Faith is a subject that most believers know little about. We hear it mentioned frequently. Christians loosely use the word "faith", but most have little knowledge about it.

To begin with, we should know that there are two basic kinds of faith - - - Natural Faith and Spiritual Faith . Spiritual faith is also sometimes referred to as "The God Kind of Faith ". Each of these two faiths are based on two completely different belief systems. One belief system has its origin in this physical world and the other comes to us from the spiritual world .

Natural Faith is supported by our natural physical experiences . For example, when you sit down on a chair with which you’re familiar, you do so because your past experience has taught you that it supports your weight. In other words, you have used it before or you have seen someone else use it. You can also literally see that chair with your eyes and you can feel it with your hands. It’s part of this physical world and the physical world’s belief system. It’s totally physical in nature and has nothing, whatsoever, to do with the spiritual.

Now many times Christians attempt to apply natural faith when they ought to apply Spiritual Faith . But the two don’t mix. However, each serves a particular purpose. So hear this and hear it well! Spiritual Faith is based only upon one thing - - - and that’s the WORD OF GOD . Hebrews Chapter 11 tells us that Spiritual Faith is "the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen ." On the other hand, the evidence for Natural Faith consists of things which are seen .

As you’re probably aware, it’s one thing to have faith in physical things - - - things we can see and touch everyday, but it’s quite another thing to have faith in something we can not see or touch. Spiritual faith ("The God kind of faith"), believes that God is not only able , but that He’s also willing to keep us on the right track in this life as long as we trust in Him and give Him permission to guide our steps!

We must be able to understand the difference between these two kinds of faith in order to be effective in our Christian walk. During this lesson we are going to look at only one of these faiths - - - Spiritual Faith. We don’t need to learn and develop our Natural Faith because we’ve already spent our entire life doing that! Few, however, have spent much time developing their spiritual faith. So now let’s move on to see what we can learn about that divine gift we call "Spiritual Faith", or "The God Kind Of Faith".

You and I, as children of God, are supposed to be faith people and we're supposed to be living out our lives by putting our spiritual faith to use. We were created by God for the express purpose of pleasing Him.

Without faith it is impossible to please Him (God).

God programmed His blessings in such a way that, for us to be able to receive them, we must use faith. Now, that being the case, it looks to me like we might ought to make an effort to learn as much about this subject of faith as possible! If you agree, then join me as we look at four popular questions concerning this essential Godly force we call "Spiritual Faith" or "The God Kind Of Faith". In this lesson we’ll be asking and seeking what the Bible has to say about 1) What Is Faith?; 2) Who Has Faith?; 3) When Does Faith Initially Come?; and 4) Where Does Faith Come From? Those are pretty good questions that many Christians don’t really know how to answer correctly! If someone asked you those questions, how would you answer? Not sure? Then let’s continue.

I also like the way the King James Amplified Bible defines it.

Now faith is the assurance (the confirmation, the title-deed) of the things [we] hope for, being the proof of things [we] do not see and the conviction of their reality - - - faith perceiving as real fact what is not revealed to the senses. (KJV Amp.)

When we talk about FAITH , we also need to talk about BELIEF . Many believers tend to get belief confused with faith. Is belief and faith the same thing? No, but numerous Christians talk and act as though they mean the same thing. Since they do not mean the same thing, let's talk a few minutes about these two words - - - "belief" and "faith", because they are very closely related.

Sometimes, when studying a subject, it helps us understand better if we first determine what something is not, before trying to determine what it is ! As I said, faith and belief are not the same thing. That's why we have two different words. And it should also be emphasized that faith is not super-belief .

Let's look at how these two words differ. Probably the major difference between belief and faith is this: "Belief" is PASSIVE but "faith" is ACTIVE . You say, "Please explain." Well, simply put, that means that no action is required on man’s part in order for him to believe something. Why? Because belief is passive. In other words, belief is not an action word requiring man to physically do something.

