Faith a bible study

           

Here is a bible study on Faith, and what it is, and how it applies during the bible in stories and  in teachings. To define faith and give many good examples of it, I turn first to the faith chapter of the bible, namely Hebrews chapter 11:

(Hebrews 11:1)  Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen.

 

(Hebrews 11:2)  For by it the people of old received their commendation.

 

(Hebrews 11:3)  By faith we understand that the universe was created by the word of God, so that what is seen was not made out of things that are visible.

 

(Hebrews 11:4)  By faith Abel offered to God a more acceptable sacrifice than Cain, through which he was commended as righteous, God commending him by accepting his gifts. And through his faith, though he died, he still speaks.

 

(Hebrews 11:5)  By faith Enoch was taken up so that he should not see death, and he was not found, because God had taken him. Now before he was taken he was commended as having pleased God.

 

(Hebrews 11:6)  And without faith it is impossible to please him, for whoever would draw near to God must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who seek him.

 

(Hebrews 11:7)  By faith Noah, being warned by God concerning events as yet unseen, in reverent fear constructed an ark for the saving of his household. By this he condemned the world and became an heir of the righteousness that comes by faith.

 

(Hebrews 11:8)  By faith Abraham obeyed when he was called to go out to a place that he was to receive as an inheritance. And he went out, not knowing where he was going.

 

(Hebrews 11:9)  By faith he went to live in the land of promise, as in a foreign land, living in tents with Isaac and Jacob, heirs with him of the same promise.

 

(Hebrews 11:10)  For he was looking forward to the city that has foundations, whose designer and builder is God.

 

(Hebrews 11:11)  By faith Sarah herself received power to conceive, even when she was past the age, since she considered him faithful who had promised.

 

(Hebrews 11:12)  Therefore from one man, and him as good as dead, were born descendants as many as the stars of heaven and as many as the innumerable grains of sand by the seashore.

 

(Hebrews 11:13)  These all died in faith, not having received the things promised, but having seen them and greeted them from afar, and having acknowledged that they were strangers and exiles on the earth.

 

(Hebrews 11:14)  For people who speak thus make it clear that they are seeking a homeland.

 

(Hebrews 11:15)  If they had been thinking of that land from which they had gone out, they would have had opportunity to return.

 

(Hebrews 11:16)  But as it is, they desire a better country, that is, a heavenly one. Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God, for he has prepared for them a city.

 

(Hebrews 11:17)  By faith Abraham, when he was tested, offered up Isaac, and he who had received the promises was in the act of offering up his only son,

 

(Hebrews 11:18)  of whom it was said, "Through Isaac shall your offspring be named."

 

(Hebrews 11:19)  He considered that God was able even to raise him from the dead, from which, figuratively speaking, he did receive him back.

 

(Hebrews 11:20)  By faith Isaac invoked future blessings on Jacob and Esau.

 

(Hebrews 11:21)  By faith Jacob, when dying, blessed each of the sons of Joseph, bowing in worship over the head of his staff.

 

(Hebrews 11:22)  By faith Joseph, at the end of his life, made mention of the exodus of the Israelites and gave directions concerning his bones.

 

(Hebrews 11:23)  By faith Moses, when he was born, was hidden for three months by his parents, because they saw that the child was beautiful, and they were not afraid of the king's edict.

 

(Hebrews 11:24)  By faith Moses, when he was grown up, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh's daughter,

 

(Hebrews 11:25)  choosing rather to be mistreated with the people of God than to enjoy the fleeting pleasures of sin.

 

(Hebrews 11:26)  He considered the reproach of Christ greater wealth than the treasures of Egypt, for he was looking to the reward.

 

(Hebrews 11:27)  By faith he left Egypt, not being afraid of the anger of the king, for he endured as seeing him who is invisible.

 

(Hebrews 11:28)  By faith he kept the Passover and sprinkled the blood, so that the Destroyer of the firstborn might not touch them.

 

(Hebrews 11:29)  By faith the people crossed the Red Sea as on dry land, but the Egyptians, when they attempted to do the same, were drowned.

 

(Hebrews 11:30)  By faith the walls of Jericho fell down after they had been encircled for seven days.

 

(Hebrews 11:31)  By faith Rahab the prostitute did not perish with those who were disobedient, because she had given a friendly welcome to the spies.

 

(Hebrews 11:32)  And what more shall I say? For time would fail me to tell of Gideon, Barak, Samson, Jephthah, of David and Samuel and the prophets--

 

(Hebrews 11:33)  who through faith conquered kingdoms, enforced justice, obtained promises, stopped the mouths of lions,

 

(Hebrews 11:34)  quenched the power of fire, escaped the edge of the sword, were made strong out of weakness, became mighty in war, put foreign armies to flight.

 

(Hebrews 11:35)  Women received back their dead by resurrection. Some were tortured, refusing to accept release, so that they might rise again to a better life.

 

(Hebrews 11:36)  Others suffered mocking and flogging, and even chains and imprisonment.

 

(Hebrews 11:37)  They were stoned, they were sawn in two, they were killed with the sword. They went about in skins of sheep and goats, destitute, afflicted, mistreated--

 

(Hebrews 11:38)  of whom the world was not worthy--wandering about in deserts and mountains, and in dens and caves of the earth.

 

(Hebrews 11:39)  And all these, though commended through their faith, did not receive what was promised,

 

(Hebrews 11:40)  since God had provided something better for us, that apart from us they should not be made perfect.

