WINNING WITH THE WORD
“Winning with the Word” is a weekly blog that will help you to be a winner in life by applying God’s principles for living the abundant life as found in the Bible, God’s manual for life.
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Hello and Happy Day! This is Dr. MaryAnn Diorio, novelist and life coach, welcoming you to another episode of Winning with the Word. Today is May 10, 2021, and this is Episode #14 of Series 2021. This episode is titled “How to Have Faith.”
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Have you ever wondered why your prayers have not been answered despite your begging and pleading with God to answer them? Perhaps the problem has something to do with faith. Let’s take a look today at what faith is and what faith is not.
First, let’s take a look at what faith is NOT.
__Faith is not an attempt to make something exist that does not exist. Faith always rests on something that does exist. We place our faith in a chair as we sit down. The chair exists. We place our faith in God. He also exists, although we cannot see Him.
__Faith is not something we need more of. In Romans 12: 3 KJV, the Bible says that “God hath dealt to every man the measure of faith” (underlining mine). This means that every person receives from God the same amount of faith when that person is born again. Just as we all receive the same number of bones and muscles when we are physically born, so do we also receive the same amount of faith when we are born again.
__Faith is not something which some people have more of and some people have less of. The Bible makes clear that God is not partial toward people. He treats us all with equal love. The Bible reveals this truth in Acts 10: 34 NKJV: “Then Peter opened his mouth and said: ’In truth I perceive that God shows no partiality.’”
Now that we’ve looked at what faith is not, let’s take a look at what faith is.
__Scripture defines faith as follows: “Faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.” This verse tells us that faith presupposes hope. No hope. No faith. Hope is the blueprint on which faith builds. Hope is the inner picture in one’s imagination to which faith gives substance. If we have no hope, we can have no faith.
In other words, faith transforms hope into reality. Faith makes what we hope for a reality as long as what we hope for is based on God’s promises. For this reason, we must know God’s Word!
__Faith is the currency of the Kingdom of God. It is the medium of exchange between God and us and between us and God. God gives us the promise–whether it be of healing, or provision, or peace–we give Him our faith in exchange for the fulfillment of the promise in our lives.
Faith receives the promises of God. Faith reaches out to the spiritual realm and brings the promises of God from the spiritual realm into the natural realm.
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Faith makes what you hope for a reality.
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There are two kinds of faith: Natural Faith and Supernatural Faith. What is the difference?
Natural faith believes only what the five senses tell it. In other words, natural faith believes only what it can see, hear, touch, smell, or taste. Natural faith is also called “sense faith.”
An example of natural faith occurs when we sit down in a chair. We place faith in that chair to hold us up. The kind of faith we are using to trust a chair is natural faith. It is the kind of faith that can see that the chair is sturdy and will hold us up.
We are born into this world with natural faith only, not supernatural faith. Supernatural faith comes only with being born again. In other words, we must accept Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord in order to receive supernatural faith. Supernatural faith believes what it cannot see, cannot hear, cannot touch, cannot smell, or cannot taste. Supernatural faith is God’s faith.
Whereas natural faith says that seeing is believing, supernatural faith says that believing is seeing.
In order to receive from God, we must believe with supernatural faith. Trying to receive from God with natural faith will never work. This is the reason we can beg and plead with God and nothing happens. We are trying to believe with natural faith, and it will get us nowhere.
Supernatural faith is God’s faith in us, the faith we receive when we are born again. It is God’s grace that gives us the supernatural faith to receive even our salvation from Him. But we are then responsible to exercise that gift of supernatural faith in order to receive the promises of God as we go through life.
So, you may be asking, “How do we get the supernatural faith of God?” Romans 10: 17 KJV gives us the answer: “So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the Word of God.”
There is an important principle hidden in this verse. It is this: We will eventually believe whatever we hear over and over again, whether it is true or false. This is how propaganda works.
So, we need to ask ourselves, “What message am I hearing over and over again in the news. Is it true?”
Just because we hear something over and over again does not mean it is true. Depending on its source, hearing something repeatedly could very well mean it is NOT true but, rather, a deliberate attempt to deceive us, to get us to believe something that is not true. So, beware what you hear!
