The victorious life
FAITH
We have been trying to go through 1John 5 and piece together the revelations that count for our victory in life as believers. I have tried to keep it simple so anyone going through this series can be sure of the message it is passing across and know exactly what to do to move from where they are to the place of victory. We have gone through verses 1, 2 and three and in this episode we will look at verse number 4 of 1John5 which says whatsoever is born of God overcomes the world, but this is the victory that overcomes the world , even our faith.
We will expound this verse by breaking it into two phrases. First lets pick the first phrase in the verse ‘’whatsoever is born of GOD overcometh the world’’ and support it with 1John 4: 4 which says; little children, you are of God (you belong to God) and have (already) defeated and overcome them ( the agents of the antichrist), because He who lives in you is greater (mightier) than he who Is in the world [AMP]. From the phrase and supporting scripture the following statements are true
Whatsoever is born of God is an enemy of the world and the powers that rules it (satan and his cohorts), hence will consistently face assault from it.
The verdict or the end of this consistent battle has been pronounced or set even before it began. He that is born of God overcomes.
Built in every believer is the full capacity to overcome the world.

The above statements should take away every form of surprise and questions in the heart of believers each time they are assaulted by hell. Questions like ‘’what did I do wrong to bring such resistance from hell’’. You didn’t need to do anything wrong, you just had to be born of God to become a lifelong target of hell.
Now, let’s look at the second phrase ‘’but this is the victory that overcomes the world, even our faith’’. This statement shows that the actual handle that appropriates our victory is our faith. At salvation we come into the family of God, victors and winners over hell and its cohort and partakers of the blessings of Abraham but this realities are clouded in the spirit and only transported to the physical by faith. look at your life and that of many other believers around you and you will see the scarcity of the realities of this new life and the obvious departure between who we are in Christ and the realities we live in. This scripture points to us how believers command victory and live in the reality of their eternal inheritance here on earth.
I have discovered that the problem is not the lack of desire to walk in victory but believers do not really understand what biblical faith is and how it is born.

WHAT IS FAITH?
We will define faith by looking at what Hebrews 11:1 says it says:
[AMP] Now faith is the assurance (the confirmation, the title deed) of the things (we) hope for, being the proof of things (we) do not see and the conviction of their of reality [Faith perceiving as real-fact what is not revealed to the senses].
With this scripture we can say faith is the full persuasion on the promise of God inspired by the Holy Ghost in the heart of a believer backed up by necessary actions. Faith is borne in the heart hence cannot be conjured by human reasoning but by the breath of God.
Faith is not hope. Hope is desire and expectation that is not built on the word of God. Hope is expectation built on human reasoning, opinion and good will. It is not faith if it is not built on a balance understanding of God’s Word inspired by the Holy Ghost. It is faith that gives substance to Hope. Majority of believers live in hope and call it faith. They hope they will be healed, they hope they will be delivered, they hope their finances will change with no reference on the substance of God’s word inspired by the Holy Ghost.
Faith is an act motivated by the Word of God. It can also be defined as a living force, drawn from the living Word, for a living proof (Bishop David Oyedepo).
Faith is accepting the reality of God’s word in our heart even if our physical environment doesn’t look like it and taking actions according to the reality in our heart. Sometimes our physical environment conforms immediately to the realities born in our spirit but many times it takes time and so the bible says that we should add patience to our faith. Your life might not look like it, your experiences might be an aberration to the glorious promises in the divine but if you insist in prayer, thanks giving and the speaking’s of faith your blessings will be made manifest. ‘’For surely there is an end and the expectations of the righteous shall not be cut off ’’.

HOW FAITH IS BORN
Now that we know what biblical faith is let’s check out how it is born. Let’s begin with Roman 11:17
[KJV] So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.
I have said in our previous episode that there are two primary ways a believer interfaces with the voice of God. One is by studying the bible, and two is by engaging in prayer and worship.
FAITH AND THE WRITTEN WORD : Faith does not come by just studying the bible like we do all other books. There is a way to study the bible before faith is born. I will give you the basic steps
Searching for specifics : first you must know the specific area of your life you need faith in and then begin to search the bible for specific verses that talk about Gods promises on that area. For example when you are always falling ill or diagnosed with a disease the first thing to do is to search the scripture and take note of areas about Gods provision for your health ignoring those that do not speak to your situation. We always miss it when we begin to study randomly or quote random scriptures that do not cover our very area of need.
Meditation : After arranging or outlining the scriptures that cover your area of need the next step is meditation. Meditation is like the engine by which faith is manufactured. It is by meditation we come to the hearing of faith. I will break meditation down into three steps
Joshua 1:8 this book of the law shall not depart out of thy mouth; but thou shall meditate therein day and night, that thou mayest observe to do according to all that is written therein: for then thou shall make thy way prosperous, and then thou shall have good success.
Psalms 1:2

