Faith in the Real World
December 5, 2010
by Maria Fontaine
Faith in the Real World
Audio length: 4:48
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People have often told me I have a lot of faith. But how does that play out in the real world? What tangible benefits does faith provide me with?
I like this quote that says, “Faith will beget in us three things: vision, venture, victory.”[1]
Here is a list of the ways faith has helped my vision, venture and victory. In essence, it’s a list of God’s promises fulfilled.
1. Peace of mind. “And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.”[2]
2. Overcoming fear. “There is no fear in love, for perfect love casts out all fear.”[3]
3. Certainty for the future. “Commit thy way unto the Lord; trust also in Him; and He shall bring it to pass.”[4]
4. Calmness. “He leadeth me beside the still waters.”[5]
5. Stability. “Believe in the Lord your God, so shall ye be established.”[6]
6. Understanding. This may seem like an odd one. How can I gain understanding through strengthening my faith, since faith is trusting God even if I don’t have the understanding? Well, I’ve found that it takes patience and an optimistic point of view to exercise faith, and as I do, I gain understanding in situations that would otherwise be confusing. By having faith and waiting on the Lord, I give the Lord time to speak to me and show me His mind. “The entrance of Thy words giveth light; it giveth understanding unto the simple.”[7]
7. Healing. I look at this as either physical, emotional, or spiritual healing. Whatever the need is, God will supply. “Many are the afflictions of the righteous, but the Lord delivereth him out of them all.”[8]
8. Happiness. “For our heart shall rejoice in Him, because we have trusted in His holy name.”[9]
9. Resurrection. As Jesus can do this in the physical through raising the dead, and also do it in the spiritual through salvation, so can He do it just as powerfully when we feel dead emotionally or spiritually, and can’t possibly see the way ahead. The Lord can raise us up again to life.
“Jesus said unto her, I am the resurrection, and the life: he that believeth in Me, though he were dead, yet shall he live: and whosoever liveth and believeth in Me shall never die. Believest thou this?”[10]
10. Trust. My faith helps me not to be shaken or alarmed at bad news. “He shall not be afraid of evil tidings: his heart is fixed (established), trusting in the Lord.”[11]
11. Resting in Jesus. My faith helps me to be freed from pressure and stress. “They that trust in the Lord shall be as mount Zion, which cannot be removed, but abideth for ever.”[12]
12. Strength of heart. My faith gives me strength to keep going. “I had fainted, unless I had believed to see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living.”[13] “Be of good courage, and He shall strengthen thine heart.”[14]
I’ll close with a beautiful quote from George Mueller: “Faith does not operate in the realm of the possible. There is no glory for God in that which is humanly possible. Faith begins where man’s power ends.”