20I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me. 21I do not frustrate the grace of God: for if righteousness come by the law, then Christ is dead in vain.
Do we still see faith as something that we must do or think or even feel?
We have been crucified with Christ, which mean that every sin, every shame, and even every thought and feelings has been crucified, condemned, and put away:
"1There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit. 2For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death. 3For what the law could not do, in that it was weak through the flesh, God sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and for sin, condemned sin in the flesh: 4That the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit." (Romans 8: 1-4)
Instead of focusing on our lack of faith, let us rest in the truth that we have God's kind of faith right now, through Christ Jesus, who lives in us and leads us.
Now, to the degree that we struggle in our faith, to the extent that we think that our thoughts and feelings are somehow preventing God from working in our lives (or that what we do helps our prayers), to that extent we still need to grow in grace, accepting that Jesus Christ has put away all our sins, all our faults even out sinful thoughts and emotions, forever.
We are not saved by anything that we have done. What gives us the impression that something we do will also cause God's grace to move into any other area of our lives, too?
It's grace, unearned, unmerited favor. It has nothing to do with what you do, but everything to do with what Jesus Christ has done for us!
We were crucified with Christ, we are raised with Him, and we are seated with Christ in heavenly places:
"1If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God. 2Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth. 3For ye are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God. 4When Christ, who is our life, shall appear, then shall ye also appear with him in glory." (Colossians 3:1-4)
I submit at this time that some people are not seeing God's faith operating in their lives because they still some parts of their lives "not paid for", or that they have to think or feel a certain way in order to receive from Him.
When we rest in the full truth that all our sins are put away, and that we have received His life, then our faith cannot but operate fully.
We have the faith of the Son of God, and this faith operates not by our efforts, but through His grace.
Reckon yourself dead to sin, therefore, alive in righteousness, and believe that Jesus is giving you beyond what you can ask or think (Ephesians 3: 20-21)
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