• speaking of meditation:
  The word meditation used in these scriptures in the Greek rendition is Hagar which means to ‘’mutter’’. To mutter means to speak .this is the first stage of meditation. When you recite scriptures beneath your breath, loud enough for your own hearing. You might begin by reading the scriptures out directly from your bible or committing the scriptures you have laid out to memory and reading them out continuously. This is the first stage of meditation.
• The imagination of understanding:
  As you keep speaking out those scriptures the Holy Ghost begins to breathe on your understanding and the scriptures begin to connect in your mind and pictures are formed in the canvas of your imagination portraying you walking in the reality of the scriptures you are confessing. At this stage there is excitement and joy in your spirit and the substance of the scripture is borne in your heart.
• The speaking of faith :
  This is a spontaneous continuation of the second stage. At this stage you keep confessing the scriptures but not as one trying to believe but as one that believe and is totally conscious of the reality of the things he says.

PRAYER/WORSHIP AND FAITH: Many times as we fellowship with God in worship and in prayers our hearts ascend the hills of God and He speaks to us. When we hear His voice faith is born as the scripture says ‘’Faith cometh by hearing’’. His voice brings peace to our hearts and turn our situations around. Moreso, Prayer is the platform through which our faith is strengthened and vitalized especially when we pray in the Spirit (Jude vs 20). A man of faith is a man of prayer.
Actions: In meditation, worship and prayer faith is born, but it is in taking specific actions that our faith is validated. The book of James said faith without works is dead. Imagine Abraham claiming he believed when God first spoke to him but still remained in Haran, he won’t be the father of faith. Mary the mother of Jesus told the servants at the wedding in Cana ‘’ whatsoever he says to you, do it’’. One of the most important actions to take after praying is speaking to the situation directly in the name of Jesus. For example commanding favor in financial scarcity or speaking to your body when you are attacked by an infirmity. After talking to God, learn to speak to the mountain.
The victorious life is not the life without battles or confrontations from darkness, it is the life that always wins by the weapon of faith. It is the life that stands firmly on the promises of God not fighting to win but fighting to keep the confines of his inheritance because he has won already in Christ.

STAYING IN FAITH
Many believers have wondered why they suddenly begin to experience defeat in areas they have previously walked in victory. The bible calls the devil a thief in John 10:10. The devil can steal our experience of victory by subtly filling our hearts with doubt and weakening our faith. Hallelujah!!!!! There is a way to stay in faith
The culture of continuous praises and thanksgiving : Romans 4:20. When a believer engages in continuous praises and thanksgiving to God, like Abraham, faith is strengthened and there is no room for weakness. We need to keep thanking God for the victory.
Keep in touch with the scriptures and materials that informed your faith: 2 Peter 1:15, 1 Corinthians 11:24. Many blievers after an encounter with voice of God via the bible, prayer and other spiritual material never keep in touch with these materials and scriptures that inspired their faith till they face defeat again. We must learn to stay in touch continuously with the word of God so as to stay in faith.
Keep company of men of like faith: Unbelief is highly contagious. Remember the 10 spies that returned after spying the promise land. They literally rubbed off their unbelief on the entire camp of Israel. A people that once believed that Jehovah was able to take them to the promised land now murmured in unbelief.

WHAT TO DO WHEN THE MANIFESTATION DELAYS
When it seems the answer is not visible and the manifestation of your faith delayed, do the following with patience
Continuous thanksgiving: God promised Abraham an heir when he was 70 and he believed but it took 29 years for him to see the manifestation of this word and the physical evidence of his faith. Romans 4:20 showed us what Abraham did while he waited for the manifestation of his heir. Abraham gave God praises continuously till Isaac was born. When we murmur during our time of waiting, faith is aborted and manifestation terminated. While you wait, sing and dance continually for your miracle is on its way. Let me tell you what I do personally.after praying on any matter in faith and the answer delays, anytime I remember the issue and the devil tries to mock me in my heart I speak out loud “ thank you father for the victory”. Immediately the whispers of hell is vanquished and my assurance of the answer gets even stronger and before long there is always a manifestation.

Speaking and acting the things you believe: if you believe you are healed act like one even if the symptoms persists. If you believe your bareness is over, go ahead and buy clothes for your soon coming baby. Do not pray in faith and then act in unbelief as it will only result in disappointment.
Pray what you believe
Act what you believe
Sing what you believe
Speak only what you believe
Your faith must translate into your living.

I write this article because I know the devil is also speaking to you as he is to every believer around the world, trying to keep you in fear and in continuous defeat. Its good news I bring to you not new news. Look and see, taste and you will know that you are already an overcomer and had always been one .Your life can begin to tell the stories of continuous victory even in the midst of darkness when you turn on the faith switch. The call of the believer is to display the victory of Christ.

Say this out loud each day

I am born of God
I am a Winner
No matter what comes my way
The outcome is the same, I win
I am an overcomer
I go from victory to victory
This is the story of my life
Victory everyday