Faith's Destination

By Bob Yandian

Chapter One

The Faith of God

When most people think of faith, they think of having a trust or faith in God, but to some extent, all humans, even those who do not acknowledge God, possess faith. There is a human faith we all share in common. The entire world operates, to some degree, on natural, human faith.

How many times have you walked into a dark room and flipped the light switch, totally expecting the lights to come on? If you’re anything like me, you probably enter that familiar room walking straight ahead while reaching for the switch without stopping because you know the lights will come on. My natural, human faith says I've done this a million times before. The lights are going to come on this time just like they have every other time I’ve flipped the switch.

Perhaps you are sitting in your favorite chair without one doubt that your chair will hold you up. You’ve sat in that same chair and many other chairs over the years with no fear of crashing to the ground. However, could there ever come a day when that seat wouldn't hold you up? Could there ever come a day when you flip on the light switch and it won’t work? The answer is yes. In fact, more than likely, over the years that has happened. If you have ever sat in a chair that has fallen through, normally you are shocked. What happened? I can't believe this chair didn’t hold me. Who's the crummy guy that made these chairs? It just fell through on me! Or maybe you have walked into a room, flipped on the light switch, and nothing happened. Perhaps you’ve taken two paces before you stopped and thought, What's wrong with these lights? Is the electric company having problems? Did my light bulbs burn out again? I bet a fuse is out. I might have to throw a breaker somewhere. Put simply, we are surprised if the seat of a chair falls through or when the lights don't work because we trust they will function. Yet, we're usually surprised when our faith in God works even though it is more sure than the greatest human faith!

How many times have you stood in faith, trusting God to bring about His promises, and when they are fulfilled, you’re surprised?

The Fig Tree

There is a story in the book of Mark told about Jesus and His disciples. They were staying in the city of Bethany. Every day Jesus and His disciples would go to the city of Jerusalem to minister the Word, but they did not stay in Jerusalem. At the end of each day He and His disciples would walk approximately two miles up the Mount of Olives to the city of Bethany. Every morning as Jesus and His disciples descended the mountain, they would pass through a city on the Mount of Olives called Bethsaida. Fig trees were in abundance and I’m sure Jesus and His disciples would grab the ripe figs to eat for breakfast as they passed through.

One morning as they were passing through Bethsaida, Jesus parted the leaves on a fig tree looking for figs and found nothing but more leaves. He parted those leaves and still found no figs. Then Jesus did something strange. While the disciples were standing around Him, Jesus spoke to the tree!

Mark 11:12-14:

Now the next day, when they had come out from Bethany, He was hungry:

And seeing from afar a fig tree having leaves, He went to see if perhaps He would find something on it. When He came to it, He found nothing but leaves, for it was not the season for figs.

In response Jesus said to it, “Let no one eat fruit from you ever again.” And His disciples heard it.

When Jesus spoke to the fig tree He said, “No man will ever eat fruit from you ever again!” He then began walking again. Jesus didn’t speak these words silently, in His heart. He didn’t whisper them. He spoke out loud because this passage tells us the disciples heard Jesus’ words.

I can just imagine the disciples looking at one another thinking Wow! Jesus is talking to trees! I can imagine them discussing it among themselves, but the Bible doesn’t indicate that they ever asked Jesus about it. After Jesus spoke to the tree, it still looked the same. It still had green leaves and a brown trunk, but the next morning as Jesus and the disciples were passing through again, Peter noticed the tree.

Mark 11:20-24:

Now in the morning, as they passed by, they saw the fig tree dried up from the roots.

And Peter, remembering, said to Him, “Rabbi, look! The fig tree which You cursed has withered away.”

So Jesus answered and said to them, Have faith in God.

For assuredly, I say to you, whoever says to this mountain, Be removed and be cast into the sea, and does not doubt in his heart, but believes that those things he says will be done, he will have whatever he says.

Therefore I say to you, whatever things you ask when you pray, believe that you receive them, and you will have them.

