Do you believe in God? Good! That’s a great start, but it’s just that, a start. James 2:19 says, “Even the demons believe—and tremble!”
I may believe I can scale a mountain, but that doesn’t do any good if I chose to stay in the valley. I might believe I can run a marathon, but I’ll never do it by sitting on the couch.
Faith is so much more than belief. It is more than a mere mental acceptance of a truth. As James goes on to say, “…faith, if it does not have works, is dead.” (v. 17).
Faith is not passive. It is belief put into action! Columbus may have believed in a New World, but he never would have found it if he hadn’t gotten into the boat. Neil Armstrong never would have stepped on the moon, if he hadn’t risked leaving the earth.
Faith always results in action. Consider some of the heroes of faith mentioned in Hebrews 11:
Abel brought an offering. (Hebrews 11:4)
Noah built an ark. (v. 7)
Abraham left home. He also offered his son. (v. 8, 17)
Moses rebelled (v. 24)
Israel walked through the sea (v. 29).
And there were so many others – Gideon, Samson, Jephthah, David, Samuel, and the prophets. These people put their faith into action and, as a result, they “…overthrew kingdoms, ruled with justice,…shut the mouths of lions, quenched the flames of fire, and escaped death by the edge of the sword…They became strong in battle and put whole armies to flight. Women received their loved ones back again from death.” (Hebrews 11:32-34).
True faith believes AND acts! Anything less is worthless! Faith always looks forward. “Forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forward to those things which are ahead” faith presses onward “toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.” Philippians 3:13-14.
What is God asking you to do today? What risk does He want you to take? What challenge has He called you to face? What impossible goal has He put on your horizon? Whatever it is, believing is not enough. “What does it profit, my brethren, if someone says he has faith but does not have works? …faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead.”
You say you believe in God? Prove it! Put your faith into action today! Risk everything for Him who gave His all for you. Take the leap! Who knows? You just might change the world!