“For as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also.” – James 2:26
The Bible tells us that it is possible for us to have a faith that is dead without works.
Do we, as believers, live our lives by the works of faith? We have to learn how to live our lives a certain way if we want to be justified in the sight of God, and not to live according to the standards of the world. We need to stop trying to get what the Word of God says in our own ways.
For us to have a faith that works, we must understand that there is a connection between faith and the Kingdom of God. Faith is how we live, but the Kingdom of God is the system that we are to live in, so we live by faith in the system called the Kingdom of God. Faith is a part of that system. Faith operates in the system so it can operate in the function that God wants it to function.
Understand How the Kingdom of God Works
“But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.” – Matthew 6:33
This verse is telling us how to get all of our needs met. We need to seek the Kingdom of God first. But, we need to know where it is and how it works. The Kingdom of God is within you. The Kingdom of God has come to earth. Jesus over and over again tells us that the Kingdom is inside of us.
It’s important to know that God’s Kingdom is a system of seed, process, and harvest. Therefore, this verse in Matthew 6, can also be translated as seek first seed time, process time, and harvest time, and all those things that you need shall be added unto you. So if we don’t plant the seed of our faith, no matter how big it is nor how powerful it is, we get nothing! The seed of our faith is meant to be planted in the ground. Then after sowing and planting the seed of our faith, it must be cultivated, until the harvest comes and we must reap the harvest. This means we have to water our faith constantly with God’s Word, because faith comes by hearing and hearing God’s Word. (Romans 10:17)
Where do we plant the seed of our faith? We plant it in our hearts — which is our spirit. We should not focus on the size of the seed, because the size of our faith doesn’t matter. We need to stop focusing on the wrong thing. If we do not sow the seed and if we do not commit ourselves to the process time and the harvest time, then nothing’s going to happen. So, when does it grow up? It will obviously never grow up if we will not sow it in the ground, and if we do not cultivate it or nurture it to cause the atmosphere of growth and it will never be what you want if you don’t harvest it. Remember: It is a process.
Live by Faith Every Day
We don’t just use our faith in times of crises. We are meant to live our lives by faith each and every day. (Hebrews 10:38)
But how do we live by faith on a day to day basis? We should stop doing it our own way, instead we must do things God’s way. The only way we can do this is if we have the Word of God in us. You can’t have faith without the Word, and you can’t have the Word without faith. We can’t receive something by faith if you have no Word. Faith and the Word go hand in hand.
Simply put, no Word means no faith. We can only receive faith when we hear a RHEMA word from God. Once we get that RHEMA Word, we need to take that living Word from God and apply it in our situations. Do you have needs right now in your life? God’s Word says that our heavenly Father knows all about those needs and that He will supply all of it (Philippians 4:19). So if God knows and if God supplies, what are we doing? We need to take Him at His Word. Our part is to believe Him and His Words. The responsibility to exercise our faith falls right back on us.
We don’t look to God as if it’s His fault when we don’t get what we need. We need to look at ourselves. God is not a man that He shall lie. If our needs are not being met, it’s because we don’t understand God’s Kingdom and His designated system and we don’t understand how faith has to work in the Kingdom of God.
If we don’t work our faith, our faith is dead. If you are justified in the sight of God, you must live your life by faith. The Word of God is the evidence, is the confirmation, is the proof that the real thing exists. If we want to live a life of faith and a life that is pleasing to God, then we must work and grow our faith. For without faith, it is impossible to please God. (Hebrews 11:6)
