CHAPTER ONE

Hebrews 11:1: "Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen." Said another way, faith is the GROUNDS or CONFIDENCE of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. (Margin, King James Version).

We need always to replenish our hearts with faith. We can do this by deeply pondering on the Holy Scriptures, and by always remembering that God's Word is absolutely the Truth. We can utterly rely on it.

We should have a growing confidence in our heart because of what we know of God's Word. We can learn to utterly rely on what He has said, and we should. In this way we can become pre-disposed to faith and belief in Him.

Therefore, let us consider what faith is, how to get it, and how it works. Some people seem to think that one just "snatches faith out of the blue sky". But Biblical faith is not a matter of human whimsy. Romans 10:17 states that faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the Word of God. His Word is like an artesian well that ever pours faith into believing hearts. This is the wondrous result of ceaselessly hearing God's Word. Yet faith is not something that WE produce. It is what God's Word produces in us.

Hearing God's Word is vital because that is how we receive and increase the extent of our faith. Our faith must become strong to overcome the trials and temptations that come to us. 1 John 5:4 teaches that faith is the victory that overcomes the world. That means that we can overcome everything in the world which opposes God's will for us.

There are renowned facts in the Bible that are the basis for unwavering faith in God. For instance, Titus 1:2 tells us that God CANNOT lie. Literally, God CANNOT LIE! Also, Numbers 23:19 states that God is not a man that He should lie, neither the Son of man that He should repent. God never makes mistakes that would require Him to change His mind. What God has said about any subject is the unerring truth about that subject. Neither God the Father, nor Jesus the Son, nor the Holy Spirit can lie. They are all equally God in NATURE. NONE of them can lie!

Because of the facts of God's Word, we can pray to God and GET what we ask for. Jesus said: "Ask, and it shall be given you" (Matthew 7:7). Having a disposition of faith and believing means a readiness to believe God, in spite of all contradictions.

God has given His Word to inform us of the redemption that is in Christ Jesus. I.e., that which God and Christ accompIished at Calvary.In addition, let us realize that Jesus Christ CREATED an ETERNAL FACT when He spoke the words of Matthew 7:7. He also said: "Heaven and earth shall pass away: but My words shall not pass away: (Luke 21:33). He CANNOT LIE!

Therefore, when you ask a petition from God, fix your inner attitude by the assurance of God's Word that you GET what you are requesting...NOW! "And this is the confidence that we have in Him, that if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us: and if we know that He hear us, whatsoever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we desired of Him" (1 John 5:14-15). Praise God, His Word is His will.

Take confidence and courage by the foregoing Scriptures. Then take the next step. Put your heart, mind, and MOUTH into the past tense about your request. This means that your thoughts, attitude and statements about it affirm that God gives it to you NOW, even if it hasn't materialized yet. Praise God.

Hold a thankful attitude towards God because by faith you do receive it. Such an attitude should cause praise to God. I suggest the following confession: "Thank you, Lord, I believe that I receive my request. I rejoice in it, thank you". In this way we are mixing God's Word with faith in our heart. If we hold fast our confession, we shall have our request. Jesus Christ said so in Mark 11:24.

The Scripture tells us that God calls those things that be not as though they were. In another verse, it tells us to be followers of God as dear children (Romans 4:17; Ephesians 5:1). The point is clear. Since God does things that way, it is proper for His children to do it that way too!

Ponder the Scriptural facts during your daily routine. Don't back down from your confession of faith. Faith originates in what God has said. Faith does not come from what your senses tell you or from the conditions that you observe. "Be careful for nothing; but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God..."(Philippians 4:6). The more that you stay in a conscious awareness of God's Presence, the easier it is to exercise your faith. Remember that one aspect of faith is CONFIDENCE. Don't let anything cause you to lose your confidence that God has granted your request. Notice the attitude of Jesus Christ, in Hebrews 12:2: "Who for the joy that was set before Him, endured the cross...".