A Faith that Soars!

We live from the inside out and not from the outside in. This statement is not easily digested by many people, but it tells us that the outside world should not dictate what happens on the inside of us. We should in no way be ruled by worldly forces and sources, but instead we should be governed by the Spirit who dwells within. Many of us have a desire on our hearts that we’ve been praying about, and it is taking a while to manifest. The stuff we’re going through during the wait is no fun at all; it’s a struggle. Sooner or later, we will be forced to ask ourselves some questions. The important ones have to do with our faith. Faith is the title deed for the thing we’ve prayed for, and it is our evidence that its ours even before we take possession. But here’s what you and I must ask; is faith coming from somewhere outside our own hearts and minds, or do we cause it to soar from the thoughts we think and the words we speak?

Here’s an important truth that will help us with this answer. It is an alarming reality when in our minds and hearts our external gains—wealth, property, and the finer things of life—mean more to us than our internal gains. We’ve lost out big time if this happens, but most people don’t see it this way. So many are praying to the Lord in hopes that faith will bring them blessings, not realizing that this same faith requires the peeling away of things more than the addition of them.

How we see God and what we truly think about Him is the most important thing about any living person. God said in Jeremiah 9:24(NLT), “But those who wish to boast should boast in this alone: that they truly know me and understand that I am the LORD who demonstrates unfailing love and who brings justice and righteousness to the earth, and that I delight in these things. I, the LORD, have spoken!” This wraps up our entire existence. From the moment we are born to the moment we leave this earth, our reason for being here is to have a relationship with God. Although we know He is real, none of us have seen God. Therefore, our relationship with Him must be built on faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, and this faith must continue to grow and build as we journey through life.

Hebrews 11:6 says that it is impossible to please God without faith, because to draw near to Him we must first believe He exists and that He rewards those who diligently seek Him. We must pay close attention to this verse, because it tells us who and what God rewards. He rewards the individuals that are seriously chasing after Him. Acts 17:27(NIV) says, “God did this so that they would seek him and perhaps reach out for him and find him, though he is not far from any one of us.” God has strategically positioned every person that has ever lived. He’s decided when they will be born, the family they will be born into, and where they will be born. No detail of our existences has escaped Him. He knows us intimately, through and through, and He desires that we grope for Him, to seek and find Him, so that we can develop and grow in our relationship with Him.

Acts 17:28(NKLV) goes on to tell us, “for in Him we live and move and have our being.” We are tied eternally to God by Jesus Christ through the strong cord of His love. It’s in Him that we begin to live the destiny He’s prepared for our lives. Our hearts must prove that not only do we know this, but our whole lives must be dedicated to His Will. We must think, speak—have actions, attitudes, and behaviors that back our faith. Our mission is to introduce the light of Christ into this dark world. We’re to bring the inner reality of his goodness to the outer reality of our existence; then all who connect with us will be touched by His love. So, we drop the ball big time when we speak death instead of choosing to speak life.

Many people are very frustrated with their lives, and they wrongfully accuse faith; they say it isn’t working for them, when in truth, they are not working their faith. We think that God is withholding our blessings for some reason, and we’ve been struggling with this a really long time. It is very possible that we’re not embracing the newness that Christ has ushered into our lives. We’re trying to put new wine into old wineskins, and this will not work. Christ lives in us! He calls our bodies home, so we should not be looking for something outside of us to push our desires into existence. We must look closely at the conversations we have, the confessions we make, the feelings we express, and the thoughts we think. All of these create a landscape for our faith to soar to new heights, or for it to remain latent within. The choice is ours to make.■

Scripture quotations marked (NLT) are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Wheaton, Illinois 60189. All rights reserved.
“A Faith That Soars!” by Alexandra Copeland. Copyright© 2020. All rights reserved. All praise and honor to God through Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior.