The Power of the Word: What Is Faith?

Texts: Luke 5:15-26; Hebrews 11:1-3. The people in Luke’s Scripture came to hear first and then to be healed. The power of God was there to heal, but the one who was healed was the one who showed his faith when his friends lowered him through a roof to reach Jesus. You can see faith, and it works. Jesus told the blind men, “According to your faith be it unto you.” Faith puts the priority on the living Word of God. Faith brings God into the now. Faith is the substance (reality) of things hoped for and the evidence of things not seen. You need hope for your healing or for your prosperity first, but do not confuse hope for faith. Make sure that you are not parroting what someone else has said when you are “confessing” or “professing” your faith. If you are wavering or in doubt, do not even think you will receive anything from the LORD (James 1:3-6). If you are in hope and not in faith, or your faith is wavering, get more Word in you (Romans 10:17). Faith is a measure of God’s faithfulness. We can be confident in Him and believe what we have heard God say. We can believe God’s report (Isaiah 53:1). Locate your faith. Am I in hope or in faith? Jesus is our High Priest (Hebrews 4:14). Hold fast to your profession of faith (Hebrews 10:23).