As it is written, “I have made you a father of many nations) in the presence of Him whom he believed — God, Who gives life to the dead and calls those things which do not exist as though they did (Romans 4:17).
God wants us to imitate Him in all things. One of the ways He desires that we imitate Him is in calling those things that do not exist as though they did. The above verse is rich in helping us understand the basic concepts of walking by faith.
First of all, notice that it says that God calls things that do not exist as though they did. Calls in this verse refers to speaking words. And that’s an important part of understanding faith. Faith must be released with words! And since we have the same spirit of faith, according to what is written, “I believed and therefore I spoke, we also believe and therefore speak (2 Corinthians 4:13). But what does it say? The word is near you, in your mouth and in your heart (that is, the word of faith which we preach) (Romans 10:8).
Faith never floats out of our heart independent of our words. Words convey faith from the human spirit to God.
Then notice in this verse that God calls those things that do not exist as though they did. He changed Abram (exalted father) to Abraham (father of a multitude). Jesus is the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world.
Everything exists in two realms; first the spiritual and then the natural. God spoke the world into existence from things unseen with words. Hebrews 11:3 (NLT) By faith we understand that the entire universe was formed at God’s command, that what we now see did not come from anything that can be seen. (Hebrews 11:3-NLT).
To put this together, I must speak what God says about me and my life even when it doesn’t seem that it is true. I must say I believe I’m healed according to the word while the symptoms get worse in my body. I must say my God is meeting all my needs according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus while the bills are piling up. I must say in all these things I am more than a conqueror through Him who loved me while I feel defeated. I must say He promised to never leave me or forsake me even when I feel alone!
Faith receives before it sees the results. It believes that it has something before there is any manifestation of the answer to prayer. And it talks the way it wants things to be, not the way they are!
Years ago, when our church was in its previous location and we were out of room to grow, I began to say publicly: One day I will stand on this stage and tell you that we have a new building. I said this hundreds and hundreds of times. Those that did not understand the principles of faith may have wondered why I was saying that, but I persisted. And regularly in my time with God I would say, Father I thank you for the new building I believe you have given Victory Church. I did this for years! Today, we have been in that new building for seven years! Before we got here though, I believed that we had already received the building for a long time. And, I called those things that are not as though they are.
Start today to call those things that do not exist as though they did and watch the miracle working power of God work for you. Thank God for the salvation of your family before you see any results. Thank God for the raise in pay or for the promotion before it happens and while it looks like it’s not going to happen! Thank God for healing your body while the symptoms persist. If you will believe, God will back you up, and one day you will see what you have been believing!
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