Faith and trust are things that strengthen your relationship with God. You have people in your life that you trust, maybe certain family members or your best friend, but the question now is do you trust and have faith in the Lord? People tend to worry, stress and become frustrated when things don’t go their way. But when you walk in faith, you shouldn’t have the same worries and unbelievers do. But what exactly is faith, and how can you strengthen it? Let’s dive into that right now..
What is faith?
In the Greek language, faith is expressed as “Pitis”. And in Hebrews 11:1-2 it is written that ‘faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see. This is what the ancients were commended for.‘ But faith is not something you can just conjure on your own. It’s the role of the Holy Spirit, the third person of the Trinity, to empower you to have faith ‘so that’ you may understand and experience Christ and His love in your heart (Ephesians 3:16-17).
Most people get their faith strengthened after hearing a testimony, as this is solid evidence of all the things that God can do. In Matthew 17:20 Jesus speaks about the importance of faith, as He says “Truly I tell you, if you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it will move. Nothing will be impossible for you.” This scripture indicates that faith triggers the seemingly impossible.
How do we get faith?
The beauty of faith comes from accepting the sovereignty of God; He has created all, and He rules over all. It’s as simple as that. But because that is not tangible and therefore hard to hold on to, you should continuously seek for evidence of God’s ability. You can do this by reading about all the wonderful things God has done throughout the Bible. But also by sharing your testimonies and by listening to those of others. The experiences of individuals where God has shown His faithfulness and worthiness is so important in building your faith.
Mark 5:27-31 is a prime example of where God’s faithfulness transcended based on a woman who was facing agony pains for twelve consecutive years and who was healed as soon as she touched Jesus’ clothing. This first-hand experience of God’s presence and healing built faith in all who saw and heard. Faith is built up by the things our God has done in the past and is still doing for us. You can’t serve God if you don’t accept His sovereignty!
How do we increase our faith?
So how can you increase your faith in the Lord? Well, your faith is just like a seed that will grows into a beautiful tree when it is continuously cared for. You gain faith in the Lord if you truly trust Him with all your heart and soul, and serve Him to the best of your ability. When you want to increase your faith in the Lord, you must first adhere to His laws. How can you say you have faith in God when you don’t believe that He has made His laws in your best interest?
This means you should be kind to others when you don’t feel like it, that you should forgive those who you feel don’t deserve your forgiveness, that you should respect your elders in every circumstance, that you shouldn’t lie, and so forth. Secondly, you should remember the importance of building a relationship with God. It’s hard to trust someone that you don’t know. Read your bible, go on your knees and spend time with Him. If you have the strong desire for your faith to grow, seek for it diligently!
If you carefully read the Bible, you will understand that there is absolutely nothing that is too hard for God. Get to know God for yourself and increase your faith through the works of the Holy Spirit. Trust me, it will be worth it!
God bless,
Gemaria Owusu-Ansah
Guest Writer
The Purpose Wife 