So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God. — Romans 10:17

Here is the real key to living by faith:  hearing the Word of God.  Notice, it is not just hearing any Word, but hearing the Word of God.  Words will transport spiritual things into your life.  Words can bring joy and peace, but words can also bring fear and worry.  You must be selective in what you are hearing.  Faith will only come and be increased by hearing the Word of God.  We know we have been given the measure of faith, so faith never goes from us.  Sometimes we think if we hear the Word, faith comes, but if we don’t, faith goes.  No, faith is part of your make-up, part of your divine nature.  One translation says that faith is “awakened” by hearing the Word of God.  The faith that is in you will awaken, will come alive in you, as you sit under the Word.  When you hear God’s Word on healing, the faith for living a healed life will awaken in you.  When you hear the Word of God on prosperity, the faith for a prosperous life will awaken in you.  You dare not go one day with sleeping faith.  In order for your faith to be awake and alive daily, you need to hear, and hear, and hear the Word of God–-daily.  Commit to a life in the Word!  Make the spiritual food of the Word as necessary as the food you eat in the natural.  Fast from words of fear, doubt, and unbelief, and go ahead and overeat God’s Word!

The word is nigh thee, even in thy mouth, and in thy heart:  that is, the word of faith, which we preach; — Romans 10:8b

Here Paul talks about the word of faith.  The word of faith is the Word of God.  What needs to be done with God’s Word?  It needs to be preached!  As the Word is preached, faith is awakened, or made alive, in a believer–-faith comes by hearing; hearing the Word of God arouses faith (Rom. 10:17).  The preached Word of God will cause you to call on God and to believe in God (Rom. 10:14).  It will enable you to trust in God’s Word with all of your heart.  But how can you believe in God if you have not heard?  How can you hear the Word of God preached without a preacher?  You can’t!  You need to find a Holy-Ghost, on-fire, faith man of God who will preach to you the word of faith–-not the word of fear, the word of doubt, the word of religion–-but the word of faith.  If you are not in a local church body, get in one.  If you’ve been hurt and have left the church, repent and get back in.  If you can’t find one, pray and ask the Holy Ghost to lead you to one.  You will believe what is preached to you; you will put your trust in what is preached to you.  Find someone who is called and anointed by God to preach the word of faith.  Then come with your ears wide open to receive from God’s Word!

The word is nigh thee, even in thy mouth, and in thy heart:  that is, the word of faith, which we preach; — Romans 10:8b

As you hear the Word of God preached, faith will grow in your life.  Notice, the Word must get into two places:  your heart and your mouth.  He is not talking about your physical heart, but about your soul, which is made up of your mind, will, emotions, and imagination.  God desires for His Word to be planted, take root, and grow in your soul.  He wants His Word to sit on the throne of your life rather than have your feelings, emotions, and wrong thinking seated there.  The Word will renew your mind to a place in Him.  God’s Word will be your answer in every situation.  As you listen to the Word daily, your ways of thinking and believing will start to change.  Soon you will find out that God has given you many promises through the Cross.  You will start to believe the promises, think on the promises, and soon talk the promises.  Once the Word gets in your thought-life and in your mouth, the presence of God will be “nigh” you.  God and His Word are one.  A visit in the Word is a visit with God.  To believe and trust the Word is to believe and trust God.  To have the Word in your heart and mouth is to have God in your mouth and heart.  How am I going to get God’s Word in my heart?  By hearing the Word.  How am I going to get God’s Word in my mouth?  By getting His Word in my heart.  How am I going to get God “nigh” in my life?  Get His Word in my heart and in my mouth–-the word of faith preached.

We are bound to thank God always for you, brethren, as it is meet, because that your faith groweth exceedingly,

— 2 Thessalonians 1:3a

Paul was in a rejoicing mood.  He was excited and thanking God because the faith of the Thessalonians was growing exceedingly.  Faith was given to you so that it would be used and it would grow.  One way that faith increases is by constantly hearing the Word of God.  The more Word you hear, the more your faith will grow.  A little Word will produce little faith, no Word will keep faith from operating, but a lot of Word will produce great faith.  Who determines how much faith you have?  Is it God?  Does He give one person little faith and another great faith?  No, God is no respecter of persons (Acts 10:34).  He did not give great faith to one and a little faith to another–-He gave the measure of faith to all (Rom. 12:3).  Now that measure will grow at the rate that you hear the preached Word.  You can choose to be a faith giant or choose to live as a “natural” Christian.  If you choose to be a person who hears the Word and lives by faith, soon many of the troubles and problems you used to struggle with will no longer hold you back.  The Word will become more real to you than what you see in the natural.  Peace will start to rule in your heart and praise will begin to fill your mouth.  What is happening?  The Word of God (God and His Word are one) will begin to be Lord of every area in your life.  Worry and negative talk are a sign that your Word level is getting low.  Go back to the Word, the promises, the CD’s, the MP3's, the iPod’s, and fill up your spiritual tank again.  Speak the Word at every opportunity and stay hungry and hot for the things of God.  A life of great faith will be your result.