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What really is faith? Surely a phrase spoken of so much in society has to have great depth of meaning. In addition to a belief in God or religious system, Websters Dictionary includes in its definitions statements such as ‘confidence or trust in a person or thing’, ‘belief that is not based on proof’, and ‘the obligation of loyalty or fidelity to a person, promise or engagement.’
Research shows that there are over 5,000 songs based on the theme of faith. According to nameberry.com it is a girls name that peaked in popularity in 2002 at number 48, while in 2018 it has ranked as the 122nd most popular name.
It must be more than the name of a song, a persons name or even something many wish they had more of. It must then be multi-dimensional with many expression.
If we go from one dimension of faith to another, then there must be greater levels of faith. Jesus speaks of multiple types, or dimensions of faith.
Little Faith.
The basic level of faith that allows us to believe in anything, it can also be referred to as natural faith. When the disciples were out on the lake and a fierce, cyclonic storm came out of nowhere, they became gripped with fear. Waking Jesus from his sleep, he scolded them saying ‘why are you fearful? O you of little faith.” ( Matthew 8:26 and Luke 12:28)
This little, or weak faith puts our trust and reliance in everything and everybody except God.
Great Faith.
The next level of faith is usually activated when the truth of Scripture is heard and received. This enlarges our spirit, increasing our faith to the next dimension. (Matthew 8:10, 15:21-28)
This dimension of faith believes in God, trusts in His Word and His power, and presents itself to Him to receive by that faith what it needs. A Roman Centurion believed that a healing word could be spoken by Jesus and his servant would be healed, even though the servant wasn’t in the same location as Jesus. (Matthew 8:5-13).
The outworking of this dimension of faith is your responsibility. We can release it where and when it is needed. Jesus himself said that “According to your faith be it unto you.!” (Matthew 9:29)
Perfect Faith.
This is the highest dimension of faith. (John 5:30 and James 1:6, 2:22). When Jesus was walking on this earth, He operated from this dimension of perfect faith. Understanding God’s perfect will and methods of divine operation was the position that Jesus operated from. “Most assuredly, I say to you, the Son can do nothing of Himself, but what He sees the Father do; for whatever He does, the Son also does in like manner..” (John 5:19-20, 8:28)
Perfect Faith is the actual faith of God. Acts 17:28 affirms this saying that “In Him we live, and move, and have our being.”
In his book titled “Moving in Glory Realms” Joshua Mills puts it this way, “Faith in God believes the miraculous is accessible when and how God permits. But the Faith of God understands the new covenant by divine revelation and knows that the miracle is available now.”
Often people would say that they believe for a big miracle, but it never comes. This is an example of faith in God. Putting your faith into action is an entirely different matter and results in a different outcome. Sometimes we need to change our physical stance to put our faith into action. Reaching up to heaven, declaring that your miracle is there for you and pulling down your miracle is a greater demonstration of the faith of God. God is attracted to our hunger.
As you grow in faith and progress from little, to great to perfect faith, you become more perceptive to its different expressions. Faith can be expressed as:
Having the ability to hear. “So faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ (Romans 10:17)” The Word is Spirit and Life according to John 6:63 Jesus says that “It is the Spirit who gives life; the flesh profits nothing. The words that I speak to you are spirit, and they are life.” Faith therefore has the ability to engage with all of the WORD, that is the rhema (spoken prophetic word of God) and the logos (written word of God).
Having the ability to see. Contrary to the world view that faith in God is a blind faith, faith in God actually never acts on a whim or impulse. Rather it is the outer workings of seeing, observing and exploring the realm of the Spirit. Faith sees solutions and opportunities. It is not shortsighted and limited to threats or problems. If your vision is limited to the natural realm, you will miss out on seeing the blessings from God and the miracles that are about to manifest.
Having the ability to speak. Proverbs 18:21 says that the tongue (words) have the power of life and death in them. Words motivated by and filled with fear will cause destruction and despair. Whereas words motivated by and filled with faith will allow you to flourish and prosper. Faith speaks what it sees in the supernatural realm, of things as if they already existed in the natural. Vision of promises not yet received is attained through faith that demonstrates the promise has already been received. If you position yourself to listen to the voice of God, you will hear what He is saying to you, for you and about you. You need to hear or see it to speak it.
Having faith that receives. Isaiah 55:3 say that of you incline your ear towards the LORD, hearing from Him will bring life to your soul. You will receive knowledge and wisdom of the covenant that He makes with you. Faith that receives may be trusting in what you hear when your ear is inclined towards God. It may occur when you place your trust in the spoken revelatory word of God through someone else. For example, the prophet Elijah pulled forth rain from heaven because a man saw a cloud the size of a mans fist (1 Kings 18:43-45).
Having a faith that refuses. Learning to discern what is heard and/or spoken to you is another expression of faith. Just as a WORD from the LORD needs to be received through and by faith, some words spoken into our natural realm need to be refused. Isaiah 53:5 says that it is by Jesus stripes that we have been healed, yet the enemy of your soul can attack you through sickness and disease. These may be referred to as generational curses. The existence of something in your past, your family history or your DNA does not mean it has to be part of your present or future story. Generational curses or more accurately represent a propensity to do something (based on DNA or the environment your grew up in) rather than a birth right. You can exercise faith that refuses and not accept these negative influences over your life.
With all these different dimensions and expressions of faith, there is one key element that holds it all together and makes its effective functioning possible. Love is this key. 1 Corinthians 13 speaks of actions without love being like a clanging cymbal – an annoying sound that is not considered a blessing. Without love, faith cannot function as God designed it to. It simply won’t work. 1 John 4:8 says that God is love, and without love we cannot know God. If we can not know God, then how is faith at all possible? God needs to be the driving force behind our faith – faith without love is naught.
Determine within yourself to walk in God’s love, in doing so your faith will grow from little faith to great faith, through to perfect faith. Expressing this faith in and of God will begin to manifest itself in greater ways as you determine within yourself to seek God first in all things. It will never lead you to death or failure for faith always releases the power and victory of God. If you find you are all out of strength and capacity to continue through life’s journey then submit yourself to God and allow His Spirit to bring you into the greater dimensions of faith.
Click here if you want to learn more about going deeper in your understanding on the different dimensions and expressions on faith.