 

This study will go into some of the other heroes of faith only briefly mentioned here or not at all in Hebrews chapter 11 and show how important faith is in our lives. The first story I cite of faith and obedience, too is of Gideon and his 300 men, overcoming a vast army, because they believed in God:

(Judges 7:7)  And the LORD said to Gideon, "With the 300 men who lapped I will save you and give the Midianites into your hand, and let all the others go every man to his home."

 

(Judges 7:8)  So the people took provisions in their hands, and their trumpets. And he sent all the rest of Israel every man to his tent, but retained the 300 men. And the camp of Midian was below him in the valley.

 

(Judges 7:9)  That same night the LORD said to him, "Arise, go down against the camp, for I have given it into your hand.

 

(Judges 7:10)  But if you are afraid to go down, go down to the camp with Purah your servant.

 

(Judges 7:11)  And you shall hear what they say, and afterward your hands shall be strengthened to go down against the camp." Then he went down with Purah his servant to the outposts of the armed men who were in the camp.

 

(Judges 7:12)  And the Midianites and the Amalekites and all the people of the East lay along the valley like locusts in abundance, and their camels were without number, as the sand that is on the seashore in abundance.

 

(Judges 7:13)  When Gideon came, behold, a man was telling a dream to his comrade. And he said, "Behold, I dreamed a dream, and behold, a cake of barley bread tumbled into the camp of Midian and came to the tent and struck it so that it fell and turned it upside down, so that the tent lay flat."

 

(Judges 7:14)  And his comrade answered, "This is no other than the sword of Gideon the son of Joash, a man of Israel; God has given into his hand Midian and all the camp."

 

(Judges 7:15)  As soon as Gideon heard the telling of the dream and its interpretation, he worshiped. And he returned to the camp of Israel and said, "Arise, for the LORD has given the host of Midian into your hand."

 

(Judges 7:16)  And he divided the 300 men into three companies and put trumpets into the hands of all of them and empty jars, with torches inside the jars.

 

(Judges 7:17)  And he said to them, "Look at me, and do likewise. When I come to the outskirts of the camp, do as I do.

 

(Judges 7:18)  When I blow the trumpet, I and all who are with me, then blow the trumpets also on every side of all the camp and shout, 'For the LORD and for Gideon.'"

 

(Judges 7:19)  So Gideon and the hundred men who were with him came to the outskirts of the camp at the beginning of the middle watch, when they had just set the watch. And they blew the trumpets and smashed the jars that were in their hands.

 

(Judges 7:20)  Then the three companies blew the trumpets and broke the jars. They held in their left hands the torches, and in their right hands the trumpets to blow. And they cried out, "A sword for the LORD and for Gideon!"

 

(Judges 7:21)  Every man stood in his place around the camp, and all the army ran. They cried out and fled.

 

(Judges 7:22)  When they blew the 300 trumpets, the LORD set every man's sword against his comrade and against all the army. And the army fled as far as Beth-shittah toward Zererah, as far as the border of Abel-meholah, by Tabbath.

 

(Judges 7:23)  And the men of Israel were called out from Naphtali and from Asher and from all Manasseh, and they pursued after Midian.

 

(Judges 7:24)  Gideon sent messengers throughout all the hill country of Ephraim, saying, "Come down against the Midianites and capture the waters against them, as far as Beth-barah, and also the Jordan." So all the men of Ephraim were called out, and they captured the waters as far as Beth-barah, and also the Jordan.

 

(Judges 7:25)  And they captured the two princes of Midian, Oreb and Zeeb. They killed Oreb at the rock of Oreb, and Zeeb they killed at the winepress of Zeeb. Then they pursued Midian, and they brought the heads of Oreb and Zeeb to Gideon across the Jordan.

 

The next story of faith, is Samson when he asked the Philistine boy who was guiding him (Samson at this time was blind, having had his eyes gouged out by the Philistines) to have him lean against the pillars, believing God would strengthen him then and this happened:

(Judges 16:25)  And when their hearts were merry, they said, "Call Samson, that he may entertain us." So they called Samson out of the prison, and he entertained them. They made him stand between the pillars.

 

(Judges 16:26)  And Samson said to the young man who held him by the hand, "Let me feel the pillars on which the house rests, that I may lean against them."

 

(Judges 16:27)  Now the house was full of men and women. All the lords of the Philistines were there, and on the roof there were about 3,000 men and women, who looked on while Samson entertained.

 

(Judges 16:28)  Then Samson called to the LORD and said, "O Lord GOD, please remember me and please strengthen me only this once, O God, that I may be avenged on the Philistines for my two eyes."

 

(Judges 16:29)  And Samson grasped the two middle pillars on which the house rested, and he leaned his weight against them, his right hand on the one and his left hand on the other.

 

(Judges 16:30)  And Samson said, "Let me die with the Philistines." Then he bowed with all his strength, and the house fell upon the lords and upon all the people who were in it. So the dead whom he killed at his death were more than those whom he had killed during his life.

 

(Judges 16:31)  Then his brothers and all his family came down and took him and brought him up and buried him between Zorah and Eshtaol in the tomb of Manoah his father. He had judged Israel twenty years.

 

David had strong enough faith to go up against the giant Philistine Goliath, believing God would deliver Goliath up and that is exactly what happened:

(1 Samuel 17:32)  And David said to Saul, "Let no man's heart fail because of him. Your servant will go and fight with this Philistine."

 

(1 Samuel 17:33)  And Saul said to David, "You are not able to go against this Philistine to fight with him, for you are but a youth, and he has been a man of war from his youth."

