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Teaching Articles
Welcome to our teaching articles page. Here you will find teachings that will help build up your faith. Through these studies, you will discover your identity, position and blessings in Christ Jesus.The following are excerpts from my books "One Hundred faith Facts", "Our Life in Christ Jesus" and "The Beliver's Authority."
Study 1: Faith
Excerpt from book: One Hundred Faith Facts
Faith is vitally important to our lives. Many believers have heard and embraced the message of faith, yet are not getting the results promised in the Word of God. In One Hundred faith facts, Austin examines the other spiritual virtues and principles essential to our faith life. The following is an excerpt of chapter 1, What faith is.
Chapter 1:What is Faith?
In the introduction, we discussed the importance of living by faith in these last days. By faith we are to live our whole Christian lives (Hab. 2:4, Rom.
1. Faith is a Firm Persuasion, Conviction and Trust God.
The word “faith” is the Greek word “pistis” and means “…persuasion, credence: conviction (of religious truth or the truthfulness of God), esp. reliance upon (Christ), and constancy in such a profession.”1 Faith is being convinced, persuaded in the faithfulness and truthfulness of God; His Word and character. E. W. Bullinger defines “pistis,” “faith” as a “…firm persuasion, the conviction which is based upon hearing, not upon sight, or knowledge: a firmly relying confidence in what we hear from God in His Word.”2 Faith means that we rely upon, trust in, confide in, and take refuge in God and His promises. It is to believe that God is who He says He is in His Word. It is to believe that He will fulfil all His promises spoken to us personally as individuals and corporately as a Church.
Faith is an act of the will, a decision of the heart to believe and actively trust God in our lives (Prov. 3:5-6, Rom.
2. Faith is Divine: Eph. 2:8, Gal. 2:20:
“For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God…” Eph. 2:8
We all possess a natural human faith that we use on a daily basis. This faith operates in the natural realm, governed by the five senses of taste, touch, sight, smell and hearing. This natural faith is grounded in the five senses. It is rare that it can believe in things that cannot be investigated by these five senses. However, the faith God imparts to us is divine. It has its beginnings in Him and is spiritual (Mark
3. Faith is a Gift from God: Eph. 2:8:
“…it is the gift of God…”
This divine faith is a gift from God. No one earns faith, it is a gift. Since it is divine faith, from God's very being, it is obvious that human beings do not naturally possess it or can acquire it themselves. God gives it to us as a gift. We cannot believe by our own ability, but need the assistance of the Holy Spirit who imparts faith to us to believe in Jesus. In Ephesians 2:8, it is referred to as a gift. The word “gift” is the Greek word “doron”, which means “a present:…gift, offering.”4 Faith is a “gift of God”, whether it be saving faith, the measure of faith to exercise spiritual gifts or the gift of faith imparted by the Holy Spirit to do extraordinary works (Rom. 12:3, 1 Cor. 12:9, Eph. 2:8).
4. Faith is of the Heart: Mark
“…shall not doubt in his heart…” Mark
“…and shall believe in his heart…” Rom. 10:9
The heart is the centre of our being. In the scriptures, the word heart and spirit are sometimes used interchangeably. Faith resides in the centre of our being, our hearts our spirits. Romans 10:9, says that we believe with the heart for salvation. At conversion, we were given the faith to believe upon Jesus as our Saviour (Eph. 2:8). Faith operates in and from the heart. Unless we believe God with our heart, we do not really believe God at all. Many believers confuse head faith (mental assent), with heart faith. Mental assent is agreeing with the truths of God's Word; that Jesus is saviour (Luke
5. Faith is a Spiritual Law: Rom.
“Where is boasting then? It is excluded. By what law? of works? Nay: but by the law of faith.”
To say that faith is a Spiritual Law is to describe it as a principle or a settled rule of action in the spiritual realm. It is the “rule” and “law” of the
6. Faith is a Spiritual Substance: Heb. 11:1:
“Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.”
