So what is real faith? Let me tell you, it is not what the prosperity teachers have taught you!! It’s not about when you finally get the stuff! In Hebrews11:24, it says: “By faith Moses, when he had grown up, refused to be known as the son of Pharoah’s daughter. He chose to be mistreated along with the people of God rather than enjoy the pleasures of sin for a short time. He regarded disgrace for for the sake of Christ as of greater value than the treasures of Egypt, because he was looking ahead for his reward; he persevered because he saw him who is invisible.”
This tells me that real faith is not about stuff! Real faith comes out an experience with God that produces commitment despite trials…it’s perseverance in the face of adversity. See the prosperity preachers will tell you that you know you have faith if you sow a seed, and you actually get the house or the car! But see Moses knew something that they don’t know. Real faith is not about the obtaining that “end”…be it the house or the car or the career. Real faith when you have loyalty and commitment to God, even when you don’t get the “end.” It’s not walking away from God when the desired thing doesn’t come to 
pass. Real faith is sticking close to God when the house is foreclosed, or the relative dies, and the bill doesn’t get paid! It’s trusting in his will. See Moses was not looking at stuff, because he could see beyond that stuff to the eternal reward ahead. And he could see the eternal reward because knew the one who was invisible! He had an experience walking with God. See the three Hebrew boys knew this as well, when King Nebuchadnezzar threathened to throw them in the fiery furnace they said this:”If we are thrown into the blazing furnace, the God we serve is able to save us from it, and he will rescue us from your hand. But even if he does not, we want you to know O King, that we will not serve your gods or worship the image of gold you have set up.” Daniel 3:17-18.
See the REAL faith is in the “Even if he does not.” It’s that loyalty and committment to God that is REAL faith….not the frustration and the turning away that occurs so often when the breakthrough doesn’t happen. Are we not to believe God for his promises? Certaintly not! It means that we believe God come what may…good outcome or bad! We believe God for his will! I John 5:14, says that we can ask AYTHING and he will do it…but the caveat in the verse is that it must be according to his will. I don’t care how many mountains you speak to, if it’s not goes will its not going to happen. And trust me…the breakthrough will not always be God’s will. But We should believe God that we received what we ask for, epecially when we have not asked amiss for our own pleasres. James 4:3. But real faith is having the faith of Queen Esther, and be willing to ACT in that faith….accepting that “If I perish, I perish.”
It’s good for us to believe God for his promise, as did Abraham. In Romans 4:18 it says, “Abraham did not waver in unbelief regarding the promise of God, but was strengthened in his faith and gave glory to God, being fully persuaded that God had the power to do what he had promised. How is it possible that his faith grew after 25 year of waiting? Because he had faith in God! His focus was God. Mark 11:22, says “Have faith in God.” Not faith in faith…or faith that speaking his word is going to automatically make things happen. We have faith in God! And our faith can increased with time because we know that God cannot lie (James 1:13); his words cannot return void but MUST do what he sets it out to do (Isaiah 55:11). This is where we get our confidence, because we know God is bound by his word! Jeremiah 1:12, Says “God watches over his word to perform it.”. And if he makes a promise to us, it’s going to come to pass. But this faith must be balanced. We have to be willing to accept adverse circumstances in situations where God has not promised us victory. The prosperity teachers will tell you that if you didn’t get it, you didn’t have enough faith. But real faith is not in the positive outcome. It’s trusting in him when those “Even if he does not” situations come….and these situations will surely arise. God will not save from all things, but he promises to be with us (Isaiah 43:2)…and to use them for our good (Romans 8:28). May we be like Joseph, who suffered many things…but in the end proclaimed that God had made him “fruitful in the land of my affliction.”
