Have you ever heard the term, “Fake it until you make it?”

Most people have. Do you know what it means?

It means to imitate confidence and competence with an optimistic mindset.  You do this until it comes to pass.  The “faking it” part is acting in a way as if it was already true.

The “making it” part is the hopeful realization that it will come to pass.

You have to believe in yourself even to fake it.

You have to be confident enough to pull it off. You must act the part.

Faith it and you will make it!

This is the meaning of Faith: “Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.” Hebrews 11:1

Having faith means to hope and also to believe. You can’t “fake it.” Not truly. You can have the appearance of faith to onlookers but you can’t lie to God. Also, it’s pointless to fake faith because what you need to happen won’t happen. You see, the same concept doesn’t work for faith. The whole “pretending” thing.

Yes, I hear you, it’s similar right? In both situations, you are hoping for something that isn’t quite true because it hasn’t happened. The difference with faith is God. We are believing that God is who He says He is, and will do what He says He will do. We are believing in the power of God.

God causes those things that are not, as though they were. So we are trusting and believing God. That is the foundation of having faith. Trusting God. And how can you actually trust God, if you don’t believe He is God? Or that He is able to do all things as He says in His word?

Numbers 23:19 (NKJV)

You can’t pretend to have faith. You just have to have it. you either believe Him or you don’t. I know I make it sound simple. I understand that initially it isn’t simple. But trust me, as you continue in your walk with God, it gets easier.

See for me, my experience is my evidence.

I have experience with God, and that experience has taken me from faith to faith. My faith grows each time.

Abraham never wavered in believing God’s promise. In fact, his faith grew stronger, and in this he brought glory to God. Roman 4:20

 

Faith makes you look crazy. Seriously. You are believing something that looks hopeless and onlookers are saying, “You are crazy to keep believing in a dead situation.” How many can relate?

But believe and don’t waver. Don’t stop believing God.

(As it is written, I have made thee a father of many nations,) before him whom he believed, even God, who quickeneth the dead, and calleth those things which be not as though they were. Romans 4:17

I want to share with you one of my experiences. I have many, and will have many more as I continue in my walk with the Lord.

It was about 18 months ago that my husband and I purchased our home. I feel excitement even as I am typing this because God is so good. We were house hunting and we looked at many homes. When we came to this home, I fell in love. It was my home. I saw my family in it. I went to the backyard and I placed my hands on it and decreed and declared it mine, and saying to the Lord that He said that He would give me what I asked in faith and that no good thing would He withhold from me. I believed Him for this house. I walked away feeling very confident. (Job 22:28)

All was going well. We put our offer in. I kept telling the realtor that this house was going to be ours. I said to him, “What’s mine is mine, and no one can take it from me.” He would smile and look curiously at me. I enrolled my children in their new schools with only a purchase agreement. We hadn’t closed on the home, but to me that was a mere technicality. I started setting up transfers of service and everything.

So after these things had taken place, we received a call saying that our deal fell through because someone came with a cash offer and the sellers were taking it. WOW

True story.

I heard the realtor. I did. But I didn’t believe it…I didn’t receive it. I told my husband that night, it still felt like our home. It didn’t feel like we lost it.  The next day our realtor was very apologetic and said, “These things happen. I have more homes to show you that are equally as nice.”

We looked at a few homes. I was very unenthusiastic about the whole thing. I couldn’t understand. I said, “Lord you gave me peace with this home. I believed you for it and still believe you.”

To make a long story short we received a call saying that the sellers were going with us. Yes! us! He thought they were crazy LOL and at closing their realtor said the same. He didn’t understand the decision they made.  Yet I said, at closing, “What did I tell y’all?”, “What’s mine is mine, and this was my home.” 

I love God! That was a testimony that day and a witness to His goodness. His faithfulness. I am thankful everyday in my home. I know what God can do. I don’t care what a situation looks like. He can turn marriages around. He can deliver from drugs and alcohol. He can heal.

He can do anything.

You just need to go back to the last thing He did for you. And other things that He has done for you. Marinate on that. Whether it’s small or big. Build your faith off of your experiences. There are also testimonies of His goodness that your friends/family members may have. He is the same God.

Believe and confess the word of God over your situation. God says He watches over His word to perform it and that it will not return to Him void.

