//Lynetter Hagin

"The Lord will guide you always; he will satisfy your needs in a sun-scorched land and will strengthen your frame. You will be Like a well-watered garden, like a spring whose waters never fail."
-Isaiah 58:11 (NIV 1984)

Do you remember that at the beginning of every school year, the teacher would review what we had learned the previous year? I remember those times most in my math classes. We would especially review the addition and multiplication tables. Why? Because the teacher knew that for those to become automatic for us, we needed to review them again and again.

The Lord has recently been stirring my heart about the need to continuously review the foundational principles of His Word. I have been especially stirred concerning faith and confession of the Word. Of course, “Go teach My people faith” is the foundation of our ministry. God gave my father-in-law this mandate many years ago. He would often pray, “Lord, I’m only one man. How can I get this message out?” In 1974, when we began Rhema Bible Training College, we saw how that would happen.

My husband and I often say we did not understand why God directed us to work for his dad until Rhema was born. Then His purpose and plan for us began to unfold before our eyes. He used us to birth the training college.

What a joy and thrill it continues to be to train laborers for this end-time harvest—laborers who will “go teach My people faith”! Perhaps you have received the revelation of faith either through this ministry or as a graduate of Rhema.

However, if we are not careful, we can let that revelation wane and become dormant. Hebrews 11:6 plainly states, “Without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.” And in Hebrews 10:23 we read, “Let us hold fast the profession of our faith without wavering; (for he is faithful that promised.)”

To live a life that is pleasing to God, we need to continually renew our faith. We need to practice using our faith each day. If you do not use an arm or a leg, you will lose strength in that limb. It can become so weak that atrophy sets in. To rebuild strength in that limb, you must exercise it.

It is the same in our spiritual life. If we allow our faith to lie dormant, it will become weak and we could even lose it. We must exercise our faith to build it up again. My husband often says, “Believe God for something every day.” Then, to be more explicit, he says, “Believe God for something that is possible to come to pass that day.”

Some things we are believing God for may not manifest in a day. However, other things can appear quickly. For instance, I am continually believing God for a close parking space. My time is limited, and I need to get to places as quickly as possible.

Sometimes as I drive through a parking lot, I remind God of His promise. Shortly before He left the earth, Jesus said to His disciples, “In that day ye shall ask me nothing. Verily, verily, I say unto you, Whatsoever ye shall ask the Father in my name, he will give it you. Hitherto have ye asked nothing in my name: ask, and ye shall receive, that your joy may be full” (John 16:23–24).

When it looks as though the Lord didn’t hear my request, I quote this scripture to Him. I talk to Him as I would to my natural father. I say, “Father, You said in Your Word to ask of You, and that we would receive so that our joy would be full. A close parking place would make my joy full.”

When I begin to claim that promise, believing it and confessing it, my faith becomes a reality, and that is exciting! Recently I was driving to the grocery store late at night. It was cold and raining. As I drove, I began to make my confession for a close parking place. I drove down one row, and four spaces from the door was an empty slot. I pulled in and began to thank the Lord for answering my prayer.

As I walked toward the store, I suddenly saw that the space next to the door was available. The car next to where I had parked had blocked my view. I quickly jumped back in the car and said, “Lord, I settled for second best. I’m not going to do that. I am going to get the very best parking space that You provided.”

Realize that your Heavenly Father is ever ready to grant your requests. And He doesn’t want you to have second best, but the very best. Dare to reach out in faith and possess what He has already promised.