 

(1 Samuel 17:34)  But David said to Saul, "Your servant used to keep sheep for his father. And when there came a lion, or a bear, and took a lamb from the flock,

 

(1 Samuel 17:35)  I went after him and struck him and delivered it out of his mouth. And if he arose against me, I caught him by his beard and struck him and killed him.

 

(1 Samuel 17:36)  Your servant has struck down both lions and bears, and this uncircumcised Philistine shall be like one of them, for he has defied the armies of the living God."

 

(1 Samuel 17:37)  And David said, "The LORD who delivered me from the paw of the lion and from the paw of the bear will deliver me from the hand of this Philistine." And Saul said to David, "Go, and the LORD be with you!"

 

(1 Samuel 17:38)  Then Saul clothed David with his armor. He put a helmet of bronze on his head and clothed him with a coat of mail,

 

(1 Samuel 17:39)  and David strapped his sword over his armor. And he tried in vain to go, for he had not tested them. Then David said to Saul, "I cannot go with these, for I have not tested them." So David put them off.

 

(1 Samuel 17:40)  Then he took his staff in his hand and chose five smooth stones from the brook and put them in his shepherd's pouch. His sling was in his hand, and he approached the Philistine.

 

(1 Samuel 17:41)  And the Philistine moved forward and came near to David, with his shield-bearer in front of him.

 

(1 Samuel 17:42)  And when the Philistine looked and saw David, he disdained him, for he was but a youth, ruddy and handsome in appearance.

 

(1 Samuel 17:43)  And the Philistine said to David, "Am I a dog, that you come to me with sticks?" And the Philistine cursed David by his gods.

 

(1 Samuel 17:44)  The Philistine said to David, "Come to me, and I will give your flesh to the birds of the air and to the beasts of the field."

 

(1 Samuel 17:45)  Then David said to the Philistine, "You come to me with a sword and with a spear and with a javelin, but I come to you in the name of the LORD of hosts, the God of the armies of Israel, whom you have defied.

 

(1 Samuel 17:46)  This day the LORD will deliver you into my hand, and I will strike you down and cut off your head. And I will give the dead bodies of the host of the Philistines this day to the birds of the air and to the wild beasts of the earth, that all the earth may know that there is a God in Israel,

 

(1 Samuel 17:47)  and that all this assembly may know that the LORD saves not with sword and spear. For the battle is the LORD's, and he will give you into our hand."

 

(1 Samuel 17:48)  When the Philistine arose and came and drew near to meet David, David ran quickly toward the battle line to meet the Philistine.

 

(1 Samuel 17:49)  And David put his hand in his bag and took out a stone and slung it and struck the Philistine on his forehead. The stone sank into his forehead, and he fell on his face to the ground.

 

(1 Samuel 17:50)  So David prevailed over the Philistine with a sling and with a stone, and struck the Philistine and killed him. There was no sword in the hand of David.

 

(1 Samuel 17:51)  Then David ran and stood over the Philistine and took his sword and drew it out of its sheath and killed him and cut off his head with it. When the Philistines saw that their champion was dead, they fled.

 

Here in this example Elijah and the widow He stayed with had the faith to do what was needed and God here also blessed that faith:

(1 Kings 17:1)  Now Elijah the Tishbite, of Tishbe in Gilead, said to Ahab, "As the LORD, the God of Israel, lives, before whom I stand, there shall be neither dew nor rain these years, except by my word."

 

(1 Kings 17:2)  And the word of the LORD came to him:

 

(1 Kings 17:3)  "Depart from here and turn eastward and hide yourself by the brook Cherith, which is east of the Jordan.

 

(1 Kings 17:4)  You shall drink from the brook, and I have commanded the ravens to feed you there."

 

(1 Kings 17:5)  So he went and did according to the word of the LORD. He went and lived by the brook Cherith that is east of the Jordan.

 

(1 Kings 17:6)  And the ravens brought him bread and meat in the morning, and bread and meat in the evening, and he drank from the brook.

 

(1 Kings 17:7)  And after a while the brook dried up, because there was no rain in the land.

 

(1 Kings 17:8)  Then the word of the LORD came to him,

 

(1 Kings 17:9)  "Arise, go to Zarephath, which belongs to Sidon, and dwell there. Behold, I have commanded a widow there to feed you."

 

(1 Kings 17:10)  So he arose and went to Zarephath. And when he came to the gate of the city, behold, a widow was there gathering sticks. And he called to her and said, "Bring me a little water in a vessel, that I may drink."

 

(1 Kings 17:11)  And as she was going to bring it, he called to her and said, "Bring me a morsel of bread in your hand."

 

(1 Kings 17:12)  And she said, "As the LORD your God lives, I have nothing baked, only a handful of flour in a jar and a little oil in a jug. And now I am gathering a couple of sticks that I may go in and prepare it for myself and my son, that we may eat it and die."

 

(1 Kings 17:13)  And Elijah said to her, "Do not fear; go and do as you have said. But first make me a little cake of it and bring it to me, and afterward make something for yourself and your son.

 

(1 Kings 17:14)  For thus says the LORD, the God of Israel, 'The jar of flour shall not be spent, and the jug of oil shall not be empty, until the day that the LORD sends rain upon the earth.'"

 

(1 Kings 17:15)  And she went and did as Elijah said. And she and he and her household ate for many days.

 

(1 Kings 17:16)  The jar of flour was not spent, neither did the jug of oil become empty, according to the word of the LORD that he spoke by Elijah.

 

In 2 kings 2 Elisha, knowing his master would soon be translated followed Elijah around in faith believing something special would happen if he did so:

(2 Kings 2:1)  Now when the LORD was about to take Elijah up to heaven by a whirlwind, Elijah and Elisha were on their way from Gilgal.

