At times we go through things and our faith is challenged. Sometimes we find ourselves in faith fights. What is a faith fight? A faith fight is a season that you can find yourself in where you are facing a seemingly insurmountable mountain or giant. If you are a believer in God, you will face battles. It is just part of the Christian experience. However, God has given us his spirit, anointing, and his power to fight.
Why am I in a faith fight?
No one but God can give you the true answer to this question. Sometimes we go through things or are presented with items that are beyond our control and we end up in a faith fight. At times we make bad decisions and end up in a faith fight. Sometimes we are dealing with generational iniquity (curses) and find ourselves in a faith fight. Other times we are just being attacked by the enemy…. No matter what your story is the good news is we have God’s capacity of faith according to Mark 11:22 and we are commanded to live by faith (Romans 1:17, Galatians 3:11, Hebrews 10:38). God would not command us to live by something or have something if He did not give us the capacity to receive it.
Let’s start with the basics of faith. I do not take it for granted that everyone is well versed in these things.
Faith is trust or belief in God based upon knowledge with corresponding actions.
Now faith is the substance of things hoped for the evidence of things not seen.
Hebrews 11:1
Faith shows the reality of what we hope for; it is the evidence of things we cannot see.
Hebrews 11:1 NLT
Hope is…
A Confident expectation (based upon knowledge of the Word)
Aspiration
Your Sight
An open door to faith
Faith is birthed once you are able to trust God and His Word demonstrated by your corresponding actions.
However, at times your faith may seem like it is not working…. To that I answer, most likely, you are in hope or you possibly need to evaluate if you are dealing with any of the below items.
Here are some reasons why your faith may sometimes not work.
Why Does Our Faith Sometimes Not Work (Hindrances to faith)
#1 You don’t have or believe the Word on the issue.
You might be dealing with something called “mental assent.” This means you believe for something in your mind but will not act on what you believe.
You could also have a wavering heart. This means you change your heart or confession based on what you see. I often have to remind those that I work with towards healing to “keep the switch of faith” turned on. This is something I learned early in the ministry of healing.
I started out in healing ministry working and teaching at Kenneth Hagin Ministries’ world-renowned healing center nearly 20 years ago. There I learned up close and personal how to truly walk someone through their healing. This was one of the main culprits in people letting go of their faith for healing.
We must keep believing despite what we see. We must keep declaring & praying the Word of God over the situation despite what we see & what others are saying.
For the Word that God speaks is alive and full of power [making it active, operative, energizing, and effective]; it is sharper than any two-edged sword, penetrating to the dividing line of the [a]breath of life (soul) and [the immortal] spirit, and of joints and marrow [of the deepest parts of our nature], exposing and sifting and analyzing and judging the very thoughts and purposes of the heart.Hebrews 4:12 AMP
There is power in the Word of God. Speaking the Word of God over yourself and your situation will cause God to move and employ angels on your behalf!
#2 You are in unforgiveness.
Unforgiveness will hinder you in every area of your life. We have scriptural precedence for this found in Mark 11:25-26. God forgave us, therefore we must forgive others.
And whenever you stand praying, if you have anything against anyone, forgive him and let it drop (leave it, let it go), in order that your Father Who is in heaven may also forgive you your [own] failings and shortcomings and let them drop. But if you do not forgive, neither will your Father in heaven forgive your failings and shortcomings.
Mark 11:25-26 AMPC
#3 You do not have support from those that believe like you.
You need a community, when you are down they can lift you up. You need people around you who believe like you. There is healing in community. Too many people are attempting to do lie alone. Your community will be able to be there for you and encourage you when your faith is challenged.
#4 You are in foolishness or presumption.
I was first introduced to this concept of foolishness and presumption in regards to faith from the late Dr. Fredrick K.C. Price. He has a book entitled “Faith, Foolishness, & Presumption.” We enable foolishness and presumption when we do not hear God or His will regarding what we are believing God for. We can fall into foolishness and completely derail your faith. You can walk in fear and begin to operate in presumption regarding your faith instead of being led by the spirit of God. This can lead to you praying psychic or witchcraft prayers based on your will/emotions, not God’s will.
Examples of this can look like you wanting God to heal you in a specific way in your timing. Or you could foolishly throw away your medicine as an “act of faith” with no doctor's verification. (If God has healed you let the doctor tell you to throw away your medicine. If you do throw your medicine away you better know that it was God or you could be putting yourself in a worst state than previously.) Acting in wisdom does not mean you do not trust God.
#5 You are led by your emotions & not faith
Your tears do not move God. Your begging does not move God. Only your faith moves God. So many times we feel like if we want something bad enough, God is obligated to make it happen for us. That is not how God nor faith works.
Sometimes we lack endurance. Endurance is the ability to withstand hardship or adversity; the ability or strength to continue or last, especially despite fatigue, stress, or other adverse conditions; stamina. (Source: Websters Dictionary, dictionary.com). Endurance is needed to receive the promises of God. Endurance is a requirement of faith!
We cannot just give up really easily when it “doesn't look like it’s working”. We must continue to believe regardless of what we see in this natural realm.
#6 You are not equipped in spiritual warfare.
Proficiency in spiritual warfare is needed and necessary for us to live a victorious Christian life. The enemy is here to wage war against us.
Blessed be the Lord my Rock, Who trains my hands for war, And my fingers for battle.Psalms 144:1
God teaches your hands to war & fingers to fight. Training is necessary. We must understand our authority in the Earth (Luke 10:19, Colossians 2:13-15). This is needed whenever you engage the enemy in battle. Is your lack of knowledge of spiritual warfare or your lack of understanding of your spiritual authority causing you to lose your faith fight?
We have reviewed some of the key hindrances to fighting effectively in faith. This is not an exhaustive list, however, it is enough to get you started.
What are some hindrances to faith, you have discovered? How did you overcome? Let me know in the comments.
To learn more about spiritual warfare, check out my “Strategies for Spiritual Warfare” Wordbook. To go deeper in healing join my free FB group- God Still Heals with Dr. Andrea.