CHAPTER I

HOW TO RECEIVE GOD'S PROMISES BY FAITH.

All that God promises the believer in His Word can be
received only by an act of faith. This is true concerning
salvation (John 3:16; Romans 10:9-10); physical healing
(Matthew 9:22; James 5:15); the baptism in the Holy Spirit
(Luke 11:13; Acts 2:38-39); Galatians 3:2,14); the
provision of our material requirements (Matthew 6:24-34,
note vs. 30); or whatever our particular needs and
problems might be (Mark 11:24; Matthew 17:20).


By faith we are justified (Romans 3:28); sanctified
(Acts 26;18) and preserved (I Peter 1:5). By faith we
overcome Satan (Ephesians 6:16) and the world (I John
5:4). By faith we have access to God (Romans 5:2); inherit
the promises (Hebrew 6:12); stand (II Corinthians 1:24);
walk (II Corinthians 5:7); live (Galatians 2:20) and
die (Hebrews 11:13).


The central importance of faith in the life of the
Christian is clearly indicated in God's Word, for we are
told that "without faith it is impossible to please him"
(Hebrews 11:6), and "whatsoever is not of faith is sin"
(Romans 14:23). Nothing which the Christian has, is, hopes
to accomplish, obtain, or become, is realized apart from
a living faith.


Christians are rich spiritually, materially, and
physically, but too few are aware of the fact, believing
instead that we are not to receive any of our inheritance
now, nor benefit from it in the present life, but only
in the world to come. The Scriptures, on the contrary,
declare that our inheritance belongs to us now , for God
promises that "all things are yours...whether the world,
or life, or death, or things present, or things to come;
all are yours" (I Corinthians 3:21-22).


This is an amazingly comprehensive promise which
almost staggers the imagination and challenges our faith.
God has given us all things in Christ Jesus now as joint-
heirs with Him (Romans 8:16-17; Galatians 4:5-7). He says
that all things are yours now --in the world, in life,
in the present, as well as in death and the life to come.
If all things are yours in the present as well as in the
future, then this means that you can enter into your
inheritance rights now if you will exercise the faith to
appropriate them.


How do you do this? The same way in which you withdraw
your assets from the bank which are on deposit in your
name--you make application. You must write a check. Jesus
purchased all rights, privileges, wealth, dominion, power
and authority in the universe by His redemption at
Calvary. They belong to Him now. You as a joint-heir with
Him are seated with Him in the heavens (Ephesians 2:5-6)
and are authorized to draw on your account now by faith,
for "all things are yours," now--in the present, as well
as in the world to come. Your inheritance does not have to
be begged and pleaded for; God does not have to be
persuaded, "for all the promises if God in him (Christ)are
yea, and in him Amen" (II Corinthians 1:20). God not only
promises that all things are your," but here He assures
you that He has already said "yes" to all that He promises
to you even before you ask. The answer is always "yes" to
any promise God makes to you if you meet the condition of
faith. This means then, you have not because you ask not
(James 4:2). You do not ask because either you lack the
faith to take God at His Word, or you do not know how to
ask.


The Scriptures are filled with divine assurances,
privileges, rights, commissions, authorizations, rewards,
prerogatives, powers, gifts, blessings and promises to the
believer whereby God has made provision for our every
spiritual , physical, and material need, as well as for
the accomplishment of the work He has commissioned His
Church to do. All these provisions and blessings are
available to the extent that we are willing to press
through by faith and appropriate them. Hoe is this
accomplished? There are five essential conditions of faith
set forth in Scripture which must be recognized and
observed in order to receive what God had promised.



THE FIVE CONDITIONS OF FAITH


1. GROUND YOUR FAITH IN THE WORD OF GOD.


The Apostle Paul declares" ...faith cometh by hearing,
and hearing by the word of God" (Romans 10:17). Or render-
ed more specifically: Faith comes by hearing and BELIEVING
the word of God. This is the whole secret of faith. This
is how faith comes to appropriate what God has promised to
us and promised to do through us. Our faith cannot rise
above what God has promised us in His Word, either specif-
ically or in principle. For example, specific promises are
made to us in such passages as Matthew 6:33; James 5:15;
Psalm 91, and Mark 16:17-20. The principle of faith
embracing any problem, requirement, or need is set forth
in Mark 11:22-24 and Matthew 17:20.


