 10: 10).  Faith is a gift to all Christians; it is our job to receive it (I Corinthians 12:9 & Galatians 3:26).

 

Faith is power.  As Christians, we have power to move the mountains in our lives.  The mountains in our lives can come in multiple forms – essentially they are anything that can get in the way of serving our Lord or bad or unfortunate things in our lives – problems.   Keep in mind that God did not put that ‘mountain’ in our lives, but He can certainly move it when we have faith! (Matthew 17:20, Matthew 21:21 & Mark 11:23-24)  We have so much power that ALL things are possible IF we believe and ask in the all powerful name of Jesus! (Mark 9:23 , John 14: 12-15 & John 16: 23-26). 

 

Faith is calm.  Jesus is able to calm us if we have faith in Him.  We learn in Matthew 8:23-27 and Mark 4:37-41 that during the storms of our lives Jesus is there for us.  When our faith waivers we are no longer in the calm, but in fear. 

 

Faith is visible.  When Jesus saw the faith of the paralyzed man and his friends when they lowered the paralytic through the roof of the house to get close to Jesus (Mark 2:5, Matthew 9:2, Luke 5:20).  Jesus saw their faith and the man was healed.  Jesus is not the only one chronicled in the Word as having seen someone’s faith.  After Paul saw a crippled man’s faith (Acts 14:9) he shouted at the man to get up and walk – the man didn’t get up, he leaped up!  When our faith is seen and we keep holding on, then the answer or the healing or what we are believing for will come.  When our Father sees our faith He can answer our prayers – ALL things are possible.  All means all, not some (Matthew 21:22, Mark 9:23, Hebrews 11, James 1:6).  Let’s leap up and show others our faith so they can be blessed through us!

 

Faith is verbal.  When we speak to the mountains in our lives and have constant faith, the mountains have to submit (Mark 11:20-26).  This goes back to power, so remember how powerful our words are!  This goes all the way back to Genesis when God spoke and it was.  When we abide – stand, live, unite, and keep our words lined up with the Word of God, then when we ask it will be done! (John 15: 7)  When the blind beggar heard that Jesus was coming by he had a shout of faith that couldn’t be contained.  The man admitted he needed his life to be transformed by Jesus and Jesus responded by giving him his sight – the newly sighted man then followed Jesus by praising Him and giving Him the glory.  Don’t you know that man had a testimony? (Luke 18: 35-43)  We have that same right and we have our own testimonies of faith – unleash them! 

 

As Christians we need to have faith and thank God beforehand (Mark 11:24, 2 Corinthians 1:20).  When we thank Him beforehand, we are putting faith into action since faith is not mere hope.  Faith will endure until the end of time.  It is not human; it is from God in our hearts—not in our heads.  Faith is not about actions or running here or there, but it is a mental thought, a psychological process.  Faith is not what we see (2 Corinthians 5:7), but a supernatural gift from God based on the Word alone.  Faith is a necessity for answered prayer (Hebrews 11:6). 

 

Keep in mind that our timetable here on earth is not God’s timetable.  We may have faith for something for minutes, days, weeks, months, or even years until we see the evidence part of it in the human realm.  It is our job to fight the good fight of faith and stop using our energy on useless battles—no matter how long that job may take.