Faith comes from Hearing

In a recent post, titled Prone to Wander, we spoke of the importance of being able to personally hear Christ’s voice, through the word. In order for us to better understand, scripture draws a beautiful analogy of how it works.  

 

The spirit of man is the candle of the LORD…(Pr. 20:27 KJV)

 

Simply put, our inner spiritual man is God’s candle. Just as the candle requires fuel to burn, your inner man requires faith to live.  

 

For thou wilt light my candle: the LORD my God will enlighten my darkness. (Ps. 18:28 KJV)

 

The Psalmist recognizes that faith is not something that originates or can be produced by me, he looks to God as the source of his faith.  In the Made Alive by the Word post, we studied how the word “quickens” (makes alive) our inner man.  

The psalmist also then admits that he found himself surrounded in darkness.  The book of Job 18 explains what darkness looks like and what happens when the light of the candle becomes dim or out…

 

 

The light shall be dark in his tabernacle, and his candle shall be put out with him. (vs.6)

The tabernacle resembles the body the spirit lives in.  

 

The steps of his strength are shortened, And his own counsel casts him down. (vs.7)

The person becomes insecure in all his/her ways, and the thoughts that arise in their own mind begin to crush them.  

 

For he is cast into a net by his own feet, and he walketh upon a snare.(vs.8)

In a sense the individual feels entrapped by his/her own mind.

 

Terrors shall make him afraid on every side…(vs. 11)

His confidence shall be rooted out of his tabernacle, and it shall bring him to the king of terrors.(vs.14)

Described as being surrounded by fear.

 

Now candles of that time required oil to burn.  Just as the candle resembles the spirit, faith is the oil that burns the candle. Jesus tells a short story of ten virgins.  Five wise with extra oil, and five unwise, whom ran out of oil.  Notice what the unwise said to the wise:

 

The foolish ones said to the wise, ‘Give us some of your oil; our lamps are going out.” (Matt 25:8 NIV)

 

“’No,’ they replied, ‘there may not be enough for both us and you. Instead, go to those who sell oil and buy some for yourselves.’ (Matt. 25:9 NIV)

 

My reference Bible labels this verse "spiritual traffic", the place where goods are exchanged. In proverbs spiritual traffic is first utilized:

 

Buy the truth, and sell it not; also wisdom, and instruction, and understanding. (Pr. 23:23 KJV)

 

Throughout previous posts we identified how true wisdom comes from above. By entering into his presence in times of stillness and receiving instruction and understanding.  

 

Isaiah also makes a similar invitation:

 

“Come, all you who are thirsty, come to the waters; and you who have no money, come, buy and eat! Come, buy wine and milk without money and without cost. (Is.55:1 NIV)

 

(Milk is nourishment for spiritual babes and wine is for the spiritually mature (see Heb. 5:13). 

 

Jesus also makes reference to an exchange of goods, offering the benefits of his kingdom in exchange for all earthly possessions that you might hold dear.  

 

The kingdom of the heavens is like treasure having been hidden in the field, which a man having found, hid. And for joy over it, he goes and he sells all that he has, and buys that field.

 

You see as you humble yourself, laying all aside, you pay the price required, without money. In exchange you receive the truth of Gods word which includes wisdom, instruction and understanding.  This is the fuel that adds flame to your candle, OR, faith that sustains your inner man. 

 

…So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God. (Romans 10:17 NKJV)

 

 

 

 

 

Supporting Texts 

 

That was the true Light, which lighteth every man that cometh into the world. (John 1:9 KJV)

 

…I saw seven golden candlesticks; And in the midst of the seven candlesticks one like unto the Son of man, clothed with a garment down to the foot, and girt about the paps with a golden girdle. (Rev. 1:12-13 KJV)

 

…or else I will come unto thee quickly, and will remove thy candlestick out of his place, except thou repent. (Rev.2:5 KJV)

 

Yea, the light of the wicked shall be put out, and the spark of his fire shall not shine. (Job 18:5 KJV)

 

How oft is the candle of the wicked put out!...(Job 21:17KJV )

The light of the righteous shines brightly, but the lamp of the wicked is extinguished. (pr. 13:9 KJV)

 

Neither do men light a candle, and put it under a bushel, but on a candlestick; and it giveth light unto all that are in the house. (Matt. 5:15 KJV)

 

…He who has ears to hear let him hear… (Mark 4:9 BSB)