Hope of glory

Col 1:27

“To whom God would make known what is the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles; which is Christ in you, the hope of glory.”

“To whom God was pleased to make known how great for the Gentiles are the riches of the glory of this mystery, which is Christ within and among you, the Hope of [realizing the] glory.” (AMP)

One definition of glory in the dictionary is “the height, the peak or zenith of prosperity and achievement”. The scriptures say Christ in you, anyone, irrespective of race, gender or whatever gives you the hope of getting to the

Faith to cast out devils

Mark 16:15-18
And he said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature. He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned. And these signs shall follow them that believe; In my name shall they cast out devils; they shall speak with new tongues.”

One of the signs that follow a believer is to cast out devils. So you see that you need faith to cast out devils, yet some people think faith and ministering deliverance do not go together. Where is the place of faith in the

Overcoming force

DAY THREE HUNDRED

“Above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked.” Ephesians 6:16

“Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour: Whom resist stedfast in the faith, knowing that the same afflictions are accomplished in your brethren that are in the world.” 1Peter 5:8&9

“Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.” James 4:7

Faith is an overcoming force and there is nothing or no one that can stand in faith’s way. When you look the passage in Ephesians, understand that it is referring to the devil because we have been told in earlier verses that we wrestle against

Faith and patience

James 1:2-6

“My brethren, count it all joy when ye fall into divers temptations; Knowing this, that the trying of your faith worketh patience. But let patience have her perfect work, that ye may be perfect and entire, wanting nothing. If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him. But let him ask in faith, nothing wavering. For he that wavereth is like a wave of the sea driven with the wind and tossed.”

Some days back I mentioned that there are four things that are required to bring one out of situations that seemingly are long lasting. I have spoken about the combination of faith and joy, wisdom and faith, let us look at faith and patience. I believe I have dealt with this before, but I believe to make

Seeking the wisdom of God

James 1:2-6

“My brethren, count it all joy when ye fall into divers temptations; Knowing this, that the trying of your faith worketh patience. But let patience have her perfect work, that ye may be perfect and entire, wanting nothing. If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him. But let him ask in faith, nothing wavering. For he that wavereth is like a wave of the sea driven with the wind and tossed.”

Still talking about seeking the wisdom of God as you endeavor to live a life of faith, I want you to see that Jesus alluded to this when He was talking about the end times.

“Who then is a faithful and wise servant, whom his lord hath made ruler over his household, to give them meat in due season? Blessed

Wisdom of God

James 1:2-6

“My brethren, count it all joy when ye fall into divers temptations; Knowing this, that the trying of your faith worketh patience. But let patience have her perfect work, that ye may be perfect and entire, wanting nothing. If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him. But let him ask in faith, nothing wavering. For he that wavereth is like a wave of the sea driven with the wind and tossed.”

There is an understanding that I want you to have especially if you have been battling a particular issue in your life for a long time. It is that added to remaining steadfast and strong in your faith you also need the wisdom of God in other to be victorious. 

In fact you need the working together of four

The power of praise

Rom 4:20

“He staggered not at the promise of God through unbelief; but was strong in faith, giving glory to God.”

Another thing that may be responsible for a weakening faith is failure to act as though what you believe for is done. How do you fail to act as though it is done? Firstly, by not giving glory to God continually in the time of waiting for manifestation. 

The scripture says severally that when we

Sin consciousness

Rom 8:1-3
“There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit. For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death. For what the law could not do, in that it was weak through the flesh, God sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and for sin, condemned sin in the flesh.”

Another thing that can weaken faith is sin consciousness. Being sin conscious or allowing the enemy to keep you under condemnation does nothing to help a man be strong in faith. This is one of satan’s tactics of making

Don't consider contrary evidence

Rom 4:19

“And being not weak in faith, he considered not his own body now dead, when he was about an hundred years old, neither yet the deadness of Sara's womb.”

There is nothing that weakens faith as much as fixation on contrary evidence to what you desire. Contrary evidence will always be with you, by that I mean when you start out believing God for a particular thing, the situation around you would not have changed. 

When Jesus cursed the fig tree, the scriptures said they went past it on their return and nothing had changed, cos if it had, Peter would have

Go back to the promises

2 Peter 1:3-4

“According as his divine power hath given unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness, through the knowledge of him that hath called us to glory and virtue: Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises…”

The second thing to do if it seems that your faith is weakening and you seem to be losing the grip on your victory is to go back to the promises that you are standing on. If you do not have specific ones you are standing on then it is time to find at least one.   

