GOD Himself has answered this question in the words, “Faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.” Then follows the illustration, “Through faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the word of God, so that things which are seen were not made of things which do appear.” How were the worlds framed?—By the word of God. Reason can not explain the origin of things, but faith grasps the truth of God’s creative power in His word.
Faith, then, is simply taking God at His word, believing it, acting upon it, resting upon it. In faith is power—“casting down reasonings [margin], and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ.”
There is, however, a distinction which should be borne in mind. There is a belief that is wholly distinct from faith. The existence and power of God are facts that even Satan and his hosts can not at heart deny. The Bible says that the devils “believe and tremble;” but this is not faith. Faith is a personal application of the word of God to the soul.
Faith is God’s gift to every man; and this faith it is in our power to exercise. By it the grace and salvation of Christ come to the soul, and thus are we brought into partnership with the great Author and Dispenser of creative power. We are to believe we receive the blessing promised, before it is realized. “What things soever ye desire, when ye pray, believe that ye receive them, and ye shall have them.” Here is faith in its essential simplicity. By believing, we receive; when the promised blessing is received and enjoyed, faith is swallowed up.
Faith is simple. It dwells in a simple, obedient heart. It can not abide in a proud heart which boasts of its own works. The person who draws nourishment from Christ, walking humbly with Him, is the one in whose heart faith thrives. Humility is the soil from which it springs.
Faith is an active principle. “It works by love, and purifies the heart.” It transforms the character into the likeness of Christ. It materializes hope. It marshals one into the army of God. It takes hold of God’s promise. “If ye abide in Me, and My words abide in you, ye shall ask what ye will, and it shall be done unto you.” “Whatsoever we ask we receive of Him, because we keep His commandments, and do those things that are pleasing in His sight.”
Faith does not depend upon circumstances; for it believes God, who controls circumstances. Neither does it depend upon feelings, which are the outgrowth of circumstances; for it reaches to that within the vail, and rests upon the Word of God. “Faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the Word of God.” “This is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith.”
There is nothing in the material world but that is subject to him who has faith in Christ. While faith brings life and peace to the troubled soul, it has power to quiet the stormy billows. It has opened prison doors; it has quenched the violence of fire; it has stopped the mouths of hungry lions. To Moses God said, “Go forward,” and the Red Sea divided. In response to the faith of Joshua, the Jordan, with its overflowing banks, stayed its onward course until Israel had passed over. And when he had to meet the kings of the Amorites, the Lord said to Joshua, “Fear them not; for I have delivered them into thine hand; there shall not a man of them stand before thee.” Joshua believed it; he saw no defeat, and when he perceived that the day would not be long enough to secure the full result of the victory, he said, “Sun, stand thou still upon Gibeon; and thou, moon, in the valley of Ajalon. And the sun stood still, and the moon stayed.” God was able to manifest His power through these men because of their constant faith in His power and loving intentions.
It was this implicit faith in God that made Moses what he was. When God commanded Moses to go forward, he did it without stopping to consider what the consequences might be. He believed God had wisdom to know what He meant, and firmness of purpose to mean what He said; therefore Moses acted as seeing the invisible. Here is an important lesson.
The simplicity of faith is often overlooked. Man looks for some great display, and without this he is led to think that he has no faith. Many suppose that they have faith when enjoying much of the Holy Spirit, and that they can not have faith unless they feel its presence. Such confound faith with the blessing which comes through faith; for faith is not joy, but it brings joy, rest, and peace. The time to exercise faith is when we feel destitute of the Spirit. When deep clouds envelop the mind, let living faith pierce the clouds and let in the sunshine of Christ’s righteousness.
The secret of the power of faith is obedience to God’s requirements. Secret prayer, and meditation upon God’s Word and the character of Christ, prepare the heart to exercise faith. As the vine is to the branches, which live by the nourishment passing up through the vine, so is Christ to the Christian. To exercise faith we must continually draw sap and nourishment from the Living Vine; for, separated from it, we have no life, no strength. We should not dwell upon our unworthiness even; but the mind should dwell upon the worthiness of Christ, His love, His merits, and His words. This will prevent Satan from taking away our shield of faith. When that is removed, the heart is exposed to his fiery temptations, and clouds and darkness are the result.