"Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, a conviction of things not seen" (Hebrews 11:1)

Faith is the lack of fear or doubt that we will get what we hope for. The Bible teaches that it is the complete trust, assurance or confidence in the word of God. There is no human being with perfect faith. However Jesus said that if we have faith the size of a mustard seed we can move mountains.

The Bible further says that “without faith, it is impossible to please God.' [Hebrews 11.6] and `Faith without works is dead.' [James 2.20] so we all need to build on our faith and good works.

But, how do you grow in faith? An effective way of doing this is reading or hearing the word of God and the experiences of others whose faith has sustained them and helped them to overcome or achieve great things.

What God can do in our lives is without limits because with God everything is possible. Our faith is what limits us. The more faith you have, the more the opportunities you have of experiencing what God can do in your life.

The Bible has great stories of faith, often after initial doubt. When asked by God to lead Israelis out of Egypt, Moses who was then eighty years old said: “Who am I, that I should go unto Pharaoh, and that I should bring forth the children of Israel out of Egypt?' (Exodus 3:11) This was despite his training by his nurse Jochebed, who was his natural mother, in the ways of God and his life in Pharaoh’s court acquiring all the wisdom of the Egyptians including might in words and in deeds. We later read of the many miracles God performed through him to deliver the people of Israel to the Promised Land.

Faith inspires the believer into action enabling him or her to do something out of the ordinary. David had faith that he would defeat the giant Goliath with a stone and sling, Abraham had faith that he and Sarah would be blessed with a son even though they were quite old; Noah had faith in God and built an Ark to God’s specifications when there was no rain and amidst the mockery of others.

The Bible also tells us the story of the woman who had bled for 12 years. She had faith that if she touched Jesus, even the hem of His tunic, she would be healed. She must have been a pariah and smelly given the dressings available during her day, but she took the leap of faith. After she had touched his cloak Jesus turned and saw her. “Take heart daughter” he said, “your faith has healed you.” Mathew 9:22. Like this woman you too can enjoy healing of body, mind and soul through faith in God.

We need faith to believe in that prospect for the future, a faith strong and committed. We need to demonstrate that faith by our way of life – our trust in God's Word influencing our daily actions and aspirations. We are a reflection of our faith. The way we dress, talk, and relate to others speaks volumes about what we believe in. We can attract or deter others from our faith by the example we show. And beyond it all, we get that peace that knows no understanding.