Faith That Works

I want to talk with you today about something that’s so vital to our walk with the Lord—that is faith. You know, the Bible says in Romans 10:17, “So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.” But sometimes, faith can feel like such a mystery, can’t it? What exactly is faith? And where does it come from? And how can we have the kind of unwavering faith that truly pleases God?
 
Well, let’s talk about this together.
 
Let me give you a simple illustration: 
Imagine you meet someone, and after a nice conversation you invite that person to come and visit you at 7:00 pm tomorrow night at your home and their answer is, “Yes, I’ll be there.”
 
Now—if you don’t really believe them, you’ll probably make other plans or maybe not even be home at all when they arrive. In doing that, you are actually preventing them from keeping their word.
 
But if you do believe them, you’ll be home, maybe even have coffee ready. You may even prepare a meal for them to make them feel at ease. In other words, you’ve made preparations for their arrival, because you trusted what they said. You had faith that they would keep their word…right? That, my friends, is what faith looks like. You take action depending on what you actually believe in your heart.
 
Now, let’s say the same person promises to come again but never shows up. You’d lose confidence in them, wouldn’t you? You’d probably not prepare for them to visit next time because they’ve proven untrustworthy.
 
But here’s the thing: God is not like that. In fact, Numbers 23:19 tells us, “God is not a man, that He should lie, nor a son of man, that He should repent. Has He said, and will He not do? Or has He spoken, and will He not make it good?”
 
God never lies. He never forgets. He never gets too busy. He always keeps His Word. So why do we struggle so much to believe Him? Throughout every generation, God has ALWAYS been faithful. He has never once failed to keep His promises. But often, we fail to believe, and as a result, we don’t prepare for Him to fulfill His Word in our lives. And just like if we didn’t prepare for our friend to keep his word, if we don’t prepare for God to keep His Word, it’s sometimes impossible for God to do so. For instance, if we don’t fulfill the accompanying requirement that God has laid out for us, then He can’t do what He wanted to do in our lives.
 
Think about it:

• God promised Abraham a son—and He gave him one.
• God promised to free Israel from Egypt—and He did.
• God promised to make David king—and it came to pass.
• God promised to send a Savior—and Jesus came.
• God promised Jesus would rise again on the third day—and He did! Hallelujah!

That’s because God has never failed to keep even one of His promises.
And yet, how strange it is that we so easily trust fallible man, but find it so hard to fully trust our infallible God.
 
Even Abraham, the “father of faith,” struggled at times. God promised him a son, but Abraham doubted. Still, God patiently kept reaffirming His promise until Abraham’s faith grew strong enough that he was willing to sacrifice his son Isaac, the son of promise, believing that even if Isaac died, God would raise him up. That my Friend, is genuine faith!
 
Romans 10:17 reminds us: “Faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.” If we don’t know what God’s Word says, how can we believe Him? If we don’t know that God promised eternal life through Jesus Christ, we can’t prepare to receive it. If we don’t know that God said, “I am the Lord who heals you”, then we won’t expect Him to heal us. We must hear His Word—and then act on it. Because when God makes a promise, He will do it.
 
Maybe you’re saying, “I know the Word, I love God—but my faith just doesn’t seem to be working. I can’t seem to believe at that deep level.”
 
Trust me Friends, you’re not alone. So today I want to share with you five powerful steps that we can take that will help our faith to grow into unwavering faith.
 
#1. Seek Genuine Faith
 
Acts 14:8-10 tells us about a man who was healed because Paul “perceived that he had faith to be healed.”
God knows whether our faith is genuine—and so does the enemy. True faith isn’t head knowledge. It’s that unshakable confidence deep in your spirit that says, “I know that I know that I know.” It stands on God’s Word alone—not emotions, not logic, not circumstances.
 
#2. Pray for More Faith
 
In Mark 9:23-24, the desperate father cried, “Lord, I believe; help my unbelief!”
That’s such a real and honest prayer. We all need to pray, “Lord, increase my faith.” He is, after all, the Author and Finisher of our faith. Ask Him to strengthen you and He will do it.
 
#3. Abide in Christ
Jesus said in John 15:5, “I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing.”
Faith grows in a surrendered heart. As John the Baptist said, “He must increase, but I must decrease.”
Faith cannot thrive where “self” is in control. We must daily take up our cross and follow Jesus—living as He did, fully surrendered to the Father’s will. When we can honestly say, “Father, my life belongs to You,” He begins to manifest His power in amazing ways.
 
#4. Remember God’s Past Faithfulness
 
When David faced Goliath, he remembered God’s past victories in his life. In 1 Samuel 17:37, David said, “The Lord, who delivered me from the paw of the lion and from the paw of the bear, He will deliver me from the hand of this Philistine.”
Think back, friend—how many times has God come through for you? He’s never failed you before, and He won’t start now. The same God Who’s always been faithful in your past will also be faithful in your present and in your future.
 
#5. Walk in Obedience
 
Acts 5:29 says, “We ought to obey God rather than men.”
There will be times when your faith will be challenged—by unbelievers, or even by well-meaning Christians who don’t see what you see. But Romans 3:4 reminds us, “Let God be true but every man a liar.”
Stay anchored in the Word of God. Obedience is what keeps us aligned with God’s truth. Faith stands on THIS foundation: God’s Word is Truth.
 
So how can you apply these steps to your life today? Here’s how…
 
If someone reminds you of your past sins, remember 1 John 1:9:
“If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.”
 
If you’re sick, remember Exodus 15:26:
“For I am the Lord who heals you.”
And James 5:15:
“And the prayer of faith will save the sick, and the Lord will raise him up.”
 
If you’re in need of provision in your life, remember Matthew 6:33:
“But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you.”
 
Friends, God and His Word are one—and He will always keep His Word. Our God is faithful and true. Faith that works isn’t blind hope—it’s confidential trust in a God Who is ALWAYS faithful and true. It’s preparing our lives for Him to keep His Word. It’s living like His promises are already true—because they are.
 
And so today Friends, no matter what you’re facing, just stand on the Word of God. He has never failed, and you can have complete confidence that He never will.
 
If you would bow your head, I would like to pray with you right now:
 
Heavenly Father,
Thank You for ALWAYS being faithful and true. You are a God who never lies and Who always keeps His promises. Lord, would You increase our faith today. Would You teach us how to trust You more deeply—how to take You at Your Word and to prepare our hearts for Your promises to be fulfilled.
 
Help us remember all the times that You’ve been faithful in our past so that we can face today with confidence. Strengthen us to walk in obedience, to abide in Christ, and to live with hearts totally surrendered to You.
 
And for those who are weary, doubtful, or afraid—Lord, breathe fresh faith into their spirits right now. Let Your Word come alive in them. We believe, Lord—help our unbelief.
 
We love You and we give You all praise and glory and honor…In Jesus’ mighty name we pray, Amen.