Releasing Spiritual Gifts Todayနမူနာ

The Gift of Faith

For the next three devotionals, we will explore the set of gifts that “do”: faith, healings, and miracles.

It can sometimes be difficult to differentiate the spiritual gift of faith from the measure of faith that is common to every believer (without which we could not even come to a saving faith).

The spiritual gift of faith is not your faith—it is an impartation of a portion of God’s faith. That is why it carries with it such confidence and authority, as we see in this passage:

And Jesus answered saying to them, “Have faith in God. Truly I say to you, whoever says to this mountain, ‘Be taken up and cast into the sea,’ and does not doubt in his heart, but believes that what he says is going to happen, it will be granted him.” (Mark 11:22–23)

In Mark 11, we have been given a huge key to moving in this amazing dimension of the gift of faith—forgiveness. Forgiveness is essential for any kind of faith to flourish, including faith that is imparted as a gift. We know this because almost immediately after Jesus taught about having faith enough to make a mountain throw itself into the ocean, He said, “Whenever you stand praying, forgive, if you have anything against anyone, so that your Father who is in heaven will also forgive you your transgressions” (Mark 11:25). The flow of faith will be interrupted by hard-heartedness, but forgiveness can remove blockages to faith. Forgiveness from the heart opens the door both ways—to receive and to release the gifts of the Holy Spirit.

The Gift in Action

Peter exercised a gift of faith when he and John encountered the lame beggar at the temple gate called Beautiful. As soon as Peter saw the man, he knew that he would be healed. He proclaimed the healing with unflinching and unwavering faith, and then took the man by the hand to lift him to his feet. (See Acts 3:1–10.)

Jesus—who possesses all of the spiritual gifts because they emanate from Him—continually exercised the gift of faith while He lived on earth. Before He raised Lazarus from the dead (see John 11), He delayed going to visit Martha and Mary at their brother’s tomb, but this actually demonstrated His faith. Jesus had rock-solid faith; He knew that this seeming defeat would be turned into unqualified victory. He was moved to tears by the grief that surrounded the family, and it seems to me that He could have slipped into further grieving, but He rose above it and didn’t waste any time. Similarly, the atmosphere of unbelief that surrounded the tomb could have drawn off His faith like a ground wire, which taps off the flow of current from a lightning strike, but He didn’t let that happen. Instead, He exhorted Martha to have faith, saying, “Did I not say to you that if you believe, you will see the glory of God?” (John 11:40), and then boldly called Lazarus out of the tomb, alive.

Practical Applications of the Gift

This dimension of faith leaves no room for doubt. It lays hold of the will of God for a situation despite any opposition. When the gift of faith is surging, nothing can stand in its way. It moves mountains!

As with the other spiritual gifts, the gift of faith seems to “specialize.” One person’s faith emphasis, like mine, could be faith for crisis intervention through intercession. Another person’s sphere of influence might be faith for finances or for miracles. I have seen people with gifts of faith that are specific to severe weather patterns, healing, evangelism, and deliverance from evil spirits, and none of those people would find their gift operational outside of their sphere of influence. At times, the operation of the gift appears to be determined according to the presenting need or to a person’s function within the body of Christ. When this happens, the gift of faith operates independent of someone’s identity as a gifted person; it is faith for special miracles or for acts that God wants to perform in given circumstances.

For some people, the influence of the gift of faith is funneled into individual ministries that might be better known by the names of other spiritual gifts; in this case, the gift of faith performs a very specific supportive role.

Whatever the focus, the gift of faith enables a person to speak change-producing words directly to a person, an object, or a situation—or to God on behalf of a person, an object, or a situation. The “faith surge” carries with it the method of execution that is appropriate. Out of a gift of faith, Elijah declared, in God’s name, that no rain would fall in Israel, and then, after a long time of severe drought, he announced the return of the rain. (See 1 Kings 17:1; 18:1, 41–45; see also James 5:17–18.) On behalf of God, Joshua spoke to the sun and the moon, telling them to stand still to enable the Israelites to win a decisive battle against their enemies. (See Joshua 10:12–14.) Jesus spoke to the wind and the waves to calm a fierce storm. (See, for example, Luke 8:23–25.)

It might seem to be arrogant on the part of the speaker to utter such commands, but if God is behind the words through the gift of faith, the speaker is humbled by them. They know full well that their words alone have no power at all and in fact may sound rather foolish if God doesn’t back them up with results. Thus, the empowerment of the Holy Spirit must be the motivating force behind the words that we speak.

God gives the gift of faith generously, and He wants us to recognize when we experience it, so that we will appreciate it and use it well and wisely. Let’s all make a point to use the measure of faith with which we have been supplied, rejoicing greatly should our circumstances or our sphere of influence require more. Let’s lay hold of God and let His faith be deposited within each of us in ever-increasing measure!