Where does true, heartfelt faith come from?

 

In 1 Cor 13 we read that the three greatest gifts of the Holy Spirit are hope, faith and love. So, how does the Spirit go about giving us God’s saving grace through the gift of true faith in our lives?

 

Romans 10:17 says "faith comes from hearing the message, and the message is heard through the Word of Christ.”

 

The origin of faith in the hearts of believers is through hearing the Word of Christ. It is important to notice that Paul does not say that faith comes by hearing the Word, but rather, that faith comes by hearing, and hearing comes by the Word.

 

The picture is much more than only of the believer and his or her Bible. The picture here is of the believer, the Holy Spirit, and the Bible. It is by the work of the Holy Spirit, as we read the Bible, that we come to a place of spiritually hearing what God has to say to us through his Word.

 

We can hear with physical ears and never hear with spiritual ears.

As we read God’s Book, or hear it preached or taught, we should prayerfully ask God to reveal the Word and apply its truth to our lives.

 

When we ask, the Holy Spirit will be faithful to speak the truth of the Word into our spiritual existence. The Spirit applies the Word of Christ to our lives. And as the Spirit applies the Word to our lives, faith is born in our hearts.

We will not only understand the truth of the Word of God but will be challenged and changed by it. Only then are we enabled to respond to the Word of God with eagerness and changed lives. And that is faith.

 

Let’s devotedly read the Bible every day. Let’s study the truth of the Gospel of Jesus Christ through the magnifying glass of the Scriptures and be blessed with the gracious gift of faith that we need to live victoriously in all circumstances - and be saved.