By Rev. Kenneth E. Hagin

Bible faith is based on the Word of God. It comes by hearing the Word of God. Romans 10:17 says, “So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.” If you get out beyond the Word of God, you have no basis for faith-and you will get into trouble.

It seems to me people ought to have a little sense. In other words, I do not understand how some people can go around spouting off things, endeavoring to believe and calling it faith when it is merely presumption and folly.

Christians need to have enough sense to know where faith will work and where it won’t. Never get out beyond the Word of God. You get into trouble when you move beyond the Word of God and have no basis for faith.

To have a foundation for your faith, be certain that the promises of God cover what you’re believing for. You have a right to believe for anything God’s Word promises you. But if you get out beyond that, you are out in presumption or foolishness. For instance, sometimes single people, because “you can have what you say,” will pick out someone and claim him or her as a mate.

Single people have a right-because there is scripture for it-to claim a wife or husband. But they do not necessarily have the right just to pick out a particular person and say, “I’m going to claim So-and-so.” That other person has a say in the situation! Singles have the right to believe God for a wife or husband, but they should let the Lord send them one.

A young graduate from a denominational seminary was in some of our meetings in Texas. He had been filled with the Holy Spirit and had been kicked out of his denomination. He took my wife and me out for lunch one day where he announced, “I’m getting married.” “Oh,” my wife said, “who is the lucky girl?” He proceeded to tell us about a woman who sang in the choir at the church he attended. He did not even know her name. He had never met her. He just liked the looks of her sitting up there in the choir.

He said, “I claimed her. Brother Hagin preaches you can have what you say. I’ve already said it.”

My wife asked, “And you never even have had a date with her?”

“No. I never have shaken her hand or even seen her up close.”

Well, when he got up close, she might not have looked as good as she did from a distance! Kidding aside, the woman has a say in the matter! He cannot override her will. He has a right to claim a wife. The Bible says, “Whoso findeth a wife findeth a good thing, and obtaineth favour of the Lord” (Prov. 18:22). He has a right to claim a wife-but he should let God bring him the one He wants for him.

I started preaching when I was 17. It seemed as if someone was always trying to make a match for me. One girl came and told me that God showed her she was supposed to marry me. “Well,” I said, “when He tells me, I will accept it.” God never did tell me. Such things would be funny if they weren’t so pathetic. Lives have been ruined over things like this. Be sure the Scriptures cover what you are believing for. Don’t get out beyond God’s Word.

Through the years, many people have asked me to pray with them, saying, “Brother Hagin, I want you pray with me about such-and-such.” I purposely ask them, “What scriptures are you standing on?” Eight out of ten times-and I kept a record of it for years-they looked at me with a blank expression and said, “Well, none in particular.” I told them, “That’s what you’ll get then-nothing in particular. You have no foundation for faith. Faith is based on what God said. Faith in God is faith in God’s Word.”

Many times we use terms loosely. Recognize that when talking about faith, we’re talking about faith in God-and faith in God is faith in His Word. “Faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God” (Rom. 10:17). You’re not going to have faith for something if you don’t hear the Word of God on it.

So find scriptures that cover your case. Find scriptures that promise you the things you are praying for. Then you have a solid foundation for faith. If something arises-even though I know the scriptures which apply and can quote many of them from memory-I don’t pray about the matter immediately. I go to the Word. I read again the same scriptures I could quote. I go over them again and again sometimes for a day or two. (If an emergency arises, that is a different thing. In doing that, I am building the Word of God into my spirit. That way, when I get ready to act in faith, there is no doubt. I am solid.

I do not want to attract attention to myself-I tell this to glorify God and His Word-but not one single time in more than 50 years have I had a prayer go unanswered. (Now you understand I am talking about things concerning myself individually. When you are praying about someone else, that person’s will enters in.) As far as for me individually, I never prayed about anything without receiving the answer.

Sometimes it would take a little time. I just stayed in the Word every moment I could. I would meditate for hours on the scriptures that covered what I was believing for. Then I believed only what the Word said. I had a sure foundation for faith.

Sometimes I had to make adjustments before the answer could manifest. I made them in a hurry. For instance, in 1949, I left the last church I pastored and went out into a field ministry at the Lord’s direction. At the end of my first year of traveling, I spent three days fasting and praying. I reminded the Lord of something He said in the Old Testament: “If ye be willing and obedient, ye shall eat the good of the land” (Isa. 1:19).

(That Scripture belongs to us, too. We can prove from the New Testament that we are heir to it. It means that you will prosper and have a good life. It does not mean you will never have any tests-because the devil will put pressure on you.)

I told the Lord, “Lord, my children are not even eating right. I’ve worn out my car; now I’m out here on the field on foot. I’m sure not eating the good of the land-yet You promised that I would. Something is wrong somewhere.” (I knew the trouble was with me. The problem is never with God.) The third day of my fast, just as plainly as somebody speaking, the Lord said, “That text you keep quoting to Me says, ‘If you be willing and obedient.’ You were obedient, but you weren’t willing. You don’t qualify. That’s the reason it’s not working for you.” I kept trying to magnify the obedience part-He got on the willing part! Just as a child can obey his parents and not be willing, so you can actually obey the Lord and not be willing and therefore still miss it. I got willing in 10 seconds! Don’t tell me it takes a long time to get willing. It didn’t take me 10 seconds to make a little adjustment right down on the inside.