On the other hand, "faith", is active, and does require action on man’s part. As long as we believe something and fail to act on it in a corresponding way, it simply remains to be belief. Belief is only a part of faith. It’s the first part of faith. For faith to be present, we must engage in the use of speech and other actions which support and agree with our belief. When we add corresponding action to our belief, this mixture of the two then becomes faith. So "true belief" is only the first part of faith.

It should also be pointed out that the King James version of the Bible and some other versions tend to freely interchange the words "belief" and "faith" as if they have the same meaning. Frequently they fail to make the correct distinction between these two words. We know this through word study in the Greek and Hebrew languages. When that happens, it can definitely adversely affect our understanding of the Scriptures.

Hearing scriptures misquoted can also adversely affect our understanding of the Word. For example, if we say, "The Bible says that we are saved by faith," we're not being Biblically correct and we are not speaking the truth. Yet we hear that quoted quite often, even from some pulpits! No, we're not saved by faith.

What does that phrase "by grace " mean? It means that we are saved by the will of God - - - period - - - nothing more. What is grace? Grace is God’s unmerited favor toward man. "Grace" is God reaching downward toward man. "Faith", on the other hand, is man reaching upward toward God.

But now what about that phrase "through faith "? What does that mean? I’m glad you asked! It means that when God initially saves us, He gives us a super-natural spiritual force called "faith ". It’s a gift from God to those who have received His Son, Jesus. God gave faith to us to help us in our Christian walk. And we must use His gift of faith if we ever expect to be an "over comer" and remain one until the end. It’s the God kind of faith.

For with the heart man believes unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. "

A close examination of this verse reveals that the process of salvation consists of two basic steps where man is concerned. Let’s assume now that this person already believes that God exists and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him. These two steps then are: 1) belief and 2) action , where "confession" is the action . In other words, when an unsaved person hears the Gospel of Christ preached or taught, he or she must then make a decision to accept it or continue rejecting it.

What is "The Gospel"? The word "gospel" means, "the good news". In a nutshell, the Gospel of Christ is John 3:16.

Once a person believes and accepts this Gospel as Truth, then he or she immediately receives righteousness. What is righteousness? It means that the believer is no longer an enemy of God. It means he or she is now in good standing with Almighty God for the first time in his or her life. Prior to the act of accepting the Gospel as Truth, every

human being is an enemy of God. Every human being comes into this world with the Adamic nature, as an enemy of God, and must be saved (Spiritually born again) in order to be reconciled to God. If they don’t, they remain in a lost state.

But even though man believes the Gospel and has righteousness with God, he still isn’t saved. Up to this point he is only a believer and is still in the passive stage. However, when he progresses from the passive (from being a believer only) on over into an active mode where he confesses to another person that he believes the Gospel and that Jesus Christ is the Son of God and now his Lord and Savior, then at that point salvation is initiated!

So you see, it takes belief plus action to begin the salvation process. In this case the action is the confession. Believing the Gospel is the passive part of salvation and confession is the active part. If we really and truly believe the Gospel, the proper corresponding action should be to tell someone. Confession should be the proper corresponding action to that kind of belief.

Even so faith (the God kind of faith), if it hath not works (corresponding action), is dead, being alone.

Those who really and truly believe the Gospel of Christ and don’t just say they do, will not be ashamed . Now don’t forget. Genuine belief is passive while genuine spiritual faith is active . Let’s remember that.

Now that we have a good idea of what faith is, let’s go on to question number 2. "Who has faith"? As has already been stated, one thing that causes confusion within the Body is the misquoting of the Scriptures. Many times we hear the Word misquoted. For example, we've all heard someone say, "Every person has just enough faith to be saved." Well, that's not a scripture and it’s just not true. We can prove that by the scriptures. To begin with, that statement violates the scriptures. So it couldn’t be Biblically correct. The Bible simply doesn’t contradict itself! Sometimes it seems like it does, but additional study will always prove that it doesn’t.