The biblical definition of faith is found in Hebrews 11:1: “Faith is the substance of things...” From this scripture, we learn three essential truths about the nature of faith. Firstly, that faith is a spiritual substance, secondly that faith is the substance of things hoped for and thirdly, that faith is the evidence of things not seen. We will look at these three points in the following Faith-Facts.
Faith is a real spiritual substance. It is the substance of the things hoped for. Spiritual things are real, in fact more real than natural things (2 Cor.
7. Faith is the Substance of Things Hoped for: Heb. 11:1:
“Now faith is the substance of things hoped for.”
Secondly, we learn that faith is the substance of things, that is, it substantiates, or gives substance to the things we are hoping for. The Greek word for “substance” is “hupostasis” and means “a setting under (support)…concr.essence… foundation.”5 It means that which is a foundation or structure for something else. Thayer defines the word as “confidence, firm trust, assurance…”6 It is the confident assurance that the things hoped for (prayed for) are coming to pass. Our faith stands in the place of the things hoped for until they are manifested in our lives. When we think of the words, “confidence, assurance” we think of a sense or a feeling of certainty. Now faith does have these qualities yet goes beyond them. The “confidence” and “assurance” of faith is concrete, real, spiritual. It is a spiritual substance, a real spiritual presence in the heart of the believer. In this verse, faith is the foundation or structure of things hoped for, i.e. things being prayed for. This can be interpreted to mean that our faith gives reality, substance to the things we believe for. We could say that faith is the foundation, structure or “spiritual raw material” of the things we are hoping for to happen.
Now the “things” we are hoping for include the fulfilment of the words and promises of God in our lives. For instance, you may believe God for healing based upon His healing promises (James 5:14-15, 1 Pet. 2:24). Your faith stands in the place of your healing until the manifestation comes into being. Your faith is the foundation and substance of your healing, actually imparting reality to this “thing” hoped for. Barnes comments that faith is “…something that imparts reality in the view of the mind to those things which are not seen, and which serves to distinguish them from those things which are unreal and illusive. It is that which enables us to feel and act as if they were real, or which causes them to exert an influence over us as if we saw them.”7 Faith makes real the unseen things of the spiritual realm. To make these things real to us, faith itself must be a real spiritual substance.
8. Faith is the Evidence of Things not Seen: Heb. 11:1:
“…the evidence of things not seen…”
Thirdly, we learn from Hebrews 11:1, that faith is the “evidence” of things not seen. The things not seen pertain to the spiritual realm and the realities of our salvation. Although these things are not seen, they are real, in fact more real than that which is seen (2 Cor.
9. Faith is a Work of the Spirit within us: Eph. 3:16-17:
“…to be strengthened with might by his spirit in the inner man; that Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith”
Natural human faith cannot believe in a supernatural God and receive Jesus as saviour and Lord. Only divine faith does this. We have already mentioned that faith is a gift from God. Actually it is directly given to us from God the Holy Spirit, who continues to strengthen our spiritual man to believe God in and for all things (Eph.
10. Faith is a Spiritual Power or Force: Gen. 1:1,
Heb. 11:3.
To say that faith is a force is to say that it has strength, energy and active power. Faith has all of these, for it is the very power of God. Through it, God created the material universe. Faith therefore is a creative force; it brought the material realm into existence out of nothing. We can see that this spiritual force was used to create this material universe, for science teaches us that the universe is in a state of expansion. Scientists reason that this expansion was due to a “big bang” that occurred at the beginning of the universe. However, they have no satisfactory explanation how this energy came into being to create the material universe. As believers, we know that God created the universe through the spiritual force of faith released through His words:
“In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth.” Gen. 1:1
“…And God said, Let there be light: and there was light” Gen. 1:3
Scientists know that there is a power causing the universe to expand outwards, and that it had a beginning in time. We know that this power and force that brought the universe into existence was God’s spoken Word. The Psalmist declares that God created the universe through His Word:
“By the word of the Lord were the heavens made; and all the host of them by the breath of his mouth.” Ps. 33:6
Therefore, the universe was created by God’s Word. His words contain His faith.
Romans
“So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.”
