Biblical Faith: What It Is & How to Have It

Is there power in faith alone? Listen to Adrian Rogers. Welcome to Love Worth Finding, featuring real truth that never changes.

From Adrian Rogers. If you have your Bible, turn to Romans chapter 10. We'll begin in verse 11, as Adrian Rogers reveals the intricacies of a biblical faith, what it is and how to have it. If there were ever a time for us to have an earth shaking, mountain moving, devil defying faith in Almighty God, this is the time, this is the day, and this is the hour. I don't know what you will accomplish in your Christian life, but I can tell you the measurement that will measure what you will accomplish. The Bible says this clearly and plainly, according to your faith, be it unto you. Not according to your fame, not according to your feelings, not according to your fortune, not according to your friends, not according to your fate, F-A-T-E, but according to your faith, be it unto you. Faith is the medium of exchange in the kingdom of heaven.

When you go to the grocery store for groceries, you get groceries with dollars. But we receive from God by faith. Faith is the greatest asset that we have. Unbelief is the greatest stumbling block. Unbelief is the chief wickedness. Unbelief is the mother sin, the father sin, the parent sin, the sin of all sins is unbelief. It was unbelief that caused Eve to sin against God in the Garden of Eden.

She failed to believe the Word of God. It was unbelief that locked the doors to the Promised Land and the Israelites did not go in, the Bible says, because of their unbelief. It was unbelief that tied the hands of Jesus when Jesus was there in His own hometown and the Bible says He could do no mighty works there because of their unbelief. And the sovereign God has limited Himself to work according to the faith, the belief of the people of God. It is unbelief that shuts the door to heaven.

Now, folks, all things are possible to Him that believes. And in the spiritual realm, if you do not believe, nothing is possible. The Bible says in this book of Romans that the just shall live by faith. Just as you live physically by breathing and for nourishment that you take from food, you live spiritually by faith, Romans 1 verse 17, the just shall live by faith. So as we look at this passage of Scripture, you keep Romans chapter 10 there open before you and look at the lessons that are there that tell you how to have a biblical faith. The very first thing I want you to notice is what I'm going to call the reality of biblical faith.

Look in verse 11. For the Scripture says, whosoever believeth, now watch this, on him, underscore that, shall not be ashamed. Whosoever believeth on him. Now faith must have the right object to be real faith. I'm talking about the reality of faith. Now, you know, there's sometimes people who just say to you, oh, just have faith. Oh, only believe. When a person says to me, just have faith, the first question in my mind is, faith in what? They say, only believe.

I say, only believe what? Well, there is no power in faith alone. Don't think there's something mystical or something magical about just believing. Your faith is no better than its object. Misplaced faith is a dangerous thing. It is not faith that moves mountains. It is God that moves mountains. The Bible says in Mark chapter 11 and verse 22, He said unto them, have faith in God.

Whosoever believes in Him. You see, there's so many people who think of faith as positive thinking. And people think faith is. Faith is not positive thinking.

It will help you to think positively. And there's nothing wrong with positive thinking, but the majority of people think there's something mystical and magical of only believing. But the reality of biblical faith is in verse 11 that we are to believe on Him. Faith is no better than its object. Now, if you put faith in faith, you're a sitting duck for the devil. The devil will come to you and the devil will say, well, you're not good enough to be saved. You say, well, I know it, but I don't have any faith in myself.

Well, the devil says, well, there are hypocrites in the church. And you say, well, I'm not putting faith in hypocrites. I'm trusting the Lord. Ah, the devil will say to you, but you don't feel just right. And you say, well, I'm not trusting my feeling. I'm trusting the Lord. You'd think he'd go away, wouldn't he? But you know what he'll do?

And this is the slyest thing of all. He'll say, well, you say you're trusting the Lord, but how do you know your faith is good enough? How do you know that your faith is strong enough? How do you know that your faith is the real thing?

And, folks, if you're not careful, that's his dirtiest and most sly trick and many people will go under when he says this. And if the devil ever pulls that stump on you, you just tell him, look, devil, I am not putting my faith in faith. My faith is in Jesus.

Now, there's a difference in that. You see, the least amount of faith in the right object is better than strong faith in the wrong object. We are to believe in Him.

You remember what the Bible says then, Hebrews chapter 12 verse 1? We're to be looking unto Jesus, the author and the finisher of our faith. Don't put faith in your faith. Put faith in God. You see, that's the way to have strong faith, to find out who God is.

I've used this illustration many times. If you wanted to cross a bridge and you didn't know whether it could hold you up, let's say the bridge going across our Mississippi River here, you were afraid. And you tremble and you try to make yourself believe and screw up your courage and get faith so you can cross the bridge.

