The believer must accept what the divine power of God can do for anyone who places their faith in (and their trust on) the atonement sacrifice of Christ.  (NLT Romans 8:1-2), “Now there is no condemnation for those who belong to Christ Jesus.  For the power of the life-giving Spirit has freed you through Christ Jesus from the power of sin that leads to death.”

            When we confess any unbelief before God, He is ready to forgive any sin of trusting in something other than Him.  The foundation of faith is “to believe in the one [God] has sent," (John 6:29).  To have faith in the power of Christ, is to trust God for health, healing, protection and material needs (without any thing between us and God).

            When we accept Christ into our heart and believe on the power that is in back of His name, we become a child of God.  (John 1:12), “To those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God.”  If we believe in Christ, we will trust in the power that raised Him from the grave.  Jesus reminded us to, "Trust in God; trust also in me,” (John 14:1).  That command is from the One who paid the price for our sin.  To love God means to obey His Word.  (John 14:15), "If you love me, you will obey what I command.”  His word of command is to trust in God and to also trust in Him.

            When we place our faith in the power of Christ and receive an answer to prayer (for healing, finances, or anything else), the glory goes to God.  Healing a man on the Sabbath upset the unbelieving Jews, so Jesus told them (John 5:21), “Just as the Father raises the dead and gives them life, even so the Son gives life to whom he is pleased to give it.”

            If the Jews had believed in Christ, they would have given glory to God for the healing of the man.  They did not believe, however, so Jesus told them (John 5:23), “He who does not honor the Son does not honor the Father, who sent him.”  Jesus added (John 5:38), “nor does his word dwell in you, for you do not believe the one he sent.”  Since the Word of God was not in them, the Son of God meant nothing to them.

            Choosing to place our faith in Christ is a salvation issue.  Jesus said (John 5:24), "Whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life and will not be condemned; he has crossed over from death to life.”  Jesus also said (John 3:18), “Whoever does not believe stands condemned already because he has not believed in the name of God’s one and only Son.” 

            Jesus said (John 5:39-40), “You diligently study the Scriptures because you think that by them you possess eternal life.  These are the Scriptures that testify about me, yet you refuse to come to me to have life.”  Everyone needs to be spiritually enlightened to see the divine power that is ready to work for them.  (John 12:46) “I have come into the world as a light, so that no one who believes in me should stay in darkness.”

            The Holy Spirit inspired the writing of God’s Word to inform us.  (NLT John 12:47-48), “If anyone hears me and doesn’t obey me, I am not his judge — for I have come to save the world and not to judge it.  But all who reject me and my message will be judged at the day of judgment by the truth I have spoken.”  (NLT John 12:50), “I know his instructions lead to eternal life!”

            It is matter of choice on our part to place our faith in the power of Christ, (or to trust in some thing else).  (2 Corinthians 13:5), “Examine yourselves to see whether you are in the faith; test yourselves.  Do you not realize that Christ Jesus is in you--unless, of course, you fail the test? [are disqualified NKJ, are insincere WEY, are disapproved of YLT].”

            A believer must continue to trust God and have faith in Christ (if they do not want to be judged).  (John 5:24) "Whoever hears my word [listens to my teaching WEY] and believes him who sent me has eternal life and will not be condemned; he has crossed over from death to life.”

            If we choose to have faith in the power of Christ (for the issues of life—(health, healing, deliverances, protection, temporal supplies and anything where trust is involved), we will not be condemned.  It is a matter of continuing to believe by remaining in Christ.  (John 15:9-10) "As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you.  Now remain in my love.  If you obey my commands, you will remain in my love.”

            Romans 10:17 tells us that “faith comes from hearing the message, and the message is heard through the word of Christ.”  When a person hears the Word and accepts what God has said about His Son, the Holy Spirit empowers them to place their faith in Christ.  The apostles told the religious leaders about the power of God raising Jesus to life (Acts 5:31-32) and saying, “We are witnesses of these things, and so is the Holy Spirit, whom God has given to those who obey him."

