FAITH: Your Key To Victory – Paula Black

Victory is something we all want in our life. It means we have overcome a difficulty and have landed in a good place. Fortunately, God provides us a roadmap to follow in order to arrive at our desired destination of VICTORY! It is FAITH!

What do you need victory for in your life right now? Are you dealing with a tragedy, sickness, pain, loss, lack, disappointment, or betrayal. We live in a fallen world ruled by Satan, and that causes us to experience tribulation, hurt, persecution, and more. Our challenges come in many shapes and forms, however, Jesus reminds us: “These things I have spoken to you, that in Me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world.” John 16:33

Jesus understood that the human experience exposes us to difficulties… to tribulation. He is available and desiring to be invited into the horrible experiences that feel too big to ever recover from. Since Jesus has overcome the world and in Him we have peace, if we include Him into our struggle He can change our perspective and the outcome.

Victory is the destination that Jesus offers. The way to get there is FAITH!

This new mindset and approach that Jesus offers us, is a heavenly one. It is not of this world. It’s not simply positive thinking—although it may resemble that. It’s really us choosing to see our life from God’s perspective and allowing Him into the dark difficult places, to minister to us.

When I was diagnosed with cancer and given 3-6 months to live, it was a shock. This huge threat seemed to come out of nowhere. What had I done to deserve this? I was even serving God with much of my life. I was on His side, yet now I was facing a life and death battle. Why would God allow this to happen to me? I instantly had a million “whys.” These questions were my carnal man reacting to a sudden shock. I knew there was no faith in these questions. I knew I had to change.

When unexpected tragedy occurs, we tend to question God… as if He sent it. Let me tell you a truth… God never fails. He can’t lie—the Bible says that: “God is not a man, that He should lie, Nor a son of man, that He should repent. Has He said, and will He not do? Or has He spoken, and will He not make it good?” (Numbers 23:19).

The problem is that the god of this world wants to destroy our lives… even our trust in God. All the tribulation, persecution, loss, and heartache come from our enemy, Satan, not from God. In fact, it is God who gives us a way of escape from the attack. “No temptation has overtaken you except such as is common to man; but God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will also make the way of escape, that you may be able to bear it.” (1 Corinthians 10:13).

The problem for most people is not really believing what God has said. Too many who call themselves “Christian” don’t truly trust what Jesus taught and demonstrated during His time on earth.

Too often we look at people around us and our own experiences to determine what is true. We consider the circumstances in this world to be more real and trustworthy than what God has said.

After getting past the shock of my diagnosis, I came back to what I believed. God is my Healer! He is the only One I can trust in this horrible situation. I was able to say that because I knew His Word. I knew His nature. Therefore, I knew His will was to heal me… to lead me to victory.

When we don’t know someone well, we usually don’t trust them. Not really trust them. Not when we’ve never tested them with something that matters—like whether we live or die.

We want God to save us. We believe He has the power to do anything. But then why didn’t he save our friend who died of cancer? Or why didn’t He answer that prayer of the Christian who claimed great faith? We quickly shrink back into fear, doubting that He will help us with something so important. Who are we to God, anyway?

When you don’t know—without doubt—what is true, it is easy for Satan to deceive and manipulate you into fear. And fear is belief in a negative outcome. It is literally faith in what Satan desires for you—destruction, loss, and death.

Wherever God is, Satan is close at hand. Wherever God offers victory, Satan promotes defeat. In any trial that requires faith, Satan is there to bring fear. Ultimately, it’s up to each of us to decide what we will believe. We choose. God created mankind with free will. And the greatest power we have is our free will to choose. Faith or fear. God or Satan. Self or Jesus. And the list goes on. It’s not simply will power. It’s walking out our faith with the Word of God.

God and Satan have already chosen a side. It’s a draw. Jesus told us that He is on our side and that Satan is against us, when He said, “The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy. I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly” (John 1010).

Wow! That’s a clear declaration of victory if we choose God’s way. Abundant life! We are called upon to cast the deciding vote. Our choice determines which side is the majority, and the majority wins. But we can’t simply choose and stop there. God calls us to live out our choice through action.

“What does it profit, my brethren, if someone says he has faith but does not have works? Can faith save him? Thus also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead” (James 2:14,17).

