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Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith Hb12:2 A finished faith exists for those who have successfully run the race. St. Paul, a lion of faith, tells us in Second Timothy that he has finished the course. He knows he has finished the course because there awaits for him a crown of righteousness. So we enter the race by Jesus as we are born again. We run with the purpose to obtain and with certainty not beating the air, but bringing our bodies into subjection lest we, ourselves, become a castaway (1Cor9:24-27). So unless we enter the race our faith will never be finished. And only when we have passed the finished line is our faith complete. A finished faith is a rewarded faith But without faith it is impossible to please God.... he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him (Hb11:6) We know our faith is finished when we are partakers of the blessing. “If you ask anything in my name I will do it.”(Jn14:14) When we are Spirit filled and Spirit led we ask according to the will of God, and if we ask according to the will of God, our faith will be rewarded. That is the promise that God gives to those that have successfully run the race. If we diligently work out our salvation, if we diligently work through the trials of our faith, if we diligently seek the Lord and are obedient to the word and to the Spirit, then we will be rewarded and we will know we have a finished faith. A finished faith is an anointed faith “But the anointing which you have received of him abideth in you, and ye need not that any man teach you, but as the same anointing teacheth you of all things and is truth and is no lie, and even as it hath taught you, ye shall abide in him.(1Jn2:27) A finished faith is an anointed faith whereby we abide in Christ and according to John fifteen verse seven “If ye abide in me and my word abide in you, ye shall ask what ye will and it shall be done unto you” When our faith is a finished faith God teaches us and we need not rely on man. We live by faith, we walk by faith, and we move and have our being by faith and our reward is answered prayer and quietness and confidence. There is a finish line to people who have chosen to run the race. We do not need to wait until we have entered heaven's gate to reap the rewards of a life pleasing to God. Be at it for God. Work it out. Make God your number one priority. It will be worth it in the end. amen |