 

(2 Kings 2:2)  And Elijah said to Elisha, "Please stay here, for the LORD has sent me as far as Bethel." But Elisha said, "As the LORD lives, and as you yourself live, I will not leave you." So they went down to Bethel.

 

(2 Kings 2:3)  And the sons of the prophets who were in Bethel came out to Elisha and said to him, "Do you know that today the LORD will take away your master from over you?" And he said, "Yes, I know it; keep quiet."

 

(2 Kings 2:4)  Elijah said to him, "Elisha, please stay here, for the LORD has sent me to Jericho." But he said, "As the LORD lives, and as you yourself live, I will not leave you." So they came to Jericho.

 

(2 Kings 2:5)  The sons of the prophets who were at Jericho drew near to Elisha and said to him, "Do you know that today the LORD will take away your master from over you?" And he answered, "Yes, I know it; keep quiet."

 

(2 Kings 2:6)  Then Elijah said to him, "Please stay here, for the LORD has sent me to the Jordan." But he said, "As the LORD lives, and as you yourself live, I will not leave you." So the two of them went on.

 

(2 Kings 2:7)  Fifty men of the sons of the prophets also went and stood at some distance from them, as they both were standing by the Jordan.

 

(2 Kings 2:8)  Then Elijah took his cloak and rolled it up and struck the water, and the water was parted to the one side and to the other, till the two of them could go over on dry ground.

 

(2 Kings 2:9)  When they had crossed, Elijah said to Elisha, "Ask what I shall do for you, before I am taken from you." And Elisha said, "Please let there be a double portion of your spirit on me."

 

(2 Kings 2:10)  And he said, "You have asked a hard thing; yet, if you see me as I am being taken from you, it shall be so for you, but if you do not see me, it shall not be so."

 

(2 Kings 2:11)  And as they still went on and talked, behold, chariots of fire and horses of fire separated the two of them. And Elijah went up by a whirlwind into heaven.

 

(2 Kings 2:12)  And Elisha saw it and he cried, "My father, my father! The chariots of Israel and its horsemen!" And he saw him no more. Then he took hold of his own clothes and tore them in two pieces.

 

(2 Kings 2:13)  And he took up the cloak of Elijah that had fallen from him and went back and stood on the bank of the Jordan.

 

(2 Kings 2:14)  Then he took the cloak of Elijah that had fallen from him and struck the water, saying, "Where is the LORD, the God of Elijah?" And when he had struck the water, the water was parted to the one side and to the other, and Elisha went over.

 

(2 Kings 2:15)  Now when the sons of the prophets who were at Jericho saw him opposite them, they said, "The spirit of Elijah rests on Elisha." And they came to meet him and bowed to the ground before him.

 

Here is the story of a widow  woman and Elisha, whose faith in following Elisha’s directions resulted in her being freed from her late husband’s debt:

(2 Kings 4:1)  Now the wife of one of the sons of the prophets cried to Elisha, "Your servant my husband is dead, and you know that your servant feared the LORD, but the creditor has come to take my two children to be his slaves."

 

(2 Kings 4:2)  And Elisha said to her, "What shall I do for you? Tell me; what have you in the house?" And she said, "Your servant has nothing in the house except a jar of oil."

 

(2 Kings 4:3)  Then he said, "Go outside, borrow vessels from all your neighbors, empty vessels and not too few.

 

(2 Kings 4:4)  Then go in and shut the door behind yourself and your sons and pour into all these vessels. And when one is full, set it aside."

 

(2 Kings 4:5)  So she went from him and shut the door behind herself and her sons. And as she poured they brought the vessels to her.

 

(2 Kings 4:6)  When the vessels were full, she said to her son, "Bring me another vessel." And he said to her, "There is not another." Then the oil stopped flowing.

 

(2 Kings 4:7)  She came and told the man of God, and he said, "Go, sell the oil and pay your debts, and you and your sons can live on the rest."

 

Here is the story of Naaman and how he had  faith by following Elisha’s instructions was to get him cleansed of his leprosy:

(2 Kings 5:10)  And Elisha sent a messenger to him, saying, "Go and wash in the Jordan seven times, and your flesh shall be restored, and you shall be clean."

 

(2 Kings 5:11)  But Naaman was angry and went away, saying, "Behold, I thought that he would surely come out to me and stand and call upon the name of the LORD his God, and wave his hand over the place and cure the leper.

 

(2 Kings 5:12)  Are not Abana and Pharpar, the rivers of Damascus, better than all the waters of Israel? Could I not wash in them and be clean?" So he turned and went away in a rage.

 

(2 Kings 5:13)  But his servants came near and said to him, "My father, it is a great word the prophet has spoken to you; will you not do it? Has he actually said to you, 'Wash, and be clean'?"

 

(2 Kings 5:14)  So he went down and dipped himself seven times in the Jordan, according to the word of the man of God, and his flesh was restored like the flesh of a little child, and he was clean.

 

Here is the story of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego whose faith in God following their absolute refusal to worship Nebuchadnezzar’s idol God used to deliver them from the fiery  furnace that Nebuchadnezzar had set up for any and all those who refused to worship his idol:

(Daniel 3:14)  Nebuchadnezzar answered and said to them, "Is it true, O Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, that you do not serve my gods or worship the golden image that I have set up?

 

(Daniel 3:15)  Now if you are ready when you hear the sound of the horn, pipe, lyre, trigon, harp, bagpipe, and every kind of music, to fall down and worship the image that I have made, well and good. But if you do not worship, you shall immediately be cast into a burning fiery furnace. And who is the god who will deliver you out of my hands?"