Then I said, “Lord, I’m ready now. You already told me I was obedient. Now I’m willing. I know it. You know it. And the devil knows it. So I’m ready now to start eating the good of the land.”

He said, “Yes, you are. Now I will tell you what to do.”

He told me, and I’ve been “eating the good” ever since!

The psalmist of old said, “The entrance of thy words giveth light . . .” (Ps. 119:130). The entrance of God’s Word gives light. When there is light in a room, it is no problem at all to walk around. As long as the light is there, you can walk fine. But with all the lights out on a dark night, you may stumble and fall over objects in that room. The entrance of God’s Word gives light. The reason many fall and fail is because they have left the light of the Word of God. They are walking in presumption or folly.

What does God’s Word say? Too many answer, “Well, I don’t know.”

Find out what it says. Find the scriptures that promise you the things you are praying for. You’re always on safe ground when you’re standing on the Scriptures. When you get away from God’s Word, you are in a gray area. Some people want to step over into the dark, and whether or not the Word of God promises it, they say, “I’m just going to believe.” Believing God is believing His Word. Oh, how necessary it is to know the Word of God. Thank God, He has given us His Word. We need not be in the dark. The entrance of God’s Word gives light.

What does it mean to walk in the light? It means to walk in the Word! Walking in the Word is walking in the light. To walk away from the Word means to walk into darkness.

Make these confessions aloud today:

I am a believer.
I am not a doubter.
I do have faith.
My faith works.
My faith is in God the Father.
My faith is in the Lord Jesus Christ.
My faith is in the Holy Bible, the Word of God.
God’s Word is true.
I believe the Word of God.
Therefore, I believe God.
God’s Word works!

Copyright © Kenneth Hagin Ministries  – Used by Permission

Comments

  1. Your Comment *hi am from south Africa,and I believe in God with all my heart my name is Gift………I hope that name has a meaning in this true life I had lost many family members,lol kinda orphan boy Hu has many dreams,I want to be a business man,hu have faith,only one verse got me up….Proverb 3:5,I have bad luck on girls,that’s must be a reason too,far where am from and still want to spin far to my destination,love you all get a kiss from me

  2. Hi! My name is Joseph from Nigeria!! I have been experiencing academic difficulties since I join the University. My 1st school kicked me out cause of poor performance and now am in the 2nd one. I started strong initially but now everything is crumbling at my feet. Am at the bottom in my class with a very bad CGPA and I need a miracle because am now in my Finals and graduating with my current grade means a hard work 4me as I might not get a good job. I just need God to help me. I’ve prayed and fasted and it seems God isn’t hearing me. I need God’s word to stand on.. pls #help me coz I don’t want my enemies to rejoice over me!! Thanks..
    Joe!!

  3. Well i always wanted a wife and family for a good man like me that is still single today, especially when i see so many others that were very Blessed with that gift of life. God did say that man should Not be alone which i certainly agree 100 percent.

    1. I have been standing on God’s word for a husband and a family. I am the Proverbs 31 woman minus the husband. I pray God delivers my husband suddenly!
      I am standing in agreement with any single person that is thanking God for His promise to become a reality in the natural suddenly.
      I tell God I will go anywhere in the world my husband is.

  4. hi brother thanks for these wonderful words, i am aldrin from goa india. i have been praying for a good job and a mate too. in all these things i want to seek GODS will for my life. i have been praying for a long since now.. The present job is for hotel..

  5. Devotional from Jeff Wells‏

    The Great Verses
    365 Verses to Learn, to Love, to Live
    July 11, 2014
    Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and the sea was no more.
    Revelation 21:1

    Heaven will be better than we can imagine. Far better.

    What we find in the Bible is not so much a description of heaven as a hint of heaven – a hint of heaven’s beauty and glory and wonder. Heaven will exceed our wildest dreams.

    Think about all the best things in life and magnify them a million times. For me, that includes things like these:

    A sense of closeness to Jesus
    Loving and being loved
    Close friends laughing and talking together
    Satisfying work that makes a difference in people’s lives
    Using your God-given abilities and gifts
    Travel to exciting and beautiful places around the world
    Running on a soft forest trail through the Redwoods
    Hiking in Yosemite
    Eating mint chocolate chip ice cream (Blue Bell!)
    Watching exciting basketball games (better yet, playing in those games!)

    Think of the best things in life and magnify them a million times. Then take out all the world’s suffering – all the pain and fear and guilt and death, all the divorce and abuse and disease and struggle. Put it all in the most incredible South Pacific paradise setting and you begin to get the idea of heaven’s glory.

    Best of all, best of all, is the immediate and tangible presence of the God who loves you.

