FAITH  [ Part 3 ]

The Word Within: Unlocking Your Spiritual Capacity

To live a life of profound impact and divine enablement, it’s not enough to simply believe in God; we must understand the intricate mechanics of faith and how our spiritual capacity is built. True power flows from what has been established and nurtured within us. The very foundation of our spiritual capacity lies in the Word of God taking root within our hearts. It's a divine sequence: the Word enters your spirit, shapes your heart, and then empowers your mouth to declare. As the scripture reminds us:

Romans 10:8 (NIV): "But what does it say? 'The word is near you; it is in your mouth and in your heart'—that is, the word of faith we are proclaiming."

If the Word is not deeply embedded in you, it cannot flow powerfully from your mouth. Our capacity in the spirit, and the anointing we carry, are a direct result of the amount of God's Word we've imbibed. This isn't about giving God an ultimatum, but about understanding that God has given us the automation to access His power by getting His Word into our spirit.

When we speak of faith, it’s vital to grasp its ultimate source. The scripture that serves as the foundation of faith points us directly to Jesus:

Hebrews 12:1-2 (KJV): "Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us, Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God."

The emphasis here is on "Jesus the author and finisher of faith." While the King James Version says "our faith," the deeper understanding points to His potent faith—the very nature of faith itself. It’s like a car manufacturer: you put fuel in the car (your faith) to make it move, but the plant (Jesus, the author of faith) is the one that produces the car. Your faith gives you access to the grace that allows for spiritual growth and development. Abraham's life perfectly illustrates this principle. His faith, as detailed in Hebrews 11, wasn't about defining faith but describing its powerful operation in his life and the lives of other spiritual heroes. Even angels operate by faith in God's Word, enabling them to transcend their usual realms.

The Old Covenant priesthood, embodied by Aaron and his lineage, was a shadow of the glorious reality to come. It was a physical representation, but our true access to God comes through a superior arrangement, for all believers are now a royal priesthood:

1 Peter 2:9 (NIV): "But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s special possession, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light."

Jesus came as the High Priest of the good things that are now already here, not through a Tabernacle made by human hands, but through a greater and more perfect one—His own body and sacrifice:

Hebrews 9:11-14 (NIV): "But when Christ came as high priest of the good things that are now already here, he went through the greater and more perfect tabernacle that is not made with human hands, that is to say, is not a part of this creation. He did not enter by means of the blood of goats and calves; but he entered the Most Holy Place once for all by his own blood, thus obtaining eternal redemption. The blood of goats and bulls and the ashes of a heifer sprinkled on those who are ceremonially unclean sanctify them so that they are outwardly clean. How much more, then, will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself unblemished to God, cleanse our consciences from acts that lead to death, so that we may serve the living God!"

Jesus' blood, offered through the eternal Spirit, cleanses our consciences, not just our flesh, from "dead works" to serve the Living God. Crucially, Jesus' death was also the means by which the New Covenant was brought into full force. Just as a will (or testament) becomes legally binding only after the death of the testator (the one who made it), so Christ's death empowered the New Covenant:

Hebrews 9:16-17 (NIV): "In the case of a will, it is necessary to prove the death of the one who made it, because a will is in force only when somebody has died; it is never in force while the one who made it is still living."

Jesus, by dying and resurrecting, became the ultimate Testator, making His New Covenant (the Gospel) eternally enforceable. He now lives as our Advocate, ensuring the terms of this testament are applied to us. This means we, as New Covenant believers, are not under the curse of the Law (which primarily applied to those under the Law), but rather under the grace accessed by faith. We, who were not called God's people under the Law, have now become His people through faith in Christ.

Our blessing comes directly through Abraham's faith, by way of Christ, extending to all who believe, including Gentiles:

Galatians 3:8-9 (NIV): "The Scripture foresaw that God would justify the Gentiles by faith, and announced the gospel in advance to Abraham: 'All nations will be blessed through you.' So those who rely on faith are blessed along with Abraham, the man of faith."

Galatians 3:14 (NIV): "He redeemed us in order that the blessing given to Abraham might come to the Gentiles through Christ Jesus, so that by faith we might receive the promise of the Spirit."

The promises of God in Christ are not "yes" and "no" or "wait," but "yes" and "amen" (2 Corinthians 1:20). Our spiritual promises, received by faith, are eternally secured. So, how do we strengthen this faith and make it potent in our lives? Abraham's example, again, provides the blueprint:

Romans 4:20-21 (NIV): "Yet he did not waver through unbelief regarding the promise 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."

We strengthen our faith by constantly giving glory to God for His promises, even when they haven't yet manifested. This act of worship fuels our faith. We must also cultivate an unshakeable conviction that God is not only willing but also perfectly able to perform everything He has promised. Nothing is too big or too difficult for Him. When you walk in this understanding, giving glory and being fully convinced, you activate the righteousness credited to you through Christ. This isn't merely a theological concept; it becomes your nature and lifestyle, manifesting as acts of giving, forgiveness, and powerful prayer.

The Gospel of Salvation brings you to the person of Jesus; the Gospel of the Kingdom teaches you the principles to live powerfully and prosperously within His reign. By faith, we access every realm of God, shake places through prayer, and ultimately grow into the "fullness of the measure of the stature of Christ" (Ephesians 4:13).