“there is only one way to all the treasures of God, and that is the way of faith.” – S. Wigglesworth 

 Faith Beginning. When we pray “God, vitalize my faith”, we open ourselves to unknown possibilities… and don’t let anybody tell you otherwise – it is SCARY AND EXCITING all at the same time! The fear of the unknown, the fear of failure and honestly the sheer effort required all pose challenges in any new endeavor! Even so, the sense of accomplishment and victory is worth the effort! This series is designed to walk us through to victory.

Surveys reveal the faith of most Christians today is less than vital. Asking someone professing a life change through Jesus – “When was the last time you read your Bible?” The response was, “Well, it’s been awhile – maybe a couple weeks.” Sharing my faith with another believer, he responded, “I don’t have an experience like that.”

 So, how would you describe a VITAL faith to someone, what are its benefits and is it something Jesus wants for EVERY believer?

Here’s an acrostic I use to outline an easy to remember profile of a VITAL faith:

V = Values – II Cor 5:17 – A vital faith changes our perspective on every situation of life, giving us a true picture of reality that doesn’t fall flat in the face of crisis! We begin to see how God sees and value what He values, beginning with His Word. Does this have benefits! This isn’t a question. It’s an exclamation – a basis for energy, hope, freedom, and every good thing (John 10:10). Anxieties can fly away!

I  = “I”. Yes, the I takes a back seat to the purposes of God (Gal 2:20). His ways are higher than ours. “As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts” (Isa 55:9). Another benefit we profit from.

T = Telling others about Jesus – Philemon 6: “I pray you may be active in sharing your faith so you may have a full understanding of every good thing we have in Christ.” No, we are not to wait until we sin less to tell how good Jesus is! When we love Him, we WILL sin less; It’s automatic. But, however we share Jesus, the “T” is an absolute necessity to living victorious!

A = Attitude. One of the biggest changes in me is here. Attitude determines altitude. Under extreme pressure Jesus overcame death, hell and the grave. So it is, the Apostle Paul points us to Jesus in Philippians 2:1-8! A mindset that is being renewed daily makes us strong, not leaving us to trust in feelings or languish in the passing whims of our emotions (James 1:2-12).

L  = Love. Paul says (Col 3:12-14) “Over all these (named virtues), put on love…” And there’s no better definition of love than 1 Cor 13, “Love is patient, it is kind.” This kind of love deepens our prayer life. It drives us to speak carefully. It causes us to listen more attentively. It helps polish some of the abrasive ways we have in relationships with others. Let us grow in love in 2025.

I saw a pharmacist wearing a shirt that said, “Fear no evil.”  It struck me as really humorous 😊! With all the warnings on every prescription ad on TV, I’m thinking “pick your poison.”  When the side effects are worse than the disease, there is motivation to make a change!

Not everyone wants a cure, of course. But I did and do; and a lot of my friends likewise, praise God! Does it make a difference? If you stick with it, YES. I saw a bumper sticker once that read, “A Bible falling apart usually belongs to someone who isn’t.” Amen

Skye

To read “Why Am I Here” from the “Purpose Driven Life,” click here: https://www.ioutreachinc.org/resources/why-am-i-here/