“But without faith, it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him.” Hebrews 11:6 NKJV
Welcome to the 10th weekly devotional recap of the year. This week, we learnt about faith and its different aspects in our walk with God.
We began on Monday by defining faith as the substance—assurance and confidence—of what we trust God for (Hebrews 11:1). It is the proof of what we believe yet cannot see. The patriarchs of faith demonstrated their trust in God’s promise of salvation in the way they lived (Hebrews 11:39). Even when circumstances contradict God’s word, faith helps you to hold on, keeps His promises alive in your heart, and ultimately aligns your reality with His truth. Faith should be the foundation of how you live, so let it influence your thoughts and actions.
On Tuesday, we learnt that saving faith points us to our utter helplessness to save ourselves and God’s sovereign intervention in delivering us from eternal damnation. People may seek alternatives in morality, religious rituals, or personal efforts. Still, salvation is found in Jesus alone (Acts 4:12, Romans 10:9). It is only when you place your faith entirely in God that you are set free from sin and its consequences (Romans 3:23; 6:23), able to receive the gift of eternal life (John 3:16), and enabled to live above sin in a manner that is consistent with God’s nature (Philippians 1:6).
On Wednesday, we learnt that faith is the channel through which divine healing flows. God desires your wholeness (3 John 1:2), but you must partner with Him through faith. He expects and encourages us to have faith for healing (James 5:15a). The same God who forgives sins also heals (Psalms 103:3). You must be fully convinced of His willingness and ability to heal, and as we learnt on Monday, take actions to demonstrate your faith (Mark 5:28). God’s promise of healing is certain—if you hold on to His Word, persist in faith, and trust His timing, you will see its manifestation.
On Thursday, we were reminded that faith sometimes feels like moving forward even when we cannot see the entire path. Contrary to the popular position that seeing is believing, for us as people of faith, believing is seeing (2 Corinthians 5:7). Faith bridges the gap between our limited perspective and God’s perfect plans. It is not the absence of fear but the courage to proceed despite it. When we choose to walk by faith, we acknowledge that God sees the end from the beginning, even when we cannot.
We ended the week with a discussion on charismatic faith—the unwavering belief in God for supernatural intervention. The demonstrations of faith recorded in Scripture serve as examples to inspire and strengthen us (Romans 15:4), and it is our responsibility to study, meditate on, and follow them. Remember, what you hear shapes what you believe, what you believe influences what you speak, and what you speak determines what you experience. Stand on God’s Word, let it guide your actions and speech, and it will shape your experience (Matthew 11:23).
From today, decide to follow the examples of the patriarchs and take bold actions that demonstrate your faith. If God says a thing, let His Word transform your perspective on everything.
Bible Reading Plan: Deuteronomy 5-10; Acts 15:22-16:24