So God’s written Word, the scriptures, contains the faith substance, the faith material, the same material that He used to create the universe in Genesis 1:1, 2ff. Faith is therefore a spiritual power and force in that it creates and changes the natural, physical realm. Jesus taught us about the power of faith in Mark 11:22-23:
“And Jesus answering saith unto them, Have faith in God. For verily I say unto you, that whosoever shall say unto this mountain, be thou removed, and be thou cast into the sea; and shall not doubt in his heart, but shall believe that those things which he saith shall come to pass; he shall have whatsoever he saith.”
Now we know that the mountain Jesus is speaking about can refer to any difficulty in our lives. However, Jesus was not just speaking figuratively. He was teaching a powerful spiritual truth that faith could affect and even move physical objects. You see Jesus had earlier cursed a physical object, the fig tree and it withered (Mark
11. Faith is an Eternal: 1 Cor. 13:13:
“And now abideth faith, hope and love…”
Paul teaches us in 1 Corinthians 13:13, that faith, hope and love are eternal. This means that we will always be exercising these virtues, even in Heaven. Remember faith pre-existed this natural realm for it was in God before He created this natural realm. Faith is eternal for we will always need to trust in the infinite God, seeing we are finite in our understanding and knowledge (Is. 32:17). Marvin Vincent commenting on this verse in 1 Corinthians 13:13 says: “…The essential permanence of the three graces is asserted. In their nature they are eternal.”10
Study 2: Spiritual Identity
Excerpts from book: "Our Life in Christ Jesus."
Many believers do not know who they are in Christ and what he has done for them in salvation. These word studies taken from my book:"Our Life in Christ Jesus, Word Studies on the Believer's Identity, Position and Blessings in Christ Jesus from the New Testament Epistles" examines the believer's union with Christ Jesus. These word studies are designed to help you walk in the fullness of your life in Christ. If you would like to purchase this book, go to the book catalogue page.
Word Study 11 from Romans:
In Christ Jesus we Reign in Life: Romans :
“For if by one man's offence death reigned by one; much more they which receive abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness shall reign in life by one, Jesus Christ.”
In Chapter 5:12-21, Paul contrasts the effects of Adam’s disobedience, and Christ’s obedience upon the human race. When God created Adam, He gave him authority and dominion over all His works (Gen. 1:26-28). Adam’s disobedience gave Satan the legal right to rule over him and take dominion from him (Luke 4:6). We as descendants of Adam have become slaves to Satan, sin and death. Adam’s disobedience released death into the human race (vs. 12-14). Christ Jesus, the incarnate Word (John
Word Study 7 from 2 Corinthians:
We are New Creatures in Christ 2 Corinthians: 5
“Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature; old things are past; behold all things are become new.”
The context of this very famous verse is the death of Christ, Him dying for all and instituting a new order whereby we no longer live for self but for God (vss. 14-15). We should not judge other believers according to the flesh, according to their race, gender or class, because in Christ Jesus “all things have become new.” Therefore, if any man is “In Christ” he is a “new creature.” Hodge’s commentary on this phrase”in Christ” is revealing: “…To be in Christ is the common scriptural phrase to express the saving connection or union between him and his people. They are in him by covenant, as all men were in Adam; they are in him as members of his body, through the indwelling of the Holy Spirit; and they are in him by faith, which lays hold of and appropriates him as the life and portion of the soul.
The word “new” is the Greek word "kainos" and means “new, freshness”16 Thayer says it means, "…of a new kind; unprecedented, novel, uncommon, unheard of…17 A new work has begun in us, Christ Himself is formed in us (Gal. 4:19). This is powerful. There is something brand new living on the inside of our spirits. Heaven itself has come to live on the inside of our being. This new spiritual nature will demonstrate the things of Heaven, unheard of to the natural man, such as tongues, interpretations, prophesies, groaning in the spirit and laughter in the spirit. These things are new to us as natural men and women, yet it is the life of Heaven manifested through our spirits. Hodge says of the word “new” that it refers to that which is “unimpaired, uncontaminated.” In our experience of this fallen polluted planet, sin has affected everything. Both animal and human life has been affected by sin. Nothing is “new” on this planet. Everything that man makes comes from material that is under the power of sin and the curse (Gen. 3:17-18). However when God says that He has made us “new creatures” it means that the new life within us, is, holy, pure and undefiled by anything of this earthly realm. God does not take anything from this realm of sin and death and put it in our spirits. He does not even “patch up” or improve our spirits, but gives us a brand new spiritual life that is “unimpaired” or ” uncontaminated” by the fall and the sinful environment in which we live.