There are other questions that every battle requires us to answer. Questions like, “What is God’s will in this situation?” And if we don’t know for sure that we’re choosing a destination that is God’s will, then how do we use faith to arrive at victory?

The Bible clearly tells us that God’s will is based upon His Word. So we must find out if what we need or want, is revealed and clearly expressed in God’s Word. And not only from one little verse that’s open for interpretation, but something clearly and repeated revealed—like salvation… or healing.

Is healing God’s will? How do we know that? Well, ask yourself, What is it like in Heaven? We seem to understand that all are healed in Heaven, so why wouldn’t God also want all to be healed on earth? When Jesus taught us to pray, He said, “Thy will be done on earth as it is in Heaven.” He would not have taught us to ask for something that was not the will of God.

Herein lies the integrity of God’s Word. (The Bible you use must be a good translation, not a paraphrase). Do you know what God’s Word says about healing? Do you believe what you know? Not simply agree with it, but believe it? Enough to guide your life by it?

In addition, while Jesus was here on earth, He healed all who came to Him, revealing God’s will through His ministry. John 5:19 gives us further evidence when Jesus said, “Most assuredly, I say to you, the Son can do nothing of Himself, but what He sees the Father do; for whatever He does, the Son also does in like manner.

Jesus only did and said, what the Father showed or told Him. In that way, Jesus’ ministry reflected God’s will—healing. Often, we read that Jesus said, “By your faith, you are healed” (Luke 18:42; Mark 10:52; Matthew 9:22; Mark 5:34). There are a multitudes of examples in the gospels and beyond, that tell us that it is God’s will to heal.

Another powerful truth is that God does not play favorites. He does not determine that someone is more important to heal than another. Or that one deserves to be healed and another does not. The Bible is clear: “For there is no respect of persons with God” (Romans 2:11).

However, there is a condition to receiving the promises of God… FAITH. The person asking must have faith. Faith is the currency of Heaven. Faith is how we access the gifts that God has provided to us through Jesus Christ.

We have determined that true faith is always based upon God’s Word. Nothing else will do. It cannot be based upon circumstances of statistics, or anything in this world.

Let’s also consider what FAITH is NOT. Faith is not an emotion or feeling. It’s not that we can’t feel faith when we have it. But that feeling isn’t faith. That feeling is the byproduct of the existence of faith. I have seen many people try to manufacture the feeling of faith in a church service or through music or some other means. But none of that brings faith. It may bring inspiration, or hope. But the Bible tells us in Romans 10:17 where faith comes from: “So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.”

No one can have faith without knowing that what their faith is based upon is solid… trustworthy, and true—God’s Word, which is unchangeable. In this verse it is describing the spoken Word of God.

God’s Word is not simply a promise box from which to pull up a Scripture, that may be out of context, and treat it like a fortune cookie. You must know that you know that what God has said is true throughout His Word—in principle, statement, and example. Not just because someone else told you it’s so. But because you have read and heard it for yourself.

Let’s look at a powerful example from God’s Word that reveals several fascinating principles of faith and healing.

I have included an entire story from the Bible below, as found in Mark 5:25-34. “Now a certain woman had a flow of blood for twelve years, and had suffered many things from many physicians. She had spent all that she had and was no better, but rather grew worse. When she heard about Jesus, she came behind Him in the crowd and touched His garment. For she said, “If only I may touch His clothes, I shall be made well.”

In the portion of the story above, the woman took action in faith. She sought out the One who heals and pressed through the crowd to touch the Source of her faith. Then, she spoke what she believed. She spoke according to what was in her heart—her faith was released through her words. Let’s keep reading.

“Immediately the fountain of her blood was dried up, and she felt in her body that she was healed of the affliction. And Jesus, immediately knowing in Himself that power had gone out of Him, turned around in the crowd and said, “Who touched My clothes?”

First, did you notice that she acted in faith, and spoke in faith, BEFORE she felt her body healed? “Calling those things that did not exist as though they did!” (Romans 4:17). It was the woman’s faith, not the faith of Jesus, that accessed healing power.
He didn’t even know who had touched Him. What He did know was that someone had touched Him with faith, because He FELT healing power flow out of Him. Faith was the key that unlocked the gift of God that she needed.

