Day Nineteen

HAVE FAITH

Now faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see.

—HEBREWS 11:1 NIV

What does it mean to actually believe God? What is faith?

Faith is being sure. And convinced.

Sometimes it’s hard to feel sure. So what do you do if you want to have faith or you want more faith and you’re not sure how to get it? Ask God to fill you with faith—faith in Him, faith in His promises, faith in His ways. And then use the assurance welling up in your heart to fight off the lies of the enemy.

The enemy is so good at lying, isn’t he? (You know you have an enemy, right? A legit enemy who has no good thoughts toward you or for you.) He’s been lying since the garden of Eden when he convinced Eve that God wasn’t really true or trustworthy. And that’s the same lie he whispers to us. Lies like, “You can’t trust God . . . Your faith is weak . . . Do you even have faith?”

When Satan pushes your buttons or makes you doubt God’s Word or God’s love for you, what’s your first brave move? Hold up the shield of faith that you hold over your heart, meant to protect you from the arrows of the enemy. Just believe. It isn’t always easy—in fact it rarely is, but the good stuff is never cheap. And what happens to your soul on the other side of a fight for faith is the good stuff.

Ask God to fill you with faith—faith in Him, faith in His promises, faith in His ways.

Your next brave move? Fix your eyes on Jesus, who is the “pioneer and perfecter” of your faith (Hebrews 12:2 NIV). When doubts cloud your mind and faith doesn’t come easily, remember that He considered it a joy to endure the cross because of His great love for you. And He will help you grow in faith.

Be sure of this: when you ask God to increase your faith, He will.

BE BRAVE: Download Matt Wertz’s song “Keep Faith” and put it on repeat for a bit today. Maybe journal some of the lyrics that stick out to you.