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Faith That

Works

MINI-BOOK

Published by:

HANDS FOR JESUS

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HAVE FAITH IN GOD

(Mark 11:22)

In Mark 11:22, Jesus said, "Have faith in God." In Romans 1:17, Gal. 3:11, & Heb. 10:38 it says, "the just shall live by faith." How can we have faith in God? How can we live by faith?

The only way we can have faith in God is to know that God loves us. Many have read John 3:16, which says, "For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life." It's important to understand the love of God. The word "world" in this verse means, "the complete world and all it's inhabitants." God loves every person born into this world. That includes those who spend their time on the streets, in the bars and in the slums. That also includes the kings, the presidents, the governors, and all those in authority. When Jesus paid the price for the sins of man, He paid for the sins of the whole world (1 John 2:2). God loves every individual, but God hates the works of the devil. Therefore, 1 John 3:8 it says, "For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that he might destroy the works of the devil."

Another thing is where it says, "that he gave his only begotten Son." Many do not understand what this means. God's only begotten Son is not just some little innocent Boy that had no sin, and didn't know what God was doing. God's only begotten Son is the Creator of this universe (John 1:3, Col. 1:16). He is LORD over all that He created (Acts 2:36). This whole creation is in His hands (John 3:35, Matt. 11:27). Jesus knew exactly what God the Father had planned before He was born into this world. He knew exactly what God the Father had planned when He went to the Cross for You and Me.

God knew from the beginning that man would sin and come short of the glory of God. Even before man was created, God declared "the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world" (Rev. 13:8). Before Adam was created, Jesus knew the Father would send Him into this world, to save mankind from their sins.

God's love never changes. God never changes, and neither does His love for you and me change. Many of us have sinned since we were born again into the family of God. But, God did not stop loving us. He knew we would sin, even after we were born again. Therefore, in Isaiah the LORD said, "I, even I, am he that blotteth out thy transgressions for mine own sake, and will not remember thy sins" (Isa. 43:25). In 1 John 2:12 it says, "I write unto you, little children, because your sins are forgiven you for his name's sake." Therefore, it tells us what to do about sin. First, Jesus said to repent, then believe the gospel (Mark 1:15). Then it says, "if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin" (1 John 1:7). If we walk in the light of the Word of God Satan has nothing on us. Then in 1 John 1:9 He tells us, "If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness." (1) repent. (2) walk in the light. (3) confess our sins.

God is looking for those who will believe He loves them. God loves the whole world. Just think how much more God loves those who are His very own children.

If you are not sure you are a child of God, you can make sure today. Just pray a prayer to God like the following. When you pray, believe in your heart that God loves you just as much as He loves anyone else. He said He does "in His Word," now believe His Word in your heart and pray:

"LORD Jesus, I know that You are the Son of God. I know that You died on the cross for me. I know that God raised You from the dead.

Jesus, forgive me of all my sins, wash me clean in Your blood; that I may be the righteousness of God in You. Thank You, Jesus!

Jesus, I ask You to come into my life? Live Your life in me! Let Your will be done in me! Let the will of God be done in my life as it was in Your life. I surrender my life to You, Jesus!

You lead me by Your Spirit and I will follow to the best of my ability. I will live for You all the days of my life, as You lead me by Your Spirit.

I receive You now, as my LORD, and SAVIOR for all eternity.

For all those who have received Jesus into their life as LORD and Savior, they are born again. God is Love, and wants to reward us for our faith in Him. God does reward those who diligently seek Him (Heb. 11:6). Therefore, we must believe we will receive when we ask...

Our natural mind does not want to believe that God will "reward us" when we ask Him. Our natural mind receives thoughts from the spirit realm that, because of our past God does not love us. Our natural mind tries to keep us from believing God, based upon the Law, or some other thing in our lives that says we are not worthy to receive from God.

That may be partly true, that is, if we were to consider the law as a basis of whether we are worthy or not. But God does not go according to our natural mind, or our thoughts (Isa. 58:8,9). God goes according to His Word and what He did for us through Jesus Christ. God does not look at what we did, He looks at what Jesus did for us, and our faith, based upon what the Word of God says.

Christians need to understand their position in Christ Jesus. We are joint-heirs with Christ (Rom. 8:17). What Jesus did, He did for us, that we could receive from the Father whatsoever we have need of. Not based upon what we did or didn't do, but based upon what Jesus did for us. Jesus is our mediator. In 1 Timothy 2:5 it says, "For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus." Even though we are true children of God. Even though we are born of the Word and the Spirit and God is our Father, we still have a mediator between us and the Father, "the man Christ Jesus."

