What is faith?

I absolutely love watching people as they get hold of what Jesus did for them. I love seeing how the demonic slides off them, sickness retreat and life comes… day by day as they take a stand… as they repeat the truth… as they remain on the vine.

I’m not sure if I can teach this via a blog post, but I’ll try. I promise you that this is how I pray for people – and I see results. I simply stand for what Jesus did for them and I tell the “thing” to go, because it has no place in the person (me or you or someone by name that I’ve not even met).

PS: When praying for other people I do get backlash, depending on the level of opposition… but I just keep standing. As my own cleanness increases the backlash becomes less and less.

Faith is like a ball of wool

Faith is another ball of wool. Anyone can know God exists and Jesus is God.

But to have a faith that overcomes when we pray is more than just knowing.

It’s believing who He is and what He has done and standing on it.

Faith is being sure of what we hope for

Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see. This is what the ancients were commended for. – Heb 11:1

Take a bible verse and hope for it. No. Wait. Go beyond hoping, be sure, be certain that it’s yours.

Faith is like having the title deeds to a house

When you buy a house, you get the title deeds after payment is made. Then you wait for the transfer of the house and then you move in. When you believe that Jesus in FACT did do what the bible says He did do… then you have the title deeds.

NOW FAITH is the assurance (the confirmation, the title deed) of the things [we] hope for, being the proof of things [we] do not see and the conviction of their reality [faith perceiving as real fact what is not revealed to the senses] – Heb 11:1

Faith is knowing that you hold the title deeds to a property.

Did God say He would heal you? Then you have the title deeds to that healing. Just like a title deed to a house you don’t yet see, the healing WILL COME. You just hold on to those title deeds and don’t throw them away or tear them up… otherwise you have nothing!

If you have the title deed, you have the proof of what will come.

Faith is believing even when you don’t see it

For we walk by faith

[we regulate our lives and conduct ourselves by our conviction or belief respecting man's relationship to God and divine things, with trust and holy fervor; thus we walk]

not by sight or appearance – 2 Cor 5:7

If Jesus says that those who believe in Him have already gone from death to life in this life, in the here and now, then this means that sickness and all forms of death are trespassing on you (as a believer) and they cannot remain.

I assure you, most solemnly I tell you, the person whose ears are open to My words [who listens to My message] and believes and trusts in and clings to and relies on Him Who sent Me has (possesses now) eternal life. – John 5:24

Jesus said you are freed from all forms of death – like sickness. Romans says the same. Hebrews says the same. Isaiah 61 said the coming Messiah would do this for us. Isn’t that enough for you to DECIDE to believe it?

The bible says His death on the cross made us holy…

And in accordance with this will [of God], we have been made holy (consecrated and sanctified) through the offering made once for all of the body of Jesus Christ (the Anointed One). – Heb 10:10

So we are free from sin, law, death (including physical and mental sickness).

But wait, there is a catch… do you believe Jesus can do it? Do you believe the words of the bible? Do you believe He did it for YOU? If you can say Yes. Yes. Yes. Well then… enter in!!

Faith is a decision, not an emotion

Quite often the conversation goes like this:

Jesus made you free when He died in your place (grins)
But I don’t feel free
Yes, I know, but you are because Jesus died in your place (big grin)
Oh, ok… but… I still don’t feel free?
If I hold out a present to you, do you have the present yet?
No.
But if you happily accept the present, now do you have the present?
Yes, if I take it.
Ok, so happily take the gift that Jesus gave to you on the cross!
Oh, ok. Thank You Lord Jesus for setting me free when You died in my place!
It’s a decision. Decide that it is yours, because you have the title deeds.
I still don’t feel free though.
It’s a decision. Just stand on this truth. Don’t budge. God’s words do not return unfulfilled. He is faithful to fulfill His own words.

Faith requires setting your mind

Decide what you believe. Read the bible and decide. I mean, really do it.

Decide if you accept that Jesus conquered sin and death and law. Did He set you free from it? Did He die for the sins of the WHOLE WORLD (as the bible repeatedly says)?

The bible reports… you decide… and the spin stops here.