The word “new” also refers to the new age to come, the age inaugurated by the death and resurrection of Christ, bringing in the
“Old things are past away, behold all things are become new.” One reason many believers do not experience victory in their lives, is because they do not see themselves as new creatures in Christ Jesus. Some still see themselves as sinners with the same problems they had before they were saved. They have not renewed their minds to the spiritual realities of their identity in Christ Jesus. In the last part of this powerful scripture (2 Cor.
Word Study 7 from Philippians:
Christ shall Change our Bodies to be like His Glorious Body:
”Who shall change our vile body, that it may be fashioned like unto his glorious body, according to the working whereby he is able even to subdue all things unto himself.”
We look for the return of Christ who will change our bodies to be like His body (1 Cor.
“That it may be fashioned like”, the word “like” is the Greek word,”summorphos” which, means, "jointly formed, i.e. (figuratively) similar:--conformed to, fashioned like unto."11 Our bodies will be conformed, fashioned like His "glorious body." The word "glorious" is interesting. It comes from the Greek word "doxa" which has various shades of meaning. Its common meanings are "dignity, glory, honour."12 However the meaning here is more than that; it implies that our bodies will be composed of the glorious spiritual substance that is Christ’s resurrected body. The word” glory” in the Old Testament ("kabod") generally means “heaviness.” When applied to God however, glory also speaks of His splendour and majesty, and refers to a spiritual manifestation of His divine being. The “glory of the Lord” often appeared to His people in a cloud, (Ex.
Study 3: What is the Word of Faith?
Excerpt From book: Why You Need the Word of Faith
in the Last Days
Chapter 1
What is the “Word of Faith Message?”
“But what saith it? The word is nigh thee, even in thy mouth, and in thy heart: that is, the word of Faith, which we preach;
“That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved.
“For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.” Romans 10:8-10
The Word of Faith Movement
The term “Word of Faith Movement” has been given to a teaching movement that began in the 1970s. The movement is said to have its origins in the teachings of the bible teacher E.W. Kenyon and developed and espoused by the late Kenneth E. Hagin who has been referred to as the “father” of the modern Faith Movement. There are other prominent teachers such as Kenneth and Gloria Copeland, Dr. K C Price, Charles Capps and Creflo Dollar. Although all of them teach the Faith Message, each of them focuses on different aspects of Faith. The Faith Message teaches, believers how, they can access all the privileges and blessings of the redemption wrought by Christ on the Cross. It explores the work of salvation, and how it impacts believers in every area of their lives, spirit, soul and body. It shows how salvation in the biblical sense includes deliverance from sickness (Matt. 8:17, 1 Pet. 2:24), sin (Acts 26:18, Rom. 6:6-7, 8:1, 2 Cor. 2:14), demonic oppression, (Luke 10:16, James 4:7), fear (1 Tim. 1:7), depression (Eph. 6:12, Phil. 4:8), and from all the power of the enemy (Luke 10:19, Col. 1:15). It teaches that all of the promises of God are available to all believers because of what Christ done on the Cross. It reveals how believers can obtain these great and precious promises through Faith in God’s Word (2 Cor.
