Faith-Filled Words: Releasing the Power of God’s Spirit

My study and growing revelation of God’s goodness has done more to activate my faith than my many hours and years of studying the subject of faith.

It finally dawned on me that faith is not a subject as much as it is a result of knowing God and walking with Him. In fact, it is a “fruit” of the Spirit.

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, long-suffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance: against such there is no law (Galatians 5:22-23 KJV).

In the Greek the word is “faith, assurance, belief.” It is the same word translated as faith throughout the New Testament. I believe the King James Version is a better rendering than the word faithfulness found in many other versions. While faithfulness is a characteristic of the faith within us, faith itself is a fruit of the Spirit. In other words, faith is a result of walking in the Spirit and in fellowship with God.

The advantage of faith can’t be measured. It is absolute trust in the One who has covenanted to live in you, bless you, and give you His life.

When we understand that faith is the nature of the Spirit of God, we will value our fellowship with Him, knowing that the more we know Him, the more we will trust Him, and the more that trust will have access to His blessings (advantages).

The expression of your faith can change dramatically from day to day, depending upon how your heart relates to God’s Word and Spirit. It is with the heart man believes (Romans 10:10). Living by faith is living by the Word of God that is alive in your heart in every circumstance. When we approach faith as a subject like math or science, I believe we lose the true essence of what faith is. In its purest form, faith is a manifestation of our fellowship with the Source of faith.

Looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith (Hebrews 12:2).

For that reason, Jesus exhorted that “Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God” (Matthew 4:4). The words that proceed from God’s mouth and find the good soil of our hearts produce the fruit of faith we must live by. God’s life in us flows from His words living in us, as do health, joy, peace, prosperity, and vision for the future. The advantage is very real! The “natural man” (and even the believer who lives from his or her own strength) is left with a life of frustration and questions.

But the natural man does not receive the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him; nor can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned (1 Corinthians 2:14).

Our advantage is that we are born again and spiritual. And the fruit, or result, of this spiritual union is faith. Jesus said:

If you can believe, all things are possible to him who believes (Mark 9:23).

“All things are possible to him who believes!” Is that not an advantage? The only qualifier is believing—faith. And as we abide in Him, faith is a result.

If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you, you will ask what you desire, and it shall be done for you (John 15:7).

When a child asks something of a parent, it is in the parent’s heart to grant the request. While not every request can be granted in this natural world, our heavenly Father has promised to grant what we desire. How? Because we know Him and trust Him. It is called faith. And why would He grant our desires?

By this My Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit; so you will be My disciples (John 15:8).

Our faith glorifies God! The more we believe and receive from Him, the more the world will see how good God is. Your faith not only is an advantage in your own life, but a blessing to those around you. When you trust God, the fruit of that trust reveals Him to others. That is an advantage that the lost don’t have.

Faith is not a stagnant, one-time event that marks our new birth. Faith is not a creed or doctrine. Faith is not mental. Faith is spiritual. It is a fruit of the Holy Spirit. It is called “the spirit of faith.”

And since we have the same spirit of faith, according to what is written, “I believed and therefore I spoke,” we also believe and therefore speak (2 Corinthians 4:13).

What is written are words of spirit and life!

It is the Spirit who gives life; the flesh profits nothing. The words that I speak to you are spirit, and they are life (John 6:63).

We have come full circle back to the incredible potential of words. The words of faith are spiritual words that release the very Spirit of God. The fruit of faith produces the fruit of words, and the words carry the nature and purposes of God. Can you see the awesome advantage that God’s children have?

Faith and Love

When we walk in love, we demonstrate the nature of God to others. When we walk in faith, we demonstrate His will. The kind of faith that pleases God works by love!

For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision avails anything, but faith working through love (Galatians 5:6).

Paul is saying that religious works (circumcision, lawkeeping) or the lack of religious works is not proof of our walk with God, but rather it is our faith which is an outflow of God’s love. Love is the environment for true faith. Paul declared:

And though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, but have not love, I am nothing (1 Corinthians 13:2).

Even those who profess great faith but have no love for others aren’t really walking in God’s faith.

When we fellowship with the Father (who is love), we enter the realm of His faith (fruit) flowing through us, which pleases Him. True faith is an expression of the love of God.

Consider some examples. The centurion, a Roman with no covenant or promises, approached Jesus on behalf of his servant.

And a certain centurion’s servant, who was dear to him, was sick and ready to die (Luke 7:2).

His servant was “dear to him.” There was love for this dying servant. While the centurion had no covenant advantage, and really nothing to commend him to Jesus, nevertheless, his love for his servant compelled him to humble himself and ask that Jesus just speak a word, and his servant would be healed. Notice Jesus’ reply.

When Jesus heard these things, He marveled at him, and turned around and said to the crowd that followed Him, “I say to you, I have not found such great faith, not even in Israel!” (Luke 7:9)

The centurion’s minimal interaction with Jesus coupled with his love for his servant was all the advantage he needed. Jesus called it “great faith.” The “disadvantage” of being a Roman soldier with no covenant and no promises did not hinder a miracle healing due to his love for his servant and his brief conversation with Jesus.

We can see this kind of faith in the stories of Jairus and his dying daughter in Matthew 5:21-45 and the story of the Canaanite woman and her demon-possessed daughter in Matthew 15:22-28. The love of both parents for their children provoked a faith that recognized the goodness of Jesus and His authority. Faith works by love, and the love of a parent released faith in the love of Jesus, who in turn released His faith and healed both children. People with seemingly no advantage suddenly were advantaged by faith, which worked by love!

For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life (John 3:16 NASB).

God’s love was given to the world through Jesus so that men could have faith in Him. Love gives and love forgives. When we walk in love, we also give and forgive. The love of God motivates us to reach the world so that others can believe and receive that love.

For whatever is born of God overcomes the world. And this is the victory that has overcome the world—our faith (1 John 5:4).

Faith overcomes the world! But this is not a faith we can work up outside of our fellowship with the Father who loves us and gave Himself for us. We cannot walk in faith independent from the loving Source of faith.

Faith overcomes the corruption of the world so that His love can be demonstrated to the lost. Faith is the currency of heaven. It is His divine method for reaching the world with His love and establishing His will. Love wants to heal. Faith makes that happen. Love wants to deliver. Faith brings deliverance. Love wants to save. Faith receives salvation.

Therefore be imitators of God as dear children. And walk in love, as Christ also has loved us and given Himself for us (Ephesians 5:1-2).

Those with true faith are those who know the love of God. If your faith seems weak, check your revelation of God’s love for you and for the world. Faith will not waste time judging, criticizing, and complaining. That is the language of the “accuser.” Faith will seek to bless, forgive, lift up, encourage, and bring healing to others because the love of God has been shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Spirit, and the fruit of the Spirit is faith!

Now hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out in our hearts by the Holy Spirit who was given to us (Romans 5:5).

But the fruit of the Spirit is love…faith (Galatians 5:22 KJV).