The gift of faith
To another faith by the same Spirit. 1 Corinthians 12:9
As believers and children of God, we walk by faith and not by sight each day. The Christian life is defined by the faith we have that our Father in heaven will watch over, care and provide for us as we trust Him with our needs from day to day. Romans 12:3 tells us that God has given each one of us the measure of faith. All of God’s people have been given the same amount of faith and it is up to each individual to use and exercise it to grow in life.
The gift of faith mentioned in today’s verse is something different than our day-to-day faith. When we are born again, we are saved by grace through our faith. The gift of faith is a supernatural impartation of God’s faith for confidence in a specific situation. It is a knowing or an unwavering belief that God is going to intervene in a situation, and everything is going to work out ok.
The gift of faith can show up in situations such as when given a bad report from the doctor. Even though a person hears what the doctor says, they have a supernatural peace and knowing that God is going to bring them through the situation to victory.
This happened recently in my own family. At the beginning of 2021, my husband, Jack began to worry about his job and how long he was going to have it. He is working on a construction site that was slated to be a 2-year project when he stepped into the position. At the beginning of the second year, he began to be focused on what was going to happen next. It actually seemed to be the responsible thing to think about, but then it turned into a preoccupation and worry that began consuming his thought life. He needed supernatural intervention. We began to pray and take hold of the situation with God’s help and leading. We believed that God had led us to this place and that when it was time to move on, He would open the next door. Still, there was that nagging of what if it doesn’t happen or we miss that opportunity? Finally, after a time of stepping aside for prayer and fasting, a supernatural peace came on Jack. He no longer talked about it or even thought about it. He just continued to do his job and he had the assurance on the inside that God was taking care of it just as He has always taken care of us all our lives. Even when the end of the job came, he was able to take three stress free months off to get caught up on some things that he wasn’t able to while working long hours. Then, seemingly out of nowhere, a call came with a new opportunity. He wasn’t even looking yet, and God brought in the perfect fit for him for the next season of our lives. Many times, this has happened in my own life when God has given me a scripture or phrase to hold on to, but this time He just gave us His peace! What a precious gift!
The gift of faith was given to Paul when he was arrested and to be taken before Caesar. He didn’t know if he was going to make it there or be killed along the way. However, God assured him that his mission was to stand before kings and proclaim the good news of salvation. That was all Paul needed to trust that he would safely arrive at his destination.
Today, I want to encourage you to consider any area in your life that you may need the gift of faith for a specific concern. Ask the Holy Spirit to intervene in that situation and to give you the gift of faith for the peace of mind to know God is taking care of it and everything is going to be ok. You may not see the solution for days or even months, but step into that place of peace and knowing that God is willing and able to take care of all your troubles.
Today’s scripture reading: 1 Corinthians 12:1-11, Acts 23:11-22
1 Now concerning spiritual gifts, brethren, I do not want you to be ignorant:
2 You know that you were Gentiles, carried away to these dumb idols, however you were led.
3 Therefore I make known to you that no one speaking by the Spirit of God calls Jesus accursed, and no one can say that Jesus is Lord except by the Holy Spirit.
4 There are diversities of gifts, but the same Spirit.
5 There are differences of ministries, but the same Lord.
6 And there are diversities of activities, but it is the same God who works all in all.
7 But the manifestation of the Spirit is given to each one for the profit of all:
8 for to one is given the word of wisdom through the Spirit, to another the word of knowledge through the same Spirit,
9 to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healings by the same Spirit,
10 to another the working of miracles, to another prophecy, to another discerning of spirits, to another different kinds of tongues, to another the interpretation of tongues.
11 But one and the same Spirit works all these things, distributing to each one individually as He wills.
Acts 23:11-22
11 But the following night the Lord stood by him and said, “Be of good cheer, Paul; for as you have testified for Me in Jerusalem, so you must also bear witness at Rome.”
12 And when it was day, some of the Jews banded together and bound themselves under an oath, saying that they would neither eat nor drink till they had killed Paul.
13 Now there were more than forty who had formed this conspiracy. 14 They came to the chief priests and elders, and said, “We have bound ourselves under a great oath that we will eat nothing until we have killed Paul.
15 Now you, therefore, together with the council, suggest to the commander that he be brought down to you tomorrow, as though you were going to make further inquiries concerning him; but we are ready to kill him before he comes near.”
16 So when Paul’s sister’s son heard of their ambush, he went and entered the barracks and told Paul.
17 Then Paul called one of the centurions to him and said, “Take this young man to the commander, for he has something to tell him.”
18 So he took him and brought him to the commander and said, “Paul the prisoner called me to him and asked me to bring this young man to you. He has something to say to you.”
19 Then the commander took him by the hand, went aside, and asked privately, “What is it that you have to tell me?”
20 And he said, “The Jews have agreed to ask that you bring Paul down to the council tomorrow, as though they were going to inquire more fully about him.
21 But do not yield to them, for more than forty of them lie in wait for him, men who have bound themselves by an oath that they will neither eat nor drink till they have killed him; and now they are ready, waiting for the promise from you.”
22 So the commander let the young man depart, and commanded him, “Tell no one that you have revealed these things to me.”
The Daily Dose 