            The choice to obey God’s Word is first (so the Holy Spirit can be given next).  If a person professes to have faith, but does not act in faith (on the power that is available through Christ), their faith is invalid.  “Faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead,” (James 2:17).  Abraham acted in faith so “You see, he was trusting God so much that he was willing to do whatever God told him to do.  His faith was made complete by what he did — by his actions,” (NLT James 2:22).

            We learn to apply faith in God’s Son by first being committed to obey God’s Word.  A faithful student of God sincerely wants to do God’s will (regardless of the risk).  Only the Holy Spirit can open a person’s eyes to understand what Christ accomplished on the cross.  When God’s Spirit enables us to know what the sacrifice of Christ should mean to us, we can then believe on that divine power to do anything we would need accomplished in our life.  (John 7:17), “If anyone chooses to do God’s will, he will find out whether my teaching comes from God.”

            After placing our faith in Christ the first time, we must remain on the Vine and to keep believing in the divine power that flows from Him.  Staying connected means continually placing our faith in the power of Christ.  (NLT John 15:4) “Remain in me, and I will remain in you.  For a branch cannot produce fruit if it is severed from the vine, and you cannot be fruitful apart from me.”

            Jesus explains (5-6) “‘Yes, I am the vine; you are the branches.  Those who remain in me, and I in them, will produce much fruit.  For apart from me you can do nothing.  Anyone who parts from me [does not remain in me NIV] is thrown away like a useless branch and withers.  Such branches are gathered into a pile [thrown into the fire NIV] to be burned.”

              A believer will be tested by encountering various situations.  When those opportunities are given, we will have the choice to place our trust in the power of Christ (or to place our trust in some thing else).  Where we place our faith, will determine where we spend eternity, because it is only by faith in Christ that we enter God’s kingdom.  (Colossians 2:12), “With [Christ] you were raised to a new life because you trusted the mighty power of God, who raised Christ from the dead.”  The divine power that raised Jesus from the dead is the power available to the believer today—power for healing, supplying, protecting and saving them from the lake of fire.

            The vital issue is where we place our faith (and on whom we put our trust) when a situation involving faith is confronted.  God wants us to choose to believe in His power to heal, deliver and save because anyone who believes is forgiven.  (John 5:24) ”Whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life and will not be condemned.”

            If we are physically oppressed, we will have to make a choice on whom to place our trust for healing.  If we choose to place our trust on drugs and medical science (instead of trusting on the divine power of God through the atonement of Christ), we would be condemned for not believing. “There is no judgment awaiting those who trust him.  But those who do not trust him have already been judged for not believing in the only Son of God,” (John 3:18 NLT).  To not believe in the power of Christ is to reject God’s requirement to believe in the One He has sent (John 6:29).

            If a financial matter is confronted, we will have to make a decision to trust God (in heaven), or to trust in financial resources (on earth).  Trusting God for money is also an eternity issue (as it was for the rich man in Luke 16, and the young ruler in Matthew 19).  The young man wanted to know how to get eternal life.  He said that he had obeyed the commandments, but Jesus informed him that he still lacked one thing.  He was not trusting God for daily needs, so Jesus said (Matthew 19:21), “Sell your possessions and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me."  The man did not accept that advice and went away sad.

            Jesus then said it was impossible to get eternal life unless we trust God and have faith in Him.  When His disciples asked how anyone could possibly be saved (Matthew 19:26) “Jesus looked at them and said, "With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible." 

            Any wrong decision we make (on where our trust is regarding physical healing, finances, avenging injustices or anything else), must be sincerely confessed before God.  (NLT Jeremiah 17:5) “Cursed are those who put their trust in mere humans and turn their hearts away from the Lord.”  (NIV Matthew 6:19, 21) "Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, for where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.”

            Even in the first century, Jesus wondered if anyone would be living by faith when He returned.  He said (NLT Luke 18:8) when “I, the Son of Man, return, how many will I find who have faith?”  We must ask God for the faith necessary to believe in the power of Christ, because there is no condemnation for those who are in Christ (Romans 8:1).  To be in Christ, is to place our faith in Him!