“But His disciples said to Him, “You see the multitude thronging You, and You say, ‘Who touched Me?’ ”

Many people had been touching Jesus. He was surrounded by a multitude as he walked. After healing many people that day, He was on His way somewhere when this woman came up behind Him to touch the hem of His robe.

“And He looked around to see her who had done this thing. But the woman, fearing and trembling, knowing what had happened to her, came and fell down before Him and told Him the whole truth. And He said to her, “Daughter, your faith has made you well. Go in peace, and be healed of your affliction.”

He didn’t see her before she was healed. He did not judge her acceptability to be healed. Anyone who would have touched Him in faith… would have been healed. Jesus is the Source of healing, but FAITH is the conduit through which it flows.

The power to heal is found in the person of Jesus Christ. He is the One who took stripes (whippings) on His back to pay for our healing. He is the One through whom healing is offered. But He has finished paying for your healing. There is nothing more He must do. Now it is up to you to access with faith, what has been given!

Isaiah prophesied before Jesus was born, that in Jesus would be salvation, redemption, and healing—body, soul and spirit. He was foretelling God’s plan through Jesus before it occurred.

“But He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our iniquities; The chastisement for our peace was upon Him, And by His stripes we are healed.” (Isaiah 53:5)

The apostle Peter, in chapter 2, verses 23 and 24, expressed what had already occurred, (it was history at this point) when he the words below:

“When they hurled their insults at him, He did not retaliate; when He suffered, He made no threats. Instead, He entrusted Himself to Him who judges justly.  “He Himself bore our sins” in His body on the cross, so that we might die to sins and live for righteousness; “by His wounds you have been healed.”

If healing is for you and me, why do we fear? We utilize our faith to claim what Jesus has bought for us. We repent of our unbelief and establish our faith to now believe. And we must continue believing.

Maybe you feel guilty for wanting all that God has provided. But Psalm 103:1-5 reminds us NOT to forget ANY of God’s benefits.

“Praise the Lord, my soul; all my inmost being, praise his holy name. Praise the Lord, my soul, and forget not all his benefits—who forgives all your sins and heals all your diseases, who redeems your life from the pit and crowns you with love and compassion, who satisfies your desires with good things so that your youth is renewed like the eagle’s.”

We aren’t being greedy to pursue the gifts of God. We are honoring Him and valuing what it cost Him. Can you think of a more disrespectful thing to do than to ignore something so precious that cost the very life of our Savior to provide?

Our enemy, Satan, has made his way into our churches and sermons and congregations with false doctrines about salvation, healing, the Holy Spirit, and the many blessings of God. The leaders are not teaching faith, or healing, because they don’t walk in it themselves. Sadly, too many don’t understand how it works. But not knowing about something does not change the reality and power of something that is true.

Many churches have excluded the Holy Spirit—the very Spirit of Christ—who was sent to help us when Jesus ascended into Heaven. The Holy Spirit was sent by God to teach, comfort, empower, and guide us into truth. Jesus told us, “But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all things that I said to you” (John 14:26).

This void or misrepresentation of the Holy Spirit has caused many to be left ungrounded and without a Helper. Yes, there is abuse and misrepresentation of who the Holy Spirit is an how He behaves. But again, that does not negate the truth or our need for Him and the blessings and gifts He brings.

Satan has counterfeited and hijacked everything good and godly, to turn us away for God’s amazing gifts. Our enemy has rob us of victory. He has stolen our faith through fear, negative circumstances, and ignorance of God’s Word. All in an attempt to protect his own kingdom from defeat, Satan has robbed God’s people from the power God provides through the Holy Spirit.

Sincerely, ask God to fill you with the Holy Spirit today, and every day. Invite the Holy Spirit into your life to teach you and guide you into truth. Satan is out to steal, kill and destroy. But Jesus has come to give life and life abundantly. We are to walk in that abundant life every day. How can we do that successfully without the help of the Holy Spirit? We cannot.

If you are born-again, the Kingdom of Heaven resides within you. As we consider Good Friday—the day Jesus willingly gave His life for you—I encourage you to honor God by committing to walk and live according to His will.

“Now may the God of peace Himself sanctify you completely; and may your whole spirit, soul, and body be preserved blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ” (1 Thessalonians 5:23).

With God, nothing is impossible!

Dale and Paula Black