A. It Deepens Our Attachment to Christ

It is often said that the better we know someone, the closer we become to them. This principle also applies to our relationship with God. Having faith in God allows us to draw nearer to Him. It strengthens our attachment to God, and those who spend more time in His presence fortify their faith and deepen their relationship with the Lord.

When we examine the life of Jesus Christ, we find that He chose His disciples after spending an entire night in prayer until dawn (Luke 6:12).

“At that time, Jesus went up on a mountain to pray, and He spent the night in prayer to God.”

These apostles traveled to numerous cities, preached the Gospel, healed people, and then returned to tell Jesus about their deeds (Mark 6:30). As the disciples witnessed the Lord at work, their faith grew. They became participants in the miracles and wonders He performed, and the teachings they received from Christ were like nourishment that allowed their faith to flourish and gain assurance.

They left everything behind, detached from everything that was their source of life, to attach themselves to Jesus Christ, the source of Life. Faith should lead us to detach from anything that seems important to us and attach ourselves to Christ, the source of all things. The growth of our faith is a direct result of the degree of our attachment to the Lord.

Scriptures encourage us to root ourselves more and more in Christ because our faith comes from Him, just as a tree is connected to its roots. Likewise, we must be connected to Christ, being the roots from which we draw our strength.

B. It Activates God’s Action in Us

Faith acts as a catalyst, facilitating the Lord’s intervention in our lives. It is like the fragrant aroma of a blossoming flower. When we examine the actions of Christ in the Scriptures, we often find Him marveling at the faith of certain individuals.

“The apostles gathered around Jesus and reported to Him all they had done and taught.” (Mark 6:30)

After delivering His sermon on the mountain, Jesus continued to Capernaum. In that city, there was a Roman centurion whose servant was gravely ill and near death. In distress, the centurion sent some Jewish elders to fetch Jesus because he had heard about Him. Filled with love and compassion, he rose to go and help the dying man. Knowing that Jesus was coming to his house, the Roman centurion, seized by fear, sent his friends to relay a message to Jesus. To me, this message was the key to his servant’s healing. Let’s read Luke 7:6-8:

“Jesus went with them, and He was not far from the house when the centurion sent friends to say to Him: ‘Lord, don’t trouble yourself, for I do not deserve to have you come under my roof. That is why I did not even consider myself worthy to come to you. But say the word, and my servant will be healed. For I myself am a man under authority, with soldiers under me. I tell this one, ‘Go,’ and he goes, and that one, ‘Come,’ and he comes.’” (Luke 7:6-8)

As we read these words of the Roman centurion, the first thing we notice is that he recognizes Jesus’ identity. What I mean is that he knows that it is God who is coming into his house. He could have gone there himself, but he ended up confessing that he was unworthy to stand in the presence of Jesus. In saying this, he acknowledges the holiness, greatness, and power of Jesus. Furthermore, this man stated that, as someone under authority with soldiers under him, he is obedient to the authorities that God has instituted.

It’s incredible how he is putting into practice the apostle Paul’s recommendations to the Romans, urging them to be subject to the higher authorities, for all authority has been instituted by God (Romans 13:1). These words couldn’t leave Jesus indifferent, as he saw in this man’s words an expression of faith. In admiration of this, he declared to the crowd that followed Him that it was thanks to the faith of this man that his servant was healed.

“I tell you, I have not found such great faith even in Israel.” (Luke 7:9)

This story shows us how faith draws the hand of God. When a woman who had been suffering from bleeding for twelve years touched His garment, He felt power go out from Him.

“Daughter, your faith has healed you. Go in peace and be freed from your suffering.” (Mark 5:34)

He also praised the fearless faith of the apostle Peter (Mark 8:29) and the complete, last-minute faith of the good thief.

“Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom.” (Luke 23:42)

In light of so many examples, we understand that God is ready to act in our lives. He is not lacking in blessings or healing power. He is always ready to act, but if we want to provoke His action, it’s essential to have faith within us because it is faith that activates His work in us. No matter our circumstances or situations, God sees things differently. All He desires is to find faith within us.

C. It Makes Us Dependent on God

One who has faith in God, the One who accomplishes all things, recognizes that faith doesn’t come from themselves but from God. To maintain and nurture their faith, they will always turn to the source of their faith. In reality, we can do nothing on our own. Without God’s intervention, figures like Abraham, Moses, Isaac, Jacob, David, Elijah, and Joshua would not have achieved all they did in the Scriptures.

The power and presence of God were the source of everything they accomplished. Faith should create in us a sense of dependency, which involves acknowledgment. When speaking of the vine and the branches, Jesus illustrates how we must remain attached to Him to bear fruit, for without Him, we can do nothing.

Indeed, without Him, we can do nothing. When God is absent from our lives, the devil and his works are present. People are in total ruin and cannot produce anything good when far from God. Scriptures teach us that we cannot serve two masters. If we are attached to Christ, we will bear good fruit. If, on the other hand, we detach from Christ, we will bear no fruit, resembling a withered branch that eventually dies.

Acknowledgment is the result of dependency, and it is expressed through thanksgiving. Thanksgiving delights the heart of God and is an act that originates from the heart and is expressed in words or actions. We are loved by God, He bestows His favors upon us, and He will continue to do so. In return, He expects us to manifest our gratitude, and He teaches us that our thanksgiving produces fruit.

We must offer thanksgiving for everything God does in our lives, regardless of our circumstances. Whatever we have and whatever we do, let us always be thankful to the Lord, who is our source.

D. It Gives Us Strength in the Face of Temptation

Through faith in Jesus Christ, we can overcome all temptations. After His water baptism, Jesus was led by the Spirit into the wilderness. For forty days and forty nights, He was tempted by the devil, who sought to divert Him from His destiny. Remarkably, Jesus’ responses left no room for the tempter. Faced with the devil’s seductive offers, Jesus countered with the Word of God. He relied on the Lord’s revealed purpose as found in the Holy Scriptures, which the devil manipulated for his own purposes. Jesus remained faithful not just to the letter but to the Spirit. It was not merely about quoting scriptures; it was about the creative and redemptive Word that sustains humanity. Jesus’ responses also reveal His passion, which would be His ultimate answer and definitive victory.

So, in the face of the temptation of power, He offered Himself as a servant of servants. His shed blood and His death on the cross were the ultimate proof of love, given so that all might have eternal life. In reality, we are more than conquerors through the name of Jesus. Through His death and resurrection, our Savior and Lord give us strength in the face of the devil’s temptations.

By relying on the inspired Word of God and proclaiming the name of Jesus, we have the power to confront opposition. Thus, we lean on the Lord, and our faith remains unshaken.

This text is an excerpt from the book “The Faith that Never Fails: Living Palpable Faith” written by Emmanuel MENIE .

We invite you to read the following article “THE NORMAL LIFE, THE ABNORMAL LIFE, LIVING IN THE SUPERNATURAL OF GOD”.