THE TWO KINDS OF FAITH.

                                              

           The subject of faith is so important in Christianity and in our relationship with God that Hebrews 11:6 tells us that, without it (faith) none of us can please God. If there is any desire that should be in the heart of any believer in Christ, it is to please God. Colossians 1:10 (amp.) says, ''That you may walk (live and conduct yourselves) in a manner worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing to Him and desiring to please Him in all things...'' If there is anything a Christian should desire above all other things, it should be pleasing God. But no Christian can live to please God unless he walks by faith. Therefore, the subject of faith for a believer should not be taken for granted. All Christians must be truly grounded in faith, hence I wrote this article to help you. There are two kinds of people on earth according to Romans 8:5, they are, 1. Those that are after the flesh. 2. Those that are after the Spirit. Those that after the flesh mind or run after the things of the flesh while those who are after the Spirit mind or pursue after the things of the Spirit. Yet they both function by faith but not the same kind of faith. Who are those that are after the flesh? They are those that seek after worldly things. Their minds are not subordinate to God's opinion or what He says in His word but to what they can see, hear, feel, smell and taste. They believe only in what their five senses can relate with, they are like Thomas (John 20:25.) They walk by 'sense knowledge faith.' Though they are Christians yet they cannot believe beyond their feelings, they've refused to train their spirit man, they've refused to renew their minds, and they are carnal and remain babes in Christ. But scriptures talks about another kind of faith in Mark 11:22, ''And Jesus answering saith unto them, Have faith in God.'' Bible scholars said that in the Greek translation of the above verse, that sentence, ''have faith in God is actually translated, '' have the God kind of faith.'' The reason many believers find it difficult to please God is because they are acting in the Thomas kind of faith instead of the God kind of faith.

          THE THOMAS KIND OF FAITH. John 20:19,24-29, ''Then the same day at evening being the first day of the week, when the doors were shut where the disciples were assembled for fear of the Jews, came Jesus and stood in the midst, and saith unto them, Peace be unto you. But Thomas, one of the twelve, called Didymus, was not with them when Jesus came. The other disciples therefore said unto him, We have seen the LORD. But he said unto them, Except I shall see in his hands the print of the nails, and put my finger into the print of the nails, and thrust my hand into his side, I will not believe. And after eight days again his disciples were within, and Thomas with them: then came Jesus, the doors being shut, and stood in the midst, and said, Peace be unto you. Then saith he to Thomas, Reach hither thy finger, and behold my hands; and reach hither thy hand, and thrust it into my side: and be not faithless, but believing. And Thomas answered and said unto him, My LORD and my God. Jesus saith unto him, Thomas, because thou hast seen me, thou hast believed: blessed are they that have not seen, and yet have believed.'' The Thomas or sense knowledge faith wants to see, feel and touch before they believe. They want to feel well before they believe they are healed. They want to see the money before they believe that their need has been supplied. They are like Thomas; they only believe what their senses tell them. Today they confess the word of God tomorrow they confess their feelings. They are never stable, they are unstable as water, and therefore they cannot excel - Gen. 49:4. It is only those that have not seen but believed that are entitled to God's blessing.

        One night in my sleep, the Lord came to me and said to me, ''son, sight is the weakness of faith.'' Then within a moment, I saw myself with angels dancing and worshiping God, singing a new song with the revelation, ''sight is the weakness of faith...2x, You will speak and I will do, sight is the weakness of faith.'' If you have to evaluate the blessings of God by your senses then you will never triumph. Psalms 27:13 says, ''I had fainted, unless I had believed to see the goodness of the LORD in the land of the living.'' You believe to see and not see to believe. The Thomas kind of faith says, seeing is believing but it negates the God kind of faith.

           THE GOD KIND OF FAITH. The God kind of faith is for those who are after the Spirit. It is the faith that is birthed by the revelation of God's Word. It is the heart kind of faith. Romans 10:10, '' For with the heart man believeth...'' It is the faith that takes the word of God at face value. He believes and acts based on what the word of God says, irrespective of circumstances or feelings. He sees the word, meditate, believe and act on it. He has no fear but faith because he believes.

          The God kind of faith can also be referred to as the centurion kind of faith. Matthew 8:8, ''The centurion answered and said, Lord, I am not worthy that thou shouldest come under my roof: but speak the word only, and my servant shall be healed.'' The centurion did not need to see Jesus come under his roof to lay hands on his sick servant, he believed in the authority (power) that is in the word of Christ. He knew the Devils and demons were responsible for his servant's sickness and will obey the words of Jesus Christ because He has authority over them like he (the centurion) has over his own servants.

          In summary, the God kind of faith meditate, think, believe and speak the word of God until his desires comes to fruition while the Thomas or sense knowledge faith meditate, think, believe and speak what he sees, hear, feel, taste and smells until he is consumed. Romans 8:12-14, ''Therefore, brethren, we are debtors, not to the flesh (the five senses), to live after the flesh. for if Ye live after the flesh (the five senses), ye shall die: but if ye through the Spirit (the word of God) do mortifying the deeds of the body, ye shall live. For as many as are led by the Spirit (the word of God), they are the sons of God.'' May this revelation sink into your heart and bring forth result in every aspects of your life in the mighty name of Jesus - Amen.