The Spirit of Faith

(2 Cro 4:13,14 NIV) It is written: "I believed; therefore I have spoken." With that same spirit of faith we also believe and therefore speak, because we know that the one who raised the Lord Jesus from the dead will also raise us with Jesus and present us with you in his presence.

In the last verse we dealt with from this passage Paul was telling the believers in Corinth that death was a definite possibility for them. But he also told them that their life in Christ (an eternal life) was also certainty. Paul then goes on to quote the psalmist who spoke in accordance with what he believed. "With that same sprit of faith," Paul says, the spirit of faith that speaks what it believes, he also spoke what he believed and he urged the believers in Corinth to do the same. While the threat of death for preaching the gospel was a distinct possibility, the belief in Jesus' resurrection and someday their own resurrection, enabled the believers to overcome the fear of death and to continue to share the gospel with the lost. What was Paul's point? I believe his point was that we most often speak what we truly believe.

Have you ever visited someone in the hospital? It only takes a few minutes to realize what they believe the outcome of their sickness will be. How can you find out so quickly? By simply listening to what they say. Their words tell us what their expectation is. Their words expose the content of their heart. What's in you abundantly will come out of your eventually. I draw this point from something Jesus said in Matthew 12. He said, "A tree is identified by its fruit. If a tree is good, its fruit will be good. If a tree is bad, its fruit will be bad... For whatever is in your heart determines what you say.

A good person produces good things from the treasury of a good heart, and an evil person produces evil things from the treasury of an evil heart" (verses 33-35). Another translation says, "Out of the abundance of the heart, the mouth speaks." Your words are very important, for many reasons, but one of the greatest reasons why your words are so important is because they are an indicator of the condition of your inner man. Just like the quality or character of a fruit is an indication of the quality or character of the tree, your words tell us (outwardly) where you truly stand (inwardly).

If we read the 13th verse we will see Paul's point clearly But having the same spirit of faith, as it is said in the Writings, The words of my mouth came from the faith in my heart; in the same way, our words are the outcome of our faith." I could not possibly say it any better than that!

So what does this mean to you? A few things:

1. What you believe the most is what will come out of your mouth. Your words tell on you.

2. The Spirit of Faith speaks faith-filled words. This is only possible because you have built up your faith to the point where you truly believe God's best will be manifested in your situation.

3. When you truly believe you are not afraid to take God public, declaring what you believe He WILL do well before He actually does it!

Father, I thank You. My faith is being built up and stirred to the point where I truly believe Your best will be manifested in my life. Even when I face challenges, I face them with the reality of Your Word alive in my heart. I stand on Your Word and Your promises to the point where they freely flow from my lips. If others hang out with me for any period of time, even while I am in the midst of my challenge, all they will hear from me are faith-filled words. I don't speak words of fear, doubt and unbelief because that is NOT what I believe. I believe You and my belief will be evident in my speech. I take You public and I declare openly what I believe You will do in my life, well before You actually do it! I will say it, even at the risk of looking foolish, because I say what I believe! In Jesus' name. Amen!