The Application of Faith

As you are aware, all hopes do not come from God, some come from Satan. To protect yourself from the influence of Satan, your most effective weapon is the word of God, which is summarized in these words, "treat others as you would want to be treated". And you don't have to be a member of a religion to do this.
When your soul is nourished and cleansed by the Word of God, it becomes a purified dwelling place for the Holy Spirit. The indwelling Holy Spirit would thwart all attempts by Satan to enter your soul, while revealing to your soul the substance of what you hope for, and empowering you to transform your hopes into reality by your faith.
But action is needed for faith to work. Without action, faith would have no outlet to express itself; and when faith cannot express itself, it is dead, as we read in James 2:17.
For instance, when we see a homeless man or woman at a street corner in New York City, or a widow with two children at a street corner in Bangladesh, or in Brazzaville begging for pennies, and we hope that somebody would give them food and a warm place to sleep, but do nothing to help them, then, let's face it, our faith is dead.
Similarly, when we hope for a positive change in our lives, but do not take the action to bring it about, then it is childish to say in anger that God does not exist, and turn in frustration to liquor and drugs for what could be nothing more than a temporary relief.
In the two cases mentioned we hoped for something good to happen, but since we did not act, our hope did not transform into a physical solution. And the reason is that relief from pain and hunger by faith come from thoughts and action informed by God's wisdom and power. We become aware of this only when we treat others as we would want to be treated.
Critics argue that treating others as we would want to be treated is unrealistic. My response is if we pride ourselves as thinking men and women, what is more logical than not wanting to kill your neighbor so that your neighbor will not want to kill you?
What is more logical than not taking your neighbor's wife so that your neighbor will not take your wife?
What is more logical than not stealing from your neighbor so that your neighbor will not steal from you?
What is more liberating than to receive God's wisdom and power through faith to maintain good health, overcome lethargy and depression, and end fear and anxiety in your mind?

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