That would be ridiculous. Look at the bridge, it's made of concrete and steel and semi-trucks are going over it every day. And when you see the bridge and understand what the bridge can do, then it's easy for you to cross the bridge. When you see who God is, rather than putting faith in positive feelings, rather than putting faith in faith, put your faith in God and your faith will grow. Friend, where does faith come from? Where does faith come from?

It comes from a knowledge of God. He that believeth on Him shall not be ashamed. Do you want to have strong faith?

Don't try to make yourself believe. Get to know God. Put these verses down. Psalm 9 and verse 10, And they that know thy name will put their trust in thee. Put this verse down. Daniel 11 and verse 32, They that do know their God shall be strong and do exploits. Now, that's the reality of biblical faith. Your faith is no better than its object. You must know God. Now here's the second thing I want you to see.

Very important. Not only the reality of biblical faith, but I want you to see the root of biblical faith. All true biblical faith is rooted not only in knowing God, but in hearing from the God that you know.

Look in verse 14. How shall they call on Him in whom they have not believed? And how shall they believe in Him of whom they have not... What's that next word?

Heard. And how shall they hear without a teacher? Or how shall they hear without a preacher? And then look down, if you will, please, in verse 17. So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the Word of God. In order to have faith, you must hear from God. You cannot know the will of God by guessing at it. This verse says, verse 17, that faith comes.

You don't generate it. It comes. God gives faith. Ephesians chapter 2 and verses 8 and 9 says this, For by grace are ye saved through faith, and that not of yourselves.

It... What? Faith is the gift of God. Grace is the gift of God, and so is the faith to receive the grace. God gives faith. No one can believe God unless God enables him to believe. And how does God enable you to believe? God gives you his Word. Faith comes by hearing and hearing by the Word of God.

Therefore, contrary to popular belief, you don't name it and claim it. God speaks. You believe it and receive it.

Now, Hebrews 11, 1, put it in your margin right by verse 17. Faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. Now, the word hope, what does that mean? Well, today it means maybe.

It means strong desire. That's the way we use hope today. But, friend, the word hope in the Bible does not mean what our modern word hope means. Hope in the Bible, please listen, it means bedrock assurance based on the promise of God. That's what hope is.

It means assurance mingled with anticipation. That's the reason the Bible calls the second coming of Jesus the blessed hope. That doesn't mean it's the blessed maybe. It's the blessed hope. He's not here yet, but we know He's coming. How? Because He has said so.

Now, listen to this. Faith is the substance of things hoped for. Look at the word substance. Do you know what the word substance means?

Well, it could be guarantee, but actually the Greek word is very much like our English word, sub-stand, something beneath you can stand on. When you're living by faith, you're not walking around on eggshells and jello. Friend, faith is substance.

Why? Because it is the substance of things hoped for, things that God has said. Do you see that? That's where faith comes from. The root of faith is the word of God. Faith comes by hearing and hearing by the word of God. Now, how does God communicate this word?

He said, you cannot have faith unless God speaks. Well, how does God speak? Well, there are two words for the word word in the Greek language. One is logos. Jesus, you know, is called the logos, the word of God. The logos, we could say, is the Bible, the written word that tells us of the living Word. Jesus is the logos. The Bible is the logos. Logos simply means the Word, the Word. The revelation of God given in Christ revealed in the Bible, that's the logos. But there's another word that is translated word and is rhema, rhema, and that's the word that is used here in verse 17.

Faith comes by hearing and hearing by the rhema of God, not the logos, but the rhema. Now, what does that mean? What does rhema mean? It means an utterance. It means a spoken word. I guess we could call it a word from the Word. You take the Bible, that's the logos, and you're reading the Bible, and God begins to speak to you out of the Word of God.

You get a rhema from the logos. You get an utterance from God, and God speaks to you, and you hear in your heart, you hear from God. Because, friend, in order for you to have faith, you don't have to hear from Adrian. You've got to hear from God. You've got to hear from God. You see, all I can do is be the Western Union boy, but it is God that gives the message.

It's not enough to hear a sermon. Look, if you will, in verse 14. How shall they call on him in whom they have not believed? And how shall they believe in him of whom they have not heard? Now, look, if you will, in that phrase, of whom.

The New American Standard gives it this way. How shall they believe in him whom they have not heard? Not of whom, but whom. You must hear God. You must get a rhema from God. How does God speak? You're reading the Bible or you're praying, and God puts that portion in your heart. God says, this is from me.

