Faith is a spiritual currency that every believer learns to “spend” at some point or the other. Actually, it is the backbone of our religion. But spending it rightly is key, and that is what we have been uncovering over the past two weeks. This week, we continue to learn about biblically accurate faith through the lens of purpose.
This may be the most important aspect of having a sound understanding of what faith is. Many things come into play in the manifestation of a thing by faith, but purpose is the primary factor. The apostle James tells us that the reason we pray and don’t get answers is that we pray amiss (Jam. 4:3). Take note, he didn’t say faith is lacking. What is lacking is an alignment with purpose. Your faith will only produce results when it is applied within the purpose of God.
For everything you are exercising your faith for, you must seek the purpose of God first. Otherwise, you would expend so much energy, spend so much spiritual currency, and still get no results. For every time you pray for something, ask yourself, What is the purpose of God in this situation? What is the essence of this? Does it glorify God? Does it accomplish His purpose? Again, except a thing is within the confines of what God wants for you in that moment, releasing your faith for it would yield no results.
Zachariah and Elizabeth were two people of God who we could infer to have been full of faith. Luke 1: 6 NIV says, “ Both of them were righteous in the sight of God, observing all the Lord’s commands and decrees blamelessly.” There was nothing “unbelieverlike” in them. Yet, they had an issue. They were unable to conceive. They had trusted God for years and got no answer. Maybe some people would have concluded God had forgotten them, or others would have said they didn’t have enough faith.
But one day, an answer came in the person of John the Baptist. In the next 6 months, Mary was going to conceive the Messiah, and the forerunner had to come first. What seemed like a delay or unanswered prayer then, revealed itself to be the purpose of God (Lk.1). Until that appointed time came, Elizabeth and Zechariah had to hold on. Yes, they had faith, but the purpose for which that manifestation would be needed had not yet come, so till then, that faith seemed inactive. Faith produces results that align with purpose.
Take the sons of Sceva for another example. They were on a mission to cast out demons, and that’s a holy and honorable mission, you may say. But looking at the intent of their hearts, we see it was not to glorify God, nor was it in view of God’s purpose. God’s purpose will always bring glory to Himself. The moment your faith is applied for self-seeking purposes, you are not just being sinful, you are also wasting your time. So, of course, their plan didn’t work out, and the demon-possessed person beat them up terribly—comedic relief but profound lesson here (Ac. 19:11-16). We must use our faith to glorify God, and only the purposes of God glorify Him.
Apostle Emmanuel Iren once said, “Faith outside the confines of purpose is not righteousness but covetousness”. Peter condemned Simon for trying to buy the gift of the Holy Spirit (Ac. 8:15-23). What we may have taken as faith or a desire for what is good was revealed to be a corrupt desire of the heart. Simon had no intention of using the gift for God, but for himself. He had no intention of aligning himself with God’s purpose. He applied his faith in covetousness, not righteousness, so he was unable to gain anything from it.
To understand the workings of faith, you must align with purpose. Not the other way round.
Last week, we talked about sacrifice in faith. The reason why those people were able to make such a sacrifice, the reason why they could apply their faith to endure the sacrifice, was because they understood purpose. Look at what those Hebrew boys said in Daniel 3:18, “Even if He doesn’t deliver…” They understood that there is an aspect of their faith in God that could require them to die for Him, and it would still be okay. They didn’t try to set the purpose or the background story and then force the hand of God in one direction through their faith. No. They were ready to go in whatever direction God was leading, by faith.
Likewise Abraham. He remembered God’s plan for his life, and scripture said he staggered not at the promises of God (Rom. 4:20). He also knew what God was going to do through his son, Isaac, so his faith that a way of escape would be provided was immovable (Heb. 11:17-19)
An understanding of purpose fuels your faith, and only when the two align can there be manifestation.
Faith+blog 