CHRISTIAN FAITH

Christian faith, according to its classic definition in the Epistle to theHebrews (11:1) is "the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen."

By faith writes St. Thomas Aquinas, the Christian soul enters, as it were, into marriage with God; ‘I will take you for my wife in faithfulness; and you shall know the LORD’ (Hos. 2:20).

The light of faith enables us to accept with certainty what cannot be demonstrated by reason. St. Thomas More, in his meditations and devotions, makes an important point when he states that a man may believe religious truths, but not appropriate these truths for his own life. In other words, saving faith requires that we relate that what we believe to our ordinary actions. Obedience must accompany belief. There is a danger that we focus too exclusively on assenting knowledge, making faith primarily a head trip.

Faith is mainly trust. Abraham becomes our model because" in hope he believed against hope" (Rom. 4:16).He accepted God as the God of the impossible, surrendering all to Him.

The virtue of faith, which we receive as a gift from God in baptism, enables us to believe and to trust. This saving faith is the source of all religious life, and it causes us to rely on God in all circumstances of our lives. We begin to realize that with saving faith all things will work together for good. Jesus has won the victory, and we can depend upon Him more and more. Faith is really a way of living. Gifted with supernatural faith, we live the life of Jesus in union with Him (John15), and continue his mission (John 20). Gradually, the words of Paul become realized in our lives: "It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me" (Gal. 2:20).

Many Christian believe and trust, but they still feel something is missing. There is powerlessness to go beyond their own abilities to do what Jesus said they would do in his name (john 14:10). They don’t experience signs and wonders accompanying their belief. At times, they even feel overcome by heavy demonic attack, the influence of the world, and their own weaknesses. Where is the power that Jesus promised his followers?

God wants his people to believe and to trust. He also wants us to expect that He will work in our lives in dramatic and awesome ways. He expects that we will allow Him to cure the lame, the blind, and the broken today. He expects that we give Him permission to bind and cast out the Demons of destruction in our World today.

Besides Theological faith, Scripture speaks of the charismatic gift of faith. It is a gift born of expectancy in our hearts that takes Jesus at his word. He does want to reform, renew and revive us in ordinary as well as extraordinary ways. In Acts 6:8, we find St. Stephen performing great wonders and signs "full of grace and power". Paul, in 1 Corinthians 12:9, writes of a faith that makes one able to be an instrument of the Holy Spirit in performing healing and works of power. Expectancy opens the door for the Charismatic gift by which there is an intensification of ones trust in and awareness of God acting in this moment to even move mountains and do what would ordinarily be humanly impossible. When accompanied by a high degree of saving faith, expectant faith becomes a powerful means to build up the body of Christ.

We must recognize, however, that power without love leads to a love for power. This can only hinder the mission of Christ. Virtue and Charismatic faith are both needed for the permanent revival that is so necessary, in our day, for Christianity to become believable. It must also be stated that expectant faith is no way simply a "confess it and claim it" theory. This puts the faith inourselves and not in the Lord. It also avoids the important step of listening first to how the Lord wants to work in the situation, and only then do we act with his empowerment.

A community where expectant faith is emphasized becomes the focal point for conversion and evangelization. Scripture comes alive because the words begin to be demonstrated in our midst.

"Have faith in God. In truth I tell you, if anyone says to his mountain, ‘Be pulled up and thrown into the sea,’ with no doubt in his heart, but believing that what he says will happen, it will be done for him." (Mt. 11:22-23).

"He rebuked the winds and the sea; and there was a great calm."(Mt. 8:26). " I am not ashamed of the Gospel; it is God’s power for salvation for all who believe." (Rom. 1:16). "Ask, and it will be given to you; and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you." (Mt. 7:7). Lord increase our faith!Bring revival to our church, so that your church may point the way to your kingdom with extraordinary power and love. Make your people, Lord, a clear sign of your sovereign presence. May all creations find its way back to you and the Father through the expectant faith of your people.

There are several ways to build up our Faith:

1. Pray and listen to the Lord.

Believe in Jesus, believe in his words, be humble and obey. Have a quite time with the Lord and listen to Him. The Holy Spirit is the gift for those who believe in Jesus. When we come to the Lord in prayer, we can be sure that "nothing is impossible for God" (Lk. 1:37), and though we may have difficulties in our lives and ministries, the Lord will sustain us. We receive everything from God by faith.

"Let anyone who thirst come to me and drink. Whoever believes in me, as scripture says: Rivers of living water will flow from within Him" (Jn. 7:37).Prayer and worship maintain the level of faith needed for continual growth. The secret for a firm faith lies in a deep communion with God.

2. The Sacraments.

The Sacrament of Reconciliation and the Eucharist are food for our souls as well as to our bodies. There is an endless source of graces in the Bread of life, Jesus Himself given to us in love. May we be transparent, showing Jesus who lives in us!

3. Exercise charisms by faith.

You have received the baptism in the Holy Spirit by faith and the gifts give testimony to the presence of Jesus among us. The Lord will give us the proper anointing according to the measure of our faith.

The disciples had been with Jesus when He performed miracles and preached to the multitudes. They believed, and after Pentecost everyone noticed what men of faith they had become. "Observing the boldness of Peter and John and perceiving them to be uneducated, ordinary men, they were amazed, and they recognized them as the companions of Jesus." (Acts 4:13)

People saw the "unlearned and ignorant men" doing the same things Jesus had done. They did them in faith.

4. The Word of God.

Have your Bible always at hand. Read, Study and meditate the word of God on a daily basis. "Be doers of the Word and not Hearers only, deluding yourselves. For if someone is the Hearer of the Word and not a doer, he is like a man who looks his own face in the mirror. He sees himself, and then he goes off and promptly forgets how he looks like. But the one who peers into the perfect law of freedom and perseveres, and is not a hearer who forgets but a doer who acts, such a one shall be blessed in what he does." (Jas. 2:24 - 25).

5. Be Humble.

" Because without me you can do nothing " (Jn. 15:5). Your ministry and everything you do will be with no fruit if only a result of human effort. The blessing will be on those who believe and are humble, entirely dependent on the Lord. Elizabeth said to Mary at the visitation, " Blessed are you who believed that what was spoken to you by the Lord would be fulfilled. " (Lk. 1:45)

6. Assume authority over the enemy in the name of Jesus.

" These signs will accompany those who believe: in my name, they will drive out demons… they will lay hands on the sick and they will recover." (Mk. 16:17 – 19)

Use the gifts in faith and thank the Lord for what He has done. The prayer of faith touches the heart of God as the touch of a woman with a hemorrhage on Jesus clothes. "If I but touch His clothes, I shall be cured." (Mk. 5:28). Jesus answer was, "Your faith has healed you. Go in peace." (Mk. 5:34)

Healing testimonies make our faith grow.

7. "Love one another as I love you."

" It was not you who chose me, but I who chose you and appointed you to go and bear fruit that will remain so that whatever you ask the Father in my name He will give you. This I command you: LOVE ONE ANOTHER."

God bless and peace be with you all.