When writing to the church at Thessalonica and requesting prayer for deliverance from unreasonable and wicked men, Paul made this statement:

2 And (pray) that we may be delivered from unreasonable and wicked men: for all men have not faith.

Then we have another scripture where Peter makes a statement when he was inspired by the Holy Ghost to write his second epistle:

The Lord is not slack concerning his promise (i.e.. of returning), as some men count slackness; but is long-suffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.

Notice that Peter says the Lord "is not willing that anyone should perish". Also notice that Paul says, "all men have not faith." Well then, since all men don't have faith, and yet it’s the Lord’s will that all be saved, then isn’t it logical that not everyone has just enough faith to be saved. Also, since not everyone has faith, then maybe we ought to find out who does, who doesn’t, and for those who do, when and how did they receive it?"

Here Paul is writing to the Church at Rome - - - to believers. He’s not writing to the lost. He's writing to the saved - - - not the unsaved. In verse 3 where he writes, "to every man that is among you " he’s referring to "every man among those Christians at Rome ." And then he uses that same phrase "every man " once again in the latter part of that same verse where he states "according as God hath dealt to every man the measure of faith". That "every man" is the same "every man" (among you) that's in the first part of that verse. So it’s not every man who has faith, it’s every Christian man ! I hope you can see that. We must accurately read the Word of God.

OK, now we've just read where God deals to every Christian man THE measure of faith- - - not A measure of faith. You see, every Christian begins his or her faith walk with the same faith. God is no respecter of persons. OK, so why does it seem that some people have more faith than others? How did they obtain greater faith? The answer is simple. They exercise and use their faith more then those who seem to have weak faith.

It's much like weight-lifting - - - pumping iron. When a person purchases a set of barbells, he knows that we can't just sit around and look at those barbells all day and expect his body to properly respond. No! That’s ridiculous. On the other hand, he knows if he really want results, then he’s going to have to put out some effort of his own into it. He understands that if he’s ever going to get results, then he’s going to have to become involved in some type of action of his own. He’s going to have to get up out of his chair, pick up those barbells, and then begin exercising. If he really believes those barbells will benefit him, he realizes that he must engage in some kind of corresponding action. Likewise, only by putting corresponding action with what we belief, will we ever experience the results we desire.

13 Everyone that uses milk is unskillful in the word of righteousness: for he is a babe (spiritually speaking).

14 But strong meat belongeth to them that are of full age (spiritually mature), even those who by REASON OF USE have their senses EXERCISED ( i.e.. trained) to discern both good and evil.

So far we've seen that faith is belief plus corresponding action . We also understand that only those who choose to truly believe the Gospel and confess Jesus as Lord have faith . But when does that faith initially come to the child of God? And can a Christian receive more faith later?

Before we answer that question, we'll first need to deal with Romans 10:17 and then we'll also need to get some basic understanding about righteousness and salvation .

So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the Word of God.

It’s very commonly believed by many in the Church today that the more we read and/or hear God's Word, the more faith we receive. In other words, if we want more faith, then all we have to do is read more or hear more of God's Word.

Now here’s where many are missing it. Because people tend to get on a "spiritual high" and become excited while they’re listening to anointed preaching or teaching of God’s Word, they assume and therefore believe they are receiving more faith . This belief is even commonly preached in numerous pulpits because of the way Romans 10:17 reads in the King James Bible.

However, when we look at the context of the entire tenth chapter of Romans, we find that the subject is "righteousness " - - - not faith! And what is it that brings about righteousness? It's belief in the Gospel.

In this tenth chapter of Romans, the word "righteousness" is used 7 times, the words "believe" or "believeth" is used 6 times, and the word "faith" is used only 3 times. Two of those three times the word "faith" should have been translated as "believe ". One of those two times that should have been translated as "believe" is here in this 17th verse. In verse 17 Paul wrote about the righteousness part of the salvation process and our initial ability to hear and perceive the gospel of Christ as being Truth . Paul says that particular ability comes from the Word (or Gospel) itself. God placed that ability right into the Gospel itself! Paul made that truth pretty clear in Romans 1:16.