Faith is believing God will do for, in, or through YOU
what He promises in His Word. Faith is believing God. God
and His Word are in one accord. Believing His Word is
believing God. God will not fail to fulfill every promise
which He makes to us for "God is not a man, that he should
lie; neither the son of man, that he should repent; hath
he said, and shall he not do it? or hath he spoken, and
shall he not make it good?" (Numbers 23:19).


The general lack of faith among Christians today is
primarily due to the fact that they do not KNOW what God's
Word promises to the believer which can be claimed and
received by faith. The saints of the Old and New Testa-
ments, including the prophets and apostles, were not
supernaturally endowed with special faith more than any
other believer (James 5:15-18). They received their
answers to prayer, and the empowering to work miracles and
perform mighty acts and deed of God, by fulfilling the
condition necessary to acquire strong faith--hearing and
believing the Word of God.


2. CLAIM AS YOUR WHAT YOUR FAITH HAS
EMBRACED FROM GOD'S WORD.


The second condition is to ASK. "Ask, and it shall be
given you...For EVERYONE that asketh receiveth." Read
Matthew 7:7-11. The promises of God are not fulfilled to
us merely because we believe them--we receive only what
we specifically claim as ours by faith. It is not ours
unless we appropriate it by faith. This is cleat in the
case of salvation; it is just as true regarding bodily
healing or any other blessing God promises the believer.
James says"...ye have not, because ye ask not" (4:2).


However, when you ask, ask in simple, childlike faith.
Faith does not plead and beg for what God has promised;
this indicates a lack of faith. We are not asking in faith
if we think we have to persuade God to do what He has
already offered to do for those who ask. God is ready and
willing to bestow what He promises upon those who in quiet
assurance take Him at His Word and ask, believing. He does
not have to be persuaded for He has already said "yes" to all His promises in Christ Jesus "for all the promises of
God in him are yea, and in him Amen" (II Corinthians 1:20)


Since God has already said "yes" to everything He has promised you ever before you ask, then the answer you seek
can never be "no" if you ask in faith! "And all things,
whatsoever ye shall ask in prayer, believing, ye shall receive" (Matthew 21:22). How to pray the prayer of faith
is set forth in chapter 5.



3. BOLDLY CONFESS WHAT YOU HAVE BELIEVED
AND CLAIMED BY FAITH.


Confession brings possession, for what you confess is
your faith speaking. Confession is faith's way of express-
ing itself. "For with the heart man believeth unto... and
with the mouth confession is made unto" (Romans 10:10).
If we genuinely believe that God will keep His promise
to us, it will be expressed by what we say or confess.


Jesus in mark 11:23 also emphasizes the significant
relationship between what we say or confess and receiving
what we ask:
For verily I say unto you, That whosoever shall say
unto this mountain, Be thou removed, and be thou cast
into the sea; and shall not doubt in his heart, but
shall believe that those things which he saith shall
come to pass, he shall have whatsoever he saith.


We always receive what we say or confess. This is why
the Scripture places such a strong emphasis upon a posit-
ive confession (cf. Matthew 10:32-33; I Timothy 6:12-13;
James 1:6-7; Mark 11:22-24). If we make a negative
confession of doubt, then we receive nothing. If we
confess what God's Word says, then He will bring it to
pass. If, for example, you claim bodily healing, and later
begin to express doubt and anxiety because it is not
manifested immediately, your condition will never rise
above the lever of your confession. Confession of doubt
imprisons your faith so that it cannot be released, for
"thou art snared with the words of thy mouth" (Proverbs
6:2).


If your confession does not agree with God's Word,
then it is not faith speaking. Faith always agrees with
God's Word. Why? Because this is the literal meaning of
the verb "to confess" in the New Testament Greek:
homologeo means "to agree with," "to speak the same
language," "to confess." If, for instance, you say, "I prayed for the healing of my eyes, but I wonder why they
do not seem to get any better? However, I an hoping that I
will be healed sometime," you can never expect to receive
healing by faith, for your confession does not agree with
God's Word.


His Word declares "by His stripes ye were healed)
(Isaiah 53:5). The reason for failure is clear, for
Jesus said when you pray believe that you have received
your petition (Mark 11:24). He said you are not to doubt
in your heart but believe that those things which you say
shall come to pass. We must, therefore, make sure our
initial confession, as well as our subsequent confession,
is in harmony with God's Word. If we fail to ask for and
confess what we believe His Word promises us, then we
receive nothing; but neither do we receive if our confess-
ion does not remain in agreement with what God's Word
teaches.