The phrase “Word of Faith” is actually a biblical phrase found in Romans 10:8:
“But what saith it? The word is nigh thee, even in thy mouth, and in they heart: that is, the word of Faith, which we preach;” Romans 10:8
Paul is contrasting the Old Testament method of righteousness before God by obedience to the Mosaic Law, with the New Testament method which is through Faith in Christ. This method of righteousness with God is the “word of Faith” which he preached. The Greek word for “word” is “rhema,” and means the spoken word. Here it refers to the proclamation of the gospel message about Jesus and salvation through His cross. It is the “word of Faith” because it is through Faith that God makes us right with Him as opposed to obedience to the Mosaic Law. Paul is saying that he preached a different way of getting right with God, the “Word of Faith”. It is in believing what Jesus has done for us and not trying to obey the Law that we are made righteous before God. This was the “word of Faith” which he preached.
However it is not just the “word of Faith” because it is a different method of becoming righteous before God, (i.e. the Faith method as opposed to the works method), it is a “word of Faith,” because the very proclamation of the gospel message, produces Faith in the hearts of its hearers. In other words, when the Word of salvation is being preached, (the gospel), then Faith is coming to the hearers to believe upon Jesus for salvation.
“How then shall hey call on him in whom they have not believed? And how shall they believe in him of whom they have not heard? And how shall they hear without a
preacher?... …“So then Faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.” Romans 10:14, 17.
How can unbelievers believe unless someone preaches Jesus to them? How can Faith come to them if they do not hear the Word? Why? Because Faith comes by hearing the Word of God preached (Rom.
“So then Faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.” Romans 10:14, 17
The literal translation of this verse is:
“Faith is of hearing” Young’s literal translation.
Strong’s Concordance, Greek dictionary says, the word “by” is the word “ek” which is a preposition and means “….denoting origin (the point whence motion or action proceeds) from out, (of place time or cause)…” Faith comes out of the Word of God. It is clear then that God has put Faith in His Word, the power to believe in Jesus. The person who hears the Word of God preached receives Faith to believe upon Jesus. Now when it comes to salvation we know that we are saved by Grace through Faith (Eph. 2:9). Yet many theologians and bible teachers separate the Faith that empowers us to believe, from the preached Word of God which causes Faith to come in the first place. They do not understand that God’s method of bringing Faith to the hearts of people is through His Word (Rom.
“This only would I learn of you, Received ye the Spirit by the works of the law, or by the hearing of Faith?” Gal. 3:2
“He therefore that ministered to you the Spirit, and worketh miracles among you, doeth he it by the works of the law, or by the hearing of Faith?” Gal. 3:5
The Galatians Christians forgot the truth that they were saved by Grace through Faith. They got themselves into legalism, trying to gain salvation through works instead of Faith. Paul challenged them by asking them how they received the gift of the Holy Spirit. Notice his question to them, in these verses; did you receive the spirit “by the hearing of Faith?” Now how do you believe? How do you hear Faith? You hear Faith come to you when you hear the Word of God taught or preached to you (Rom.
The Word of God releases the Faith of God. The Word of God does not limit its power to produce Faith to salvation only. On the contrary when the Word of God is preached on any promise of God, it releases Faith to receive that promise from God. When healing is being preached, Faith is released for healing (1: Pet.
So the “word of Faith” is a scriptural phrase which means that God’s Word of salvation is the Faith way of achieving salvation as opposed to obedience to the Mosaic Law. It is also the Word that produces Faith in the hearts of its hearers for salvation, deliverance prosperity and holiness. The Faith Message being taught today is simply teaching these biblical truths. It is teaching us how to receive Faith for the promises of God.
However once the Word is received into the heart, it has to be released or confessed with the mouth:
“That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved.
For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.” Romans 9-10.
Once the Word is preached to a person, they believe it in their hearts. Then they have to confess or speak it out with their mouths (Rom. 10:9‑10). In the example of salvation, the process is as follows. The preacher preaches the Word of salvation to a lost person. The person receives the Word and believes it in their hearts. Faith is now in them to believe who Jesus is and what He has done for them. This Faith has to be vocalised for this is always the action of Faith (Mark
However there are other principles and truths that must be applied in the lives of believers to receive the promises of God. For example walking in love and forgiveness is vital to a successful Faith life as well as living a pure and holy life (Mark
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