Great Pursuits: Chasing What Matters Most in LifeSample

Pursue Faith

Scripture teaches that faith has already been placed in the heart of the believer. Concerning members of the body of Christ, the apostle Paul declares in Romans 12:3, “God has dealt to each one a measure of faith.”

Be that as it may, that measure of faith must be developed by hearing and using it. Faith is like a muscle that must be exercised. 

Romans 10:17 teaches us, “Faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.” God’s Word is the food that our faith must feed upon.

Body builders eat a protein rich diet which, when digested, becomes the raw material that builds muscle mass. When God’s Word is heard and digested through meditation, it produces the raw material that builds faith. To pursue faith, you must pursue God’s Word. Do you have a faith problem? Do you find it difficult to believe the promises of God and trust Him completely? More than likely, it has to do with your spiritual diet. It is not possible to be strong in faith while neglecting time in God’s book.

Just like you eat regularly in order to use the physical strength that food provides, you must feed regularly upon the promises of God in order to utilize the strength that faith provides. You are not going to derive the strength of faith from a promise that you have a fleeting memory of and haven’t read or reflected upon recently, any more than you will derive fresh physical strength from a meal you ate weeks ago. You may remember the smell, taste, color, and texture of the food, but you will not gain any physical benefit from a meal eaten in the distant past. Even as the Israelites had to collect fresh manna daily, in order for us to be people of faith we need to go back to the Word daily because its promises are where we anchor our faith when the storms of life hit. 

1 Timothy 6:12 says, “Fight the good fight of faith.” Faith is made for conflict! It grows as it holds onto God’s promises and refuses to let go, especially in hard times.

Hebrews 11:1 declares, “Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see” (NIV 1984). So, fighting the good fight of faith is literally “fighting the good fight of being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see.” The only thing that will hold us steady when doubts assail us and when things don’t seem like they have any possibility of working out are the promises. In fact, without God’s Word there is no basis for faith. Faith begins at the known will of God and the promises in His Word are a revelation of His will. He has never promised anything that is not His will to perform, and without a promise there is no possibility of faith.

Action Step

In Matthew 28:20, Jesus says, “I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” That is a promise centered in Jesus that you can have faith in. What does it look like to have faith that Christ will follow through on this promise? How might that faith affect your attitude as you go about your day-to-day life?