FAITH AND PATIENCE

“That you do not become sluggish, but imitate those who through FAITH and PATIENCE inherit the promises” – Hebrews 6:12

It takes FAITH and PATIENCE to inherit divine promises and make God-glorifying Impact: “And we desire that each one of you show the same diligence to the full assurance of hope until the end, that you do not become sluggish, but imitate those who through FAITH and PATIENCE inherit the promises” (Heb.6: 11-12). A coin requires two sides if it must serve as a legal tender; otherwise, it has no value. Faith and Patience are like two sides of a coin; hence, no matter how strong one’s Faith is, without Patience it will not deliver the desired results.

True, Faith is a present-tense reality: “NOW FAITH IS the substance of things HOPED for...” (Heb.11:1a). However, it is easy to misconstrue this definition of Faith as being contradictory to Patience. Far from it, Patience is the Hope-dimension of Faith. To understand the Life of Faith, we must have a clear insight into the Power of Patience. Faith believes NOW and never stops believing however long the manifestation may take. Lack of understanding of the role of Patience in relation to Faith has robbed many people of their Victory. Lack of Patience will make one to become slothful in Faith – it’ll weaken one’s Faith. Abraham was patiently steadfast in his Faith until he obtained the promise.

Our Faith is our receipt that we have what God says that we have in His Word. Conditions, circumstances, and situations may still remain the same in the natural, but in the spiritual realm, things have changed. All we have to do is to wait patiently for the manifestation: “He did not waver at the promise of God through unbelief, but was strengthened in Faith, giving glory to God” (Rom.4:20). When we apply patience, all we would be doing is giving Glory to God – thanking God for the Victory that we already have by Faith. Patience strengthens our Faith, enabling us to thank God ahead of the manifestation. Ignorance of this truth makes people to lose their victory, even after starting in Faith. They allow physical conditions to affect their faith, and slide into doubt, rather than remain strong in Faith by applying the Force of Patience.

Faith without Patience will flounder and fail! Authentic Faith is patient, not anxious. Patience enables our Faith to be steadfast: “My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various trials, knowing that the TESTING of Your FAITH produces PATIENCE. But let PATIENCE have its perfect work, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing” (Jam.1: 2-4). Once we’ve released our Faith once over a situation, patience takes over, ensuring that our Faith is steadfast, to produce the desires result: “For ye have need of PATIENCE, that, after ye have done the will of God, ye might receive the promise” (Heb.10:36, NKJ). Being in Faith is doing the Will of God. Let’s add Patience to that!