Why do we need a mediator between us and our heavenly Father? Because there is still sin in our lives (1 John 1:8,10). We still do things that are not pleasing to God (Rom. 7:15,22,23). A mediator is one who reconciles two parties together. A mediator is like a lawyer who pleads a case before a judge. A lawyer speaks to the judge on behalf of his client.

Jesus is our mediator, who speaks to the Father on our behalf. When we sin, Jesus pleads our case before the Father, based upon what He did for us on the Cross, not upon what we did or did not do. Therefore, if we sin, Jesus pleads our case to the Father based upon the blood He shed for us on the Cross.

The Father is the one that required a blood sacrifice for the atonement of sin. Jesus was the Lamb chosen by the Father to be the sacrifice for sin. Therefore, as our mediator, Jesus speaks to the Father for us, He is our advocate before God. 1 John 2:1 says, "My little children, these things write I unto you, that ye sin not. And if any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous."

Acts 13:38,39 is speaking of Jesus and what He did for us on the Cross. It says,

Be it known unto you therefore, men and brethren, that through this man is preached unto you the forgiveness of sins:

And by him all that believe are justified from all things, from which ye could not be justified by the law of Moses.

Hebrews 10:1 tells us, "the law having a shadow of good things to come, and not the very image of the things, can never with those sacrifices which they offered year by year continually make the comers thereunto perfect." The law could not do it for us, but in Christ Jesus we are justified from all things. The law was only a shadow of things to come. Hebrews 10:4 says, "For it is not possible that the blood of bulls and of goats should take away sins." Hebrews 10:9,10, speaking of Jesus, says,

Then said he, Lo, I come to do thy will, O God. He taketh away the first, that he may establish the second.

By the which will we are sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all.

Jesus came to take away sin, once for all. If we are in Christ, and Believe, then we are justified from all things which the Law of Moses could not justify us, neither could the sacrifice of bulls and goats. Both, the Law and the blood of bulls and goats were only a shadow of that which Jesus did for us on the Cross of Calvary.

We are sanctified by the body of Jesus Christ. He gave His human body for us, that by His death and resurrection we could be free of all that Satan has tried to put upon us. Hebrews 2:11 says, "For both he that sanctifieth and they who are sanctified are all of one: for which cause he is not ashamed to call them brethren."

Now that Jesus has already paid the price for us, He is at the right hand of God, making intercession for us (Heb. 7:25).

Therefore, Hebrews 10:35,36 says,

Cast not away therefore your confidence, which hath great recompence of reward.

For ye have need of patience, that, after ye have done the will of God, ye might receive the promise.

"Have faith in God!" Put your confidence in what Jesus has already done for you. Put your confidence in the Word of God, which He has given you concerning whatsoever you have need of. When you pray, believe you have received before you see any evidence. The evidence will appear after you believe, after you wait in patience, after you have done the will of God, you will receive the promise.

Hebrews 10:37 says, "For yet a little while, and he that shall come will come, and will not tarry." We must apply our faith in what we have need of the same way we apply our faith for the second coming of Jesus. Just as surely as He will come, so will we receive whatsoever we ask in prayer, "yet a little while and it will come." Never cast off your confidence, for it has a great recompense of reward for those who have patience and wait, holding fast their confidence. Romans 4:18-21, speaking of Abraham says,

Who against hope believed in hope, that he might become the father of many nations, according to that which was spoken, So shall thy seed be.

And being not weak in faith, he considered not his own body now dead, when he was about an hundred years old, neither yet the deadness of Sara's womb:

He staggered not at the promise of God through unbelief; but was strong in faith, giving glory to God;

And being fully persuaded that, what he had promised, he was able also to perform.

It makes no difference, even if there is no hope. For, even where there is no hope, God will perform that which He promised in His Word. Abraham believed God, "according to that which was spoken." We can also believe God according to that which is written in His Word. Our faith must be based upon His Word. Hebrews 10:38,39 says,

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.

We must be among those who never draw back, but believe until the end, unto the day of the return of our LORD.

Whatsoever you believe for, never draw back, never lose your confidence. Have patience and wait for the manifestation, holding fast to your confession. He that promised, is faithful, and will reward those who diligently seek Him. Hebrews 11:6 says, "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."

"Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen" (Heb. 11:1). Therefore, Hebrews 10:22 says, "Let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience, and our bodies washed with pure water." Let us have "full assurance" not wavering, as Abraham was, "fully persuaded that, what he had promised, he was able also to perform." Hebrews 10:23 says, "Let us hold fast the profession of our faith without wavering; (for he is faithful that promised.)" The word "profession" is the same as "confession," they mean the same thing. What we profess is what we confess.

