"Faith is the confidence that what we hope for will actually happen; it gives us assurance about things we cannot see." Hebrews 11:1 (NLT)

I couldn’t wait for the chance to have lunch with her. Not to eat or talk, but to listen.

After watching her for a while, I knew this woman from my Bible study group was different. She radiated the power of God, seemed overwhelmed with His joy and consumed with His peace.

Not just occasionally … always.

It was obvious she heard God’s voice clearly. Her interaction with Him was relational and refreshing. She consistently saw evidence of His activity in the rhythms of her life.

God’s Word was alive to her — because He was alive to her.

Maybe you’ve known one or two of those women yourself: She prays and believes. Expects then sees. Asks and then receives. She’s not easily discouraged or paralyzed by fear and insecurity, and she has a laundry list of very practical experiences with God to prove it.

I had to know how she got to this point in her life, so I pressed my friend for details on her walk with the Lord and what made it so vibrant, fresh and alive.

The secret she shared with me that day over salad and sweet tea is the exact same one I want to reveal to you. It can all be summed up in one tiny, but very critical, power-filled word: FAITH.

"Priscilla," she said. "Be a woman of faith — not just a woman who talks faith — and you’ll never regret it."

Faith is one of the most overused, yet underutilized, expressions in Christian circles. Which is completely backward, because talking about faith is not the same as having it.

The true meaning of faith is plain and simple: Faith is an action.

In fact, action is the thing that makes faith, well, faith.

By definition, faith is not talking about, thinking about or even celebrating God’s truth. It is the process of adapting your behavior, your decisions and ultimately, your whole lifestyle so it aligns with what God has asked you to do — without needing to see the evidence it will all work out in the end.

My father and pastor, Dr. Tony Evans, puts it like this, "Faith is acting like it is so, even when it is not so, so that it might be so, simply because God said so."

My friend told me that, as far as she could tell, what enhanced her experience with God was that she was willing and committed to translate her beliefs to active faith — acting on the promises and directives of God, not merely talking about them.

It could be a seemingly small thing like giving a gift to a stranger or being the first to mend fences with a friend. Or something larger, like moving from one state to another — her commitment to identify and follow the Lord’s leading in her heart was the key that not only unlocked the door to spiritual vibrancy, but also kept her from falling prey to the enemy’s attacks to distract, dissuade and discourage her.

Was it always easy? No.

But over time, she said she learned to trust God enough to move forward at His Word. And what an amazing life of adventure with the Lord has followed!

I left that meal with a full tummy and a full heart, wanting to have a life that mirrored hers.

Father God, I want a vibrant, intimate relationship with You. Help me walk with You in faith, even when I can’t see what You are doing. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

***

TRUTH FOR TODAY:

James 2:26, "For as the body apart from the spirit is dead, so also faith apart from works is dead." (ESV)

2 Corinthians 5:7, "For we live by faith, not by sight." (NIV)

RELATED RESOURCES:

If you want to know how to follow God in faith, you’ll want to pick up a copy of Priscilla Shirer’s new Bible study, The Armor of God.

For more on trusting God, visit Priscilla’s blog.

Enter to WIN a copy of The Armor of God by Priscilla Shirer. In celebration of this book, Priscilla’s publisher is giving away 10 copies! Enter to win by leaving a comment here, letting us know why you’d like a copy for yourself OR whom you would give the book to, if you won. {We’ll randomly select 10 winners and email notifications to each one, by Monday, August 10.}

REFLECT AND RESPOND:

Pastor and theologian A.W. Tozer once said, "Any faith that must be supported by the evidence of the senses is not real faith." What areas of your life are you not living by faith?

Ask God to help you hear His voice, trust His plan and follow His leading.



© 2015 by Priscilla Shirer. All rights reserved.

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