The Spirit of Faith
From Pastor Kevin
To prepare for a DBI class, I was looking over II Corinthians 4 where Paul is discussing the afflictions he and his team are experiencing. He essentially explains that these afflictions are working death in them so that the life of Christ can be brought forth and work an eternal weight of glory that far exceeds the afflictions. At the end of the chapter, he says that they look at the things that are not seen and not at the things that are seen. The things that are seen are temporal, momentary and subject to change, but the things that are not seen are eternal.
During his discourse, he references Psalms 116:10, which says in part, I have believed and therefore have I spoken. Paul calls this the spirit of faith in II Cor 4:13 and states that they also have that same spirit of faith whereby they believe and therefore speak. This ‘spirit of faith’ caught my attention, and I couldn’t stop thinking about it, so I kept studying. Paul says that we believe, therefore we speak. In short, faith is the believing, being persuaded, or convinced part, and the spirit of faith is the speaking part. So the spirit of faith talks and speaks faith. It talks what it believes, talks about God’s promises, and encourages self and others. Likewise, the spirit of fear talks fear and what is too big and too hard and will never be so don’t bother believing or trying. The spirit of adoption cries Abba Father and talks love of God as our loving Father and Provider. What is your talk?? Fear or faith??
Paul is explaining to the Corinthians, and to us by extension, that faith doesn’t deny the afflictions and trials and act like they aren’t there. He says we are troubled but not distressed, perplexed but not in despair. He acknowledged the afflictions but spoke faith, that God would deliver them from them all. Just like in Numbers 13: the two spies, Joshua and Caleb, didn’t come back from spying out the promised land and deny there were giants and walled cities there. Rather, they acknowledged the natural, but said God is with us and we are well able to take the land. They believed and therefore spoke.
Finally, at the end of the chapter in verse 18, Paul says that they look at (fixate and focus on) the things that are not seen and not at the things that are seen. The things that are seen are temporal, momentary and subject to change, but the things that are not seen are eternal. He’s connecting what he focuses on with how he talks. Afflictions, trials, and troubles are real, and faith doesn’t deny their presence in our lives, but rather talks the promise. Afflictions are temporary and will change, so don’t fixate on them. God will walk us through them, and the life of Christ will be more present in our lives than before. The key to not getting caught up in the trouble, or looking at the things that are seen, is to exercise the spirit of faith. Talk faith, talk God’s promise, talk how He will deliver you, talk what He says about you, talk that He loves you. This keeps you focused on the things that are not yet seen, anticipating the glory of God in your life and not on the continual defeat and destruction offered by the afflictions. Exercise the spirit of faith and keep your eyes on the prize.
