“He staggered not at the promise of God through unbelief; but was strong in faith, giving glory to God; And being fully persuaded that, what he had promised, he was able also to perform”(Romans 4:20-21).

Paul writes in about AD 57 to the church in Rome to present his basic statement of the gospel: God’s plan of salvation for all peoples, Jew and Gentile alike. Romans has been called “The Constitution of Christianity,” “The Christian Manifesto,” and “The Cathedral of the Christian Faith.” It is noteworthy for being the most thorough compendium of Christian doctrine. Paul had (3) three objectives in writing this epistle: (1) To teach the fundamental doctrine of salvation to edify believers against their enemies; (2) To explain the unbelief of Israel, and vindicate the faithfulness of God in his dealings with Israel; and (3) To give practical instruction about Christian living in the society of his day. The original audience for this letter was written to the church in Rome, who were predominantly Gentile but including a minority of Jews. Paul articulates the foundation of Christian belief, explaining how the good news of salvation has been made available through Jesus’ death on the cross, and is actualized through the Holy Spirit’s work in us (The believers).

That said, my personal goal in this discussion is to introduce to some, and reinforce the innate ability that we as believers have in accessing, obtaining, and strengthening our faith. According to Scripture, Paul in his epistle to the Ephesians had this to say; “Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might”(Ephesians 6:10). How many of you realize this was not merely a suggestion, but a command from God to the saints? This means, if God has commanded us to be something; evidently we are capable (through faith) to complete the task. Right? In the Old Testament, God told Joshua the same thing. Joshua was to start his ministry and replace Moses after his death . He had the lofty task of leading the Israelite’s to their promised land. Through his faithful obedience, Joshua leads the armies of Israel. They achieve victory over the Canaanites in the promised land. “Be strong and of a good courage: for unto this people shalt thou divide for an inheritance the land, which I sware unto their fathers to give them”(Joshua 1:6).

The bible teaches us that every word should be established by two or three witnesses. “But if he will not hear thee, then take with thee one or two more, that in the mouth of two or three witnesses every word may be established” (Matthew 18:16). Here, we have testimony from Joshua in the OT and the apostle Paul in the NT. They were both careful to remain consistent on the topic of strong faith. They also focused on using this essential spiritual gift. Actually, there are many examples where we find God has commanded the saints to “be” something. Let’s look at a few; “Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new” (2 Corinthians 5:17. Then there was this passage from the Psalm writer; “Be still, and know that I am God: I will be exalted among the heathen, I will be exalted in the earth” (Psalm 46:10).

Now, we must take this topic to where the rubber meets the road. I would like to suggest some guidelines. These are practical principles that we can use today in the contemporary church. They will help us obtain strong faith. First, Scripture is emphatic with this need for our faith walk. We will not, nor simply can’t manage to please God without faith. “But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him”(Hebrews 11:6). Second, We must know the reality of the Word of God. This is God speaking to me! Thirdly, We must know the reality of our Redemption In Christ. It is a fact, we are redeemed! You must know what you are redeemed from. Fourth, We must know the reality of the authority of the name of Jesus Christ.

“Behold, I give unto you power to tread on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy: and nothing shall by any means hurt you”(Luke 10:19).