What is Faith?

Faith is a positive action of the spirit (heart) and soul (conscious).  This positive action takes place within the supernatural world where the spirit and soul dwells and within the natural world where the soul dwells.  It involves supernatural (spiritual) acts of obedience which are required to receive promises from God.  Faith, being a spirit and soul positive action (power), comes from God. 

Faith is Spiritual Action:

"Faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see."  Hebrews 11:1 (The author expresses that faith is being experienced within the unseen world, the supernatural world, within our spirit.) 

"...but the righteous will live by his faith."  Habakkuk 2:4  (Habakkuk expresses that faith is being experienced within the both worlds - seen and unseen, the natural and supernatural, within our spirit and soul.  A living man lives in both worlds, but a spiritually dead man only lives in the physical world, where faith is not required, because all things are seen.)

Faith comes from God:

"It is Jesus' name and the faith that comes through Him that has given this complete healing to him, as you can all see."  Acts 3:16  (Peter expressed that faith comes from Jesus, a supernatural spiritual being.)

"...faith comes from hearing the message, and the message is heard through the word of Christ."  Romans 10:17  (Paul expresses that faith comes from hearing the Word of God, the voice of God, a supernatural spiritual being.)

"...in accordance with the measure of faith God has given you."  Romans 12:3   (Paul expresses that faith is given by God, a supernatural spiritual being.)

“the manifestation of the Spirit is given...faith by the same Spirit..."  1 Corinthians 12:7,9  (Paul expresses that faith is a manifestation of the presence of God through His Spirit.)

"Peace to the brothers, and love with faith from God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ."  Ephesians 6:23  (Paul expresses that faith comes from God, a supernatural spiritual being.) 

"The grace of our Lord was poured out on me abundantly, along with the faith and love that are in Christ Jesus."  1 Timothy 1:14  (Paul expresses that faith is found in Jesus, in a personal relationship with Him, a supernatural spiritual being.)

"Jesus, the author and perfector of our faith,"  Hebrews 12:2  (The author expresses that Jesus, a supernatural spiritual being, creates our faith and brings it to maturity, completion and perfection.)

"To those who through the righteousness of our God and Savior Jesus Christ have received a faith as precious as ours:"  2 Peter 1:1  (Peter expresses that faith is received through righteousness, a right relationship with God, a supernatural spiritual being.)

Faith is also called belief.  Faith or belief is demonstrated through a spiritual act of obedience. Such belief (action) in a promise (truth) causes one to move toward a living being.  Such belief (action) in a non-promise (lie) causes one to move away from a living being.  Faith is believing in God and that He will fulfill every promise He has made.  This positive action of our spirit and soul is the only way for us to relate with God.  This positive action is directed toward God - the one who gave the promise and the one who will fulfill the promise.

"And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that He exists and that He rewards those who earnestly seek him."  Hebrews 11:6  (The author expresses that faith, spiritual obedience, is the basis of pleasing God, relating to God. 

Faith is considering God faithful to His promises. God is faithful!  He has proven himself faithful to anyone who has moved in a positive action within their spirit and soul (with a promise He has made) toward Him. 

"By faith Abraham, even though he was past age - and Sarah herself was barren - was enabled to become a father because he considered Him faithful who had made the promise (truth)."  Hebrews 11:11  (The author expresses that Abraham considered God faithful to His promise.)

"Now I am about to go the way of all the earth.  You know with all your heart and soul that not one of all the good promises (truth) the Lord your God gave you has failed.  Every promise (truth) has been fulfilled; not one has failed."  Joshua 23:14   (Joshua expresses that every promise God had given had been fulfilled.  They could consider Him faithful to all His promises to them.)

Faith is reasoning that God could do the impossible if needed to fulfill His promise.  This positive action of spirit and soul is expecting God to response with action within the natural and supernatural worlds. 

"Abraham reasoned that God could raise the dead..."  Hebrews 11:19   (The author expresses that Abraham responded to God's promise in a positive action of his spirit and soul.  He reasoned God able to do the impossible.)

Without the promise - faith is useless; without the faith - the promise is useless.  Without God's action in response to our positive action there would be no reason to have the positive action in the first place.  Without the positive action within our spirit and soul, God does not act.

"Therefore, the promise (truth) comes (is experienced) by faith, so that it may be by grace and may be guaranteed to all Abraham's offspring - not only to those who are of the law but also to those who are of the faith of Abraham.  He is the father of us all.  As it is written: 'I have made you a father of many nations.'  He is our father in the sight of God, in whom he believed - the God who gives life to the dead and calls things that are not as though they were.  Against all hope, Abraham in hope believed and so became the father of many nations, just as it had been said to him, 'So shall your offspring be.'  Without weakening in his faith, he faced the fact that his body was as good as dead - since he was about a hundred years old - and that Sarah's womb was also dead. Yet he did not waver through unbelief regarding the promise (truth) of God, but was strengthened in his faith and gave glory to God, being fully persuaded that God had power to do what He had promised.  This is why 'it was credited to him as righteousness.'  The words 'it was credited to him' were written not for him alone, but also for us, to whom God will credit righteousness - for us who believe in him who raised Jesus our Lord from the dead.  He was delivered over to death for our sins and was raised to life for our justification."  Romans 4:16-25   (Paul expresses that the promise is experienced by faith, a positive action of your spirit and soul towards God, in believing that He has the power to do what He has promised.)

If Faith is a positive action of the spirit and soul, then Doubt is a negative action.  This negative action also takes place within the supernatural world where the spirit and soul dwells and within the natural world where the soul dwells.   It involves spirit and soul acts of disobedience which are required to not receive promises from God. 

"But when he asks, he must believe and not doubt, because he who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind.  That man should not think he will receive anything from the Lord;"  James 1:6-8  (James expresses that doubt is moving away from God, where you are not able to receive anything from God.)

Doubt is also called unbelief.  Such negative action (unbelief) in a promise (truth) causes one to move away from a living being.  Such negative action (unbelief) in a non-promise (lie), which is really faith in truth, causes one to move towards a living being. 

"See to it, brothers, that none of you has a sinful, unbelieving heart that turns away from the living God."  "....they were not able to enter (God's rest), because of their unbelief."  "...but the message (the gospel, promises, truth) they heard was of no value to them, because those who heard did not combine it with faith." Hebrews 3:12,19 and 4:2  (The author expresses that doubt, unbelief, is moving away from God, a negative action to God.)

For further discussion regarding the interaction of Faith, Doubt, Truth and Lies see Illustrations of Life. 

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