1 Timothy 1:3-7 – “As I urged you when I went into Macedonia — remain in Ephesus that you may charge some that they teach no other doctrine, 4 nor give heed to fables and endless genealogies, which cause disputes rather than godly edification which is in faith. 5 Now the purpose of the commandment is love from a pure heart, from a good conscience, and from sincere faith, 6 from which some, having strayed, have turned aside to idle talk, 7 desiring to be teachers of the law, understanding neither what they say nor the things which they affirm.”  NKJV

The obvious question at this point is, “What is Genuine Unfeigned Faith?”   In the Greek, the word translated faith is (pistis) which has a primary meaning of “a firm persuasion, a conviction based upon hearing.”  That is interesting and powerful.  Let’s delve into this a bit more.

I am convinced that something ALWAYS happens when faith, genuine faith is released.  When genuine faith is released there we find salvation, healing, deliverance, cleansing and obedience as it reaches into that unseen world and brings the visible evidence into the seen world.  Faith, as I find it in the Bible, is active and never passive! 

Remember when Jesus exercised faith, the fig tree withered from its roots, bread and fish were multiplied to feed the multitudes, blind eyes were open and deaf ears unstopped.  When Jesus exercised faith, the lame walked again, the dead came back to life, demons released their captives, storms were calmed and even water was turned into wine.  Jesus rode into a crowd of shouting people on an unbroken or untrained donkey.  In Him, we find a picture of Genuine Unfeigned Faith.  How could you fake such actions and results?

          Hebrews 11:1 declares, “Now faith is…”  A consistent truth can be gleaned from this.  Either now faith is or it is not.  You can repeat all the right jargon, go through the right rituals, and follow the right formula but you will never duplicate or replace Genuine Faith.  Faith alone accomplishes Divine results.  Mental assent, emotional stirrings, and zeal are sometimes substituted for Faith but they are not and will never be Faith.  The real test comes when these die away.

Let me urge you in realizing that “Faked Faith” is unnecessary.  God has already provided faith.  Romans 10:17, “So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.”  Let me do it this way, “So then faith comes by hearing (reception and a positive response), and hearing by the word (Rhema) of God.”  The emphasis is on the spoken.  Consider it this way…

• Faith comes from God’s Speaking.
• God Himself is the only true source of this Faith.

             God has never been nor will He ever be short on Faith!  The problem is that sometimes we are short or deficient in HEARING!  When we consider the components of Faith and realize that we cannot manufacture faith we move toward a tremendous Freedom in the Faith Realm.  Hear me carefully and clearly, ONLY GOD can produce this faith!  This Faith comes as God speaks!  Therefore, man’s efforts to create, produce and manufacture Faith only results in frustration.  It is fruitless and we become targets for the delusion and temptation of Feigned Faith.  God’s desire for us is GENUINE UNFEIGNED FAITH!

            1 John 5:14-15 – “Now this is the confidence that we have in Him, that if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us. 15 And if we know that He hears us, whatever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we have asked of Him.”  You have to hear that for it is powerfully liberating and encouraging.

• Faith comes from God to man, not the reverse.
• Faith comes as a result of Hearing God’s words.
• Faith is demonstrated through acting upon God’s words.
• Faith’s origin is Heaven,not earth.
• Faith operates in the spirit, not the intellect or emotions.

             Let me state it this way.  When God speaks Faith is transmitted.  When a man hears Faith is received and when we act upon what we heard God say, Faith is released.  The key is that we HEAR HIM and TRUST HIM.  Yes, we know the promises but let God speak them to your spirit personally and they will live in His power and faith.  No wonder our Lord declared, “the works that I do shall you do and greater works than these…”  No wonder He said, “Ask and you shall receive…”  No wonder He said, “whoever says to this mountain be removed will see it come to pass.”

God speaks and faith is imparted.  A man hears and faith is received.  Man acts and faith is released.  God answers and the cycle of faith is complete.  It comes from God and returns to God and we are the flow through vessels.

God bless you as you walk in Faith, trusting Him completely at all times and in all things receiving His faith through His word and seeing Him fulfill His promises in your life and world.