All that pertain to life have been encapsulated in promises from the word of God and is by faith you inherit these promises and faith comes by

GOD, THE INITIATOR OF YOUR BELIEVE

Hebrews 12:2 AMP

“Looking away [from all that will distract] to Jesus, Who is the Leader and the Source of our faith [giving the first incentive for our belief] and is also its Finisher [bringing it to maturity and perfection].

Still talking about the source of your faith, I want to take today to emphasize something about the life of faith. When talking about the source of your faith, our text says in the amplified “…the first incentive for our belief…” In walking by faith we start with Mark 11:24

“…What things soever ye desire, when ye pray, believe that ye receive them, and ye shall have them.”

Which means we just desire something of our own and begin to believe for it. This is the reason why we do not get the victory.  Our text says Jesus should be the one who gives to us the first incentive for our belief, this means God should initiate our believing for something. When God initiates it, then you can truly say whatsoever is born of God overcometh the world. 

The whatsoever being referred to, is your faith. When God initiates your believing, He also matures it or perfects it. So when it looks like you are getting weak, remind yourself what Paul said, “I live by the faith of the Son of God who loved me and gave Himself for me.” 

The source of your faith

"Have faith in God," Jesus answered.

Are you at the place where it seems your faith is weak and you seem to be losing the grip on your victory? There are certain things to do.

The first thing to do that will keep your faith strong and victory intact is to remember the source of your faith. Your faith is in God

Praying in the Holy Ghost and Faith

“But ye, beloved, building up yourselves on your most holy faith, praying in the Holy Ghost.” Jude 20

“But you, beloved, build yourselves up [founded] on your most holy faith [make progress, rise like an edifice higher and higher], praying in the Holy Spirit.” AMP

As I already said faith does not come by praying in the Holy Ghost but faith gets strengthened when you do pray in the Holy Ghost. However there is also another dimension of this. When you want to exercise faith, you do it according to the level of knowledge and faith you believe you have. 

But sometimes you find yourself experiencing or coming into things you never thought you either prayed or are ready for

Praying in the Spirit strengthens faith

“But ye, beloved, building up yourselves on your most holy faith, praying in the Holy Ghost.” Jude 20

“But you, beloved, build yourselves up [founded] on your most holy faith [make progress, rise like an edifice higher and higher], praying in the Holy Spirit.” AMP

There is a way for your faith to be built up that enables you to make progress with your faith and in your faith, it is by praying in

Bold faith...

“By whom also we have access by faith into this grace wherein we stand…” Romans 5:2

“Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need.” Hebrews 4:16

We are still continuing our thoughts on the characteristics of bold faith.

The fourth characteristic is that bold faith is not intimidated by whoever or whatever is around it. When the brother of David tried to intimidate him and make him keep quiet, he refused to be silenced. This reminds me of

Faith that is bold

“By whom also we have access by faith into this grace wherein we stand…” Romans 5:2

“Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need.” Hebrews 4:16

We ended yesterday’s meditation with this thought that faith that is not bold is not faith. Let us today look at the characteristics of bold faith which I believe was exemplified in the life of David among

No boldness without faith

“By whom also we have access by faith into this grace wherein we stand…” Romans 5:2

“Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need.” Hebrews 4:16

If you are going to receive all that grace has provided then you have to come boldly but there can be no boldness without faith. This is one of the reasons people don’t enjoy grace. 

They come to the throne of grace begging, acting unworthy, calling themselves all sorts  of names thinking that impresses God but like we have

Faith gives you access

“But without faith it is impossible to please Him…” Hebrews 11:6

“By whom also we have access by faith into this grace wherein we stand…” Romans 5:2

Grace is described as God’s Riches At Christ’s Expense made available to you the believer. Now this is not the only definition of grace but the above sums up everything. This means all of heaven’s riches are available to the believer. But do you know what gives you access to these riches? Faith! 

