Do you ever ask yourself, What is faith? You are going through a rough time in your life, or you are about to have what could be a life-changing event, and you hear, ‘Have faith. Let's explore this topic of faith. Let's define faith, what is the Biblical definition of faith, and what does God's word say about faith. Together, we will look at what faith is and why it is essential, and ultimately, the importance of faith in Christian life. 

One day, you wake up, and life is as usual, a typical day for you. Then something happens that could be life-changing. You are really unsure of the next step, and then you begin to hear, ‘have some faith,' it will all work out, or ‘have faith,' it will be okay. It is a term people use often, but what is faith? 

When I began to walk through a devastating season in my life, it used to feel so unclear or vague to me when people would tell me to ‘have faith'. At first, it frustrated me. But once I understood and began to grow in faith, it became life-altering to me. What I learned is good news, there is a kind of faith that won't be just words anymore when someone says ‘have faith'. 

Sit with me and let's define faith.  

According to Cambridge Dictionary it is defined as ‘great trust or confidence in something or someone: a strong belief in God or a particular religion.'

A Biblical definition of faith in Hebrews 11:1 (ESV), “Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen.”

With faith, you put your trust or believe in something. This could look different for each of us. No matter what you put your faith in, let's explore the Christian faith together. 

This is the kind of faith that changed my life during a time when my world was turned upside down. This faith has impacted generations of people. It has had such an impact on my life that I created this website as a platform to share my faith and testimony. My prayer and hope are that you will find value in this and that it will help you in your life. 

What does God's word say about faith?

Hebrews 11:6 (NIV), “And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him.”

2 Corinthians 5:7 (NKJV), “For we walk by faith, not by sight.”

Romans 1:17 (NIV), “For in the gospel the righteousness of God is revealed—a righteousness that is by faith from first to last,^​ just as it is written: “The righteous will live by faith.”

Romans 3:27-31 (NIV), ^“Where, then, is boasting? It is excluded. Because of what law? The law that requires works? No, because of the law that requires faith. For we maintain that a person is justified by faith apart from the works of the law. Or is God the God of Jews only? Is he not the God of Gentiles too? Yes, of Gentiles too, since there is only one God, who will justify the circumcised by faith and the uncircumcised through that same faith. Do we, then, nullify the law by this faith? Not at all! Rather, we uphold the law.”

Romans 5:1-2 (NIV), “Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have gained access by faith into this grace in which we now stand. And we boast in the hope of the glory of God.”

​Hebrews 11:3 (NIV), “By faith we understand that the universe was formed at God’s command, so that what is seen was not made out of what was visible.”

Ephesians 2:8-9 (NIV), “ For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— not by works, so that no one can boast.”

In Ephesians, the apostle Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God, explains that, for believers, we must put on the full armor of God in daily living. If you are unclear what the full armor of God is, please read Ephesians 6:10-18. 

Faith is included in the full armor.

Ephesians 6:16 (NIV), “In addition to all of this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one.”

In summary, the full armor of God, believers are to arm themselves daily with the belt of truth, the breastplate of righteousness, the shoes of the gospel of peace, the shield of faith, the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. 

These are only a few of the Bible verses that talk about faith. To gain a clearer picture, the Bible gives us many examples of acts of faith. 

There are examples of faith throughout scripture in both the Old Testament and the New Testament. 

Matthew 15:28 (NIV), “Then Jesus said to her, ‘Woman, you have great faith! Your request is granted.” And her daughter was healed at that moment.”

Luke 8:50 (NLT), “But when Jesus heard what had happened, he said to Jairus, “Don’t be afraid. Just have faith, and she will be healed.”

There is a faith chapter in the book of Hebrews, Chapter 11.

This book of Hebrews in the NIV is called ‘Faith in Action.'

It gives us examples of genuine faith among God's people. Such faith of Abel, Enoch, Noah, Abraham, and Sarah. 

Hebrews 11:13 (NIV), “All these people were still living by faith when they died. They did not receive the things promised; they only saw them and welcomed them from a distance, admitting that they were foreigners and strangers on earth.

Hebrews continues with examples of true faith with Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Joseph, and Moses. By faith; people passed through the Red Sea, the walls of Jericho fell, and Rahab's life was saved. The chapter continues with many more examples. 

Hebrews 11:39-40 (NIV), “These were all commended for their faith, yet none of them received what had been promised, since God had planned something better for us so that only together with us would they be made perfect.”​

God's word has made clear to believers that genuine faith is the foundation of Christian beliefs. ​

When you read the word of God, the Holy Bible, you will discover God's character. You will gain a better understanding of what faith means. You will learn that God's promises are true. It is because of what He has done, His faithfulness, His character, and as you trust Him, your faith will deepen and become stronger. 

Romans 10:17 (ESV), ” So faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ.”

I grew up going to a Christian church every Sunday. I knew in my mind what a Christian was. I identified as a Christian. I did not know any other way of life. But it was not until my world was rocked that I truly learned what faith was.

Christianity went from my mind to my heart. I would not want to walk through that fire again, but I am eternally grateful for the Lord and what I was shown during the process. I realized I just going through the motions of a ‘Christian life'.

My view of faith and heart was forever changed. 

When the Lord Carried Me is a book I wrote sharing my testimony of what rocked my world, and how it made an eternal difference in my life. 