 

(Daniel 3:16)  Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego answered and said to the king, "O Nebuchadnezzar, we have no need to answer you in this matter.

 

(Daniel 3:17)  If this be so, our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace, and he will deliver us out of your hand, O king.

 

(Daniel 3:18)  But if not, be it known to you, O king, that we will not serve your gods or worship the golden image that you have set up."

 

(Daniel 3:19)  Then Nebuchadnezzar was filled with fury, and the expression of his face was changed against Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. He ordered the furnace heated seven times more than it was usually heated.

 

(Daniel 3:20)  And he ordered some of the mighty men of his army to bind Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, and to cast them into the burning fiery furnace.

 

(Daniel 3:21)  Then these men were bound in their cloaks, their tunics, their hats, and their other garments, and they were thrown into the burning fiery furnace.

 

(Daniel 3:22)  Because the king's order was urgent and the furnace overheated, the flame of the fire killed those men who took up Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego.

 

(Daniel 3:23)  And these three men, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, fell bound into the burning fiery furnace.

 

(Daniel 3:24)  Then King Nebuchadnezzar was astonished and rose up in haste. He declared to his counselors, "Did we not cast three men bound into the fire?" They answered and said to the king, "True, O king."

 

(Daniel 3:25)  He answered and said, "But I see four men unbound, walking in the midst of the fire, and they are not hurt; and the appearance of the fourth is like a son of the gods."

 

(Daniel 3:26)  Then Nebuchadnezzar came near to the door of the burning fiery furnace; he declared, "Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, servants of the Most High God, come out, and come here!" Then Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego came out from the fire.

 

(Daniel 3:27)  And the satraps, the prefects, the governors, and the king's counselors gathered together and saw that the fire had not had any power over the bodies of those men. The hair of their heads was not singed, their cloaks were not harmed, and no smell of fire had come upon them.

 

Daniel’s own faith in God helped save him from an evil plot of jealous satraps who had him thrown in to the lion’s den:

(Daniel 6:16)  Then the king commanded, and Daniel was brought and cast into the den of lions. The king declared to Daniel, "May your God, whom you serve continually, deliver you!"

 

(Daniel 6:17)  And a stone was brought and laid on the mouth of the den, and the king sealed it with his own signet and with the signet of his lords, that nothing might be changed concerning Daniel.

 

(Daniel 6:18)  Then the king went to his palace and spent the night fasting; no diversions were brought to him, and sleep fled from him.

 

(Daniel 6:19)  Then, at break of day, the king arose and went in haste to the den of lions.

 

(Daniel 6:20)  As he came near to the den where Daniel was, he cried out in a tone of anguish. The king declared to Daniel, "O Daniel, servant of the living God, has your God, whom you serve continually, been able to deliver you from the lions?"

 

(Daniel 6:21)  Then Daniel said to the king, "O king, live forever!

 

(Daniel 6:22)  My God sent his angel and shut the lions' mouths, and they have not harmed me, because I was found blameless before him; and also before you, O king, I have done no harm."

 

(Daniel 6:23)  Then the king was exceedingly glad, and commanded that Daniel be taken up out of the den. So Daniel was taken up out of the den, and no kind of harm was found on him, because he had trusted in his God.

 

(Daniel 6:24)  And the king commanded, and those men who had maliciously accused Daniel were brought and cast into the den of lions--they, their children, and their wives. And before they reached the bottom of the den, the lions overpowered them and broke all their bones in pieces.

 

The last verse is a warning against plotting evil against others, for you might find yourself ensnared in what you wished on the other person. Here in this story the people of Nineveh believed that if they repented of their vile and evil works then God might just spare the place and not destroy it like Jonah had prophesied:

(Jonah 3:1)  Then the word of the LORD came to Jonah the second time, saying,

 

(Jonah 3:2)  "Arise, go to Nineveh, that great city, and call out against it the message that I tell you."

 

(Jonah 3:3)  So Jonah arose and went to Nineveh, according to the word of the LORD. Now Nineveh was an exceedingly great city, three days' journey in breadth.

 

(Jonah 3:4)  Jonah began to go into the city, going a day's journey. And he called out, "Yet forty days, and Nineveh shall be overthrown!"

 

(Jonah 3:5)  And the people of Nineveh believed God. They called for a fast and put on sackcloth, from the greatest of them to the least of them.

 

(Jonah 3:6)  The word reached the king of Nineveh, and he arose from his throne, removed his robe, covered himself with sackcloth, and sat in ashes.

 

(Jonah 3:7)  And he issued a proclamation and published through Nineveh, "By the decree of the king and his nobles: Let neither man nor beast, herd nor flock, taste anything. Let them not feed or drink water,

 

(Jonah 3:8)  but let man and beast be covered with sackcloth, and let them call out mightily to God. Let everyone turn from his evil way and from the violence that is in his hands.

 

(Jonah 3:9)  Who knows? God may turn and relent and turn from his fierce anger, so that we may not perish."

 

(Jonah 3:10)  When God saw what they did, how they turned from their evil way, God relented of the disaster that he had said he would do to them, and he did not do it.

 

That is in fact what happened, they were spared for repenting by fasting and putting on sackcloth and ashes, much to Jonah’s displeasure (see chapter 4 of Jonah). The story shows how God is both is merciful and honors repentance and faith.

In the following story in Luke Jesus honored this woman’s faith in Him and her loving on Him by forgiving her sins right then and there:

(Luke 7:36)  One of the Pharisees asked him to eat with him, and he went into the Pharisee's house and took his place at the table.