Characteristics of Supernatural Faith
What are some characteristics of supernatural faith? Let’s take a look:
__Supernatural faith believes what it cannot see. For example, supernatural faith believes that there is a God. It believes that there is a Satan, a Heaven, and a Hell. Supernatural faith believes that there is such a thing as forgiveness of sin, although it cannot actually see forgiveness, but only its results.
__Supernatural faith goes beyond natural sight, beyond human faith. In other words, supernatural faith goes beyond the five senses.
__Supernatural faith comes only from God. Galatians 5:22-23 KJV reveals this: ” “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, long-suffering, gentleness, goodness, FAITH, meekness, temperance: against such there is no law” (Emphasis mine).
__Supernatural faith is distributed equally to every born-again believer. We find this clearly revealed in 2 Peter 1: 1 KJV: “Simon Peter, a servant and an apostle of Jesus Christ, to them that have obtained like precious faith with us through the righteousness of God and our Saviour Jesus Christ.” The phrase “like precious” in this verse comes from the Greek word isotimos, meaning “of equal value.” All of us have the same amount of faith, and it is of equal value. The difference is that some of us simply use more of our faith than others, just as some of us use our muscles more than others. Those who use their muscles more than others are generally stronger because they have exercised their muscles more. So it is that those who use their faith more than others by standing on God’s Word during trials and temptations generally have stronger faith.
__Without supernatural faith, it is impossible to please God (Hebrews 11: 6). The establishment of our relationship with the Lord requires faith. The very faith with which we come to Christ is supernatural faith. Romans 10: 9-10 NIV says this: “If you declare with your mouth, ‘Jesus is Lord,’ and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you profess your faith and are saved.”
__The continuance of our relationship with the Lord depends on faith. Scripture makes this clear in 2 Corinthians 5: 7 when it says “For we walk by faith, not by sight.” The New Living Translation reads as follows: “For we live by believing and not by seeing.”
__Faith enables us to live in victory over our circumstances. In 1 John 5: 4 NLT, we learn this: “For every child of God defeats this evil world, and we achieve this victory through our faith.” We overcome the problems of life through our faith in God’s Word.
__And, finally, faith is essential to pleasing God. No faith. No pleasing God. This is a very sobering truth. If we do not have supernatural faith, we cannot please God.
All of us want to please God, so let’s exercise our supernatural faith. How? By rejoicing in the midst of every trial and temptation. By drawing on God’s grace to get us through every storm. By trusting that our Heavenly Father says what He means and means what He says. He will always come through for us, no matter how impossible our situation may seem.
I said earlier that supernatural faith comes only from being born again. If you have not yet been born again–in other words, if you have not yet received Jesus Christ as your Savior and Lord–I urge you to do so now. To receive Christ is to receive supernatural faith and everything else you will ever need. Just pray this simple prayer with me now:
Lord Jesus, I need Your supernatural faith. I am a sinner in need of Your mercy and grace. I ask You now to come into my life. I receive You as my personal Savior and the Lord of my life. Thank You for forgiving me and healing me. Thank You for welcoming me into Your family. In Your Name, I pray. Amen.
If you sincerely prayed this prayer, please write to me at drmaryann@maryanndiorio.com. I would like to send you a free e-booklet that will help you get started in your walk with Christ. I also encourage you to get yourself a Bible and read it every single day. The Bible is God’s love letter to you, His manual for your life. In the Bible, God reveals Who He is, and He teaches you how to live.
Finally, ask the Lord to lead you to the church of His choice for you where you can learn about Him and have fellowship and encouragement with other Christ-Followers. It is critically important in these last days to fellowship with other believers who are mature in Christ and can guide you as you grow in Him.
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PLEASE TWEET: “How to Have Faith” (CLICK TO TWEET)
Now it’s your turn: Have you struggled with having faith and receiving from God? If so, why? If not, why not? Please leave your comment in the Comment Box below. Thank you.
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For those of you who may not know, I write fiction about many of the issues I deal with in this blog and podcast. My latest novel, Miracle in Milan, has just been released in both print and ebook formats. It is the story of a young, female auditor who discovers evidence that the man she loves is an embezzler. You will find Miracle in Milan to be a page-turner that will keep you on the edge of your seat. To order your copy, go to Amazon or to my website bookstore at maryanndiorio.com/book-table . You may also find Miracle in Milan on Apple Books, Barnes & Noble, and Kobo. On my website, you will also find other fiction I’ve written to bless you.
