Jesus evaluated people’s faith when they approached Him for healing or a miracle and responded accordingly. Are you someone of little faith, great faith or completely lacking in faith? I want Jesus to see great faith in me. And I’m hoping that you are the same and that that is why you are reading this series of blog posts. (If you missed the first one, you can find it here.)

An important question to answer in our search for faith that heals or brings about miracles, is, ‘Where do we get faith?’ From where does it come?

So faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.

Rom 10:17 WEB

Problem solved!

We just need more of the Word of God, and we will have more faith.

I don’t know what picture those words conjure up in your mind. Should we all memorise the Bible? Or listen to more sermons? Or get Morgan Freeman to read the Bible to us?

There is a couple of things that we need to clarify for this truth to bear the right fruit. This post will cover the first one.

Faith is NOT …

Just like courage is not the absence of fear, but how we overcome it, faith is not the absence of doubt. Faith is how we overcome doubt. It is how we respond to doubt.

But it is not mere stubbornness or denial. It is not strength of will represented by clenched jaws and a refusal to acknowledge your present reality. Nor is it the emotional high that results from listening to a motivational speaker chant, ‘Yes, you can!’

Faith is your heart’s response to God’s Word.

And we need to get the ingredients right to get the recipe to work. You need your heart, not just your head. And you need God’s Word. Not just the Bible. Or a sermon. God’s Word!

When you combine these two ingredients something truly wonderful happens. Faith arises. You become convinced of things you cannot see as if you have physical evidence for it. Suddenly the things you hope for becomes real as if present already.

There is no need to deny any facts. Or shout down doubts. Your heart knows that it knows.

When you combine your heart and God’s Word you do not need strength. Or eloquence. Or denial. Or thousands praying. Or a big crowd and loud music.

You don’t need those things because you have faith. Faith is a thing on its own. It is your heart’s response to God’s Word!

Life cannot just be about survival. And faith cannot be just about getting to heaven. Surely there must be more? And it surely must be impossible or at least implausible for children of God Almighty to live in this world and leave it the same or in worse condition?

I want faith that impresses Jesus. I want faith that heals. I want faith that sets free. I want real faith.

For the recipe to work, we need the right ingredients. But we also need the ingredients in the right condition. In the next posts, we will be looking at your heart’s condition. It is not just any heart that will respond to God’s Word in the right way.

And we will look at what the term, ‘God’s Word’, actually means. What you have in your hand might not make this recipe work. In fact, I am convinced that every now and then that is true for both you and me.

In the meantime, remember this: Faith is your heart’s response to God’s Word!