'Our'? faith???

I cannot forget the number of times, in my previous churches, where the preacher, pastor and evangelist called for us to exercise 'our' faith. The constant haranguing from the pulpit eventually had the effect of either causing people to exercise 'faith' from their flesh, or to simply just give up on faith!

Until today, I overhear conversations among believes about 'our' faith. And when they refer to 'our' faith, it does appear to me that this faith is coming from inside the person. I know I struggled supremely with faith for thirty-three years of my 'walk with Christ'. My faith was such a 'yo-yo' thing. Sometimes, I seemed so full of faith, I could win the world for Christ. Most of the times, my faith was so low, and 'not', that it seemed that I absolutely could not be a believer of the Risen LORD!

So what gives in this area of 'faith'?

Is it 'our's'?

Here are some Scriptures which do not agree with a position that faith is ours:

1. (KJV+)  AndG2532 JesusG2424 answeringG611 saithG3004 unto them,G846 HaveG2192 faithG4102 in God.G2316

(LITV)  And answering, Jesus said to them, Have faith of God.

(YLT)  And Jesus answering saith to them, `Have faith of God

2. Act 3:16  And his name through faith in his name hath made this man strong, whom ye see and know: yea, the faith which is by him hath given him this perfect soundness in the presence of you all.

3. Gal 2:20  I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me.

4. 1Pe 1:7  That the trial of your faith, being much more precious than of gold that perisheth, though it be tried with fire, might be found unto praise and honour and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ

5. 1Pe 1:23  Being born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, by the word of God, which liveth and abideth for ever.

6. 2Pe 1:1  Simon Peter, a servant and an apostle of Jesus Christ, to them that have obtained like precious faith with us through the righteousness of God and our Saviour Jesus Christ

The above verses so strongly presents the case that this faith which is MORE PRECIOUS than gold that perishes, cannot have as its source, the fallen flesh of sinful human nature. Impossible!

The crucial point is the beginning of salvation. Scripture overwhelming points out that without faith it is impossible to please God (Heb 11:6). And Paul in Rom 8:8, clearly states that those in the flesh cannot please God. So therefore, the beginning of faith cannot come from our fallen, and sinful Adamic human nature. No, faith has to come from God's grace in Christ Jesus, who is the WORD which was with God in the beginning (John 1:1), and when preached under the anointing of the Holy Spirit to the heart of the hearer, produces faith for salvation through the mighty power of God's Spirit, at that moment of salvation, in uniting the heart of fallen, sinful humans to Christ.

At that point, we can begin to understand the genuineness of our faith, because it is actually the precious gift of Christ Jesus to us. Which is why the apostle Paul in 2 Cor just burst out in praise for the 'unspeakable gift of God'.

And so this faith can grow because the Scriptures exhort us to grow in grace and in the knowledge of God. Every time we soak ourselves in God's Word and Spirit, indeed, as Christ Himself said, we 'eat His flesh and drink His blood'. We are thus renewed, revived for the daily living out of our faith in being His hands and feet, and mouthpiece of His grace to a hungry and thirsty world, which in rebellion turns against the very remedy for its ailments.

How thankful I am that I do not need to 'work up' faith! How thankful I am that I simply go to Jesus every day, and in fact, every moment, to ask for grace to help in the time of need; when nerves are frayed, when relationships are strained, when stress is increasing, when problems are complex, and discover that His Word touches my heart with His Word within my heart, and again, through His grace, mediated by His Spirit, I am refreshed with His Spirit of power, love and a sound mind, to cope and indeed, to overcome through Him, all these challenges.

Soli Deo Gloria!