    If you spent five minutes in heaven, there’s no way you would want to go back to earth!

    We use the expression, “I thought I’d died and gone to heaven!” That’s the idea, a place like no other.

    And, it’s your home. For all eternity. Glory!

    © 2014 WoodsEdge Community Church. All rights reserved. This article may be reproduced for any non-commercial use.

    1. the present job is for casino based hotel industry, where i hav to face various types of people… and among my colleague one is havin extra marital affair too.. i pray to Lord to show me the way and guide me

  6. Can you please give me scriptures to stand on for marriage restoration. I am currently standing on what God has put together let not man put asunder. And Mal..for I hate divorce says The Lord… Any others?

    1. Pam hope this scriptures help you.
      If you need to talk to someone about your marriage. Talk to your Pastor or marriage counselor.
      God bless your marriage.
      Yoli

      And be subject to one another in the fear of Christ.Wives, be subject to your own husbands, as to the Lord. For the husband is the head of the wife, as Christ also is the head of the church, He Himself being the Savior of the body.But as the church is subject to Christ, so also the wives ought to be to their husbands in everything.Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ also loved the church and gave Himself up for her,so that He might sanctify her, having cleansed her by the washing of water with the word,that He might present to Himself the church in all her glory, having no spot or wrinkle or any such thing; but that she would be holy and blameless.So husbands ought also to love their own wives as their own bodies. He who loves his own wife loves himself;for no one ever hated his own flesh, but nourishes and cherishes it, just as Christ also does the church, because we are members of His body. For this reason a man shall leave his father and mother shall be joined to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh. This mystery is great; but I am speaking with reference to Christ and the church. Nevertheless, each individual among you also is to love his own wife even as himself, and the wife must see to it that she respects her husband. (Ephesians 5:21-33)

      Then the LORD God said, ‘It is not good for the man to be alone; I will make him a helper suitable for him. (Genesis 2:18)

      For this reason a man shall leave his father and his mother, and be joined to his wife; and they shall become one flesh. (Genesis 2:24)

      Trust in the LORD with all your heart and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will make your paths straight. (Proverbs 3:5-6)

      Hatred stirs up strife, but love covers all transgressions.(Proverbs 10:12)

      Love does no wrong to a neighbor; therefore love is the fulfillment of the law. (Romans 13:10)

      Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor and slander be put away from you, along with all malice. Be kind to one another, tender-hearted, forgiving each other, just as God in Christ also has forgiven you. (Ephesians 4:31-32)

      Since you have in obedience to the truth purified your souls for a sincere love of the brethren, fervently love one another from the heart.
      (1 Peter 1:22)

      In the same way, you wives, be submissive to your own husbands so that even if any of them are disobedient to the word, they may be won without a word by the behavior of their wives,as they observe your chaste and respectful behavior. Your adornment must not be merely external braiding the hair, and wearing gold jewelry, or putting on dresses; but let it be the hidden person of the heart, with the imperishable quality of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is precious in the sight of God.For in this way in former times the holy women also, who hoped in God, used to adorn themselves, being submissive to their own husbands; just as Sarah obeyed Abraham, calling him lord, and you have become her children if you do what is right without being frightened by any fear. You husbands in the same way, live with your wives in an understanding way, as with someone weaker, since she is a woman; and show her honor as a fellow heir of the grace of life, so that your prayers will not be hindered. (1 Peter 3:1-7)

  7. Stop distorting Scriptures here. Christianity cannot be based on your individual experience. Faith comes by hearing God’s word not seeking voices. Abraham believed God’s promise and inherited it by obeying God. Jesus healed, provided and delivered unconditionally. Christians have a right to believe God’s promises and claim them because Jesus already paid for us to have them. Trusting in what you do to make God do anything is having faith in works not in God’s grace through Jesus. The just lives by his (the just’s) faith in God’s grace.
    Christians please study by yourself. Ask the Holy Spirit to teach you so that when people start to spout all manner of things all over, you can know what is true. Its the last days and satan is fighting the church with all manner of deception and lies. Please Christians study!!!

  8. Brother Waseem Yousaf I am so excited of what God is going to do through you. You do what God tells you to do. Thank you so much people need to hear God’s Word and His voice and we have the answer Jesus Christ. To God be the Glory forever Amen!!!
    Prayer:
    Jesus anoit Waseem with your Holy Spirit direct him cover him and protect him and his family with your precious blood. Lord send a legion of angels around him as he ministers to your people Lord Jesus amen.

  9. Gal 6:18 “And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests.” Enough said.

  10. truely faith hs a foundation o GOD”S wrd,wout faith tha bibles saez t z impossible to pliz God meaning God z only moved nd pliz by his wrd wch z jesus.so hving faith myt seem to b jus having an insyd force strongly tellin u tht watever u wnt z possible bt having a way on wch u cn go to God of wch threz only 1 way wch z jesuschrst 4 he z the way the truth nd tha lyf…so God wld b moved n plizzed bcoz jesus hs presented ur case nt becoz u believe tz possible…

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