"Behold the proud, his soul is not upright in him; BUT THE JUST SHALL LIVE BY FAITH."
Habakkuk 2:4 (NKJV)
"For I say, through the grace given to me, to everyone who is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think, but to think soberly, AS GOD HAS DEALT TO EACH ONE A MEASURE OF FAITH."
Romans 12:3 (NKJV)
• At new birth, a measure of faith is given to every believer.
- The growth of an individual's faith is premised on how the person put the faith to work Or how he or she exercises it.
- Faith comes through the knowledge of the Word of God: "SO FAITH COMES BY HEARING, AND HEARING BY THE WORD OF GOD"
(Romans 10:17 NKJV).
AND it grows by applying the Word to the circumstances and challenges of life that you may have Or face. - Whatever may be the challenge Or problem, when you apply the Word of God and you are able to overcome; thus you move forward in the school of faith.
EVERY problem you are able to prevail over through the knowledge and application of the Word of God is a promotion and lifting in the journey of faith. - The truth is, faith grows in the atmosphere of problems, challenges, and difficult circumstances of life.
THAT means if you are dodging or avoiding challenges, you may not experience growth in your faith.
AND without faith you cannot walk with God, because you have to please Him in order to walk with Him—and it is through faith that you please Him. UNBELIEF displeases Him!
"BUT WITHOUT FAITH IT IS IMPOSSIBLE TO PLEASE HIM [God], for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him."
Hebrews 11:6 (NKJV)
THEREFORE faith grows through the knowledge of the Word of God and the exercises of it.
• The knowledge of the Word of God you have should enhance Or strengthen your fellowship with God.
- Through fellowshipping with God, you Heard things He wanted to do in your Life, Or THINGS He wanted to do through you.
WHEN God speaks to you, it increases your boldness and faith to take a step on whatever He has bidden you to do.
WHEN the thing He has promised to do materializes, your faith and trust in Him is strengthened and deepened.
• Faith also grow by being daring—having courage and the willingness to take the risks.
FAITH is about risk taking! IF you are not willing to take any risk, your faith cannot grow.
- When you are sent on an errand BY God, that is, you are given an assignment, you must be ready to take your Life in your hands.
- "Then He said to them all, "If anyone desires to come after Me, let him [or her] deny himself [or herself], and take up his [or her] cross daily, and follow Me.
- "FOR WHOEVER DESIRES TO SAVE HIS [or her] LIFE WILL LOSE IT, BUT WHOEVER LOSES HIS [or her] LIFE FOR MY [Jesus] SAKE WILL SAVE IT."
Luke 9:23,24 (NKJV)
IF you are not ready to sacrifice your Life because of Him and His kingdom, you cannot save it.
• For your faith to be strong and rugged, you have to be exposed to different challenges.
- Those who evade problems and challenges are stunted in their growth in faith—they plateaued in their Christian journey.
- You exercise your faith through challenges and difficulties that come you Way, and when you overcome, you become an authority in the Kingdom.
YOUR words do not fall to the ground again, angels run around to carryout your words, and demons move and run at your command.
"So Samuel grew, and the LORD was with him AND LET NONE OF HIS WORDS FALL TO THE GROUND [fail]."
1 Samuel 3:19 (NKJV)
• Those who grow in the knowledge of the Word of God and the exercise of it are MATURE Believers Who are able to discern good and evil.
- "For though by this time you ought to be teachers, you need someone to teach you again the first principles of the oracles [sayings, Scriptures] of God; and you have come to need milk and not solid food.
- For everyone who partakes only of milk is unskilled in the word of righteousness, for he is a babe.
- But solid food belongs to those who are of full age [mature], that is, THOSE WHO BY REASON OF USE [practice] HAVE THEIR SENSES EXERCISED TO DISCERN BOTH GOOD AND EVIL."
Hebrews 5:12-14 (NKJV)
• You will not fail in Jesus' name.
Peace!