Faith Comes Directly from God
He believed in Yahweh; and he reckoned it to him for righteousness. — Genesis 15:6
So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God. — Romans 10:17
Author
E. M. Bounds
Summary: Faith does not consist in an abstract belief, mere intellectual assent, or passive acceptance. It is a supernatural work of God in the human soul, implanted through His Word and the Holy Spirit. Through it, we remain conscious of God, recognize Jesus Christ as Savior, appropriate the truths of the Word, and receive strength from the Spirit. Faith has a definite object: God Himself. It is the gaze of the soul directed toward Him, resting on His promises and trusting in His Word. We do not believe indiscriminately, but in the perfect and almighty God, relying on His blessed Person.
Faith is not an abstract belief in the Word of God, nor is it a mere assent or understanding of the will, nor is it a passive acceptance of facts. Faith is an operation of God, a divine illumination, a holy energy implanted within the human soul by the Word of God and the Holy Spirit: a divine and spiritual principle that comes from the supernatural and makes a thing apprehensible through the faculties of time and the senses.
Faith is continually conscious of God. It deals directly with the Lord Jesus Christ and sees Him as the Savior; it deals with the Word of God and appropriates its truths. It deals with the Spirit of God and is invigorated and inspired by His holy fire. God is the great object of faith, for faith rests upon His Word. Faith is not something without an object, but the soul’s gaze toward God and a resting in His promises. Just as love and hope always have an object, so does faith. It is not believing in just anything, but in God, in the perfect and Omnipotent God, resting in His blessed Person and trusting in His Word.
Source: "The Necessity of Prayer"