Is Faith Your Missing Ingredient?

“Nevertheless when the Son of man cometh, shall he find faith on the earth?”  Luke 18:8

It may not sound too profound, but cars need gasoline to run. Appliances require electricity. Perfectly manufactured machines will always fail without the component that supplies the power. The human body dies without food. Despite these simple principles, many people continue to have unrealistic expectations of the mechanics of their religion. Bended knees and pious prayers will not work without faith. Repentance minus current faith will not work. Water baptism without faith becomes ritualism. No matter how long they pray or how much they beg, no one receives the Holy Ghost without faith. In Hebrews 4:2 we read, “For unto us was the gospel preached, as well as unto them: but the word preached did not profit them, not being mixed with faith in them that heard it.”

In the scriptures, faith is not a nebulous, unexpressed thought. Time after time, we see faith activated through hands, eyes, the heart’s response and other easily identifiable means.

Faith is the hand that receives the gift of God. “And, behold, a woman, which was diseased with an issue of blood twelve years, came behind him, and touched the hem of his garment: For she said within herself, If I may but touch his garment, I shall be whole. But Jesus turned him about, and when he saw her, he said, Daughter, be of good comfort; thy faith hath made thee whole. And the woman was made whole from that hour.” Matthew 9:19-22. When she reached out with her hand, she validated her inner faith.

Faith is the eye that sees things beyond human imagination. “Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.” Hebrews 11:1. Out of covetousness or greed, some dream for things and call it faith. Others wish for things that would serve no spiritual purpose and call it faith. But faith is not the domain for foolish speculation and outlandish dreams that have no basis in reality. The substance and evidence of faith define those things that God has promised in His Word.

Faith is the heart’s response to the call of the Lord. “For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.” Romans 10:10. Every aspect of salvation we enjoy today finds it roots in faith. Faith validates regeneration, sanctification, justification, and adoption. At no point does faith become unnecessary. At no time should we just assume that these attributes are automatic. Our heart must continually beat in time with God.

Faith is the soul’s reliance upon the Lord Jesus Christ. “Nevertheless I am not ashamed: for I know whom I have believed, and am persuaded that he is able to keep that which I have committed unto him against that day.” II Timothy 1:12. This is the Christian’s answer to the daily dose of doubt that the devil dumps on us. Faith becomes the antidote to discouragement, trouble, depression and despair. Faith sustains us when nothing else can.

Faith is the conductor of the power of God. “He therefore that ministereth to you the Spirit, and worketh miracles among you, doeth he it by the works of the law, or by the hearing of faith”? Galatians 3:5 Your attitude and faith do make a difference when you hear the Word of God preached or taught. Never come to church with a negative attitude, thinking you will get nothing out of the service. Faith connects you with the dynamics of truth and turns them into effective, life-changing solutions.

Faith is the motivator that makes us obey God’s commands. “By faith the walls of Jericho fell down, after they were compassed about seven days . Hebrews 11:30. Obedience to the call to march around Jericho would have been drudgery without faith. Divine direction said, “March!” Faith gladly obeyed. Triumph followed. Obedience is always the proof of faith. Where there is no obedience, there is no faith. Therefore, if we would triumph, we must obey.

Doubt, dejection, fear, hopelessness, spiritual boredom, confusion and a sense that nothing is working signal the lack of faith. Pump faith back into your life, and you will enjoy a revival of God’s Spirit. God did not design you to function outside of a relationship with Himself. As you are plugged into Him through the medium of faith, you will experience the joy of His presence.