Austin Bible Church
The gift of faith is a permanent spiritual gift. Believers with this particular gift manifest the Holy Spirit through an extraordinary “proportion” of faith enabling them to come alongside and help other believers who may be weak in faith. 1 Cor. 12:9.
"to another faith by the same Spirit, and to another gifts of healing by the one Spirit," (1 Corinthians 12:9, NASB)
Such believers would obviously anchor congregational prayer meetings. Such believers would also thrive in hospital or visitation ministries. Rom. 12:6; Rom. 14:1; James 1:6.
“Since we have gifts that differ according to the grace given to us, each of us is to exercise them accordingly: if prophecy, according to the proportion of his faith;” (Romans 12:6, NASB)
“Now accept the one who is weak in faith, but not for the purpose of passing judgment on his opinions.” (Romans 14:1, NASB)
“But he must ask in faith without any doubting, for the one who doubts is like the surf of the sea, driven and tossed by the wind.” (James 1:6, NASB)
Since the fruit of the Spirit is divine good production in the spiritual life, every believer ought to express faith to one another. Gal. 5:22; James 2:17; Heb. 11:33-38.
“But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness,” (Galatians 5:22, NASB)
“Even so faith, if it has no works, is dead, being by itself.” (James 2:17, NASB)
“who by faith conquered kingdoms, performed acts of righteousness, obtained promises, shut the mouths of lions, quenched the power of fire, escaped the edge of the sword, from weakness were made strong, became mighty in war, put foreign armies to flight. Women received back their dead by resurrection; and others were tortured, not accepting their release, so that they might obtain a better resurrection; and others experienced mockings and scourgings, yes, also chains and imprisonment. They were stoned, they were sawn in two, they were tempted, they were put to death with the sword; they went about in sheepskins, in goatskins, being destitute, afflicted, ill-treated (men of whom the world was not worthy), wandering in deserts and mountains and caves and holes in the ground.” (Hebrews 11:33-38, NASB)
A believer with the gift of faith is able to demonstrate faith in a group which is under great adversity. While other believers would be complaining about some situation or circumstance, this believer would exercise great faith in the deliverance of God and encourage that group of believers to depend on the Lord. This person would exercise their gift of faith to comfort them with promises and Bible doctrine. This was the faith that “removes mountains” in 1 Corinthians 13:2.
"If I have the gift of prophecy, and know all mysteries and all knowledge; and if I have all faith, so as to remove mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing." (1 Corinthians 13:2, NASB)
The spiritual gift of faith is not synonymous with faith for believing such as faith alone in Christ alone for salvation. It is not synonymous with faith as a non-meritorious system of perception as we use for believing and applying Bible doctrine to life’s situations. We already have that faith as believers in the Church Age. We are born with the ability to express faith. It's not the same as the faith-rest life. It is not synonymous with knowing and claiming the promises or the doctrines of God. This is not knowing the faith-rest rationales, utilizing them and arriving at doctrinal conclusions and taking control of any situation. This is not the faith which is a component of the Christian way of life.
Remember that the spiritual gift of faith is a manifestation of the power of the Holy Spirit through an extraordinary “proportion” of faith enabling them to come alongside and help other believers who may be weak in faith.