Faith Comes from Your Heart

Never attempt to act on the faith of others. That is a recipe for failure and spiritual disaster. The first wisdom key for healing is that it has to be real and genuine with you. It must be according to your faith, not that of someone you perceive has faith. Jesus responded to two blind men who came to Him for healing in the following way: “‘Do you believe that I am able to do this?’ They said to Him, ‘Yes, Lord.’ Then He touched their eyes, saying, ‘According to your faith let it be to you.’ And their eyes were opened” (Matthew 9:28-30). Faith is of the heart, not the head. What you believe in your heart is what matters, because that is how you will receive from God.

Over the years I have watched a number of people try to mimic what they saw someone else do according to that person’s faith, and they ended up shipwrecked in their own faith walk. In one instance, an acquaintance in the church we attended gave his car away because he had heard someone else testify that God led him to give his car away and now he had a brand new car. Unfortunately, our acquaintance did not end up with a new car. In fact, he ended up “bumming” rides from friends until he could save up enough money for another car. The Bible encourages us to have unfeigned faith (1 Timothy 1:5) or, in other words, sincere and genuine faith. Someone else’s belief that has not yet become real or genuine in our own heart is not real Bible faith to us. And God does not expect us to act on it. Kenneth Hagin Jr. says it this way in his book, Faith Worketh by Love: “Faith that is not founded on a good foundation always will act in presumption. Faith founded on the Word of God always will act in line with God’s Word and will not do anything foolish.”

Some people, out of ignorance, do presumptuous things in the name of faith that are not faith at all just because they heard their favorite radio or television preacher share how God led them in a particular way. That gives God and faith a bad reputation. It is very important that whatever we do in the name of faith is based on God’s Word and is real to us before we act on it.

Years ago, there was a young couple in the church we pastored in South Texas who desperately needed a new car. Their car smoked and leaked oil, the transmission was slipping, and it looked like a wreck—inside and out. They had a 12 year old son and a child on the way. The husband came to me and wanted me to agree in prayer with him for a new car, which I was glad to do. I was just about to pray with him when he stopped me. He said he heard a famous radio minister say he could have whatever he said, so he told me that his confession was for a brand new, cherry apple red corvette. He wanted me to agree with him to receive that particular car. I told him that was an ignorant, selfish prayer that God would not hear, much less answer. (I was not too tactful in those days.) I also told him it wasn’t sensible for him to exercise faith for a two-seat automobile when his was a family of four. Faith works in the context of love, not selfishness or pride. Not long after that, he left the church because I would not agree with him that he could have faith for that car.

When I first went to the doctor to be examined for the growth in my neck, he responded with a four-letter expletive. His reaction certainly didn’t build my faith or confidence for a positive outcome. He immediately scheduled an appointment for me with the head surgeon at one of the area hospitals. After examining me, the surgeon scheduled me to have the growth removed a month later. During that month one of my mentors, a man of faith whom I respected, encouraged me to “just believe God” rather than have the surgery. Though he did not actually say that I would not be “in faith” if I had the surgery, it was strongly implied. After talking with him, I attempted to “muster up” the faith to trust God for healing without having the surgery. He had faith for me not to have surgery, but I just did not have peace about following his advice. It was a struggle, because I respected him. However, I had my family to consider. I refused to allow either my pride or guilt to influence my decision. I had a strong peace and confidence about following through with the surgery, so that is what I did.

What happened next proved to be very interesting. After the surgery to remove the growth, the surgeon met with me in my hospital room. He told me he was 99 percent sure the growth was cancerous and that I would need to have more tests and further surgery. When he left my room, I immediately got on my knees and began to seek the Lord. God’s presence overwhelmed me and brought great peace and confidence to me. God assured me that I was healed and gave me specific instructions to follow that would manifest my healing. Even though the surgeon gave me a negative report, I now had faith that I would recover.

When it comes to the area of having faith for healing, it does not violate our faith to go to doctors and take medicine. I have actually heard some people condemn others and tell them they were not in faith if they used medical science. As far as I can see, God and medical science are working together for the same end result: restoring health to the sick.

They are not in opposition to each other. Some men, like me, are hesitant to go to the doctor unless they are close to dying. (Shhh! Don’t let the secret out. That is pride). However, the Lord has dealt strongly with me in the past to go to the doctor, take the medicine, or have the surgery—and that was faith for me at the time. The issue isn’t whether or not to have surgery or to take medication, but it is an issue of obedience to God and living a healthy life.

During a ministers’ conference at Lakewood Church in Houston, Texas, in 1987, John Osteen made the following comments: “Some people have asked me about my doctrine on faith and healing since I chose to have open heart surgery last year, when several years earlier I was led by the Holy Ghost not to have the same surgery. Well, I want everyone to understand clearly, my doctrine is living! Hallelujah!”

The result of John Osteen’s obeying God and applying the faith God gave him to have that surgery was several more years of a productive life and ministry. For me it was health and living cancer-free to this day. God will do the same for you as you are faithful to act on what you have faith for, not on someone else’s faith.

When it comes to ministering healing to others, do not attribute your faith to them. Instead, take time to help people identify where they are spiritually and what they believe. Encourage people in their faith. Unless a special gift of healing manifests by the Spirit, those you are ministering to will not receive healing according to your faith, but according to their own faith. The apostle Paul perceived the lame man at Lystra had faith to be healed (Acts 14:9).

You can actually see and recognize faith in others. There is a spiritual hunger, expectation and tenacity in people who are in faith. Be careful not to push your faith off on those who are not yet demonstrating the same faith level as you for their healing. Take time to find out where they are spiritually and what they want God to do for them. Then agree with them in prayer where you can.

God always meets people where they are. To become Christlike in your ministry, you must meet people where they are and attempt to take them from the known to the unknown. Don’t allow yourself to get frustrated because people don’t “get it” right away. Be patient with them. Share the Word with them as well as personal testimonies about healing and God’s faithfulness in your life. Do not pressure people to agree with you or to act on your faith. Whatever you do, do not make them feel stupid, unspiritual, or faithless if they are not ready to act in faith as you desire them to.

Author Ken Blue writes in his book, Authority to Heal, “Pop theologies clobber the sheep for not having enough faith. “We want to make sure our ministry doesn’t become a “pop theology” that hurts people. Instead, be faithful to give people the Word and allow faith to rise in their hearts. Once faith comes, nothing can stop them from their appointment with healing.”

Adapted from Greg Mohr’s book, Your Healing Door.