Faith is not passive. Faith does not wait for evidence before it speaks. Faith announces and then it prays until what was announced becomes reality.
This is where many believers lose heart.
Some announce but don’t persist. Others persist in prayer but never announce in faith. Biblical faith does both
The Nature of Faith: It Announces Before It Appears
Hebrews 11:1 gives us one of the most misquoted yet least practiced definitions of faith:
“Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.”
Faith does not wait for signs, most times. Faith supplies substance to what does not yet exist in the natural. That means faith speaks ahead of manifestation.
Faith is declarative by nature. It calls what is unseen as though it already exists. This is why Elijah could say, “There is the sound of abundance of rain” when the sky was still silent.
Faith announces first.
Faith speaks because heaven has already spoken. Not because it is arrogant but because it is convinced. There are things that God has told you which will never make sense to others, no matter how hard you try to convince them.
It is not your duty to try to convince people. Just keep declaring what God has said. Elijah did not need to explain to Ahab how the rain was going to come, even though there were no signs.
True Biblical faith offends logic most time. Even among Christians, you hear statements like “Let’s be logical.” Logic wants proof before speech, in the natural realm. It rationalizes outcomes based on sensory knowledge. Logic is limited to the five senses and events are judged by what can be seen by the “physical eyes” and “head knowledge.”
But faith transcends logic. Biblical faith is not irrational contrary to people’s explanations. Biblical faith is based on reality, heavenly reality. Faith speaks because proof already exists — in another realm.
So, the true nature of faith is that it is rooted in revelation knowledge and not logic. That you cannot see it does not mean it doesn’t exist and that you don’t know it doesn’t mean it is not true.
The Assumption of Faith: Announcement Is Not the End of Faith
Another area where most believers miss the point is that they have the wrong assumption about faith. Most people think that because “I have faith”, everything should be easy or that they shouldn’t have challenges.
That is half-truth, void of understanding. Faith makes things possible surely but not always easy. This is the lesson from Elijah’s story. He did not announce the rain and go to sleep, thinking it had been done. (1 Kings 18:41-44).
Faith does not announce and relax. Faith announces — and then goes to work in prayer. You have to pray until something happens (PUSH). Don’t assume that because of faith, it will happen immediately. The true nature of faith teaches that it may not happen immediately but if you persist in prayer, it will happen eventually.
The key is to believe and keep believing. Regardless of what is happening circumstantially, your attitude should be like Elijah. He didn’t see the rain and did not allow the testimony of his servant to deter him. He kept believing and praying.
The proof that you believe is that you keep praying when the signs are not yet there in the physical realm. It can happen at the first time of asking but if doesn’t happen, the key is to persist until it happens.
Heavy rain requires heavy prayers before there’s an outpour. Bend your knees until the situation bends.
The Test of Faith: Why Persistence Matters.
Most times, when you don’t see immediate answers, your faith is being tested.
“Will you give up or will you stay when the results don’t appear?”
Jesus Christ taught a parable in Luke 18: “Men ought always to pray and not to faint.” In between faith and manifestation, there is a test. Most believers give up here, they become faint-hearted when there is prolonged answer.
Jesus did not tell the parable of the persistent widow to teach us about prayer techniques. He told it to expose the character of faith. Faith stays. Faith returns. Faith refuses to retreat simply because nothing changed yet.
The widow in the parable refused to take NO for an answer. She knew her rights and based on her knowledge she acted and demanded until even the heartless judge responded. True faith compels response, even in the most adamant situations.
Child of God, do you know your rights? The Word of God has been given to us as our rights and privileges. We have been blessed with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ Jesus (Ephesians 1:3). We are joint heirs with Christ and His inheritance is ours (Romans 8:16-18). God has given us all things that pertain to life and godliness so that we can be partakers of His Divine nature (2 Peter 1:3-4).
These and more are the heritage of every believer in Christ Jesus. But now you are learning that it is not automatic. You have to apply persistence prayerfully until the finished works of Christ begin to find expression in your life, circumstantially.
Jesus ends the parable with a haunting question:
“When the Son of Man comes, will He really find faith on the earth?”
Ponder on it. In other words, when the son of man comes to deliver your answers, will He still find you in faith?
Why Many Quit Too Early
Most people don’t lose faith because God failed. They lose faith because waiting exposed impatience. Delay confronted entitlement. Silence tested conviction.
Let this be a challenge to you: When you quit too early, your faith will become a mockery. But when you persist in the place of prayers, your faith will become a testimony especially after a long season of drought.
Persistence does not mean desperation. It is agreement. When you are persistent in the place of prayers, you are not trying to convince God. It is only a declaration of your trust in God. You know that He is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think and you position yourself humbly until He responds. Persistence is humility before the Almighty.
Elijah did not pray seven times because he doubted. The widow did not persist because she was uncertain. True faith powers persistence because it knows and believes what it has seen.
Faith does not ask, “Will God do it?” Faith asks, “Will I remain until it happens?” Because heaven responds to those who stay.
Final Word
What are you trusting God for in this season?
What has God promised you?
Stand on His promises.
Stay grounded in faith.
Keep praying until God shows up.
He is faithful that has promised. Yahweh will show up for you!
AMEN.