1 Peter 1:6-9 (NIV), “ In all this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while you may have had to suffer grief in all kinds of trials. These have come so that the proven genuineness of your faith—of greater worth than gold, which perishes even though refined by fire—may result in praise, glory and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed. Though you have not seen him, you love him; and even though you do not see him now, you believe in him and are filled with an inexpressible and glorious joy,  for you are receiving the end result of your faith, the salvation of your souls.”​

James 1:2-4 (NLT), Dear brothers and sisters, when troubles of any kind come your way, consider it an opportunity for great joy. For you know that when your faith is tested, your endurance has a chance to grow. So let it grow, for when your endurance is fully developed, you will be perfect and complete, needing nothing.”

​Even though life can be so hard and life can seem so unfair at times. God is always good. 

Proverbs 3:5-6 (NLT), “Trust in the Lord with all your heart; do not depend on your own understanding. Seek his will in all you do, and he will show you which path to take.” ​

This verse became my life verse during my devastating season. I would pray this over and over and pray it over my kids. To ‘trust in the Lord with all your heart requires faith'. When you do this, your life will be changed.

The truth of God never fails. Stand on the promises of God. Rest in Him.

Believe. Pray. Trust. Have faith. 

With faith, the Lord will give you the next step you need. My life changed when faith took root in my heart. I had no idea what to do, but the Lord gave me just enough light to take my next step.

Psalm 119:105 (ESV), “Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path.”

This website is also an example of faith. I am not tech savvy. I had no idea how to build a website, but time and time again the Lord gave me just what I needed for the next step in the process. The name Faith Crushes Fear was so clear when I began this journey. With faith, I trust Him and with faith comes action.

James 1:6 (NLT), “But when you ask him, be sure that your faith is in God alone. Do not waver, for a person with divided loyalty is as unsettled as a wave of the sea that is blown and tossed by the wind.” 

The power of God will become a force in your life that will be unshakable. You will have joy that no man can take away and a peace that you can not understand when your world around you is shaking. 

Romans 10:8-11 (NIV), “But what does it say? “The word is near you; it is in your mouth and in your heart, ”that is, the message concerning faith that we proclaim: 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.  As Scripture says, “Anyone who believes in him will never be put to shame.”

Faith is found all in the heart.

With faith, your entire perspective of this life changes. You trust God, and you know in your heart that God is able!

Philippians 4:13 (NIV), “I can do all this through him who gives me strength.”

Isaiah 41:10 (NIV), “So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.”

What is the importance of faith in Christian life?​

Mark 11:22-25 (NIV), “Have faith in God,” Jesus answered. “Truly I tell you, if anyone says to this mountain, ‘Go, throw yourself into the sea,’ and does not doubt in their heart but believes that what they say will happen, it will be done for them. Therefore, I tell you, whatever you ask for in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours. And when you stand praying, if you hold anything against anyone, forgive them, so that your Father in heaven may forgive you your sins.”​

John 3:16 (NIV), “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.”​

Galatians 2:20 (NIV), “I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I now live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.”​

Ephesians 2:8-10 (NIV), “For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God—not by works, so that no one can boast. For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.”​

Faith is the foundation or cornerstone of being a follower of Jesus Christ.

It is essential. You must believe that God exists. 

John 1:1 (NIV), “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.”

If you are still unsure, I encourage you to do your research. 

Who or what do you put your faith in today? 

Do you put your faith in yourself, a political leader, money, fame, or is it Jesus? I choose Jesus!

If you do not know who Jesus is and desire Him to live in your heart. It is simple. You can come as you are, but you won't stay as you are. The Lord will transform you, and you will feel a peace that surpasses all understanding and a joy that no man can take away. 

The Lord has already paid the price for you. All you have to do is pray, believe, trust, have faith, and ask Him to come into your heart. 

Lord,

I come as I am. I know I am a sinner, forgive me. I want you to live in my heart, and I want to know You. I believe you came to earth, lived a blameless life, and were crucified for my sins to make a way for me. You conquered the grave to give me eternal life. I thank you for my new life in Christ. Thank you for loving me. Thank you for forgiving me.  I want the kind of faith that is found in the Bible. Guide my steps, show me, and help me, Lord, to live for you. Thank you for being my Lord and Savior. In Jesus' name, Amen. 

If you just accepted Jesus Christ into your life, I am so excited for you! Please visit my ‘grow in faith' page, where you will find free resources to guide you in the next steps of your new life in Christ. 

By the way, if you are unsure how to pray there is no right or wrong way. Talk to God like He is your friend. He wants to hear from you. He desires to have a ‘personal relationship' with you. 

​Keep your eyes on Jesus, my friend, and have faith!

Christian music has been powerful in my life. Here is a song that has had significant meaning for me, and it is about faith. I went to bed one night praying about something and unsure what to do with my next step. The next morning, I woke up to Trust in God by Elevation Worship playing in my head. I couldn't get it out of my mind. I listened to the song, not really thinking much of it. Then I went to tackle what I had prayed about. What I prayed about was all taken care of! I sobbed and sobbed that day because of the Lord's goodness and thanked Him. God is so good.

2 Timothy 4:7 (NIV), “I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith.”

​My prayer and hope is that you have gained a better understanding of what faith is. You learned the definition of faith, what faith means, with examples, and the importance of faith in Christian life. ‘Have faith', my friend.

​

“FAITH CRUSHES FEAR BY KEEPING YOUR EYES ON THE HOPE AND LOVE OF JESUS.” 

“FAITH CRUSHES FEAR BECAUSE HOPE IS ETERNAL AND LOVE NEVER FAILS.”

​

​