The Faith of God is Available

Peter’s reaction to the withered fig tree was, “Hey Jesus, look! That tree you cursed is dried up from the roots!” He was totally surprised. Jesus’ response to Peter’s reaction was, “Have faith in God.” What an unusual response! Peter is talking about a dead tree and Jesus says, “Have faith in God.” At this moment, Jesus makes a connection between two worlds. In essence He is saying, “The way I caused the natural manifestation in a physical tree was by faith in the unseen Creator—God!”

The literal Greek for Jesus’ response is “Have the faith of God.” Many translations bring this out. In other words, “Have the same kind of faith God has.” Jesus would not tell us to do this if it was impossible. For us to have the faith of God, it must mean it is available to us. It must mean it is attainable. Think about this, if I wanted to send you to run an errand for me and handed you the keys to my car I could say, “Have the car of Bob.” That’s just old English for “Have Bob’s car. Use this car, it’s my car and you can use it.”

Bible Faith Defined

What exactly is the faith of God? The book of Hebrews defines Bible faith.

Hebrews 11:1-3:

Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.

For by it (faith) the elders (Old Testament heroes) obtained a good testimony.

Through faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the word of God, so that things which are seen were not made of things which are visible.

This verse says, “…faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.” Just because faith cannot be seen with our natural eyes does not mean it doesn’t exist; it simply means you can’t see faith with your physical eyes. In the spirit realm, faith has substance. As far as God is concerned, faith has as much substance as any object does in the natural. Just like we can feel and handle a chair, in the spirit realm God can feel and handle faith; it has substance and it is real. If we could see with our physical eyes into the spirit realm, the substance of faith would appear to us. Verse 3 tells us even the world we live in was framed by God’s Word and the things we see are made of what we do not see—God’s faith!

Faith is the Bridge

Mark 11:22:

So Jesus answered and said to them, Have faith in God.

Faith is attributed to God and to all of His children. Faith is the bridge between God and man, between the spiritual and natural. It is a product of God. Jesus said, “Have the faith of God.” He didn’t say to have the faith of Caesar, or Jesus, or Paul, or Matthew. He said, “Have the faith of God.” Since God is Spirit, faith must be spiritual.

The World Cannot Understand Faith

The Bible is an instruction book for operating in the spirit realm. This is the reason the world cannot understand it. Those who accept Jesus as Lord have been born twice. Those who have not been born again have only been born one time. They operate in this earth under the world’s system, which is backed by the personality of Satan, who is the god of this world. Second Corinthians 4:4 says, “In whom the god of this world has blinded the minds of them who believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine on them.” (KJV)

There are two different words for “world” in the Greek language. The first is aion, meaning age, which is the “world” used in 2 Corinthians 4:4. This verse, speaking of Satan, could more accurately be translated, “the god of this age.” Satan is only the god of this age. When this age is over, Satan will no longer be the god of this world. When Jesus returns at the Second Coming, the age of the Millennium will begin and Satan will be banished from earth.

The second Greek word for “world” is kosmos, meaning the world’s system or organization. The English word for “cosmetics” is derived from kosmos. Cosmetics is a type of organizing the face. The world is currently operating under an organized system.

John 12:31 says, “Now is the judgment of this world: now shall the prince of this world be cast out.” (KJV) The Greek word for “world” in this verse is kosmos. Satan is called the prince of the kosmos. Jesus said, “…the prince of this world’s system will be cast out.”

John 14:30 says, “Hereafter I will not talk much with you: for the prince of this world comes, and has nothing in me.” (KJV) Again, the word kosmos is used for “world.” Jesus said, “…for the prince of this world’s system cometh.”

John 16:11 says, “…the prince of this world is judged.” (KJV) Satan, the prince of this world system, is judged.

Satan is not only the god of this age, he is the god of this world’s system or organization.

The World’s System

The world is operating under a system. Before we were born again, we entered this world’s system simply by being born. Birth entitles us to operate under the system of the world. In this system, Satan has attempted to emulate God to meet the basic needs of man. God offers man fulfillment, freedom, relationship, protection, health, and prosperity. Satan has a counterfeit for each one of these. God created man to express himself in worship, so Satan offers religion. Man needs protection and God provides angels to protect him. The world offers man an insurance plan. God gives man divine health. The world provides doctors, hospitals, and medicine. Aside from religion, none of these things are bad, but they cannot compare to what God has provided for mankind.

