Page 75 - The Prosperous Way _ (APRIL 2024 v3)

CHAPTER 8

THE POWER OF FAITH

F
aith, and particularly the prayer of faith, is key to good success. It is
our faith that God responds to when He moves on our behalf. In
fact, the Bible tells us that it is impossible to please God without
having faith (Hebrews 11:6). Therefore, this journey of prosperity is
really a journey of faith.
FAITH DEFINED

Hebrews 11:1 defines faith as “the substance of things hoped for and
the evidence of things not seen.” For anyone to have a sane belief that
they have received something yet unseen (i.e., to have faith) requires
three things. First, you must have been promised the thing that you
expect to receive. Secondly, you must have confidence in the
trustworthiness of the promise-maker. Thirdly, you must believe that the
promise-maker has the power to make good on the promise. For just as
it is pointless to hope for something that you have not been promised,
similarly it is futile to hope in someone you do not trust or believe is able
to carry out the promise.

So, first, we must have an understanding of the promises that God has
made. God speaks to us continually through His Word, and we have
seen through the Scriptures that we have studied so far that God’s heart
is to prosper us. Even in a time of trial, God’s ultimate plan is still for our
well-being, which includes our peace and prosperity. In Jeremiah 29:11,
the Lord makes this declaration to the Israelites as they are taken captive
to Babylon. “I know the plans I have for you,” says the LORD. “They are
plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope.”
Therefore, we know God’s promises are for our good, and they are not
secrets that are hidden from us.

Secondly, we must understand that God is faithful to His Word. When
God makes a promise, we can trust Him to perform it. The Scriptures
tell us that “God is not a man that he should lie, nor a son of man that
he should change his mind. Does he speak and not act? Does he
promise and not fulfill?” (Numbers 23:19—20). Similarly, in Psalm 89:34,
God tells us, “My covenant I will not break, nor alter the word that has
gone out of my lips.” Moreover, we can trust God when we understand
His ways. He has revealed His goodness in His Word so we can trust His

61