4. ACT ON YOUR FAITH.


There is a difference between heart faith and mere
intellectual belief. Often people think they have genuine
faith, but they do not act their faith. The Scriptures
show that when true faith is present it will produce works
of faith, that is, corresponding actions. When Jesus
anointed the blind man's eyes with clay and commanded him
to go wash in the pool of Siloam, this gave the man an
opportunity to put his faith into action. James declares,
"faith, if it hath not works, is dead" (2:17).In Mark 2:15
we read that Jesus "saw' the faith of the men who lowered
the man sick of palsy down through the roof. Obviously you
cannot see faith--but you can see faith at work! it is to
their faith in action that Jesus refers.


For example, to claim healing for the body and then
continue to take medicine is not following our faith with
corresponding actions. One should settle the matter befo-
re hand; if we have faith that God will keep His Word and
heal us, then we will not need to keep our medicines and
remedies around "just in case." If we feel the need of
anything in addition to faith, then we do not have faith
to be healed. One should not "try" divine healing as one
means of "cure" which we thing sometimes works for some
people and just might work for us.


This is a popular misconception of the scriptural doc-
trine of healing through faith and always results in
failure. When genuine faith is present it alone will be
sufficient, for it will take the place of medicines and
other aids. When faith alone is sufficient to walk by,
then we are acting in harmony with our faith. Others some-
times claim deliverance from an evil habit or some besett-
ing sin by faith, but continue to remain bound to the
habit or sin, waiting on God to deliver them. We must act
our faith. Genuine faith will always produce correspon-
ding action that are in agreement with our confession of
faith.


All the heroes of faith recorded in Hebrews, chapter
11, are said to have done something which gave evidence of
their faith. "By faith Abel offered unto God a more exec-
ellent sacrifice than Cain...by faith Noah...prepared an
ark...by faith Abraham offered up Isaac...by faith Moses..
.forsook Egypt," etc. When true faith is present we will
always act on it. If you claim a promise of God, you may
not know the exact moment the manifestation will occur,
but it always comes as you are acting in agreement with
your confession of faith in God's Word! It will never come
in the midst of doubt or failure to act on your faith.


5. HOLD FAST TO YOUR CONFESSION OF
FAITH WITHOUT WAVERING.


Sometimes there are those who seek to appropriate a
promise of God by faith, as for example, His promise to
heal their disease. They claim his promise and confess it,
but if it is not manifested immediately, or soon there-
after, they find they cannot maintain a positive confess-
ion of faith in God's promise, and thus they do nor rece-
ive the manifestation of their healing. The problem here
is that they did not met the first condition of receiving
by faith, that is, they did not ground their faith solely
in the Word of God.


Their faith was shallow, being based partly on God's
promise and partly on visible circumstances, feelings, or
their symptoms. Genuine faith never confesses what it sees
or feels in the natural realm, for this may not appear to
change immediately; but faith confesses what God's Word
promises in the face of all apparent circumstances to the
contrary. Therefore, we are admonished: "Let us hold fast
the profession of our faith without wavering; (for he is
faithful that promised)" (Hebrews 10:23).


Jesus teaches us in Mark 11:24 that when we pray we
are to believe that we have received when we ask, and that
we shall see it manifested. The significant thing is that
it is always after we believe and confess that we have
received that the answer is manifested. Sometimes it is a
moment after; at other times it is a week, month, or long-
or before the answer is seen in the visible realm. But
true faith continues to confess that God has heard and
granted our request and that we shall have it. We must
always receive in the faith realm, before we shall ever
see it in the natural or visible realm. Faith is not
concerned with the calendar--it is based on what God has
promised, not what physical circumstances appear to indi-
cate at present.


In John 9 the blind man's healing was not manifested
immediately. It was not until after he had walked to the
pool of Siloam, and after he had washed, that he came see-
ing. The ten lepers did not receive the manifestation of
their healing when they asked, nor immediately after Jesus
granted their petition. They were healed "as they went"
(Luke 17:12-14). Abraham waited many years for the manif-
estation of God's promise to him of a son, holding fast to
his faith without doubting (Romans 4:17-21).


