Digging Wells: The Well of Faith

In this series, we’ve been looking at how the Lord calls us to dig again the ancient wells—the places of refreshing and encounter that may have been stopped up over time. In Part One, we looked at why it’s important to dig the wells that sustain our walk with the Lord. In Part Two, we explored the well of the secret place: where we meet with the Father in prayer, and where He promises to reward those who seek Him.

Now we turn to the well of faith—this unshakable trust that God is who He says He is, and that He will do what He says He will do. This well will sustain us and enable us to walk in His promises and His power.

Faith is built on the unchanging nature of God and the certainty of His Word.

The Foundation of Faith

In all of God’s dealings with man, He asked for (and still asks for), sought after (and still seeks after), and required (and still requires) one thing above all else: to believe Him—to trust, adhere to, and have faith in Him.

There is much teaching on faith today that, when measured against the Scriptures, is either unbalanced or unsound. That’s why it’s always good to come back to what the Bible actually says. Peter understood this when he wrote:

So I will always remind you of these things, even though you know them and are firmly established in the truth you now have. I think it is right to refresh your memory as long as I live in the tent of this body, because I know that I will soon put it aside, as our Lord Jesus Christ has made clear to me. And I will make every effort to see that after my departure you will always be able to remember these things. (2 Peter 1:12–15)

It’s good to be reminded of things we already know. It’s right to go back to the basics from time to time and reestablish the foundational truths.

The writer of Hebrews states for us the absolute importance of faith when he says:

Without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him. (Hebrews 11:6)

This is faith’s beginning. Faith must begin with the fact that God is. And that He rewards those who diligently seek Him. Nothing can be known of God or received from Him unless a man or woman believes that He is—that He exists as God, the Supreme Being.

What Is Faith?

Faith is one of the few words actually defined in the Bible. Hebrews 11:1 says:

Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see.

Let’s unpack the truth found in this verse:

There is a difference between faith and hope. Hope is an attitude of expectancy concerning things that are still in the future, while faith makes “real” what is not yet a reality in experience. Faith has substance. It is true confidence—something definite within us.

Hope is anchored in the realm of the mind. Hope knows it is possible, but faith waits confidently and expectantly for the promise to appear. Faith is anchored in the realm of the heart. Heart-faith always produces a definite change in those who possess it. The fundamental change is from uncertainty to certainty.

Faith is the internal “evidence” that causes hope to become the certain conviction that things not yet seen are nonetheless guaranteed to appear. It is not wishful thinking, but rests firmly on a solid rhema word from the Lord that allows the spiritual inner man to say, “It is done.”

Therefore, faith deals with things not seen and is not based on our five physical senses. Faith is a spiritual sense: it touches and reaches beyond the natural senses to a place in God that our natural senses cannot grasp. Faith is based on the eternal, invisible truths revealed by God’s Word.There can only be one true and proper source of faith: the Word of God. If faith is not built upon the Word, it is not true faith and can never stand the storms and tests of life.

Living From the Well of Faith

The written Word must become the “quickened” Word in order to create proper faith. That is, it must come alive within our hearts—not simply be recognized as true in our minds. A study of the faith heroes in Hebrews 11 will show that each of them received faith by a word from God. They were first moved or inspired to become all they were called to be, and then enabled to do all they were appointed to do.

Faith is the channel by which we receive from God all that is needed. It rises to embrace, as one’s own, the provision from God through His grace. All spiritual life and every blessing comes to us through this connection of faith.

Therefore, I encourage all of us to dig into the Word of God and establish a well within us. As we do, we can grow in our faith and progress from one level of faith to the next—from faith to faith—and from one place of glory to a higher place—from glory to glory.

Let us remember that this faith is a gift from God, and that every child of God has been given a measure of faith. When this kind of faith begins to operate in a church, ordinary people start doing mighty exploits for the Kingdom of God—including taking back what has been lost or stolen by the enemy of our souls.

One such exploit is this: taking possession of what has been revealed to us in God’s Word as our right and privilege as followers of our Mighty Champion, the Lord Jesus Christ.

Digging the Well

If we want to draw from the well of faith, we must dig. That begins with the Word of God.

Take some time this week to read through Hebrews 11. Ask the Holy Spirit to bring the Word to life in your spirit and to stir faith in your heart.

Ask Him to remove anything that has blocked the flow of faith in your life. Let Him re-dig that well within you.

Then stand. Faith is not based on emotions or circumstances. It is anchored in who God is and the certainty of His Word.

Take Him at His Word. As you do, faith will begin to grow. Keep digging, and it will become a deep well you can draw from throughout your life.