Many Christians believe God can do anything. They have no problem agreeing with that. The difficulty comes when it is time to act on what they believe. Faith that never acts will never produce results. The Lord has given us His Word so we can believe it and act upon it.
Jesus said, “Therefore I say unto you, What things soever ye desire, when ye pray, believe that ye receive them, and ye shall have them (Mark 11:24).”
Notice the order. Jesus did not say you would have things first and then believe. He said to believe that you receive while you are praying. The having comes afterward. That is the way faith works.
Many people spend their time waiting until they can see something change before they believe God has answered. That is not faith. Faith believes before there is any visible evidence. If the answer could already be seen, there would be no need for faith.
The Bible also says, “Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen (Hebrews 11:1).”
Faith deals with things that are not yet visible. It rests on what God has said rather than on present circumstances.
Sometimes believers think they need more faith before they can trust God for an answer. Jesus did not say it takes great faith. He said, “If ye have faith as a grain of mustard seed…(Matthew 17:20)”
The issue is not always how much faith we have. Often it is whether we are using the faith we already possess. A mustard seed is small, but it is planted. Faith works the same way. It must be exercised.
After we have prayed according to God’s Word, there comes a point where we simply say, “I believe I receive.” That is an act of faith. We are not pretending something has happened. We are taking God at His Word before we see the answer.
The Apostle James wrote, “But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves (James 1:22).”
Faith is never separated from action. The person who believes the Word will act like it is true. That action may simply be thanking God for the answer while circumstances still look the same. It may be refusing to let doubt change what was settled in prayer. The action follows the promise God has already given.
There are times when the devil will tell you nothing has changed. He will point to every circumstance that looks the same as before. That is why it is important to stay with what the Bible says instead of what feelings or circumstances say. God’s Word does not change because situations have not yet changed.
Once faith has been released, continue to thank the Lord for what He promised. There is no need to keep wondering whether He heard you. Jesus said to believe that you receive. Our responsibility is to believe. God’s responsibility is to bring His Word to pass.
The Lord has made provision for every need through His Word. Find the promise that covers your situation. Pray. Believe that you receive. Then keep standing on what God has said. That is how faith operates.
