House of Faith Ministries

things that make up the vast majority of the universe. Faith is also the substance of what we believe to be true or real, and the evidence of those things which are invisible, but still we know that they exist.

Faith is awesome!
 
From the biblical perspective faith is revealed as a product or fruit and also as a gift; if we may ask, what is the difference between the two?
 
Galatians 5:22 “But the FRUIT of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, long-suffering, gentleness, goodness, FAITH.” KJV

1 Corinthians 12:9 “To another FAITH by the same Spirit, to another GIFTS of healing by the same Spirit.”

All of us have been giving a measure of faith and it is up to us to nurture and to grow—as you would fruit in a plant or a tree—the measure of faith that has been given to us as in seed form.

Romans 12:3 “…As God has dealt to each one a measure of faith.”

The gift of faith is more like an external force, unlike the fruit of faith which is more like an internal force. Do the two of them combine and if they do how do they work together?

Think of faith as a car battery which stores the power needed to run the car. When the battery runs down—for whatever reason—it struggles to start the engine, in which case you connect it to another energy source with jumping cables. The external energy aids the internal one when they combine. The gift of faith provides the extra boost needed when the fruit of our faith fails us.

Mark 9:24 “Immediately the father of the child cried out and said with tears, ‘Lord, I believe; help my unbelief!’”

This troubled father brought to the disciples of Jesus, his son who was in desperate need for deliverance from demonic torment; the disciples were unable to help the tormented boy. When the father of the boy saw Jesus and told Him about his situation, Jesus replied to him that all he needed was faith:

Mark 9:23 “Jesus said to him, ‘If you can believe, all things are possible to him who believes.’”

So the father had faith for he said to Jesus: I believe! But his faith was struggling and needed help, and Jesus did not hesitate to give it to him. Jesus helped him to overcome his unbelief.

Jesus used this opportunity to teach His disciples about their need for more prayer and fasting to increase their faith when dealing with demonic strongholds.

But our point is made that when our faith needs help, if we, with a sincere heart come to Jesus, with tears as if it were in desperate need, He will not fail to help us in our time of need, for He is faithful and He will not deny Himself.

2 Timothy 2:11-13 “This is a faithful saying: For if we died with Him, we shall also live with Him. If we endure, we shall also reign with Him. If we deny Him, He will also deny us. If we are faithless, He remains faithful; He cannot deny Himself.”

Notice that it said: If we endure, we shall also reign with Him or have power from Him. The mark of true faithfulness is endurance; we never give up regardless of the outcome.

Another way of connecting with this external force called ‘The gift of faith’ is through spiritual discernment. There is a time and place for everything the Bible tells us.

Luke 5:17 “Now it happened on a certain day, as He was teaching, that there were Pharisees and teachers of the law sitting by, who had come out of every town of Galilee, Judea, and Jerusalem. And THE POWER OF THE LORD WAS PRESENT TO HEAL THEM.” Italics mine.

What does it mean by: The power of the Lord was present to heal them? I believe that this is what it means: THE SPIRIT OF THE GIFT OF FAITH was present! There was an atmosphere conducive to merge the internal force of the fruit of faith with the external power of the gift of faith.

Luke 5:18 “Then behold, men brought on a bed a man who was paralyzed, whom they sought to bring in and lay before Him.”

Notice that the Pharisees and the teachers of the law did not perceive that the power of the Lord was present to heal them. Men whose names are not mentioned recognized that the power to heal was present, to such a degree, that when their way to Jesus was blocked by the crowds they climbed to the roof and lowered the paralyzed man down from the roof in front of Jesus.

Wouldn’t you like to be friends with men of such faith like theirs? They saw the need of their friend and perceived that the power was present, so they persevered. What was it that blocked or hindered the Pharisees and the teachers of the law from perceiving that the Spirit of Faith was present?

They did not believe that Jesus was their Promised Anointed One!

Luke 5:21 “And the scribes and the Pharisees began to reason, saying, ‘Who is this who speaks blasphemies? Who can forgive sins but God alone?’”

What is salvation? To be forgiven by God from all our sins! Salvation is God’s personal Gift to all mankind. Salvation came as a human man. He came to His own and His own received Him not. But to those who believed in Him, to them gave He power, the promised of the Father; to be filled with the Holy Spirit of God. If you have accepted Jesus Christ as your Savior you have been given the Gift of eternal life and abundant life.

That internal faith that brought salvation to your soul is looking to connect with that external gift of faith that brings power to transform your life to be a glorious testimony for Jesus, the Savior of your soul.

Matthew 23:19 “Fools and blind! For which is greater, the gift or THE ALTAR THAT SANCTIFIES THE GIFT?”

It is when we bring the measure of faith that God gave to us to God’s altar that our faith is sanctified, and we are saved. In the same way it is, when we bring the fruit of internal faith to God’s altar that we get connected to the Gift of Faith that brings the power to heal and restore.

Psalm 85:9 “Surely His salvation is near to those who fear Him, that glory may dwell in our land.”

We receive our salvation through the measure of faith given to all of us since birth. As we receive Jesus as our Savior this measure of faith is sanctified on God’s altar. His salvation is near to those who fear Him. But for His glory to dwell in the land, or to be manifested through us, we need to connect to the gift of faith that comes from above.

James 1:17 “Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and comes down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow of turning.”

Psalm 85:10-11 “Mercy and truth have met together; righteousness and peace have kissed. Truth shall spring out of the earth, and righteousness shall look down from heaven.”

As we declare that Jesus is our Savior and our Lord the Spirit of truth springs out of us and meets with the God of mercy, God’s righteousness that looks down from heaven and our faith becomes one powerful force that cannot be stopped. Truth from within us meets mercy from above us.

John 14:17 “The Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees Him nor knows Him; but you know Him, for He dwells with you and will be with you.”

Psalm 86:11 “Teach me Your way, O Lord; I will walk in Your truth; UNITE MY HEART TO FEAR YOUR NAME.” Italics mine.