 

(Luke 7:37)  And behold, a woman of the city, who was a sinner, when she learned that he was reclining at table in the Pharisee's house, brought an alabaster flask of ointment,

 

(Luke 7:38)  and standing behind him at his feet, weeping, she began to wet his feet with her tears and wiped them with the hair of her head and kissed his feet and anointed them with the ointment.

 

(Luke 7:39)  Now when the Pharisee who had invited him saw this, he said to himself, "If this man were a prophet, he would have known who and what sort of woman this is who is touching him, for she is a sinner."

 

(Luke 7:40)  And Jesus answering said to him, "Simon, I have something to say to you." And he answered, "Say it, Teacher."

 

(Luke 7:41)  "A certain moneylender had two debtors. One owed five hundred denarii, and the other fifty.

 

(Luke 7:42)  When they could not pay, he cancelled the debt of both. Now which of them will love him more?"

 

(Luke 7:43)  Simon answered, "The one, I suppose, for whom he cancelled the larger debt." And he said to him, "You have judged rightly."

 

(Luke 7:44)  Then turning toward the woman he said to Simon, "Do you see this woman? I entered your house; you gave me no water for my feet, but she has wet my feet with her tears and wiped them with her hair.

 

(Luke 7:45)  You gave me no kiss, but from the time I came in she has not ceased to kiss my feet.

 

(Luke 7:46)  You did not anoint my head with oil, but she has anointed my feet with ointment.

 

(Luke 7:47)  Therefore I tell you, her sins, which are many, are forgiven--for she loved much. But he who is forgiven little, loves little."

 

(Luke 7:48)  And he said to her, "Your sins are forgiven."

 

(Luke 7:49)  Then those who were at table with him began to say among themselves, "Who is this, who even forgives sins?"

 

(Luke 7:50)  And he said to the woman, "Your faith has saved you; go in peace."

 

Jesus commended several people for their faith- one in Matthew 8, a centurion

(Matthew 8:5)  When he entered Capernaum, a centurion came forward to him, appealing to him,

 

(Matthew 8:6)  "Lord, my servant is lying paralyzed at home, suffering terribly."

 

(Matthew 8:7)  And he said to him, "I will come and heal him."

 

(Matthew 8:8)  But the centurion replied, "Lord, I am not worthy to have you come under my roof, but only say the word, and my servant will be healed.

 

(Matthew 8:9)  For I too am a man under authority, with soldiers under me. And I say to one, 'Go,' and he goes, and to another, 'Come,' and he comes, and to my servant, 'Do this,' and he does it."

 

(Matthew 8:10)  When Jesus heard this, he marveled and said to those who followed him, "Truly, I tell you, with no one in Israel have I found such faith.

 

(Matthew 8:11)  I tell you, many will come from east and west and recline at table with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob in the kingdom of heaven,

 

(Matthew 8:12)  while the sons of the kingdom will be thrown into the outer darkness. In that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth."

 

(Matthew 8:13)  And to the centurion Jesus said, "Go; let it be done for you as you have believed." And the servant was healed at that very moment.

 

Another one is a Canaanite woman who had a demon possessed daughter:

(Matthew 15:22)  And behold, a Canaanite woman from that region came out and was crying, "Have mercy on me, O Lord, Son of David; my daughter is severely oppressed by a demon."

 

(Matthew 15:23)  But he did not answer her a word. And his disciples came and begged him, saying, "Send her away, for she is crying out after us."

 

(Matthew 15:24)  He answered, "I was sent only to the lost sheep of the house of Israel."

 

(Matthew 15:25)  But she came and knelt before him, saying, "Lord, help me."

 

(Matthew 15:26)  And he answered, "It is not right to take the children's bread and throw it to the dogs."

 

(Matthew 15:27)  She said, "Yes, Lord, yet even the dogs eat the crumbs that fall from their masters' table."

 

(Matthew 15:28)  Then Jesus answered her, "O woman, great is your faith! Be it done for you as you desire." And her daughter was healed instantly.

 

Many of Jesus’ healing, and even other miracles were activated by the recipient’s faith as these in Matthew 9:

(Matthew 9:18)  While he was saying these things to them, behold, a ruler came in and knelt before him, saying, "My daughter has just died, but come and lay your hand on her, and she will live."

 

(Matthew 9:19)  And Jesus rose and followed him, with his disciples.

 

(Matthew 9:20)  And behold, a woman who had suffered from a discharge of blood for twelve years came up behind him and touched the fringe of his garment,

 

(Matthew 9:21)  for she said to herself, "If I only touch his garment, I will be made well."

 

(Matthew 9:22)  Jesus turned, and seeing her he said, "Take heart, daughter; your faith has made you well." And instantly the woman was made well.

 

(Matthew 9:23)  And when Jesus came to the ruler's house and saw the flute players and the crowd making a commotion,

 

(Matthew 9:24)  he said, "Go away, for the girl is not dead but sleeping." And they laughed at him.

 

(Matthew 9:25)  But when the crowd had been put outside, he went in and took her by the hand, and the girl arose.

 

(Matthew 9:26)  And the report of this went through all that district.

 

(Matthew 9:27)  And as Jesus passed on from there, two blind men followed him, crying aloud, "Have mercy on us, Son of David."

 

(Matthew 9:28)  When he entered the house, the blind men came to him, and Jesus said to them, "Do you believe that I am able to do this?" They said to him, "Yes, Lord."

