Breaking away from 'believism' and coming to faith was a long, painful process for me. Faith is not a work of man it is a work of God (Eph. The 'word that comes' to an individual and which is 'received' by an individual creates faith.

Believing doctrines does not create New Life but it does create many divisions in the church. Logic is not the criterion for spiritual reality, but spiritual reality is logical. I had been trained to approach the Bible as a collection of doctrinal statements to be believed even if it doesn't make sense logically. Faith is being apprehended by and drawn by God into God's agenda. Faith is a state of 'being taken' by the one who speaks a 'word' which makes you 'his own' (Phil. Paul indicated that a direct word (rhema) spoken to the human spirit creates faith (Rom. Believing doctrines is a mental act and can be done without input from the Spirit. The reformers began to equate faith with believing doctrines. Ever since Luther the focus of many has been on man's faith rather than the one who creates faith. My life was being transformed into his image from one degree of glory to another (II Cor. He removed several blockages that were hindering my spiritual growth. But the table was turned when the 'Living Word' rose from my operating table and strapped me down. My soul was well trained to 'operate' on the biblical text. I had been 'rightly dividing the word' using my mental faculty. The Holy Spirit had begun the process of 'dividing soul and spirit' within me through the living and abiding word (Heb. That 'righteousness' is religious fig leaves! We deceive ourselves into thinking we are spiritual because we recite the creed and behave properly in public. Our focus on doctrines and external behavior builds a barrier between our human soul and our human spirit. As a result, our spirit is malnourished and stunted while our soul is well fed and strong. Even religious training is focused on the soul-mind, seldom on the spirit. The soul receives training in our education system. Our body is well cared for from the womb on. From this 'house' he would love everyone in my world, even those who would 'crucify' me. I was being renovated to become a comfortable place for the Father to dwell and work. The building of a new 'house' was in process and I was not the builder. Living faith was replacing religious repression. At the same time my faith was strengthened. The shaking was so drastic that I knew the house was crumbling to the ground. The foundations of my religious house were radically shaken during those few months.

Rhema word of faith