“We having the same spirit of faith, according as it is written, I believed, and therefore have I spoken; we also believe, and therefore speak” (2 Corinthians 4:13).
The Spirit of God shows us in the Scripture above the major characteristic of the spirit of faith: it believes and therefore speaks. In other words, when you’re operating by the spirit of faith, you don’t speak or confess something to make it happen; nor do you try to convince yourself that what you’re saying exists. Rather, you believe first in your heart that what you desire exists before giving voice to it.
This is where some have misunderstood faith: they’re not speaking because they’ve believed; they’re speaking to believe. Though they’re confessing God’s Word, they’re actually struggling to believe what they’re saying. This explains why they get frustrated when things don’t turn out as they expected.
When the Lord said to Abram “Neither shall thy name any more be called Abram, but thy name shall be Abraham; for a father of many nations have I made thee” (Genesis 17:5), the man was still childless. But because he had the spirit of faith, he immediately began to call himself “Abraham” (father of many). He didn’t wait to see the physical children before he confessed who he was; he believed and therefore spoke out that he was the father of many. That’s the spirit of faith at work.
Faith is the evidence that what you hoped for is now a reality (Hebrews 11:1), and that’s why your confession must be based on what you’ve believed in your heart, not the other way round. If you have evidence of something, it gives you the confidence to speak of it boldly. For example, if you have documents that proved you owned a certain property, you will laugh at any one who claims ownership of that same property. Why? The proof is with you!
In the same way, when you believe that what God has said about you is the reality, you’re bold to declare it, notwithstanding what the devil, circumstances and even your mind may tell you. That’s because you have the knowledge in your spirit; the proof that those things are real is inside you! That’s functioning by the Spirit of faith.
Confession
I have the same spirit of faith as the apostles of faith listed in the Bible therefore my faith confessions are producing realities. I am what God says I am. I can do what God says I can do, and I have what He says I have. My faith is the evidence that everything God has said concerning me is my present-hour possession.
Further Study: Hebrews 13:5-6: “Let your conversation be without covetousness; and be content with such things as ye have: for he hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee. [6] So that we may boldly say, The Lord is my helper, and I will not fear what man shall do unto me.”
Romans 4:17: (As it is written, I have made thee a father of many nations,) before him whom he believed, even God, who quickeneth the dead, and calleth those things which be not as though they were.
Psalm 116:10a “I believed, therefore have I spoken:”
(Taken by permission from Christ Embassy Church , aka Believer’s LoveWorld Ministries , Lagos, Nigeria. www.ChristEmbassy.org )