 

(Matthew 9:29)  Then he touched their eyes, saying, "According to your faith be it done to you."

 

(Matthew 9:30)  And their eyes were opened. And Jesus sternly warned them, "See that no one knows about it."

 

(Matthew 9:31)  But they went away and spread his fame through all that district.

 

(Matthew 9:32)  As they were going away, behold, a demon-oppressed man who was mute was brought to him.

 

(Matthew 9:33)  And when the demon had been cast out, the mute man spoke. And the crowds marveled, saying, "Never was anything like this seen in Israel."

 

Here is the account where Jesus imparted a compliment and a blessing on the one out of ten lepers who noticed he was cleansed of his leprosy, and returned to Jesus and thanked Him and worshipped Him:

(Luke 17:11)  On the way to Jerusalem he was passing along between Samaria and Galilee.

 

(Luke 17:12)  And as he entered a village, he was met by ten lepers, who stood at a distance

 

(Luke 17:13)  and lifted up their voices, saying, "Jesus, Master, have mercy on us."

 

(Luke 17:14)  When he saw them he said to them, "Go and show yourselves to the priests." And as they went they were cleansed.

 

(Luke 17:15)  Then one of them, when he saw that he was healed, turned back, praising God with a loud voice;

 

(Luke 17:16)  and he fell on his face at Jesus' feet, giving him thanks. Now he was a Samaritan.

 

(Luke 17:17)  Then Jesus answered, "Were not ten cleansed? Where are the nine?

 

(Luke 17:18)  Was no one found to return and give praise to God except this foreigner?"

 

(Luke 17:19)  And he said to him, "Rise and go your way; your faith has made you well."

 

There are also many other examples in the gospels of people coming themselves, or having others go to Jesus for them, and the result was the same: they were  healed, delivered, cleansed of leprosy, even raised from the dead.

Jesus would tell his disciples they could do anything with a little faith. Here are three examples in the scripture. First they asked for more faith in Luke 17:

(Luke 17:5)  The apostles said to the Lord, "Increase our faith!"

 

(Luke 17:6)  And the Lord said, "If you had faith like a grain of mustard seed, you could say to this mulberry tree, 'Be uprooted and planted in the sea,' and it would obey you.

 

In Matthew 17, the disciples came to Jesus asking why they had failed to cast a demon out of a boy and Jesus answered like so:

(Matthew 17:19)  Then the disciples came to Jesus privately and said, "Why could we not cast it out?"

 

(Matthew 17:20)  He said to them, "Because of your little faith. For truly, I say to you, if you have faith like a grain of mustard seed, you will say to this mountain, 'Move from here to there,' and it will move, and nothing will be impossible for you."

 

(Matthew 17:21)  [But this kind never comes out except by prayer and fasting.]

 

The following exchange happened just after Jesus cursed the fig tree, causing it to wither away:

(Matthew 21:19)  And seeing a fig tree by the wayside, he went to it and found nothing on it but only leaves. And he said to it, "May no fruit ever come from you again!" And the fig tree withered at once.

 

(Matthew 21:20)  When the disciples saw it, they marveled, saying, "How did the fig tree wither at once?"

 

(Matthew 21:21)  And Jesus answered them, "Truly, I say to you, if you have faith and do not doubt, you will not only do what has been done to the fig tree, but even if you say to this mountain, 'Be taken up and thrown into the sea,' it will happen.

 

(Matthew 21:22)  And whatever you ask in prayer, you will receive, if you have faith."

 

These verses are further strengthened by what is written in the gospel of John chapter 14

(John 14:12)  "Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever believes in me will also do the works that I do; and greater works than these will he do, because I am going to the Father.

 

(John 14:13)  Whatever you ask in my name, this I will do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son.

 

(John 14:14)  If you ask me anything in my name, I will do it.

 

If we can tap into our faith really nothing is impossible for us.

Anther story of faith is how that people brought out sick people on the streets so that even the shadow of Peter would pass over them, as their were believing in their healing:

(Acts 5:12)  Now many signs and wonders were regularly done among the people by the hands of the apostles. And they were all together in Solomon's Portico.

 

(Acts 5:13)  None of the rest dared join them, but the people held them in high esteem.

 

(Acts 5:14)  And more than ever believers were added to the Lord, multitudes of both men and women,

 

(Acts 5:15)  so that they even carried out the sick into the streets and laid them on cots and mats, that as Peter came by at least his shadow might fall on some of them.

 

(Acts 5:16)  The people also gathered from the towns around Jerusalem, bringing the sick and those afflicted with unclean spirits, and they were all healed.

 

Paul ,recognizing a crippled man who was listening to him had the faith to be healed, acted and the man WAS healed:

(Acts 14:8)  Now at Lystra there was a man sitting who could not use his feet. He was crippled from birth and had never walked.

 

(Acts 14:9)  He listened to Paul speaking. And Paul, looking intently at him and seeing that he had faith to be made well,

 

(Acts 14:10)  said in a loud voice, "Stand upright on your feet." And he sprang up and began walking.

 

The man was healed, and no longer a cripple. Even handkerchiefs and aprons could be used for healing:

(Acts 19:11)  And God was doing extraordinary miracles by the hands of Paul,

 

(Acts 19:12)  so that even handkerchiefs or aprons that had touched his skin were carried away to the sick, and their diseases left them and the evil spirits came out of them.

 

Paul reminds us in Galatians we are justified in our faith in Jesus, not works

(Galatians 2:16)  yet we know that a person is not justified by works of the law but through faith in Jesus Christ, so we also have believed in Christ Jesus, in order to be justified by faith in Christ and not by works of the law, because by works of the law no one will be justified.

