I recently was watching the TV show, “Touched by an Angel.”  This particular episode was about a demon-possessed man who, from his childhood, had struggled with his faith in God.  His best friend, concerned about his welfare, didn't know how he could help and so he was discussing this with Tess.  Knowing that Tess was an angel, he said, “You're an angel, give him your faith." Tess replied, "Angels have no need of faith because we've seen."

What an amazing thought!  Do we realize what a great privilege we have as human beings?  We have been granted the joy and privilege to walk with God by faith!

What is faith?  I've heard quite a few definitions, most of them pretty good, but one came to me as I meditated on the statement made by this television angel—“faith is living each day as if God existed.”  Think about that.  Faith is living out each day as if we truly believed that God was in everything.  All of us have opportunities each day to show both God and ourselves what kind of faith we really have.  Do we walk by the circumstances of what our five senses tell us, or are we looking past the visible to the invisible realm by faith?  Every time we resist temptation instead of choosing to fulfill the lusts of our flesh, we have chosen to walk by faith.  Every time we forgive someone who has hurt us when every fiber in our being is crying out to take revenge, that is faith.  When we are afflicted in our body, yet we still praise God even though we hear voices telling us to "curse God and die," that is the life of faith that pleases God.  These daily acts, though we have a tendency to think very little of them, are, in fact, very precious to God because when we are obedient to Him, we are telling God that, "we believe that He exists and He is important to us."

The apostle Paul asks the Corinthians, "Do you not know that we shall judge angels...?" (1 Cor. 6:3)  Angels are created beings who reflect the glory of God, but we are different than the angels.  We not only reflect God's glory, but we reflect His very image.  God created us with the ability to experience joy and sorrow, laughter and tears.  We understand all too well the pains of being afflicted in body, but also knowing the miracle of restoration and healing.  Each person possesses both the masculine (wisdom and knowledge) and feminine (love and mercy) character qualities of God.  God has given us a very precious gift that no angel can ever experience, and that is to serve God by faith, not by sight.  The angelic host have no need of faith because they have seen the full glory of God.  They have never known a life apart from the True Source of life.  This is the reason why we will have a higher position than the angels of God, even in a position of judgment over them.  We have a distinct opportunity that they have never had.

Oh, yes, we long to see our Lord Jesus face to face, but let us not lightly dismiss the great opportunity we have right now to live by faith.  The apostle Peter says, "That the trial of your faith, being much more precious than of gold that perisheth, though it be tried with fire, might be found unto praise and honour and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ: Whom having not seen, ye love; in whom, though now ye see him not, yet believing, ye rejoice with joy unspeakable and full of glory: Receiving the end of your faith, even the salvation of your souls." (1 Pet. 1:7-9)

Jesus Christ made several promises to those who overcome (Rev. 2 & 3).  Not all believers will live an overcoming life.  In fact, most believers will die faithless.  They will have just enough faith to believe that Christ died for their sins.  Jesus Himself asked, “When the Son of Man returns, will He find faith on the earth?” (Luke 18:8)  There are great rewards awaiting those who "walk by faith, and not by sight."  God has given us a short time on this earth to obey One whom we cannot see.  He has given us these “bodies of death” that are weak and susceptible to disease and injury.  Will we constantly complain about our infirmities or will we, like the Apostle Paul, be able to “glory in our infirmities…for Christ’s sake…?” (2 Cor. 12:10)  He allows us to either choose life or death.  We can love our enemies by faith or hate them for the wrong they cause us.  We can love God or curse Him.  What will we do with the precious time that God has given us?  Will we be guided by what we see, hear, and feel?

Let us not be in too much of a hurry to depart into the realm of sight, for we shall be there soon enough.  Let us seize the opportunity that God has given us right now to walk by faith, for "without faith, it is impossible to please God." (Heb. 11:6)