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Question:
How does someone get faith? I have a friend who wants to believe. He says he prays to “God” (a higher power) and asks Him to protect his family and stuff like that. But he wants more faith… and I know he needs faith in Jesus, not just faith. How does he do that?

Answer:

Cool, an easy question!

Now my answer is not what you might find in a book on the top 10 best seller list at the Christian bookstore. But I have it on good authority that the answer is perfect, and accurate.

Romans 10.17: So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.

That’s it. Sorry. Not very glamorous or revolutionary. Faith doesn’t come by learning spiritual laws, or listening to certain preachers, or employing certain techniques. It doesn’t come from your positive attitude or speech. It doesn’t come from you at all despite alot of current popular teaching.

No, faith comes by hearing. Hearing what? The word of God. The Bible contains the very WORDS of God and the more we hear them, the more our faith has a REAL foundation.

There is so much entertaining, ear-tickling, crowd-pleasing, friendly, “social” preaching today that is devoid of the true rich Biblical content. That’s why preaching for the most part is either boring, or entertaining, but powerless.

Don’t get me wrong. I’m not someone who thinks that a sweaty, angry, hellfire and brimstone sermons is “real” preaching. Far from it.

Real preaching is taking the Bible and teaching exactly what it says without marketing, spinning, twisting or watering it down. If the Bible text calls for hellfire and brimstone truth, preach it. If the Scripture being taught from the Bible is about love, gentleness and compassion, then preach it. If the Scripture is about giving, preaching about giving.

My point is that fewer and fewer churches and preachers are teaching the Bible – they are using the Bible to support what they are trying to teach.

Did you catch that? Most preaching is an exercise of taking Scripture to support what the preacher wants to say. What should it be? It should be the preacher supporting what God wants to say from His Word.

So, if you’re friend wants faith, tell him it’s as close as the nearest Bible.