Where does FAITH come from?
We know the Word says, it comes from hearing the Word.
Romans 10:17. So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the Word of God.
The Word is Jesus, John 1:1
This means the Word that faith is built on, is a spoken word, the same as the spoken Word that created the whole of the universe, Genesis 1:3.
As the word is read, unless it comes from Jesus by the Holy Spirit, it is not coming as God’s voice.
Many people hear the Word, yet have no faith, because they have not heard it.
What does it mean to hear?
To hear means to take it in, and act upon it.
Faith is a gift that comes from Father God.
There is a gift of faith.
Ephesians 2:8 For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God:
There is a measure of faith.
Romans 12:3 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.
Jesus asked the question,
Luke 18:8B Nevertheless when the Son of man comes, shall he find faith on the earth?
Hebrews 11:6 tells us,
Without faith it is impossible to please God.
1Corinthians 13:13 And now abides faith, hope, love, these three; but the greatest of these is love.
Faith is a gift. It starts with a happening that opens the door for faith to enter.
That happening is when God gets a persons attention, by speaking into a situation they are seeking direction for, by thoughts in the mind that sound like some one outside speaking, and what is said requires a response.
That then suggests that faith is a person.
2Cointhians 4:13 We having the same spirit of faith.
There is an old chorus that says, Faith, is just believing what God says He will do.
How does one get FAITH?
Faith comes by hearing.
Adam heard. Genesis 2:16-17
Noah heard. Genesis 6:13
Abraham heard. Genesis 12:1-3
Moses heard. Exodus 3:4
Jesus heard. Matthew 3:17
Paul heard Acts 9:4-6
True faith has 4 clear steps.
1) First comes hearing the word.
2) Hearing demands a choice.
3) Choice will produce an action. Faith without works is dead. James 2:20 and 26.
4) Evidence follows action. Mark 16:20
No evidence, no testimony, either way.
People can listen and not hear, look and not see. Jeremiah 5:21
To have faith is all to do with hearing.
The sad part is people hear, but do not hear.
The hearing that produces faith is both an understanding and a feeling.
They received the word (Heard and received and acted.) Acts 2:41
In Acts 7:54 we read that they heard the word, were cut to the heart, were angry and killed the messenger.
Unless there is a hearing of the Word, people have no faith and are operating out of presumption.
Presumption leads to disappointment, then anger and depression.
This is the key to why so many make the statement that they are believing, and nothing happens.
Something always happens when there is true faith founded on hearing the Word.
It was unbelief that stopped Jesus from healing some people, unbelief also stopped the disciples from casting out a demon. Matthew 13:58. Matthew 17:20.
Before ministering, first hear the Word.
Unless one hears the Word, one cannot please God, Hebrews 11:6
For one to receive faith it requires listening with spiritual ears, only this can pick up what the Spirit is saying.
1 John 4:6.
We are of God: he that knoweth God heareth us; he that is not of God heareth not us. Hereby know we the Spirit of Truth, and the spirit of error.