For I am not ashamed of the Gospel of Christ: for it (the Gospel of Christ) is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth;

When we look closely at verse 16, we find that the Gospel contains a Godly power ("the power of God") which enables a person to accept the Gospel as Truth.

for he that cometh to God must believe that He is (that He is God) and that He is a rewarder of them that diligently seek Him.

Thou believest that there is one God; thou doest well: the devils (demons) also believe and tremble.

In Matthew Chapter 8 we are told about two men, Gergesenes, who were living among the tombs. These two men were demon possessed. Listen to what the demons said to Jesus when He arrived.

What have we to do with thee, Jesus, thou Son of God? Art thou come hither to torment us before the time?

The demons in those two men believed that Jesus was the Christ or they wouldn’t have said what they said!.

When a person hears the anointed Word of God preached or taught, and experiences a "spiritual high" and gets excited, what’s happening where faith is concerned? Is more faith coming? No! The answer is this: Their faith (however much that happens to be at that time) is being stirred up and ignited - - - not multiplied. The anointing of the Holy Scriptures has the ability to ignite and stir our faith to the point that we become excited.

Please understand. Faith is not something that can be expressed mathematically in quantity. One either has faith or one doesn’t! When it comes to describing faith, the status of one’s faith is what’s important. So it’s not a matter of how much or what quantity of faith a person has. It’s a matter of their faith’s condition . In other words, faith can be great (strong) or faith can be little (weak). Faith can also grow. Paul wrote to the Church of the Thessalonians and said, "because your faith groweth exceedingly". But groweth in what way? In amount? No! In strength - - - or greatness.

Man was born with muscles in his body. Does a person work out with weights in order to obtain more muscles . No, certainly not! He works out so that the muscles he already has will grow stronger and become more efficient. Faith grows much the same way. When someone says, "He certainly has a lot of faith ", whether he realizes it or not, he’s really saying, "He certainly has strong faith ". So what will cause our faith to grow or become stronger? The answer: By using it - - - by exercising it. Once again, it’s like a weight lifter using what muscles he already has.

Now lets look at two more words - - - righteousness and salvation . These two words do not mean the same thing. They are two completely different words just like belief and faith are two different words. Righteousness simply means to be "in right standing with God" - - - "to have the approval of God." But it does not necessarily mean "saved ".

I say that because we can be righteous without being saved , - - - but we cannot be saved without being righteous. What I'm saying is this: Righteousness is only the first step of the salvation process. At the very instant the sinner chooses to believe the Gospel with his heart, he instantly becomes "righteous" for the first time in his life. He’s no longer an enemy of God. He enters into a good standing relationship with Almighty God.

With the heart man believeth unto righteousness and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.

Since we saw a few moments ago that the demons also believe, what’s makes us any better or different from them???? The difference is this: They don’t confess Jesus Christ as their Lord. But a true born-again person does. One day those demons will confess Him as Lord, but for the time being, they don’t.

You see, the salvation of mankind is a two step process and becoming righteous is only the first step. To become fully saved, the sinner must first truly believe the Gospel of Christ (enter righteousness). Secondly, the sinner must confess that Jesus is now his or her new Lord, and he or she must then confess that to another person (begin salvation). Salvation does not begin until the sinner confesses to another human being.

That's the reason every new believer should be urged and encouraged to confess their new found belief to a counselor (or someone) as soon as possible after he or she makes that decision to believe in Christ. This is also why the Church where you worship wants new believers to come forward and make their confession to the congregation. It’s the act of confession that consummates salvation. Some refer to that act as "making a profession of faith ."

Also, (and this is very important) salvation is not a one moment experience nor one time event. Once initiated, salvation is an on-going process . When salvation is initiated, it begins the Christian’s life-walk. And that process isn’t terminated until the time of physical death or rapture, whichever takes place first.