This podcast is funded by listeners like you. If you have been blessed by Winning with the Word, I invite you to become one of my special patrons on Patreon.com. For only $1.00, $3.00, or $5.00 a month, you can help me proclaim the Gospel of Jesus Christ throughout the world.
Winning with the Word now reaches 50 countries on six continents because of your faithful support. So please help me to keep Winning with the Word on the air by becoming one of my valued patrons. Your patronage helps to cover the costs of producing, hosting, and distributing Winning with the Word to the four corners of the earth. Patrons receive special benefits, including free books, short stories, podcasts, and videos. So, join my wonderful team of Patrons and be part of something great!
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This week’s podcast is being sponsored by patron Barbara Hart. Thank you, Barbara, for being a valued patron and for choosing to become a part of something great!
I would like to thank all of my patrons who are making this podcast possible. I could not do this without you!
Finally, be sure to check out my latest non-fiction book, The Iron Saint. This book, modeled after The Iron Man triathlon, talks about the coming persecution of the Church in America and how you can prepare for it. The Iron Saint is available on Amazon, Apple Books, Barnes & Noble, Kobo, and other major book purchasing venues. You may also find it on my website at maryanndiorio.com/book-table. Get a copy for your pastor as well.
Until next time, remember that God loves you just as you are and just where you are and that He will help you to keep on Winning with the Word!
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Now Available for Purchase: Dr. MaryAnn’s latest novel, Miracle in Milan.
When a young, female auditor discovers evidence that the man she loves is an embezzler, she must choose between ruining him or ruining herself.
Amy Torelli, Chief Auditor for New York City-based Enson Pharmaceuticals, is assigned to audit the books of Enson’s Italian branch in the enchanting city of Milan, Italy. Having made an inner vow never to trust a man again because of her father’s betrayal, Amy finds herself falling in love with Enson Italia’s American-born Vice-President, Ted Masters. Will Ted be the one to cause her to break her inner vow?
Ted Masters is on the run. A run from rejection. From himself. From God. Having been wounded by a father who made him feel worthless, and having been dumped by the woman he wanted to marry, Ted is determined to keep all women at bay. But will Amy Torelli be the reason he changes his mind?
Miracle in Milan
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THE IRON SAINT by MaryAnn Diorio, PhD
The Church in America is on the verge of a tremendous spiritual awakening, an awakening that will first be fueled by persecution unlike anything we have ever seen before in this land. Indeed, a prophetic word given in my home church during the month of November gave this warning to the Church: “Prepare for the fire of persecution!”
But the Church is not ready for this persecution. For the most part, the Church in America has been weak and lukewarm. Flabby and lazy. Consumed with the world and not with the things of God. As a result, the Church has been deceived and has subverted the divine order of things.
In THE IRON SAINT, Dr. MaryAnn Diorio seeks to help equip the saints for the work of true, integritous, and effective ministry. As a teacher in the Body of Christ, it is her burning desire to help correct this devastating error.
In THE IRON SAINT, Dr. Diorio has outlined a plan of action for strengthening the Church through uncompromising obedience to the Word of God. This plan of action is based on her own 50 years of walking with the Lord and being led by His Holy Spirit.
If you are a born-again believer and member of the Body of Christ, make this book a top reading priority.
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Check out these popular Winning with the Word podcasts below. You may also search for a particular topic in the search box at the top of the sidebar on this page.
__How Close Are We to the End?
__Your Authority and Power in Christ
__When Your Prayers Don’t Seem to Be Answered
__The Privilege of Persecution
__7 Signs That the Tribulation Is at Hand
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“Winning with the Word” is a weekly blog that helps you to deal with the daily problems of life by using the Bible as your guide to solving them. The Word of God will make you a success in life!
AN INVITATION TO YOU: To subscribe to Winning with the Word, click here.
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Copyright 2000-2021 by Dr. MaryAnn Diorio. All Rights Reserved. This article may not be published or printed in any form whatsoever without the written permission of Dr. MaryAnn Diorio. You may contact her at info@maryanndiorio.com to request permission.
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