Sub Topic: Operational Faith
What is faith?

NIV Hebrews 11:1
Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see.

NLT Hebrews 11:1
What is faith? It is the confident assurance that what we hope for is going to happen. It is the evidence of things we cannot yet see.

Faith is confidence on what we hope for

Faith serves as a bridge between us the promises of God

Faith is the sustaining power that enables the believer to wait patiently upon God and His promises

In order for our to work it needs the following:

The Roots

The Route

The Requirements

I. The Roots of faith
Hebrews 12:2
Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.

NKJ Romans 10:17
So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.

II. The Route of Faith
Faith pursues hope

Faith works within the parameters of promise

Faith flows within a planned sequence

Faith works within individual potential

Faith works to serve a certain purpose

III. The Requirements of faith
i. The requirement of declaration
Faith demands declaration inoder to work

NKJ Job 22:28
You will also declare a thing, And it will be established for you; So light will shine on your ways

NIV Mark 11:23
“I tell you the truth, if anyone says to this mountain, ‘Go, throw yourself into the sea,’ and does not doubt in his heart but believes that what he says will happen, it will be done for him

ii. The requirement of deeds

NIV James 2:17
In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead.

NIV James 2:26
As the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without deeds is dead

iii. The requirement of obedience

NIV Hebrews 11:8
By faith Abraham, when called to go to a place he would later receive as his inheritance, obeyed and went, even though he did not know where he was going.

NIV Luke 11:28
He replied, “Blessed rather are those who hear the word of God and obey it.”

Faith hears God

Trust believes God

Obedience acts on what God has said

Without obedience, faith remains incomplete. Obedience is evidence that faith is alive.

iv. The requirement of total dependence upon God

Proverbs 3:5-6
5 Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; 6 in all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make your paths straight.

v. The requirement of patience

Hebrews 6:12
12 We do not want you to become lazy, but to imitate those who through faith and patience inherit what has been promised.

Romans 8:25
25 But if we hope for what we do not yet have, we wait for it patiently.

Faith believes God can do it, patience waits for God to do it in His perfect time.

vi. The requirement of partnering with God

NIV Amos 3:3
Do two walk together unless they have agreed to do so?

Acts 19:13-16
13 Some Jews who went around driving out evil spirits tried to invoke the name of the Lord Jesus over those who were demon-possessed. They would say, “In the name of Jesus, whom Paul preaches, I command you to come out.” 14 Seven sons of Sceva, a Jewish chief priest, were doing this. 15 One day the evil spirit answered them, “Jesus I know, and I know about Paul, but who are you?” 16 Then the man who had the evil spirit jumped on them and overpowered them all. He gave them such a beating that they ran out of the house naked and bleeding.