Sickness and disease have been repeatedly defeated by
maintaining a positive confession of faith in the face of
all apparent evidence to the contrary. Satan often will
not withdraw his symptoms until he has made trial of your
faith, for he well knows many begin to waver and doubt in
time of trial and testing. Hold fast to your confession
and Satan will be forced to withdraw his work in your
body.


Satan's power over you to afflict or oppress increases
or decreases in direct proportion to your confession of
faith or doubt. Therefore, "let us hold fast the confess-
ion of our faith without wavering; (for he is faithful
that promised). Whatever you claim by faith, refuse to
look at the problems or circumstances involved; keep your
eyes on the promises of God, boldly maintaining your conf-
ession of what His Word says, and He will surely bring it
to pass when the trial of your faith is completed.


In summary, we find that there is one important prin-
ciple undergirding all these five conditions of faith. It
is imperative that we keep constantly in mind the follow-
ing principle of faith, then the form and content of our
prayers, confession, actions, and conversation must
change.


Prayer. Once you have claimed by faith healing for
yourself, then to continue to pray for healing, instead of
giving thanks that God has already heard and granted your
request, even though the manifestation is not seen as yet,
is evidence of a lack of faith. If we pray ten times ask-
ing God for the same thing before we receive, we have pray
ed nine times in unbelief!


Jesus said "when ye pray, believe that ye have rec-
eived." After you have asked in faith, praise and thank
God daily for the answer, for you must see it in the faith
realm first, before you can ever see it in the visible
realm. Read Mark 11:24 and Matthew 21:22.


Confession. After the prayer of faith, our confession must
then also change from "I believe that God can heal me and
will if I ask," to "I know that God has heard and granted
my petition according to His Word." The confession of
faith always refers to the past tense, never the future.
We must never say "God is going to heal me," for this does
not agree with what God's Word says (Mark 11:24; I Peter
2:24), and indicates you do not really believe that you
have already received your request when you prayed. Our
confession must not be based on what we see, feel, or what
outward circumstances seem to indicate, but solely on what
God says had been done for us when we prayed.


Actions. Not only must the form of our prayers and con-
fession change after we have claimed a promise of God by
faith, but our actions must change to correspond with our
faith. We must act out our faith, for "faith, if it hath
not works, is dead." Naaman, the leper, was healed accord-
ing to the Word of the Prophet Elisha only after he had
acted on faith and washed seven times in the River Jordan.
Noah was saved because he acted on his faith, for we read
"by faith Noah, being warned of God of things not seem as
yet...prepared an ark to the saving of his house" (Hebrews
11:7).


The writer was once stricken with a deep, serious
bronchial infection and head cold a few days before an
important speaking engagement. Knowing from past experie-
nce that such a condition lasted for two or three weeks,
often accompanied by coughing and laryngitis, he claimed
by faith complete healing, specifically confessing in
prayer that every trace of the infection with its symptoms
would be gone by the time he arose to speak three days
later. Although the symptoms did not leave immediately,
nevertheless, acting on his faith, he kept his speaking
appointment and when he arose to speak there was not a
single vestige of the illness remaining! We cannot be
healed by faith if we continue taking remedies, or remain
in bed; we must act on our faith. Our actions must change
to conform to our confession of faith.


Conversation. Faith never thinks, talks, nor listens
to doubt, regardless of symptoms, pains, feelings, or
apparent circumstances to the contrary. We are to "hold
fast to the profession of our faith without wavering"
(Hebrews 10:23). Faith speaks positively of what God's
Word says has been done. It does not say "I have claimed
healing for my eyes and it will come, but a present they
are still weak and I have difficulty doing my work, etc."
our conversation must change; it must not be centered on
our illness, symptoms, of feelings, for this is an admiss-
ion that Satan still has the victory over us and the power
to keep us in bondage.


Confess, on the contrary, that he has no rights to
afflict you, and that his work in your body has been over-
come by faith in God's promise. Hold fast to your confess-
ion and Satan will turn loose! Refuse to talk about your
illness, your symptoms, your pains, your problems; this is
admitting that they belong to you. Talk faith and God will
manifest it to your sight. The image will become the
actuality, but disease confessed is disease possessed!
Since you receive what you confess, then center your conv-
ersation on your faith in God's promise to you, not on
outward circumstances.

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