Every Christian knows by experience that living our faith is hard. So, how can you and I be more consistent? The first thing you can do is prioritize God’s Word because it is impossible to live what you do not know.
The Bible is God’s Word to mankind and the record of God’s revelation of Himself because He wants you and I to know Him and understand what pleases Him. Indeed, there will always be something new to learn about God, but living our faith and acting on what we believe will never change.
And without faith, it is impossible to please God because anyone who comes to him must believe that He exists and that He rewards those who earnestly seek Him. Hebrews 11:6
The first step of living our faith is to believe that God is real. But this is only the beginning because genuine faith is more than intellectual assent. Faith is believing in God’s character: He is who He says He is. Faith means believing in God’s promises: He will do what He says. Those who believe trust God and come to Him to worship and find mercy and grace to help in their time of need. Living our faith is to trust and obey the living God.
Living Our Faith Begins with Knowing God
Living out your faith in God is impossible if you don’t know Him. So, the first place to get acquainted is to receive God’s Son, Jesus Christ, as your Savior and Lord.
Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. If you really knew me, you would know my Father as well. From now on, you do know Him and have seen Him. Anyone who has seen me has seen the father. John 14:6, 9
You can see God’s power, majesty, and brilliant creativity through creation. But God gave you His Word so you can know Him and understand that God is both personal and relational. Through the pages of the Bible, God will reveal Himself to you. And you will grasp how much Jesus loves you, even enough to die for you!
Faith in God comes from believing His Word. Do you know God well enough to trust Him? If not, begin by reading and believing His Word, and faith will come.
What Living Our Faith Means
God is not interested in those who profess faith but have no works of faith to show for it. Obedience to the will of God comes from faith, and faith comes from hearing the Word of God. When you believe God’s Word, you will want to obey Him because you love Him. Faith is incomplete without your obedience.
What good is it, my brothers, if a man claims to have faith but has no deeds? Can such faith save him? Faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action is dead. As the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without deeds is dead. James 2:14, 17, 26
True faith in God relies on the Holy Spirit of God to transform your conduct. Therefore, obedience to God’s Word is the only measure that demonstrates that your faith is genuine.
Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see. This is what the ancients were commended for. Hebrews 11:1-2
The Bible records the lives of real people with a sinful nature like ours but who accomplished supernatural things because they believed God’s Word and acted on it. We also read about people who lived for themselves and treated God as if He did not exist. The Bible was written to teach us to trust in God and not in ourselves.
For everything that was written in the past was written to teach us so that through the endurance taught in the Scriptures and the encouragement they provide we might have hope. Romans 15:4
Living Our Faith Works
Genuine Faith relies on God’s power to fulfil His good and perfect will in our lives and the world, so there is much we can learn from believers who have gone before us. Like Moses, I, too, feel inadequate when God calls me to do His will. Yet, Moses believed what God said and did remarkable things in His name. But even better, Almighty God called Moses His friend. Likewise, Jesus considers you His friend if you believe in Him. Meditate on that thought.
Jesus said, “You are my friends if you do what I command. I no longer call you servants, because a servant does not know his master’s business. Instead, I have called you friends, for everything that I learned from my Father I have made known to you.” John 15:14-15
Moses reminds us that recognizing our weakness is good because it causes us to depend on God and not to rely on ourselves. When you believe God’s Word, you will trust Him and be strengthened to do His will. This is how God is glorified.
The Lord said, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” 2 Corinthians 12:9
Living Our Faith Will Be Tested
God promised Abraham a son, so when it did not happen for a long time, Abraham and Sarah thought they needed to help God out, so they did. The consequences of their actions are still felt today as Jews and Muslims continue to fight each other.
My faith in God is often tested like Abraham’s. Whenever I begin to doubt what God has revealed to me, I question God and think, “Did God really say this to me?” As a side note, ‘Did God really say’ is also the devil’s words used to tempt Eve to doubt God’s Word in the Garden of Eden. And as we know, Satan was successful.
Through Abraham’s test of faith, God reminds me that choices have consequences. God never needs my help, but He does want me to trust and depend on Him, to walk by faith and not by sight.
For we walk by faith, not by sight. 2 Corinthians 5:7
John the Baptist was also tempted with doubts as he sat alone in Herod’s prison, wondering if Jesus was who he thought. John may have reasoned, “If Jesus is the Messiah, why isn’t He using His power to rescue me from this prison?” His faith was under assault from the enemy.
Sometimes, I, too, wonder what God is doing, so He reminds me that His thoughts are not my thoughts, and His ways are higher than mine. He asks me to trust Him when I cannot see, so I confess my unbelief and ask God to strengthen my faith.
Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will make your path straight. Proverbs 3:5-6
Living Our Faith Will Never Be Perfect
I relate to the Apostle Peter, who denied he knew Jesus because he was afraid and thought only about protecting himself. He failed the test of faith and was eaten up with guilt and despair. Peter desperately needed forgiveness, and it was then that the love of Christ overwhelmed him.
Jesus assured Peter that He still wanted to use his life, and He certainly did. He authored the Books of 1 and 2 Peter under the Holy Spirit’s inspiration, which continues to speak to us today. Jesus is full of mercy and compassion and forgives sinful human beings. Who could fail to love such a good and loving God?
I marvel at Paul’s conversion and how he became a changed man because he came face to face with Jesus on the road to Damascus. God transformed him from being a persecutor of Christians to preaching the gospel of Jesus Christ throughout the Roman Empire. In reading Paul’s story, I remember the day I believed in Jesus, and He brought me out of darkness into his marvelous light. It is good to recall your salvation story often.
I am also amazed how the Holy Spirit enabled Paul to persevere over overwhelming opposition, including beatings and prison. Therefore, I am humbled by the love of God Paul had for his enemies and how much he hoped they would believe the Gospel of Jesus Christ. God reminds me that the same power and love of the Holy Spirit is available to you and me.
Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come. 2 Corinthians 5:17
Living Our Faith Trusts God to Provide
When I read about Elijah and Elisha, I see the power of the Holy Spirit displayed in their passion to bring people back to faith and the knowledge of God. Both prophets obeyed God’s Word and relied entirely on God to provide for their needs. When I read their story, I ask God to replace worry with faith, believing that God will provide for me. Indeed, faith is more than intellectual ascent.
And my God will meet all your needs according to his glorious riches in Christ Jesus. Philippians 4:19
Both prophets confronted evil and the resistance to God’s Word in their day. Through their example, I am reminded that God will always help me to do what He commands me to do, even when it is hard. Have you found this to be true?
God appointed Joshua to lead His people into the Promised Land, and he was asked to succeed Moses of all people! We can learn by his example because he was afraid to do what God asked of him, but Joshua gained courage by believing what God told him.
Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be terrified; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go. Joshua 1:9
Joshua had the Presence of God with him, so he had everything he needed. Help me, Lord, to connect to you throughout the day.
Living Our Faith Works
The Bible is filled with men and women whom God commended for living their faith through good times and bad. They were not perfect as we are not, but they were obedient to God, and He used them to accomplish His good purposes by the power of the Holy Spirit. People of faith will continue to be transformed by the Spirit of God, day by day, until they see Jesus face to face.
The righteous will live by faith. Romans 1:17
God calls those who live by faith righteous because obedience comes from faith and glorifies God. Those who believe God love and obey Him by relying on the power of the Holy Spirit and not themselves.
For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith, and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God, not by works, so that no one can boast. For we are God’s workmanship created in Christ Jesus to do good works which God prepared in advance for us to do. Ephesians 2:8-10
God intends that your salvation results in acts of service because of your faith. So, ask God for His help to believe His Word and act on it. Whatever God asks you to do, He expects you to rely on Him by faith to do it. This is what living our faith means. Hear the Word, Believe the Word, Live the Word. Jesus Christ is the Word! May God increase and abundantly bless your faith in Him.
Please leave your comments below.
Subscribe below or on the blog page, and you will not miss my next post.
More Bible Teaching and Bible Studies
Inductive Bible Study
Request the Digging Deeper Bible Study
Bible study for “Living Our Faith”
Week 1: Genesis 15-17; Exodus 3-4; Joshua 1:1-9; 1 Kings 18:16-39; 2 Kings 6:1-17; Isaiah 55:8-11; Proverbs 3:5-6; Matthew 11:2-19; 17:14-20; 21:22; Mark 9:21-23; Luke 22:31-34; 54-62; John 3:16-21; 6:29, 35; 7:38; 11:40; 13:37-38
Week 2: John 14:6-14; 15:5-17; 18:15-17, 25-27; 20:30-31; 21:15-19; Acts 9:1-31; Romans 1:16-17; 4:3-8, 18-25; 8:28,31-39; 10:1-17; 13:8-14; 14:19-23; 15:1-7, 13
Week 3: 2 Corinthians 5:7-10, 15, 20-21; 11:24-30; 12:8-10; 13:5; Galatians 2:20-21; 3:26-27; Ephesians 2:8-10; 3:14-21; Philippians 2:3-4, 14-16; 4:6-7, 9, 12-13, 19-20; 1 Thessalonians 1:2-3
Week 4: Hebrews 4:12-16; 11:1-39; 12:1-3, 14-17; 13:4-6; James 1:22-25; 2:14-26; 5:17-18; 1 Peter1: 8-9; 2:1-1-25; 2 Peter 1:3; 1 John 1: 5-10; 2:1-6; 5:4-5
