By Kenneth E. Hagin Unless otherwise indicated, all Scripture quotations in this volume are from the King James Version of the Bible. Second Edition Eighth Printing 1995 ISBN 0-89276-506-2 In the U.S. Write: In Canada write: Kenneth Hagin Ministries Kenneth Hagin Ministries P.O. Box 50126 P.O. Box 335, Station D, Tulsa, OK 74150-0126 Etobicoke (Toronto), Ontario Canada, M9A 4X3 Copyright © 1983 RHEMA Bible Church AKA Kenneth Hagin Ministries, Inc. All Rights Reserved Printed in USA The Faith Shield is a trademark of RHEMA Bible Church, aka Kenneth Hagin Ministries, Inc., registered with the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office and therefore may not be duplicated. Contents 1 How Faith Comes..................................................................... 9 2 Now Faith Is........................................................................... 23 3 The Heart of Man................................................................... 37 4 What It Means To Believe with the Heart.............................. 53 5 How To Train the Human Spirit.............................................69 6 How To Write Your Own Ticket with God............................83 7 The God-Kind of Faith......................................................... 105 Chapter 1 How Faith Comes 1 But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him. —Hebrews 11:6 Notice particularly the first part of that verse, "But without faith it is impossible to please him ...." If God demands that we have faith when it is impossible for us to have faith, then we have a right to challenge His justice. But if He places within our hands the means whereby faith can be produced, then the responsibility rests with us as to whether or not we have faith. God has told us that without faith it is impossible to please Him, but He has also told us how to obtain faith. He has told us how faith comes. ROMANS 10:17 17 So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God. If we don't have faith, it is not God's fault. To blame God for our lack of faith is nothing but ignorance. God has provided the way whereby everyone can have faith. Faith for Salvation Faith for salvation "cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God." The Apostle Paul said that we are saved by faith. "For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of 9 10 Exceedingly Growing Faith yourselves: it is the gift of God" (Eph. 2:8). But how do you get the faith to be saved? Let's read more from this passage in Romans. ROMANS 10:8-10,13,14,17 8 But what saith it? The word is nigh thee, even in thy mouth, and in thy heart: that is, the word of faith, which we preach; 9 That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. 10 For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. 13 For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved. 14 How then shall they call on him in whom they have not believed? and how shall they believe in him of whom they have not heard? and how shall they hear without a preacher? 17 So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God. We see here that faith for salvation comes by hearing the Word of God. Now relate that with Acts 11:13,14, "And he shewed us how he [Cornelius] had seen an angel in his house, which stood and said unto him, Send men to Joppa, and call for Simon, whose surname is Peter; WHO SHALL TELL THEE WORDS, whereby thou and all thy house shall be saved." Cornelius was a good man, but he was not saved. Jesus said, "Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature" (Mark 16:15). As Cornelius had not as yet heard this glorious Gospel, he was not saved. God told Cornelius to send for Peter in order to learn