If we had never been born into this world, we could have never been born into God’s kingdom. If it hadn’t been for the world’s system or organization, many of us might have died prematurely. At one time or another, most of us have gone to a doctor who has helped us, but the more we grow in God, the more we should depend on Him. There is more power in one scripture than there is in all the doctors in the earth combined! God offers prosperity. The world’s system says put your money in a savings account and receive interest on it. God’s system is always better than the world’s system.

Operating in God’s System

How do we begin to operate in God’s system? Just as we were born into this world, entitling us to operate in this worlds’ system, we must be born into God’s kingdom to operate in His system. We must be born a second time—born again. Some have been born a second time, but have never taken advantage of God’s system. They are still operating in the world’s system.

Everything we have learned in the world’s system is in accordance with our natural birth. Schoolbooks, magazines, newspapers, television, the internet, everything programs us in the natural and teaches us about the world’s system. God’s system operates differently than the world’s. There is only one way to learn about God’s system and it is found in the Word of God. As we study and follow the teachings in the Bible, we learn that what the world has taught has not always been correct. The world says the way to get money is to save and invest it; God says to give it away. This doesn’t make sense to our mind because our mind has been trained by the world’s system. It needs to be renewed.

The more intimately you come to know God and the deeper your commitment to Him, the less options you will have. As you grow closer to the Lord, there will be some things you were once permitted to do, that you will no longer be able to do if you want to continue to grow. For instance, maybe you have been challenged with headaches and have taken a certain medication every time a headache flares up. There is nothing wrong with taking medicine, but you may reach a point in your walk with the Lord where He will require you to stand in faith on His promises for the headache to go away rather than taking the medicine you have always used.

Banks are fine, credit cards are fine, and medicine is fine. These things are good and part of the world system in which we live and operate each day. But what will you do if the banks go under like many did during the Great Depression? God’s system is not based upon what happens on Wall Street; it’s not based on inflation or recession. God’s system is based on His riches in glory by Christ Jesus, and heaven will never have an economic depression!

Proof for Our Mind

The Bible is a supernatural book, and if a person has not been born again, he or she cannot understand it. A person without the new birth tries to read and understand it with their mind, like any other book. But if you try to read it without the revelation of the Holy Spirit, it won’t make sense. First Corinthians 1:18 says, “For the message of the cross is to foolishness to those who are perishing; but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.”

As Christians, we must not approach the Word of God with our mind either. If I am standing on God’s promise for healing from a cold, my mind may be fighting against me because of the symptoms, but my experience of being healed of colds in the past says the promise of healing does work. You may be standing on God’s Word for healing, finances or any number of promises found in His Word, and your mind might be screaming, “This doesn’t work!” This is the time to remember all the other times you stood on God’s promises and saw them come to pass. One way we can renew our mind is by seeing God’s Word work over and over again. Our mind needs that proof. Don’t get me wrong, the Word works whether your mind believes it or not, but by reflecting on how He has come through in the past encourages our faith as we are standing for the next manifestation in our life.

Everything Produces After its Own Kind

Every born again believer has faith. Romans 12:3 says, “…think soberly, as God has dealt to each one the measure of faith.” Second Peter 1:1 says, “…to those who have obtained like precious faith with us by the righteousness of God and our Savior Jesus Christ.” God starts every believer at the same level of faith. He wasn’t more generous with one person than He was with another. We have all been given like precious faith and the measure of faith.

If faith is an attribute of God, how did we obtain faith? Where did the measure of faith come from? We had to be born of God. In John 3:6 Jesus told Nicodemus, “That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit.” Jesus was simply bringing out a law that was established in Genesis: Everything produces after its own kind. Flesh produces flesh. Spirit produces spirit. Your physical attributes are a result of earthly parents. If you plant corn, you get corn. If you plant wheat, you get wheat. You can’t plant cucumber seeds and expect tulips to come up. This is a natural law. Cats produce cats, elephants produce elephants, and people produce people. God produces spirits because He is a Spirit. In God’s system, if you plant love, you will receive love. If you sow money into God’s kingdom, you will receive a financial return.

