Having faith in God requires drawing near to him. That is, our faith will grow as we spend time with God, enjoying his presence and meditating on his word.

We cannot please God without developing our faith.

Each of us who is born of God is given the measure of faith. As we grow in our relationship with God, our faith in him will grow.

Faith is not an ideological concept outside of God. Faith is a reliance and dependence on God. Our relationship with God requires faith. Faith is developed through our relationship.

As we grow in our spiritual walk with God, our faith will grow. Our faith grows by what we believe. Faith in God is not something that occurs by how many scripture verses we confess. Faith comes by hearing, or by having ears to hear, what His Spirit says to us.

The living word or rhema produces faith.

The logos or letter of the word will not produce faith until it becomes rhema or Spirit-breathed.

Faith is trusting God even when we don’t understand everything.

I will give you an example.

The Holy Spirit gave me a word about my financial situation that seemed so impossible that, without a miracle, I would end up in the doghouse.

When I hear the word that the Lord gave me, I told him, “Be it unto me according to your word.”

It took quite a while for that word to come to pass, but eventually it did.

I never did anything to deserve the grace that got me out of that pickle, but God came through. That miracle was a big deal to me because it taught me that when God says he will do something, he does. It doesn’t matter how dire the situation looks.

I could tell you a whole bunch of miracles I’ve received throughout my life through a Holy Spirit rhema word. I save them for other blogs.

Personally, I wouldn’t waste my time confessing scriptures till you are blue in the face. That’s ritual, not relationship. I prefer to pray the Scriptures to God. That way, we are praying his will in a situation. I declare the word of God to the devil. I let him know what God has to say about the matter.

Jesus said, “If anyone has ears to hear, let him hear what the Spirit of God has to say.”

In other words, incline your ear to hear from God.

When I was a young Christian, I spent time learning to listen to the Holy Spirit. That developed my hearing ear. Now, sometimes I do have to take the cotton balls out of my ears and go back to listening, because if I go my own way, I can become tone-deaf.

Developing a hearing ear is important in receiving a Holy Spirit rhema.

Listening prayer is very important for learning how to receive a word from God.

Some people are more visionary, and God speaks that way, too, but I’m more of a listener. That’s why I hear God’s voice a lot. I spend time listening.

Listening requires making sure your heart is right with God, reading the word, and waiting on the Lord to hear from him. Then he will speak as we incline our ear.

I’ve also learned never to put God in a box. He answers in many different ways. He may not answer right away, and he may want to teach you something through your experience.

Christians who put God in a box and expect a result often become discouraged.

There are a lot of variables God has to deal with in situations. Plus God just wants to be God.

Let me share with you how I learned the important lesson not to put God in a box.

After I lost a child during childbirth (A girl), I was heartbroken. I wanted to bring her back. I prayed specific directions to God. I thought God would restore to me what I had lost. I asked for a girl with dark hair and dark eyes. Like me, of course.

Well, long story short, I gave birth to a boy. Blond hair and blue eyes!

I was not disappointed when I saw that sweet face smiling at me. I actually chuckled, knowing God is God and I am not. The Lord told me to name him Seth, which means “one who replaces another,” a chosen, anointed one.

So as you can see, God will jump out of our box and do what he desires anyway.

Faith comes by hearing, and hearing (rhema) comes by God’s word.
As we draw near to God in expectation of an answer, He will reward us with his answer.

And without faith it is impossible to please him, for whoever would draw near to God must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who seek him. Hebrews 11:6

Faith, or trust in God, requires being expectant or hopeful, even when we don’t see any evidence of an answer.

Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. Hebrews 11:1

Not only does the Lord sometimes answer in his own way instead of ours, but sometimes he has to deal with our hearts before he will answer our prayer.

God wants to develop our faith, but sometimes we require correction.

That might mean digging up a root of bitterness, forgiving others, and giving up something that isn’t good for us.

Search me, God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. See if there is any offensive way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting. Psalms‬ ‭139‬:‭23‬-‭24

If I regard iniquity in my heart, the Lord will not hear me. Psalm 66:18

Then, of course, for answered prayer, there is waiting on God’s timing.

Knowing this, that the trying of your faith worketh patience. James 1:3

Wait for the Lord; be strong, and let your heart take courage; wait for the Lord! Psalms 27:14

Faith in God’s rhema word sometimes requires us to do something. Not always, because, like I said, in that financial situation, I didn’t do anything to deserve it, nor was any action required other than believing the word spoken and waiting on God’s timing.

However, sometimes faith requires action.

On another occasion, I had a health issue. I prayed and sought the Lord. God gave me direction on what to do, and I followed the direction. I was healed over time.

Then, at other times, God will direct me to simply ask others to pray for me, and I receive immediate or sometimes gradual healing.

Then there is the miraculous divine intervention in answer to prayer.

For example, one time, I received a healing, and it was really incredible. I had a bad hip. It hurt so badly I couldn’t sleep. I cried out to God to take the pain away. Immediately, the power of God fell on me, and I was instantly healed. My hip never bothered me again.

That’s why it is important to develop a hearing ear, (or seeing eye)

When you have a rhema word from the Holy Spirit, you do what he says and rest assured you will get your answer. In God’s way and in his timing.

Faith pleases God because it shows him we trust him. It demonstrates we have a relationship with him.

Personally, I can tell you that I have not been an A student in faith development. I have had to go through the hard knocks of life to learn a thing or two about faith.

One of the greatest discoveries I have learned about faith is that God’s Holy Spirit is a willing helper. I sure would have liked to have known that in the beginning, before I started stumbling along through my Christian walk of faith.

The Holy Spirit is called the Spirit of faith, so he has all the faith you need when you feel like the weight of the world is on your shoulders.

God will come to our rescue when our lives get too difficult to handle. I’ve called on the Lord for faith when I wasn’t sure I was going to make it, and lo and behold, faith rose in my heart like a burning flame.

All we need to do is ask for help. The Lord will keep us from falling off any cliff.

That he would grant you, according to the riches of his glory, to be strengthened with might by his Spirit in the inner man; That Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith; that ye, being rooted and grounded in love. Ephesians 3:16-17

Faith in God’s promises requires persistence and perseverance. We do have an enemy that wants to steal, kill, and destroy. We need to remember that.

Lastly, God is pleased with faith that stands on his word, no matter what may come our way.

Jesus said unto him, If thou canst believe, all things are possible to him that believeth. Mark 9:23

Wherefore take unto you the whole armor of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand. Ephesians 6:13-16

So, stand on God’s word! Wait patiently for him. Be obedient to his rhema word! He will never let you down!