Romans 10:17
So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.
Faith comes by hearing the Word of God through the power of God. Anyone can read a Bible but not everyone can understand it, nor can they obtain the knowledge within its pages. We must first believe that God Is God and that He is Absolute Truth. This takes faith and this faith activates our hearts to seek the Truth of His Word.
We who once lived in darkness have been called out of the darkness of sin and wickedness into the light and love of God's grace. God called us with His love, His Word, His Son Jesus Christ. We are children of faith.
As the Word says even now, "Faith comes by hearing and hearing by the Word of God." Faith in God comes to all who believe in the Word of God, in Jesus Christ as Lord. Romans 10:8-11
8. But what does it say? "The word is near you, in your mouth, and in your heart." That is, the word of faith which we preach,
9. that if you confess with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved.
10. For with your heart you believe and are justified, and with your mouth you confess and are saved.
11. For the Scripture says, “Everyone who believes in him will not be ashamed."
That's the Word of Faith. That's my Jesus in action.
The difference between faith and unbelief? Eighteen inches. In our bodies the heart is eighteen inches from the mouth. Two imperatives for the activation of faith are given here.
1. We MUST believe in our hearts that Jesus Christ is God's gift of righteousness to us.
2. We MUST confess, speak out loud, that which we believe in our hearts: that God raised Jesus from the dead.
If even one part of this is missing, then our faith has not been activated. It is not enough to just say the words, though that may fool many who hear the words of faith spoken by false prophets and false teachers; the heart must believe the truth of God's Word, as well.
For we know that God looks on the heart and recognizes lip service when He hears it. How do we know God sees the motives of our hearts and knows the thoughts of our mind? His Word tells us so. In the Old Testament in 1 Samuel 16:1-13 God sent the prophet Samuel to Jesse's house to anoint one of his sons to be the next king. But after approaching each one who was brought before him, God rejected all of them because He knew their hearts (v. 7).
Job, Isaiah and Ezekiel all tell us God knows our hearts. Therefore how can we ever expect to get away with anything? Foolishness.
In the New Testament in Acts 15:8 and Romans 8:27 we see that God searches our hearts and knowing our hearts He gives us good gifts, especially the gift of the Holy Spirit, Who leads us and guides through God's Word as we study it, that we might be approved by God.
In Matthew 12:25 we learn that Jesus knows our thoughts and what we are thinking. Before we even ask, He knows what we are going to ask. But He delights to hear us ask. God likes to talk with us. He enjoys our company, the company of walking and talking with the believer(s).
Our hearts must be right with God; we MUST believe with our hearts that JESUS CHRIST IS LORD. That He died on the cross, rose from the dead and walked out of the grave. We MUST believe with our hearts and CONFESS with our mouths that which we believe in our hearts that our faith might be activated so that it will grow.
Today is your day of salvation if you have not believed already. How do I know this? God tells me in His Word that this is so. 2 Corinthians 6:2 "For He says: “In the time of favor I heard you, and in the day of salvation I helped you.” Behold, now is the time of favor; now is the day of salvation!"
