Contributor:
Terry Whitson
live by faith”. What does it means to live by faith? Well, before we answer that question let’s
first determine who the righteous man is. Many believers would never say they were righteous
thinking they were being humble, actually they are not humble but uninformed of God’s Word.
God’s Word tells us who we are and the humble agree with God’s Word. II Cor.5:21 tells us who
the righteous man is, “He made Him (Jesus) who knew no sin to be sin on our behalf, so that
we might become the righteousness of God in Him.” Those who have received Jesus and are
born again have been made righteous! Jesus blood has made us righteous and we are no
longer old sinners. I didn’t say we didn’t sin, I said we are no longer sinners/unbelievers. Jesus
blood has made us righteous and we have right standing with God. We are forgiven, we are the
redeemed, we are the children of Of God, we are joint heirs with Jesus, we are new creatures in
Christ Jesus, we have been delivered out of the kingdom of darkness into the Kingdom of
God’s dear Son. The Bible calls believers -Saints not sinners. We are not Old sinners saved by
grace, we WERE old sinners and we WERE saved by grace! How can you be a new creature in
Christ Jesus as II Cor. 5:17 says and still remain an old sinner? Jesus was made sin for us and
Now- we are made righteous and NOW we are the saints of God. The humble agree with God’s
Word.
What does it means to live by faith
Living by faith is hearing and obeying God’s Word even though you can’t see how God will
fulfill His promises. It takes faith to act on what God says to do. For example in Acts 9 it took
faith for Ananias to go to where Saul/Paul was to lay hands on him so that he might receive his
sight and be filled with the Holy Spirit. Why? Because Saul had been killing, beating,
persecuting and throwing the saints into prison. Ananias had heard of the terrible things Saul
was doing and was reluctant to but he did according to what Jesus said and Saul/Paul
received his sight and was filled with the Holy Spirit. Believers don’t live by what they see
because if they do they will live defeated lives. The world says, “Seeing is believing” but not so
for the saints, we believe when we don’t see. Hebrews 11:1 tells us “Now faith is the assurance
of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen.” We must become convinced of heart
that the promises of God are true. When we are convinced of heart and act on those promises,
this is faith in action. It requires faith to believe that Father God hears and answers our prayers.
Jesus told Thomas after He had appeared to him, “Because you have seen Me, have you
believed? Blessed are they who did not see, and yet believed.” Bible faith is not blind, it sees
and believes God’s Word. When we operate in Bible faith, we trust God’s Word and we do it,
that is living by faith.
Many saints living by fate
Many years ago Doris Day sang the song “Que Sera Sera” meaning – whatever will be, will be.
It’s a pretty song with a catchy melody but the essence of the song simply means you have no
control over your life. This is what is called fatalism. Fatalism is the belief that events are fixed in
such a way that human beings are powerless to change them. Many of God’s people live in
fatalism just accepting anything and everything that comes into their lives as being God’s will
and plan. The reason so many do this is because they do not know God’s will – God’s Word!!
When the saints have their minds renewed to God’s Word they quickly discern what is of God
and what is of the devil. For many when sickness comes they just say, “God’s in control”. They
don’t know that sickness/disease is the foul offspring of sin. They don’t know they should resist
sickness and disease just like they would resist sin. They don’t know Jesus bore all their
sickness and disease (Matt.8:17) just like He bore their sin. Because they don’t know or believe
God’s Word (God’s will) they accept sickness into their lives thinking it’s God’s plan. There is
NO PLACE found in the New Testament where sickness and disease were found to be a
blessing! Rather we find Jesus – the Lord of the church going about destroying sickness and
disease wherever He found it (Acts 10:38). The scripture says, “My people perish for lack of
knowledge…”. The believers lack knowledge of God’s Word which is His will. It is so sad to see
many of the saints of God living in fatalism just like the Muslims, the Hindu’s and the Buddhist.
Christianity is set apart from all other world religions for in it the righteous man lives by faith not
fate.
Saints are not powerless
Elijah wasn’t operating in fate when he called down fire on Mt. Carmel. Moses wasn’t operating
in fate when he raised his rod and parted the Red Sea so the Israelites might pass through on
dry ground. Samson wasn’t operating in fate when he picked up the city gates and carried
them away. Joshua wasn’t operating in fate when he told the Sun and Moon to stand still in the
sky. Peter wasn’t operating in fate when he told Tabitha to arise from the dead. Paul wasn’t
operating in fate when he spoke to a cripple man saying, “stand upright on your feet” having
seen he had faith to be healed. Stephen wasn’t operating in fate when he was stoned to death,
rather Stephen was God’s mouth piece operating in faith knowing those who live Godly in
Christ Jesus will suffer persecution. How can the saints be powerless when God says, “We can
do all things through Christ Jesus who strengthens us”, we are not powerless. God says, “All
things are possible to Him who believes”, we are not powerless. God says,“Whoever says to
this mountain be taken up and cast into the sea and does not doubt in his heart but believes
those things he says will be done, he will have whatever he says”, we are not powerless. This is
good news to know we can live in victory operating in faith obeying God’s Word. Fate says you
must except everything that comes in life, but Jesus said “If you abide in Me and My Word
abides in you ask whatever you desire and it shall be done for you”. Operating in faith will
change your life and the lives of others forever
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