Yes, faith is what gives you access into grace and everything wrapped up in it. Why is it important for you to understand this? Have you ever asked someone if they would do something and they respond, by the grace of God

Strengthened with might

Hebrews 11:6

“But without faith it is impossible to please Him…”

Another thing believers also try to do in their strength without success is love, loving the God way. You cannot love, the agape love except you approach it by faith. Paul in his prayer for the church revealed as much:

“...That he would grant you, according to the riches of his glory, to be strengthened with might by his Spirit in the inner man; That Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith; that ye, being rooted and grounded in love…”

Notice what what came after being strengthened with might, it is that Christ may dwell in your heart by faith which leads to you being rooted and

Living a holy life by faith

Hebrews 11:6
“But without faith it is impossible to please Him…”

Rom 14:23
“… for whatsoever is not of faith is sin.”

I am still on the subject of living a holy life by faith. The Scripture says we are to be holy as God our Father is. But until we do this by faith, remember, this means taking the promises of God on this subject and letting it be part of us, we will just be struggling in the flesh. How does faith help me with this?

Firstly, in addition to what was said yesterday, faith calls the things that be not as though they are. This means don’t describe yourself

Holiness and Faith

Hebrews 11:6

“But without faith it is impossible to please Him…”

Rom 14:23

“… for whatsoever is not of faith is sin.”

Many believers are struggling to live a holy life which should not be and it is because unconsciously they are trying to separate living by faith from living a holy life. What they don’t realize is that you need to live by faith in other to live a holy life. Once you are not living by faith you are not living a holy life because when

Mircales through faith

Acts 14:7-10

“And there they preached the gospel. And there sat a certain man at Lystra, impotent in his feet, being a cripple from his mother's womb, who never had walked: The same heard Paul speak: who steadfastly beholding him, and perceiving that he had faith to be healed, Said with a loud voice, Stand upright on thy feet. And he leaped and walked.”

Let us conclude our meditation on the passage that we began with yesterday, talking about three things that you can do to receive a miracle through faith. Firstly, I said you must be where you can hear the gospel preached

Receiving a miracle through faith

Acts 14:7-10

“And there they preached the gospel. And there sat a certain man at Lystra, impotent in his feet, being a cripple from his mother's womb, who never had walked: The same heard Paul speak: who steadfastly beholding him, and perceiving that he had faith to be healed, Said with a loud voice, Stand upright on thy feet. And he leaped and walked.”

I want to share with you today three keys to receiving a miracle through faith from the story in our text for today.  We see in it a man who has been a cripple from his mother’s womb got up instantly whole and walked away not

The just shall live by faith

Rom 1:17

“…The just shall live by faith.”  

I want to point out to you that it is only the just that can live by this kind of faith, that is, the God kind of faith. This is because the Scriptures say clearly all men have not faith (2Thess 3:2). 

Now I understand that you might have heard that everybody has faith but that can’t be true if the Scriptures say all men have not faith. What is happening is that when people say every one has faith, they are

Who is a just person?

Rom 1:17

“…The just shall live by faith.”

Living by faith is at the core of the believer’s life. When you do not live by faith you become unsettled at the very core of your being and when that happens, frustration and an unsettled mind is what results. Our scripture for meditation is very clear and direct, it has no ambiguity, “the just shall live by faith” and it is so

Be real with your faith!

1 Tim 1:5

“Now the end of the commandment is charity out of a pure heart, and of a good conscience, and of faith unfeigned.” KJV

“The whole point of what we're urging is simply love — love uncontaminated by self-interest and counterfeit faith, a life open to God.” The Message

“The purpose of this command is for people to have love, a love that comes from a pure heart and a good conscience and a true faith.” New Contemporary Version

One last thought on this counterfeit faith. There are people who in the name of faith live a fake life. Like some one put it they spend

Faith is a force in your spirit

1 Tim 1:5

“Now the end of the commandment is charity out of a pure heart, and of a good conscience, and of faith unfeigned.” KJV

“The whole point of what we're urging is simply love — love uncontaminated by self-interest and counterfeit faith, a life open to God.” The Message

“The purpose of this command is for people to have love, a love that comes from a pure heart and a good conscience and a true faith.” New Contemporary Version

We are still examining counterfeit faith. Jesus said whosoever shall say to this mountain be thou removed and be thou

The true and real faith

1 Tim 1:5

“Now the end of the commandment is charity out of a pure heart, and of a good conscience, and of faith unfeigned.” KJV

“The whole point of what we're urging is simply love — love uncontaminated by self-interest and counterfeit faith, a life open to God.” The Message

“The purpose of this command is for people to have love, a love that comes from a pure heart and a good conscience and a true faith.” New Contemporary Version

I want you to see that as there is real, true faith, so also