Imagining buying a TV and bringing it into your house and then not using it; and when people ask you why you never put the TV on, you say, “Oh no, it’s just there because it’s aesthetically pleasing.” It makes no sense right?
In the same way, your faith means NOTHING if it’s not activated or put to the test. If I want to go any further with this beautiful subject: Blind Faith, and I don’t actually activate my faith, then it means nothing.
“In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action is dead.”
James 2:17
Gosh, I absolutely love this chapter in James because it forces us to leave the religious and theoretical ideas of faith and pushes us to re-examine our own lives; and unfortunately, the only way that we can truly say that we have genuine, pure faith is if our faith is tested.
If you read in Hebrews 11 where the writer lists all of these stalwarts of the bible and precedes all their works with the words, “By faith…”. Those people must have done something great in order to have their names on that list. And how did they do it? BY FAITH! In every description in that book, the words “By faith…” is followed by an action. The evidence of your faith is locked up in your next move. The only way that you can truly say that you have faith is if you put action to your words. Our brother James is making the comment that, merely saying that you have faith is not enough, in fact he says that by doing this your faith is actually dead and of what use to God, is dead faith? Activate your faith beloveds!
You may be asking, “But how do I activate my faith?” My friend, the activation of your faith does not require much. It all starts with a decision. You see, so many of us are trying to figure everything out for ourselves and we miss the point. God is not looking at how well you pray or the eloquence of your worship. He is looking for an obedient heart. Saying something as simple as, “God, I trust You and You alone,” and really believing it, can cause a switch to go off in your spirit.
The work is not over here though; it is merely the start of a faith-filled journey. I urge you to do something this week that shows that you really trust God. So, send that application out even if it’s the 20th one this month; keep praying for that friend who won’t accept Christ; make your business card for that business that you’ve been dreaming of; write that song; join that club; send that message; go on that date. God wants to see evidence of your faith not so that you can impress Him but so that He can start working in your life.
“Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says.”
James 1:22
We are very good at reading the word and quoting it, but this week I urge you to actually live it!
Because after all,
“Faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things unseen.” Hebrews 11:1.