 

(Galatians 2:17)  But if, in our endeavor to be justified in Christ, we too were found to be sinners, is Christ then a servant of sin? Certainly not!

 

(Galatians 2:18)  For if I rebuild what I tore down, I prove myself to be a transgressor.

 

(Galatians 2:19)  For through the law I died to the law, so that I might live to God.

 

(Galatians 2:20)  I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.

 

(Galatians 2:21)  I do not nullify the grace of God, for if righteousness were through the law, then Christ died for no purpose.

 

Paul drives home this point further in his epistle to the Ephesians in these three verses:

(Ephesians 2:8)  For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God,

 

(Ephesians 2:9)  not a result of works, so that no one may boast.

 

(Ephesians 2:10)  For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.

 

In many of the stories listed above the people who were healed, delivered, miraculously provided for all had one thing in common- they had to do one thing or another to activate their faith and make the miracle or whatever happen. Indeed as the bible said in the verse above we were created for good works in Jesus. This point is driven home much further in this passage in the book of James:

(James 2:14)  What good is it, my brothers, if someone says he has faith but does not have works? Can that faith save him?

 

(James 2:15)  If a brother or sister is poorly clothed and lacking in daily food,

 

(James 2:16)  and one of you says to them, "Go in peace, be warmed and filled," without giving them the things needed for the body, what good is that?

 

(James 2:17)  So also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead.

 

(James 2:18)  But someone will say, "You have faith and I have works." Show me your faith apart from your works, and I will show you my faith by my works.

 

(James 2:19)  You believe that God is one; you do well. Even the demons believe--and shudder!

 

(James 2:20)  Do you want to be shown, you foolish person, that faith apart from works is useless?

 

(James 2:21)  Was not Abraham our father justified by works when he offered up his son Isaac on the altar?

 

(James 2:22)  You see that faith was active along with his works, and faith was completed by his works;

 

(James 2:23)  and the Scripture was fulfilled that says, "Abraham believed God, and it was counted to him as righteousness"--and he was called a friend of God.

 

(James 2:24)  You see that a person is justified by works and not by faith alone.

 

(James 2:25)  And in the same way was not also Rahab the prostitute justified by works when she received the messengers and sent them out by another way?

 

(James 2:26)  For as the body apart from the spirit is dead, so also faith apart from works is dead.

 

As shown in all the verses, if we can but activate our faith, it is active and not passive then little to nothing is impossible for us. Here are some prayers from a website to increase our faith, thanks to http://www.cathedralofsaintmatthew.com/LifeResources/Prayers/PrayersForFaith.htm

For these prayers.

Prayer For Increased Faith

Increase in us, Lord, the faith you have given us,
and bring to a harvest worthy of heaven
the praise we offer you at the beginning of this new day.
We ask this through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son,
who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,
one God, for ever and ever. AMEN

 

Prayer For Our Faith to Grow Stronger

Father,
in glorifying Christ and sending us your Spirit,
you open the way to eternal life.
May our sharing in this gift increase our love
and make our faith grow stronger.
Grant this through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son,
who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,
one God, for ever and ever. AMEN

 

Prayer For Strong Faith

God our Father,
you conquer the darkness of ignorance
by the light of your Word.
Strengthen within our hearts
the faith you have given us;
let not temptation ever quench the fire
that your love has kindled within us.
We ask this through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son,
who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,
one God, for ever and ever.

In Jesus Name, Amen

 

In Romans we need to believe that we have been saved (of course that too is by faith):

(Romans 10:8)  But what does it say? "The word is near you, in your mouth and in your heart" (that is, the word of faith that we proclaim);

 

(Romans 10:9)  because, if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.

 

(Romans 10:10)  For with the heart one believes and is justified, and with the mouth one confesses and is saved.

 

(Romans 10:11)  For the Scripture says, "Everyone who believes in him will not be put to shame."

 

(Romans 10:12)  For there is no distinction between Jew and Greek; for the same Lord is Lord of all, bestowing his riches on all who call on him.

 

(Romans 10:13)  For "everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved."

 

God really cares for us, for most of these signs are out of mercy, to show who He is, to show that nothing is going to be ever too hard for Him to do at all. People are rescued from all manner of situations provided for, miraculously protected and having their needs provided. We all serve a very mighty and powerful God, but one who also deeply longs for a relationship with us, as He sent His son Jesus to die for all of our sins so we could be restored to Him and have this relationship. All one needs to do is to have this relationship start or to come back to Him if you are separated at the moment is merely to pray this prayer with me, believing in faith:

Dear God in heaven, I come to you in the name of Jesus. I acknowledge to You that I am a sinner, and I am sorry for my sins and the life that I have lived; I need your forgiveness. I believe that your only begotten Son Jesus Christ shed His precious blood on the cross at Calvary and died for my sins, and I am now willing to turn from my sin. You said in Your Holy Word, Romans 10:9 that if we confess the Lord  our God and believe in our hearts that God raised Jesus from the dead, we shall be saved. Right now I confess Jesus as the Lord of my soul. With my heart, I believe that God raised Jesus from the dead. This very moment I accept Jesus Christ as my own personal Savior and according to His Word, right now I am saved. Thank you Jesus for your unlimited grace which has saved me from my sins. I thank you Jesus that your grace never leads to license, but rather it always leads to repentance. Therefore Lord Jesus transforms my life so that I may bring glory and honor to you alone and not to myself. Thank you Jesus for dying for me and giving me eternal life.

Amen.

God bless you and yours.