“But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith,
Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law.” Gal.5:22-23.
True bible Faith is of God. He is a faith God and created the heaven and the earth by
faith. “By faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the word of God, so that
the things which are seen were not made of things which are visible.” Heb.11:3.
By faith He holds the whole universe together. “Who being the brightness of his glory,
and the express image of his person, and upholding all things by the word of his power,
when he had by himself purged our sins, sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on
high;” Heb.1:3.
At new birth, the Holy Spirit comes to indwell the new Christian who now receives a
measure of the faith of God. “For I say, through the grace given unto me, to every man
that is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think; but to think
soberly, according as God hath dealt to every man the measure of faith.” Rom.12:3,
KJV. This scripture states that every believer has received ‘the’ (not ‘a’) measure of
faith. This implies that a new birth we all receive the same measure of faith. This faith is
not your faith but the faith of God. The only way you can live the Christian life
successfully is through this faith of God that you have received. “I am crucified with
Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live
in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me.”
Gal.2:20 KJV. Take note of the faith ‘of’ (not ‘in’) Jesus. “For in the gospel the
righteousness of God is revealed—a righteousness that is by faith from first to last, just
as it is written: “The righteous will live by faith.” Rom.1:17 NIV.
The first step in developing the faith of God we have received is to know that this
measure of faith can be increased. However, the pace and extent to which this measure
of faith grows or develops varies and depends on the individual believer. We will
continue this next week.
THOUGHT OF THE WEEK
The world called me a fool for having given my entire life to the One whom I have never
seen. I know exactly what I’m going to say when I stand in His presence. When I look upon
that wonderful face of Jesus, I will have just one thing to say: ‘I tried’. I gave of myself the
best I knew how. My redemption will have been perfected when I stand and see Him who
made it all possible…..Kathryn Kuhlman.