How well we understand faith directly determines how solid our foundation in Christ will be. If the foundation is weak or improperly laid, nothing else matters. This past week, I listen to a man’s explanation of faith and was unnerved by what he said. I have listened to this fellow preach a number of times and the message he gives is always unsettling. I have decided to bring this up now because I have heard others echoing similar beliefs and I am convinced that it is critical to understand faith as the bible teaches it. In short, his explanation was that wickedness is not based on our sinful actions, but based on not claiming promises of God. He explained that claiming the promises of God is done by speaking it with your mouth, and as you speak it, you claim it in faith. It sounds good on the surface, but he continued by saying when we claim a promise, God has no choice but to fulfill that promise in your life because he is bound by His word and by us speaking that word.

The main problem I have with this way of believing is that it makes God subject to us instead of we being subject to God. It twists the source of power from God’s sovereignty and reduces it to the power our words. This is a perfect example of how satan works. He only tries to get our focus a little off course. Just as in the garden of Eden, he does not completely rewrite the book, he only adds enough to it to change the meaning. God told eve not to eat of the tree or she would surely die. Satan came some time later and said the word God spoke was that she surely would ‘not’ die. One word to change the meaning and get her off course. Satan also mixed his deception with a lot of truth. The bible does not teach this word faith doctrine. The bible clearly teaches that we are subject to God. God’s promises are fulfilled as a natural outflow because of our obedience – not that promises are based on our words. Our words mean nothing; it is our heart that God looks at. 1 Chronicles 16:9 says, "the eyes of the Lord run to and fro throughout the whole earth to show Himself strong on behalf of those whose heart is perfect toward Him." The power of God is based on our hearts being right with Him.

Faith must have an object. The object of our faith is Jesus Christ and the work He completed on the Cross. If any doctrine or faith draws attention away from Jesus Christ or away from the power of His completed work on the Cross, it is a false doctrine. Only through Him will we have the power to live victoriously in this life. Faith is committing to a lifestyle of obedience to Christ even when we don’t see how God will fulfill his promise. Hebrews 11 gives many wonderful descriptions of faith in action:

Does this sound like a name it and claim it verse? No, God forced Abraham to commit to Him. Though he did not know it, either way Abraham would have kept his son, but by placing God above the blessing of God, Abraham committed to faith and Abraham received the better blessing.

False or weak faith is when we blame God for our troubles, use God for our gain, trying to put God into a box and reducing His promises down to ‘magic words’ and thinking of God as a Genie in a bottle. We all hurt at times. We live in a fallen world. Trouble comes on everyone at times in life. Troubles are not the acts of an angry God punishing us for stepping out of line nor are they signs of a lack of faith. I do believe the bible teaches that God will correct us. But the bible also says that God is slow to anger and gives loving correction. I believe God leads us back into His grace if we are willing. Most troubles are just a part of life. Those who don’t know Christ suffer, those who do know Him suffer. God never promised that we would be exempt from trials and struggles. He promised that he would go into the fire with us and that He knows our paths. He knows how to lead us through troubles to ease our pain and benefit our character. Only the Christian has the promise that God will use troubles for our good. Only the Christian has the promise that God will direct our paths and will lead us through troubles. We may not avoid hard times, but I believe God will lead us away from what will destroy us if we follow Him. The problem is that when we hurt, we sometimes get angry at God and dethrone him from our lives when we should lean on Him during those times.

True faith is trusting in God regardless of how high the waves are and letting Him lead us when the water is calm. Some of us jump ship when we see the waves and only trust God when things are calm. Others wander away when things are going well and desperately search for God when the storms of life hit. Faith is allowing our lives to be spirit lead during good times and hard times.

True faith is obeying without reservation even when we can’t see how God can work it out. Just like Abraham, we must have faith that God can fulfill what He has promised. Abraham stood on the promise and committed to the promise that God gave him concerning Isaac, but did not allow himself to sacrifice obedience in order to cling to the promise. Rather he clung to the promise through obedience.

True faith is stepping out without supports to lean on. If I wait until everything is perfect and comfortable, I will never experience God to the fullest. God always asks us to leave our comfort zones. Abraham left his home and his people without knowing where God would lead him. God only promises to show us one step at a time. He does not reveal the whole journey up front. That would take little faith. Faith is looking to Christ to be empowered to obey and "being confident of this very thing, that He who has begun a good work in you will complete it until the day of Jesus Christ", Phil 1:6. Following God takes faith. You may not see how God is going to lead you, but stepping out without props and supports but believing that God will complete the work in you takes real faith.