More on Faith (Part 5)

Faith and the Holy Spirit

Faith is fed by our interaction with the Word of God. This must include the written Word (the Bible) and the living Word – Jesus, in the Person of the Holy Spirit. It occurred to me that the Devil has the entire Bible memorized – forward and backward – in every known language – and probably some unknown languages! He can fire Scripture at people faster than they can think. But having that “knowledge” hasn’t caused Satan to change. That is because Satan has no faith in God, and he is opposed to the Spirit of God.

For indeed we have had good news preached to us, just as they also; but the word they heard did not profit them, because it was not united by faith in those who heard (Hebrews 4:2).
Such confidence we have through Christ toward God. Not that we are adequate in ourselves to consider anything as coming from ourselves, but our adequacy is from God, who also made us adequate as servants of a new covenant, not of the letter but of the Spirit; for the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life (2 Cor. 3:4-6).

The written word by itself – apart from the Spirit of God – can bring death, not life! An imbalanced emphasis on the written word of God leads to legalism. This is mainly what the book of Galatians is about. This is why Paul told Timothy:

Be diligent to present yourself approved to God as a workman who does not need to be ashamed, accurately handling the word of truth (2 Tim. 2:15).

God doesn’t want us beating people – or ourselves – over the head with the Bible. That kind of thing is portrayed in Hollywood’s maligning parodies of Christians.

Don’t misunderstand – Scripture memory is one of the best habits we can develop. But in order for the word to have power in our lives, it has to be quickened, or made alive, by the Spirit of God working within our spirits. God does this work, but it requires cooperation on our part.

Jesus told the woman at the well that God is Spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in Spirit and in truth. We need great infusions into our lives of both the truth of God’s word and the life of the Holy Spirit. This reminds me of something else the Bible teaches us: We are to speak the truth in love.

Speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in all aspects into Him who is the head, even Christ (Ephesians. 4:15).

If I have the gift of prophecy, and know all mysteries and all knowledge; and if I have all faith, so as to remove mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing (1 Corinthians 13:2).

God is Love. God is Spirit. God is Truth. They can’t be separated. So I need to spend time with the Lord cultivating ALL of these things in my life so that my faith will grow.
Tags: Spirituality, Christianity,Faith