Faith is a gift of God to us. It is the medium of exchange in the heavenly realm just like money, to a larger extent, is in the earthly realm. Faith ought to be used in every situation because anything that is not of faith is a sin Romans 14:23). Like the Word, let us learn to take our faith to our work, our places of influence and to our relationshps.
1. In relationships faith works when we show people Christ versus fixing their behavior (Prov 18:24): Rather than showing them a list of “do’s” and “don’ts” we must show them Christ. Our job is not to “fix” their behavior. God’s grace changes people, not some effort on their part to be good enough. We can only give a person a new rulebook; Jesus will give them a new heart.
2. True obedience flows from a heart of faith (1 Thess 1:3, Luke 6:45): Our goal is to help people believe the right things so they will live the right way. A heart filled with faith, hope, and love leads to a righteous, obedient life.
3. It is an act of faith when we invest in people who will invest in others – 2 Tim. 2:2. Your cell will grow in proportion to your ability to build not just disciples, but disciple makers.
4. To see faith in action in the church and in our relationships, let us learn to create a culture of prayer and love for God’s word: Prayer is the currency of our personal relationship with Jesus. Pray that you will become a part of what God is doing in your church and community. We can say with confidence that we have never known a person whose life has changed in any significant way apart from the regular study of God’s Word.
5. Exercise dominion through your words. You reign by speaking the word of God over your situation. Look at how Jesus ruled. He exercised dominion through words (Mk 1:27).
6. Renew your mind. The enemy can and does exaggerate things. You will have a hard time receiving if you concentrate on the negative. Feelings will lie; don't let them dictate to you. It will cause you to be double minded. Have you ever felt like you were walking in circles? Another thing you need to consider is: Are you thankful for what you do have? If not, change your perspective and find something to be grateful for. It's all in how you choose to look at things. Offer up thanksgiving (Rom. 12:2, 1 Thess. 5:18)
7. Wait. Expect. Don't give up. This is sometimes the hardest part of any process. This is also where a lot of people lose the battle. God hears your heart. He can interpret it. He will strengthen you. Learn to trust Him. I don't know why some battles take longer than others but I do know you are more than a conqueror. Don't lose heart. God is with you (Rom. 8:37).