84 Mountain-Moving Faith
want to reemphasize that that's what defeats so many Christians. In other words, because there's a doubt in their mind, they say, "Oh, I'm doubting, and I know I am. If I said I wasn't doubting, I'd be lying about it. And I'm not a liar." Yet they're lying about it all the time and don't even know it because faith will work in your heart with doubt in your head!
Follow Abraham's Example of Faith Follow Abraham's Example of Faith One preacher said to me, "Yes, Brother Hagin, but I'm not going to believe I've got something my physical senses don't tell me I have. I'm not going to believe I've got something I can't see."
I said, "Do you believe you've got any brains?" "Why, certainly," he said.
I said, "Did you ever see them?" "Oh," he said. "That's different"
"How come that's different? I thought you weren't going to believe you had anything you couldn't see?"
Abraham believed he had something he couldn't see. Thomas wouldn't do it. Abraham believed "according to that which was spoken" (Rom. 4:18). He didn't believe according to what he could see like Thomas did (John 20:25). Abraham's faith was a heart-faith, not a head-faith.
ROMANS 4:17 ROMANS 4:17 17 (As it is written, I
17 (As it is written, I have made thee a father of have made thee a father of many nations,) before him whom he believed, even many nations,) before him whom he believed, even
Real Faith Is of the Heart 85
God, who quickeneth the dead, and calleth those God, who quickeneth the dead, and calleth those things which be not as though they
things which be not as though they were.were.
God is a faith God, and we're faith children of a faith God!
One person said to me: "Well, it would be all right for God to call those things which be not as though they were because He'sGod.But it would be wrong for me to do it."
I said, "If it's wrong for you to do it, it's wrong for God to do it. I mean, children of the devil act like the devil. Shouldn't children of God act like God?"
Sure they should! God's a faith God. And we're faith children of a faith God. And because we're faith chil- dren of a faith God, we're to act in faith. And faith calls those things which be not as though they were!
One woman said, "Yes, Brother Hagin. I know that's true, all right. But now, I'll tell you what my trouble is. . ."
(You know, one trouble with some folks is they diag- nose their own case instead of letting the Bible diagnose it. They think they know exactly where the trouble is.)
"What is your trouble?" I asked the woman. She answered, "I just don't have any faith." I said, "Then why don't you get saved?" "Oh, I am saved!"
"Then if you're saved," I said, "you've got faith." "But I know I don't."
86 Mountain-Moving Faith
God plainly said in Ephesians 2:8: 'For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God.'
"So if you're saved and don't have faith, then God told a lie on you. He says you have faith, and you say you don't."
"Well," this woman said, "I guess I have faith, all right. But my trouble is, I'm so weak in faith. I just wish you'd pray for me that I'd grow stronger in faith."
"No," I said, "I'm not going to do that. In fact, to tell you the real truth about it, Sister, you are strong in faith. You just don't know it."
"Well, I know I'm not. I tell you, I'm just about the weakest one of the bunch."
I said, "May I ask you a question? Now I'm not try- ing to be a smart aleck. I just want to ask you a simple question."
"Why, sure," she said.
I said, "All right. Are you fully persuaded that what- ever God's promised you, He's able to p erform?"
"Why, certainly," she said. "I know God can do any- thing. And anything He said He'd do, He can do it, and He will do it! I knowthat."
I said, "I want to ask you another question. Can you say, 'Glory to God' or 'Praise God' and praise God's Word for it?"
"Why, certainly. I do that every day." "Well," I said, "you're strong in faith then."
Real Faith Is of the Heart 87
"No, I'm not."
I said, "Well, wait a minute, Sister. Can you read?" "Yes, I can read."
I said, "Look here at Romans 4:20 and 21. It tells you what strong faith is.
"It said, 'He[Abraham] staggered not at the promise of God through unbelief; but was STRONG IN FAITH, GIVING GLORY TO GOD; And being FULLY PER- SUADED that, what he had promised, he was able also to perform.'"
This woman had faith all along but she wasn't enjoying the benefits of her faith. She was walking by her senses — by her feelings — instead of by what the Bible said.
Our faith should not be in our feelings. What we feel or think about a situation is not what's important. What's important is what God's Word says about it. That's why we should meditate and feed our spirit man on God's Word. The real faith that comes by hearing God's Word will produce results for us. And real Bible faith is of the heart.