IF THEN you have been raised with Christ [to a new life, thus sharing His resurrection from the dead],

aim at and seek the [rich, eternal treasures] that are above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God.

And set your minds and keep them set on what is above (the higher things), not on the things that are on the earth. – Col 3:1-2

We are encouraged to firstly DECIDE… have you been raised with Him? THEN if you have decided you have… then aim for your freedom, aim for your deliverance from sickness, aim for the freedom of those around you. Set your mind on this.

1. First decide if you believe what the bible says.
2. Then decide it is true for you. Set your mind on it.
3. Then live according to what you have decided.

Faith include standing

and after you have done everything, to stand. – Eph 6:13

Here is an example prayer of how I stand. I pray prayers like this for myself and for anyone who need healing. I simply confess the truth and I stand and I don’t budge. I have decided that I know the truth and I won’t be changed in my mind.

Why does faith NOT work?

Our prayers fail because we actually don’t believe in Him. We know He is God, but that is not overcoming faith. Demons know too, but they don’t have faith.

So often I can talk to a Christian who believes… and then scratch their surface just a bit… and I find that their faith is somehow undermined

1. Have no idea what Jesus did for them
2. Aren’t quite sure if the bible is God’s words… maybe it’s missing a few esoteric books
3. They don’t

What IS faith in Jesus Christ?

Faith in Jesus Chris means to accept His full payment in our place.

Death is required if you sin… and everyone sins. So your death is required.

Have you seen the movie Ghost with Demi Moore? The way death comes up and takes the person away? That is what everyone faces, unless someone dies in your place.

Why am I not fussed? satan already has a death in my place… Jesus died and paid for me in full. In fact the bible clearly says that He died FOR ALL PEOPLE FOR ALL TIME.

And in accordance with this will [of God], we have been made holy (consecrated and sanctified) through the offering… made once for all … of the body of Jesus Christ (the Anointed One). – Heb 10:10

Wait… made once for a few? Or did it say for ALL? If it’s for all, just like Jesus, you can pray for the healing of non-believers!

In the sentence above Paul says “we who have been made holy/consecrated. That is the link to the next verse…

For by a single offering He has forever completely cleansed and perfected those who are consecrated and made holy. – Heb 10:14

The key words are: forever. completely cleansed and perfected. If you can believe that you have the title deeds to complete cleansing, then you can begin praying for your complete cleansing and for the complete cleansing of those around you!

Now where there is absolute remission (forgiveness and cancellation of the penalty) of these [sins and lawbreaking], there is no longer any offering made to atone for sin. – Heb 10:18

Why DOES faith work?

This is the hardest bit to explain without talking to you and seeing how you think and what your logic is. The bible consistently says…

And without faith it is impossible to please God – Heb 11:6

Remember that faith is mentioned 230 times in the NT. And as far as I can tell, each and every time it means this…

And without faith [IN JESUS CHRIST AS THE LAMB OF GOD AND AS THE MESSIAH] it is impossible to please God

So each 230 times in the NT when you see the word faith, append those words. The crucial thing is to have faith in Jesus Christ as your FULL PAYMENT. If i could scream this out I may feel that I have utterly done my very best to drive the point home. But it probably wouldn’t help. hehehe.

Because you have decided (regardless of how you feel) that Jesus Christ of Nazareth, the ONLY begotten Son of God (we’re adopted, not begotten) has died in your place, in my place, in the place of anyone that you are praying for.

If you CAN decide these things, then you can simply push sickness OUT OF YOUR LIFE and out of the lives of the ones you love… because it has no hold on you or your loved ones. Geddit?

So here is an example of how I prayed for the unbelieving daughter of a believing friend at church, who then immediately made a MAJOR improvement in her mental illness

In Jesus mighty name I declare that Jesus has died for the sins of the whole world. In Jesus name I tell you mental illness that you must release her. Leave her, you have nothing in her. Jesus died for her and you must leave.

Yes, that simple prayer said maybe 4 times in a few days had a massive effect on her. Yes, it’s that simple when you believe in what Jesus has done on the cross.

Woot!