Growth Potential

When you were born, the potential to grow from a baby into an adult was within you. You had newborn hands, which grew into toddler hands, which grew into school-age hands, which grew into teenage hands, which finally grew into adult hands. Within your physical body was the capability to increase to the size it is today. That potential existed when you were born. Similarly, you don’t need to pray for more faith. The faith you were given at the new birth has the capability within itself of increasing.

Think about the day babies discover their hands. They examine them, turn them over. You can almost imagine what is going through their little minds, “What are these? Where did these come from?” Yet, a baby is born with its hands! In the same way, once you are born again, you have faith. You may not discover that fact for awhile. You may spend time praying for what you have already been given and have not yet discovered, but it is already yours!

When you were first born, your hands couldn’t hold a bottle, your eyes couldn’t focus, and your feet couldn’t hold you up. But those same hands now drive a car, those same eyes can now read a book, and those same feet can now walk and even run. Did we learn to do these things overnight? No. We stumbled, repeatedly made mistakes, but through use we became proficient at all of these things.

When you were born of God, you received all of His attributes. Everything you need to operate in His system has been given to you. God will not be adding anything else. He has already put within you the ability to increase in faith, in love, in peace, in joy, in every attribute of God. Just as we continue growing and learning in the natural, we can continue growing in God.

Getting Faith from the Inside to the Outside

We have the faith of God. It is on the inside. How do we get faith that is on the inside to the outside where we really need it? Jesus told us how: “For assuredly, I say to you, whoever says to this mountain, Be thou removed, and be thou cast into the sea, and does not doubt in his heart, but believes that those things he says will be done, he will have whatever he says. Therefore I say to you, whatever things you ask when you pray, believe that you receive them, and you will have them” (Mark 11:23-24).

The way to release the faith inside you is by speaking. Once you release your faith through the words of your mouth, you will have taken your faith from the inside to the outside and it can begin to produce. Seed does no good if it remains in the sack. It must be removed from the sack and planted in the ground before it can produce. Faith is the same. It does no good if it remains resident within you. We must be doers of the Word by planting seed—speaking the Word. Once the seed is planted, it is in a place where it can produce.

Another way to plant the seed of faith is to believe you receive when you pray. The Word of God assures us when we plant that seed by faith and water and feed it with our confession, it will produce!

The Language of Faith

Not only does everything produce after its kind, everything has a voice or language characteristic to its nature. Cats meow because they have a cat nature. Dogs bark because they have a dog nature. Chickens cluck because they have a chicken nature. Babies coo and cry because they have a human nature.

Once we are born again, we receive the language of the inner man from our Heavenly Father. The language of your born again spirit calls those things which be not as though they were, just like our Heavenly Father. Abraham had faith in God, it was accounted unto him for righteousness, and he began to express the voice of his inner man, “I am the father of many nations, just as God has said,” even though nothing in the natural looked like he would ever be the father of one child through his wife Sarah, let alone the father of many nations! Abraham’s spirit man called those things which be not as though they were.

Jesus said we are to speak to the mountain while there is no evidence it is ever going to move. This is when we speak. This is the voice of faith, the voice of the inner man. Abraham believed and confessed he was the father of many nations before Sarah became pregnant. He called those things which be not as though they were, and they came to pass!

Speaking in faith should be natural to the born again believer. Confessing things that have not yet manifested should be natural because faith is the language of our Heavenly Father. At the moment of our salvation, we received faith. How was the earth created? God spoke. How did the planets come into existence? God spoke. God speaks of those things which be not as though they were and we have inherited the language of faith from Him!

If you are straining in your faith, you’re probably out beyond your level of faith. Faith is not a blind leap into the unknown. Faith rests with assurance in the promises of God and steps out confidently on God’s Word.

How Faith Comes

Romans 10:17:

So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.

Notice in this verse, hearing is mentioned twice. Faith does not come only by hearing with our physical ears, we must also hear with our inward ears. There were a number of occasions when Jesus said, “He that hath ears to hear, let him hear.” Jesus was inferring it is possible to have physical ears and not hear. Romans 10:17 could better be translated, “Faith comes by understanding the Word of God.” When we gain understanding of the Word of God, faith increases with that understanding. Whenever a biblical truth is revealed to you in your spirit and you comprehend that part of the Word, faith comes with that understanding.

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