Understanding Faith Part 3: Obeying God's voice

February 9, 2010

By Rodney Kirkpatrick

 

The foundation of faith (see Hebrews 6:2) cannot properly be laid without further study about its practical requirements.  2 Corinthians 5:7 (NASB) tells us,


7 for we walk by faith, not by sight

 

In more general terms, to "walk" means to take action based on a trust in the Lord and the word of direction He gives us to step.  Obedience is often a very challenging aspect to the process because we can't do it according to our own understanding of how it should work.  When we act on His word knowing only He can bring it to pass, it invites His pleasure and joy at coming through for us.  Time after time scripture tells us of the heroic deeds that are accomplished in the absence of any natural ability to make happen.  Hebrews 11:29-30 (NASB) reminds us of several of these,


29 By faith they passed through the Red Sea as though they were passing through dry land; and the Egyptians, when they attempted it, were drowned.
30 By faith the walls of Jericho fell down after they had been encircled for seven days.

 

Remember that the Faith we are describing is not an abstract concept that doesn't apply to every day life.  Our obedience to God's word is a significant part of realizing the "promises" that the Lord has given to us as Christians. 

 

One of the most basic offerings of the Lord to the Church is in the area of divine healing.  In order to begin the process of walking by faith, lets hear what God's word says in this area:

 

Matthew 8:16-17 (NASB)


16 When evening came, they brought to Him many who were demon-possessed; and He cast out the spirits with a word, and healed all who were ill.
17 This was to fulfill what was spoken through Isaiah the prophet: "He Himself took our infirmities and carried away our diseases ."

 

Hebrews 13:8 (NASB)


8 Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever.

 

Mark 16:17-18 (NASB)

 
17 "These signs will accompany those who have believed: in My name they will cast out demons, they will speak with new tongues;
18 they will pick up serpents, and if they drink any deadly poison, it will not hurt them; they will lay hands on the sick, and they will recover."

 

If Christ came and took our diseases and is still the same today, the everyday believer should be praying for the sick with results.  Why don't we see more healing today? Consider James 5:14-15 (NASB) for part of the answer:

 

14 Is anyone among you sick? Then he must call for the elders of the church and they are to pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord;
15 and the prayer offered in faith will restore the one who is sick, and the Lord will raise him up, and if he has committed sins, they will be forgiven him.

 

The "prayer offered in faith" is predicated on the suffering saint making the "call."  In other words, part of the reason for not realizing more physical healing is that we don't act on what the word is telling us to do. Consider that the healing ministry of Jesus consisted of very diverse acts of obedience.  For one person He spit on the ground and rubbed dirt in his eyes, another He simply spoke a word with the person not present, yet another had an unclean spirit at the root of the illness, etc. However in every case the general pattern was the same: hear and obey. 

 

While healing is one example of a faith promise from the Lord that often depends on act of obedience, it certainly isn't the only one.  A change in any of our circumstances can be one step of faith away!  Regardless of whether or not we understand it, lets step out and obey our Lord today.