For verily I say unto you, That whosoever shall say unto this mountain, Be thou removed, and be thou cast into the sea; and shall not doubt in his heart, but shall believe that those things which he saith shall come to pass; he shall have whatsoever he saith. (Mark 11:23, KJV)

Understanding faith’s operation helps us discern when we live in faith. Fundamentally, faith has two components: believing and acting. Both must be present and in the correct order—believing comes first, then acting. Problems arise when one element exists without the other, or the order reverses. Believing without action is dead faith, and action without believing is empty faith.

Faith starts with believing, a matter of the human heart, as Paul affirms, “with the heart, man believeth” (Romans 10:9, KJV). Believing isn’t a mystical activity beyond our control and hidden in our human spirit. Instead, it is accepting information as true and being persuaded about it. God created the human heart with the capacity to believe, whether in spiritual or natural things. Every human being believes, even atheists believe wrongly, that there is no God.

Once you believe, actions naturally follow. For example, if you decide to finalize a business contract and suspect your partner is lying, you’ll likely cancel the deal. Or, if you trust the weather forecast’s prediction of rain, you’ll grab an umbrella before heading out. Your daily behaviors stem directly from your convictions. In short, what you believe spontaneously reflects in your words and actions. 

So faith demands a two-step process: believing the Word of God followed by action. This is the simple and profound biblical sequence of operational faith that moves mountains.

The main faith struggle for most Christians today is not inaction but a lack of genuine belief in God’s Word. As I taught before, many Christians still assume they believe God’s words when, in reality, they do not accept them as true. To strengthen your faith, start believing God’s Word, and your life will reflect it.

Meditate

Reflect on the two components of faith discussed above. How do they relate to each other?

Apply the Word

If faith remains a mystery to you, begin by softening your heart with the Word to accept it as true. Then, allow your actions and words to express that inner belief.

Pray

Ask the Spirit for guidance in learning how to walk in faith effectively.

Recommended

• How to Train Your Heart to Believe God’s Word
• The Three-Tier Pyramid of Believing
• Faith Mimics: Looks Like Faith, But It’s Not
• When Jesus Saw Their Faith
• Watch: Faith Simplified
• View All Deshen Daily Devotionals

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