You say, well, He never speaks to me that way. Are you listening? Do you have a quiet time? Are you saturated with the Word of God? Are you ready to do His will? Do you want to hear Him?

Are you reporting for duty? The root of faith is the rhema of God. You must hear from God. Now, here's the third thing I want you to see quickly, and that is the release of biblical faith. What does faith do? What does biblical faith do? What is the purpose of faith?

Listen carefully. Faith is not getting man's will done in heaven. It is getting God's will done on earth. Now, the result of faith is the will of God. Now, notice I said you cannot have faith unless you hear from God. Well, do you know what you're going to hear from God?

You're going to hear the will of God. When God speaks, God is going to say, this is what I want done, and therefore I want you to believe it. Now, you cannot have faith for anything that's not the will of God. And if it's not the will of God, there's no possible way that you can have faith for it.

Why? Because faith is the gift of God. Faith comes from hearing the Word of God, and God's not going to give you a word on something that's not His will. And that's wonderful because that keeps God in control. If you could just say, well, I can believe and have whatever I want, well, you'd make a mess of things.

It would put you in the driver's seat rather than God. But the result of faith is that the will of God is done. And you say, oh, that means fewer blessings for me. No, it means more blessings for you because, friend, the will of God is not something that you must do.

It is something you get to do. 1 John 5 and verse 14, and this is the confidence that we have in Him. If we ask Him anything according to His will, He hears us. What is the reality of faith that is faith in God? What is the root of faith you hear from God? What is the result of faith? The result of faith is that God's will is done. Now, how do you release faith?

What do you do? How does it get down into personal experience? How today are you going to release your faith? Now, true faith, listen to me, more than merely believe, it obeys. If what you say you believe does not translate into action, you do not really believe. Now, notice in verse 16, but they have not all obeyed the gospel. Wait a minute. I thought we were to believe the gospel.

That's right. When you believe it, you obey it. Let me tell you what faith is.

It is belief with legs on it. Well, you say, Pastor Rogers, if I can't believe, then it's not my fault, it's God's fault because God didn't give me faith. You said no one can believe unless God speaks to him, and maybe God didn't speak to me, and it's not my fault.

I've got word for you. Look, if you will, in verse 16. But they have not all obeyed the gospel, for Isaiah saith, Lord, who hath believed our report? See, not everybody hears a believer. So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God. But I say, have they not heard?

Yes! But they didn't obey. God spoke, but why didn't they obey?

Why didn't they believe? Look in verse 21. But Israel he saith, All day long have I stretched forth my hands unto a disobedient, and gainsaying people. God is speaking.

God brought you here today, and God said, I love you. But not everybody will obey the gospel. Not everybody will release their faith. God stretches out his hand, but there are people who are disobedient, and gainsaying. Do you know what the word gainsaying means? It's not a very pretty word, is it?

The word gainsaying means obstinate. You debate. You hear the word of God, and God speaks. The Holy Spirit says, yes, that is true, but you parade it past the judgment bar of your mind. You say, I don't think I'll believe that.

I don't think I'm going to obey that. God says, I love you. God stretches out his hands. All day long have I stretched out my hands to a gainsaying and disobedient people.

They've not all obeyed the gospel. Oh, friend, listen. You must release your faith by obedience. The release of your faith is you say, God, I believe it, and therefore I obey it. I give you my heart, and I promise you this. On the authority of the word of God, if you'll trust Him, He'll save you for the scripture that I'm reading from says, for whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved. If you would pray a prayer like this, God, I'm a sinner.

I'm lost. I need to be saved. I need to be saved by myself. Jesus, you died to save me. You promised to save me if I would trust you.

I do trust you right now, right now, like a child. Come into my heart, forgive my sin, and save me. Amen. And if you've prayed to receive Jesus Christ, we want to celebrate with you, and we invite you to our Discover Jesus page at the website. There you'll find answers you may need about your newfound faith.

There's a response section as well. You can tell us your testimony or tell how this message has impacted your heart. Go to lwf.org slash radio and click the Discover Jesus tab.

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You can use that tool at the website, lwf.org slash radio. Well, how are you going to release your faith today? True faith does more than merely believe, it translates into action.

When you pray and ask God what to do and how to accomplish His will for your life today, trust Him, obey Him. We're so glad you joined us for this message. Tune in next time for more from Adrian Rogers right here on Love Worth Finding. Well, before we go, I have to share a portion of a letter we received recently from a listener that says this. The Lord ministered to so many people through Pastor Rogers, and I am so thankful that He still ministers to me through Love Worth Finding. Speaking of the urgency and sense of emergency we ought to feel when we proclaim the gospel.

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