To hold fast to what we confess, includes continued confession. We continue to confess what we have confessed (not asking over and over the same thing, but being fully persuaded that we have whatsoever we asked for). Our confession is not "God will" in the future, give us whatsoever we asked for. But "God has already" (past tense) given us whatsoever we asked for. We already have it "by faith." Faith is "the evidence" of things not seen. We don't see it yet, but we have evidence that we "already have it." The evidence is our faith, therefore, we do not waver. We hold fast to our confidence that "by faith," without any other evidence "we have whatsoever we asked for." Therefore, we will never draw back into perdition, but hold fast to our faith, which will bring forth our reward. For God will reward those who do not draw back, but hold fast to their confession. God rewards those who continually confess the Word of God over every circumstance in their lives. The Word works, if we do not waver, and do not lose confidence. But, we must hold fast to our confession until the end.

The LORD gives us faith. It's a gift from God. Ephesians 2:8 says, "For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God." Grace and faith are both gifts from God. We must receive these gifts from God and make use of them in order to profit from them. Grace is given to everyone. Forgiveness of sins is for everyone (1 John 2:2). Yet, the only ones who will benefit are those who receive them as gifts from God. We cannot inherit the promises by our works. They are ours by grace, but must be received by faith.

God dwells in Christians, and the Word of God dwells in us. In Romans 10:8 it says, "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." The Word of God is already in us, it's even in our mouth and in our heart. Our problem is not that we do not have faith. It is not that we do not have the Word of God. Our problem is, we are not speaking the Word out of our mouth.

Romans 10:9,10 explains where our problem with faith is; it says,

That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt 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.

The problem is "the confessing." We do not receive that which is ours by faith, because "we are not confessing" that which is already in our heart and in our mouth; that is, "the Word of faith."

What is this Word of faith we should be speaking out of our mouth? It's what Jesus first did for us on the Cross, then also, what God did for us when He raised up Jesus from the dead. This is the Word of Faith that we should be confessing.

On the Cross Jesus took all our sins, sickness, and diseases, all our iniquities, and all our infirmities, and nailed them to His Cross (Col. 2:13-14). By His Blood we are free of all that Satan had upon us. By His stripes we are healed (1 Peter 2:24). Then He went down to hell and made an open show of the devil. Having defeated Satan for us; that is, for you and me also, He took the keys of hell and death from the devil and arose again from the dead (Rev. 2:18). By His resurrection, He defeated death for us.

This is to be our confession, the Word of faith that is in our heart and in our mouth. Jesus set us free!

Faith, without confession, becomes dead faith. We have faith, but we do not receive because we fail to confess that which God has already put in our heart and in our mouth.

The key to strong faith is "speaking it out of our mouth" the Word of God that is already in our heart and in our mouth (Rom. 10:8-10). We believe in our heart and confess with our mouth. The two most important things about faith that cause things to manifest are believing and confessing.

Another important thing about faith is patience. Faith and patience work together. James 1:3,4 says,

Knowing this, that the trying of your faith worketh patience.

But let patience have her perfect work, that ye may be perfect and entire, wanting nothing.

Strong faith always endures until the manifestation comes. It takes patience to stand in faith. It's wonderful that there are sometimes "instant manifestations" to faith. Yet, God never promised us instant manifestations. In most cases, the Bible uses the phrase "shall be, or shall come." The word "shall" indicates future tense, some time in the future. Many times Christians only need to stand in faith for about three days, and then they will begin to see some evidence of their faith working. Not always a completion of that which they believed for, but at least some manifestation.

It takes patience to stand in faith, not wavering until the manifestation comes. Never waver, continue to praise and thank the LORD for whatsoever you asked "according to His Word." It will come to pass, if you do not waver.

Remember, faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the Word of God (Rom. 10:17). We can also build up our faith by praying in the Holy Spirit (Jude 1:20).

If you have not received the Holy Spirit with the evidence of speaking in tongues, you can!

Say a prayer like this, believing in your heart what God has promised you in His Word.

"Jesus, You said in Mark 16:17, that in Your name I can cast out devils.

Satan, in the name of Jesus, I cast you out of my mind. You have no authority over my mind. My mind is clear of all demonic oppression in Jesus' name.

Father, according to Your Word in Luke 11:13, You promised me the Holy Spirit if I ask. Father, I am now asking You to give me the Holy Spirit with the evidence of speaking in tongues. I receive the Holy Spirit from You now, in Jesus' name."

It's important that you continue to pray in the Spirit every day. Satan will try to stop you from praying in the Spirit. Don't let him stop you. Do it daily. No matter where you are, you can, if necessary pray in the Spirit without disturbing others around you. You can also pray in the Spirit while reading your Bible. It will help you to understand the Scriptures.