The Virtue of Faith for the Charismatic Leader

by Maria Lucia Vianna

At the beginning of His ministry, Jesus would proclaim: "The kingdom of God is at hand. Repent, and believe the Gospel." (Mk.1:15)

Conversion is an act of faith. We repent because we believe in Salvation through Jesus Christ. Salvation was given to us. It was a first step taken by a loving God as a gift to us. Repentance and conversion follow, because we believe and accept the gift of God. Conversion happens because we believe. This is where our faith starts and grows as we mature in the ways of the Lord. Lots of blessings come with it.

By the virtue of faith, we receive salvation: "The one who is righteous, by faith will live." (Gal.3.11)

By the virtue of faith, we receive forgiveness of our sins and eternal life: "For this is the will of my Father, that everyone who sees the Son and believes in Him may have eternal life, and I shall raise him on the last day." (Jn.6:40)

By the virtue of faith, we become heirs of the promises of God: "We earnestly desire each of you to demonstrate the same eagerness for the fulfillment of hope until the end, so that you may not become sluggish, but imitators of those who, through faith and patience, are inheriting the promises. " (Heb.6:11)

By the virtue of faith, we also receive a new life in Jesus Christ: "I have been crucified with Christ, yet I live, no longer I, but Christ lives in me; insofar as I now live in the flesh, I live by faith in the Son of God who has loved me and given himself up for me. " (Gal.2:20)

United by faith in Christ in His death and resurrection, we have died to our old ways and have risen to a new life. The spiritual power source in our lives is in Christ, not in the worlds values. May the glory of God be the reason why we act. May the kingdom of God be established on earth. This is what we believe and strive for.

Faith is established in the knowledge of God, trusting Him for understanding and wisdom in the face of difficulties.

When the Jews gathered in Jerusalem at Pentecost, listened to Peters speech and asked what to do for them to receive the Holy Spirit as the disciples, Peter answered, "Repent and be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins; and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. " (Acts2:38).

There are several ways to build up our faith:

1. Pray and listen to the Lord.

Believe in Jesus, believe in His words, be humble and obey. Have a quiet time with the Lord and listen to Him. The Holy Spirit is a gift for those who believe in Jesus. When we come to the Lord in prayer, we can be sure that "nothing is impossible for God " (Lk.1:37), and though we may have difficulties in our lives and ministries, the Lord will sustain us. We receive everything from God by faith.

"Let anyone who thirsts come to me and drink. Whoever believes in me, as scripture says: Rivers of Living Water will flow from within him " (Jn.7:37). Prayer and worship maintain the level of faith needed for continual growth. The secret for a firm faith lies in a deep communion with God.

2. The Sacraments.

The Sacrament of Reconciliation and the Eucharist are food for our souls as well as to our bodies. There is an endless source of graces in the Bread of Life, Jesus Himself given to us in love. May we be transparent, showing Jesus who lives in us!

3. Exercise charisms by faith.

You have received the baptism in the Holy Spirit by faith and the gifts give testimony to the presence of Jesus among us. The Lord will give us the proper anointing according to the measure of our faith.

The disciples had been with Jesus when He performed miracles and preached to the multitudes. They believed, and after Pentecost everyone noticed what men of faith they had become. "Observing the boldness of Peter and John and perceiving them to be uneducated, ordinary men, they were amazed, and they recognized them as the companions of Jesus. " (Acts4:13)

People saw the "unlearned and ignorant men " doing the same things Jesus had done. They did them in faith.

4. The Word of God.

Have your Bible always at hand. Read, study, and meditate the Word of God on a daily basis.

"Be doers of the Word and not hearers only, deluding yourselves. For if anyone is a hearer of the Word and not a doer, he is like a man who looks at his own face in a mirror. He sees himself, then he goes off and promptly forgets what he looks like. But the one who peers into the perfect law of freedom and perseveres, and is not a hearer who forgets but a doer who acts, such a one shall be blessed in what he does. " (Jas.2:24-25).

5. Be humble.

"Because without me you can do nothing " (Jn15:5). Your ministry and everything you do will be with no fruit if only a result of human effort. The blessing will be on those who believe and are humble, entirely dependent on the Lord. Elizabeth said to Mary at the visitation, "Blessed are you who believed that what was spoken to you by the Lord would be fulfilled. " (Lk.1:45)

6. Assume authority over the enemy in the Name of Jesus.

"These signs will accompany those who believe: in my name, they will drive out demons... they will lay hands on the sick and they will recover. " (Mk.16:17-19)

Use the gifts in faith and thank the Lord for what He has done. The prayer of faith touches the Heart of God as the touch of the woman with a hemorrhage on Jesus clothes. "If I but touch his clothes, I shall be cured. " (Mk.5:28). Jesus answer was, " Your faith has healed you. Go in peace. " (Mk.5:34)

Healing testimonies make our faith grow.

7. “Love one another as I love you.”

"It was not you who chose me, but I who chose you and appointed you to go and bear fruit that will remain, so that whatever you ask the Father in my name He may give you. This I command you: love one another. " (Jn.15:16-17)

Mrs. Maria Lucia Vianna, from Brazil, is a member of the ICCRS Council. This article was taken from the March-April, 1997, issue of the (ICCRS) Newsletter, Palazzo della Cancelleria, 00120 Vatican City, Europe.