Let’s start with what faith isn’t, and then define what faith is, where it comes from, what’s the object of our faith, why faith is important, and then conclude with a few examples of people who lived by faith.
Faith isn’t …
Faith isn’t a belief in someone or something you know isn’t true. Faith isn’t wishful thinking or believing in yourself. And faith isn’t a formula to persuade God to do what you want him to do.
Faith is…
Faith is a confident assurance that what we hope for is going to happen.
Faith is a belief and trust in God, His promises, and His Word. God’s Word even defines faith as confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see (Hebrews 11:1 NIV).
Personally, I like to think of faith as a decision-making process based on evidence and the Word of God. Then we act on that faith to drive our life. And there is plenty of evidence to support our faith. Just two examples—read about all the evidence in the two books titled The Case for Faith and The Case for Christ by Lee Strobel.
Don’t be fooled by an argument that in order to believe in someone like Jesus, you have to see him. As Billy Graham once said, he had never seen the wind, but he had seen its effects. Likewise, he may never have seen Jesus, but he continually saw the effects of Jesus in the lives of people.
Where faith comes from
God’s Word says, “So faith comes from what is heard, and what is heard comes by the preaching of Christ” (Romans 10:17). Moreover, faith is a spiritual gift from God (1Corinthians 12:9).
What is the object of our faith?
The object of our faith is Jesus Christ. God’s Word tells us to live by faith in the son of God (Galatians 2:20). Billy Graham once said, “Your faith may be just a little thread. It may be small and weak, but act on that faith. It does not matter how big your faith is, but rather, where your faith is.” Like Billy Graham, our faith needs to rest in Jesus Christ.
Why faith is important
God’s Word answers the question. Without faith, it is impossible to please God (Hebrews 11:6). And faith saves us (Ephesians 2:8,9). Furthermore, we are justified by faith in Jesus (Galatians 2:16). Because we are justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ (Romans 5:1).
God’s Word tells us to walk by faith, not by sight (2 Corinthians 5:7). Faith is one of the weapons we can use to fight our battles and destroy strongholds (2 Corinthians 10: 3,4). In addition, God’s Word says, “We destroy arguments and every proud obstacle to the knowledge of God, and take every thought captive to obey Christ” (2 Corinthians 10:5).
Finally, remember that the shield of faith is part of the armor of God that enables us to stand against the evil one and to “quench all the flaming darts” he hurls at us (Ephesians 6:16).
Examples of faith
Shadrack, Meshack, Abednego
God’s Word tells us that a Babylonian king named Nebuchadnezzar ordered his guards to throw three men—Shadrach, Meshack, and Abednego—into a “burning fiery furnace” because they refused to bow down to his image. The men had faith that God was able to save them. And they told the king that even if God chose not to save them, they had faith that God would be with them in the burning furnace (Daniel 3:1-30). Not only was Jesus visibly with these three men in the burning furnace, but also he saved them because of their faith.
Friends of a paralytic
God’s Word also tells us about a paralytic who wanted to be able to walk again. His friends had faith that Jesus could heal their friend so they carried him on a pallet to a house where Jesus was preaching and healing people. But a large crowd blocked the entrance to the house. This obstacle did not stop the men. They dug a hole in the roof and lowered their friend down. When Jesus saw the faith of the paralytic’s friends, he healed the paralytic so he was able to walk again (Mark 2:1-12).
Many people who lived their lives in faith
Hebrews 11 is called the faith chapter. I recommend that you read it. In there, God’s Word gives us many examples of people who lived by faith.
If my wife Mary lived back then, I believe her name would also appear in Hebrews 11. Faith drives her life. Mary knows that God is in control, and she trusts Him. She trusts God when her life is going well and also when it is not going as well. Mary’s faith affects the decisions she makes, the actions she takes, and how she responds to life. Mary’s character is developed by her faith. Her values stem from her faith. It forms the basis for how she relates to others. And Mary relies on her faith to help her withstand common everyday trials.