The Word without Faith
is Not Profitable

"Not that I speak in regard to need, for I have learned in whatever state I am, to be content: I know how to be abased, and I know how to abound. Everywhere and in all things I have learned both to be full and to be hungry, both to abound and to suffer need" (Philippians 4:11-12).

The very next verse in this well-known passage says, "I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me" (v. 13).

The fullness of this verse means: I can do all things through Christ, the Anointed One and His anointing, who strengthens me to do the things I can't get done on my own. Therefore, there is nothing He cannot strengthen us to do as long as what we want to do is in the will of God for our lives. Having faith is part of His will for us. Here are some benefits of faith.

Romans 5:1 says, "Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. Through whom also we have access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God."

Think about that. Having been justified by faith we have peace. And we have access into God's grace, which is His unmerited, divine favor - His goodness towards those who do not deserve it and cannot earn it. We all fit in that category; however, not everyone receives this free gift of God.

"For indeed the gospel was preached to us as well as to them; but the word which they heard did not profit them, not being mixed with faith in those who heard it" (Hebrews 4:2).

Two groups of people heard the gospel. One of them received it. One of them did not receive it. The gospel was profitable for the group that mixed it with faith. It was not profitable for the group that did not mix it with faith. The Word did not work for the second group of people because they would not receive it by faith.

There is a rest that remains for the people of God (Hebrews 4:9). It is a supernatural rest and a supernatural peace that is available for all who believe. So Christians really have no excuse for not being at peace. You may say, "Oh, but Pastor Larry, you just don't know what I am going through. I have had disaster after disaster. Everything in my life has gone wrong - physically, financially and emotionally. I am a mess." The truth is it doesn't matter what's gone wrong in your life. You can be at peace and at rest regardless of the circumstances. Remember, you can do all things through Christ. That means you can be at rest in the storm.

Jesus continually taught this concept of peace, but the disciples kept missing it. He never said He would remove the storms. He said He would give us peace in the storm (John 16:33). In the storm, we can rest in the boat (Mark 4:37-38). In the storm, we can walk on the water (Matthew 14:24,29). The storm still goes by our house and all around it, but when it's over, our house remains (Matthew 7:24-25). In the storm, we can have faith. In the storm, we can have rest. In the storm, we can have peace. We can survive the storm, because we are at rest and in faith - all the way through it.

A lot of people say, "This faith thing doesn't work. I tried it once and it just doesn't work." We don't just try God. We receive His Spirit (the Holy Spirit) within us. We don't test and try. We don't just try faith. We're either in faith or we're not in faith. We either believe God or we don't believe God.

One scripture concerning tithing that says test God, prove Him and try Him in it and see if He won't do as He promises (Malachi 3:10). God wants us to take advantage of the many "if you do this, then I'll do that" blessings He's made available for us in His Word. However, we cannot try the foundational truths of God. We're either saved or we're lost. We're either in faith or in fear. We either accept the grace or refuse it. There is no middle ground.

To learn more about the Word of God, check out Dr. Ollison's book,
Practical Handbook for Christian Living.