The shield of faith
If we’re to follow Christ, we need to understand the place and power of faith. The Bible tells us that without faith it is impossible to please God – but what is it? Is it the same as belief or trust?
Hebrews 11:1 suggests its much more than that: the more literal translations of the Bible tells us that faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things we do not see. And if we’re to walk in faith then there are a few things we need to understand.
Faith is not the same as belief. James 2:19 tells us that even the demons believe in Jesus and they tremble with fear. They believe, but there’s no way they have faith in Him. That means any one of us could believe in Jesus without having faith in Him. Don’t worry though, true faith is easy to spot.
You see, coming back to our original verse, faith has substance. I love this truth so much. In God’s economy faith is not a feeling or a concept. In fact, faith is the substance of the very things we are hoping for before they come to pass, and it testifies to God’s true nature. This is how and why faith is a shield, used to deflect and extinguish the fiery darts of the enemy (Ephesians 6:16).
And true faith always leads to action. I’ll not say much on this, but when you feel faith rising for anything – prayer, sharing the gospel, offering to pray for a sick person – learn to go for it then and there. The Lord will take care of the result, but your action becomes the substance and evidence of what the Lord is about to do – again testifying to His true nature, faithful and true, now and always.
Faith delights the Lord. We only ever read that Jesus was amazed twice in the gospel, and on both occasions it was in response to a person’s faith in Him – a Roman Centurion seeking help for his sick servant and a Syrophoenician woman asking that her daughter might be healed. It’s interesting to note that both of these individuals were gentiles, and therefore not trying to live under the excessive rules and regulations of Israel’s religious leaders. Simple, childlike faith trusts that God is true to His nature and doesn’t allow religious understanding to undermine His power and willingness to do good.
Finally, Ephesians 2:8 tells us that faith is a gift; the whole Bible tells us that true faith delights God and that a lack of faith can be terminal to spiritual life. If you have some measure of faith today, ask Him for more as you seek Him; if you lack faith, know that even the act of asking Him, in faith, to give you more faith delights His heart. Ask and you will receive. He will strengthen your heart, your mind and your resolve. Have faith in Him. You will be amazed.
- Akhtar Shah