Look at what the scriptures say at Jeremiah 1:12, Then the LORD said to me, “You have seen well, for I am watching over my word to perform it.” and at Isaiah 55:11, “It is the same with my word. I send it out, and it always produces fruit. It will accomplish all I want it to, and it will prosper everywhere I send it.”

You can see a real move of God in your life if you just believe, trust and have confidence in Him and His word.

His word is true.

We don’t want to “fake it” until we “make it” in our walk with God. We want to truly “Faith it” so we can “make it.” Make it to whatever we are believing God for.

 Without faith it’s impossible to please God. (Hebrews 11:6)

And with faith we must have works. We must act like what we say. We must act on what we say we believe. (James 2: 14-26) Don’t ask God to save your marriage and talk negative about your marriage every chance you get. Speak life into that situation. Speak the Word. If you’re believing God for a job, go apply. Go on interviews. Don’t sit in your home and say things like, “I’ll never get a job”, or “There are no good jobs.” God can do all things, but we have free will. He does work with us and will not force us. He wants to do for us. He knows how to give us good gifts too, the best! But ask, believing that you will receive, regardless of what it looks like. We pray, but we must also speak the word over our situations. Then have patience. Patience in His perfect timing.

I am believing God for my total and complete healing from cancer. I believe Him. I speak healing over myself. I speak His word. All is well with me. I believe God’s report. Sometimes this cancer stuff looks downright ugly too. The side effects of the treatments do a number on me. I say, “This too shall pass.”  This is a chapter of my life, not my entire life. I have so much more life to live. God has shown me things in dreams and visions and prophetic words spoken over me. I believe Him.

They haven’t come to pass yet, so I am not going anywhere just yet.

He is not a man that He should lie.

This entire time since my diagnosis, surgery and treatments, I have been on a faith walk. It came out of nowhere and I didn’t understand what was happening in my life. Diagnosed with stage 3 breast cancer. Everything stopped for me. My state of mind is very important during a season such as this. The enemy came with his lies. I rebuked him and continue to look to God. I have to trust God in my finances, my state of mind, my health, my family, etc. So much was affected with me being down. God is my healer. He is my deliverer. He is my provider and way maker. Sometimes I feel really terrible. Sometimes I have pain so badly that I can’t even get out of the bed. But you know what I do? I say, “Thank you Jesus”, and “I bless your name Lord.” I praise Him! I have a prayer room in the basement and when I can’t make it down there, I pray from my bed. I praise Him and I trust Him through my trial. Trusting He will see me through it. Faith that He will never leave me.

God is real. He is faithful. Make it a priority to go deeper. There is surface faith. The milk. and that is OK if that is where you are, but don’t stay there. We all start there. Babies in the faith.

Babies eventually need cereal, then baby food, and solid food like adults.

Go deeper and get solid food. (Hebrews 5:4)

Faith it and you will see the hand of God work powerfully in your life. Focus on what God says. Don’t focus on the negative things. Your response is what’s important. Exercise faith. If you need more faith, ask God. Ask Him for whatever you need. (Matthew 7:7-12)

Remember that no weapon formed against you shall prosper. They may form, but they won’t prosper. Don’t focus on the weapons. Speak against them. The enemy is a liar. remember that. Don’t compare yourself with anyone else either. God is not partial. What He does for one, He can do for another. He deals with us differently too. He knows where we are. He knows what we can handle. If you’re a parent with more than one child, you know this to be true with your own children. We love them all, but based on who they are as an individual, we deal with them accordingly to who they are and what they need specifically. For example, I may have a child that is more responsible when given assignments, and can handle a lot at once. I know how much I can give to them. I may have another who is the opposite, so I know the load that I can give them. I deal with them accordingly but loving them both.

Comparing yourself will only have you stagnant in your walk. It may cause you to murmur and give an open door for  the enemy. Don’t go there.

Look at God. That’s it. Be Free! Faith in God frees you from the bondage of worry. Don’t be bound.

There is power in the name of Jesus. Believe it!

Jesus said at Luke 18:8, “…when the Son of Man comes, will he find faith on earth?” That’s deep!

Will He? You can’t speak for me, nor I for you. We must all work out our own salvation.

I hope this encourages you.

Walk it Out