I understand how this might be difficult for some readers to accept. But the difficulty is due to denominational beliefs and teachings. Some denominations teach that once a person is saved, that’s the end of it. But I don’t understand it that way, and it’s my responsibility to teach the Word of God as I understand it.

God’s Word instructs the saved to "persevere unto the end". So we must ask the question, "End of what"? "The end" is referring to the end of our physical life. Salvation is complete only when we victoriously cross the finish line of the "good fight of faith ". The fight of faith is a good fight and our faith is the victory that overcomes this World. Our faith is what the fight is all about. Our faith is what the enemy is after. Salvation will be completed only when we successfully hold fast to that which we have been given. And what is it that we have been given? - - -"eternal life through faith ". That’s why all of God’s children need this spiritual force - - - faith. We need the God kind of faith in order to become an over comer. Because Jesus is an overcome, we too can be over comers - - - "IF we faint not" and IF we maintain our faith unto the end.

Now we’re still talking about the subject of when faith comes to the child of God. We've already stated that at the very moment we confess our belief in the Gospel and that Jesus Christ is our Lord and Savior to another person or persons, salvation is initiated, but not yet completed. It's not completed until we successfully walk it out to the end - until we leave this physical life as we know it. In other words, as long as we're physically alive, God expects us to live out our life of salvation "through faith" and do that in a manner pleasing to Him.

But living out our life in a saved manner and in a pleasing manner to God poses a problem for us. You and I are not capable of doing that, in and of ourselves.

You see, the Lord is fully aware of the fact that without Him you and I can do nothing, so He has made provision for us.

In addition to faith, He has also given us His very own Spirit - - - the Holy Spirit Who resides within us. The Holy Spirit is our comforter and teacher.

We do have an adversary and he’s still very active. Yes, Jesus defeated the devil alright, but the devil is still full of deceit and trickery. We must exercise our ability to recognize the difference between good and evil. Sometimes the difference between the two is subtle and difficult to discern. However, God was aware that His children would need something to help them when they come up against the devil’s cunning devises.

I believe that provision is His SUPERNATURAL SPIRITUAL FAITH and His faith initially comes to us WHEN WE CHOOSE TO BELIEVE THE GOSPEL OF CHRIST AND CONFESS JESUS AS OUR LORD AND SAVIOR TO MANKIND . In other words, faith came to you and me when we became saved - - - not before!

You and I need that faith in order to quench every fiery dart the enemy fires at us. We should also be aware that this Christian journey which we live, by faith, to the end of our physical life is not automatic. It's up to us to choose to use the shield of faith ! It’s a choice that a saved person can and must make. Those who don’t will continually be attacked by the devil and his demons. At some point and time, those who don’t make that critical choice to do so, could even become so discouraged that they might be tempted to throw their faith down. That, in turn, could easily result in their falling completely away from God . That is known as "losing the good fight of faith."

Because the average Christian today doesn’t have an understanding of faith, and because many have been taught the doctrine of eternal security, (i.e.. once saved, always save), Satan is able to continually bombard them with various kinds of oppressions, primarily in the areas of poor physical health and financial difficulties!

Now that we understand what faith is, who has it, and when it comes, where does it come from? We ought to know he answer to that already. It comes from God. It’s the God kind of faith and it's His gift to us who make up the Body of Christ on Earth today.

But the natural man (a lost person) receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God:

These scriptures ought to make it much easier for us to understand why wicked and unreasonable men don't have faith. It’s because they’re not born again - - - because they’re not saved. Why are they not saved? Because they have not chosen to believe the Gospel of Christ, and therefore they don’t know Jesus as their Lord and Savior.

What is faith? - Belief in the Word of God plus actions which correspond to and agree with those beliefs.

Who has faith? - Only those who are saved and know Jesus Christ as their Lord.

When does faith come? - At the moment salvation is initiated.

Where does spiritual faith come from? - From God, the Father of lights.