January 3 | The Life of Faith

Have you ever bought something online, maybe a gift for a friend? What did the company give you to confirm your purchase? A receipt? A tracking number? Why? They wanted to give you proof that what you bought was, in fact, on its way to you.

The same is true when having faith and believing in God for His promises. When God makes a promise and you believe Him — it becomes yours at that very moment. However, the promise still needs to be delivered at God’s appointed time. The receipt or “proof” God gives you that it’s coming to you is, “faith.” Faith is not “just” a human emotion, like wishing or playing make believe.

Faith is the certainty and substance of God’s promises.

Paul wrote, in Romans 10:17 (NKJV) that, “Faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.” Whenever you hear the Word of God and believe it, faith comes as a guarantee for what is to come. For example, you may not see your healing yet, but it’s already yours, by faith, because God promised it (either in this life or the one to come). You don’t see the new heavens and earth yet, but by faith you have a “receipt of purchase” for your eternal home with Jesus.

As you read the Bible and learn about God’s promises, decide to live by faith because the promises are already yours. Augustine said, “Faith is to believe what you do not see; the reward of this faith is to see what you believe.” To doubt God and His Word is to believe your current reality and circumstances are more real than the realities of God. However, just as you are confident that the new TV you purchased online is on the way, remember that Jesus, on the cross, purchased all of God’s promises for you and they, too, are coming. Jesus is the “Amen” of God and all promises are made possible through Him (2 Corinthians 1:20). Live by faith, in Jesus, and expect one day to receive all His good and precious promises!