N I G ERI A

WORD OF FAITH BIBLE INSTITUTE

LAGOS

PRINCIPLES
OF
FAITH
(POF)

BASIC CERTIFICATE COURSE

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

Copyright © by Word of Faith Bible Institute

38, Raji Oba Street, Iyana Ipaja,
P. O. Box 3459, Ikeja, Lagos, Nigeria
All Rights Reserved.
No portion of this Outline may be used without the written permission of the Institute.

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REFERENCES
1. Exploits Of Faith Dr. David Oyedepo
2. The Law Of Faith Dr. David Oyedepo
3. Born To Win Dr. David Oyedepo
4. Walking In Dominion Dr. David Oyedepo
5. The Force Of Freedom Dr. David Oyedepo
6. The Believers’ Authority Kenneth E. Hagin
7. The Name Of Jesus Kenneth E. Hagin
8. The Spirit Of Faith Pst. Mrs Faith Oyedepo
9. Rescued From Destruction Pst. Mrs Faith Oyedepo
10. The Force Of Faith Kenneth Copeland

COURSE OBJECTIVES
 To baptise the student with the Spirit of Faith
 To have a working knowledge of the word of faith
 To know how to nurture our faith to maturity

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  To learn the place of the WORD in the operation of Faith
 To learn how to apply the word of faith
 To learn how to grow in faith
 To learn to live by Faith and not by Sight

TABLE OF CONTENTS
REFERENCES 2
COURSE OBJECTIVES 3
LECTURE ONE
Lesson One Faith’s Foundation 5
Lesson Two Kinds Of Faith 7
Lesson Three Location Of Faith 8
Lesson Four Sources Of Faith 9
Lesson Five The Timing Of Faith 10
LECTURE TWO
Lesson Six Process Of Faith Application 11
Lesson SevenWord Power 12
Lesson Eight Calling Things That Are Not 13
Lesson Nine Faith Works By Love 14
Lesson Eleven Faith Has No Alternatives 15

LECTURE ONE
LESSON ONE

INTRODUCTUION
The Christian race is not a “play fare” but warfare. Fight is inevitable.
To therefore fight without a hurt or scare one must be armed appropriately. Paul the Apostle, a
man that faced several battles and yet prevailed revealed his secret in the following scripture:
1Tim.6:12 – FIGHT THE GOOD FIGHT OF FAITH, LAY HOLD ON ETERNAL LIFE,
WHEREUNTO THOU ART ALSO CALLED, AND HAST PROFESSED A GOOD
PROFESSION BEFORE MANY WITNESSES.
There is a fight that must be fought for the believers to access all that pertains to life and
godliness but not without faith. 2 Peter 1:1-3
Note that our weapon of battle is FAITH. Eph.6:16

FAITH FOUNDATION
Faith is a significant factor to laying hold on all that Jesus died for.
The foundation of your faith must therefore be rigid and consistent, for if the foundation of
your faith is faulty, your faith cannot stand in the day of adversity. Psalms 11:3.
Faith is a fight and life is the battle ground. Mat. 11:12

DEFINITION OF TERMS
WHAT IS FAITH HEB 11:1
a) A substance, something that can be seen, felt, heard. It is something real. It is the force
in the world of the Spirit that can be expressed in realm of the physical.
b) And evidence - Something reliable, conclusive, sure fact, undeniable, able to stand the
test of time and reason, definite, something you can draw a conclusion from Heb. I 1: 1.

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 Faith gives Substance or reality to hope. It is the evidence that the unseen shall be
attained.

WHAT IS PRINCIPLES?
a) Principles are the guiding factors around an issue, or simply imply the ways of getting
things done to get results.
b) These are guiding rules or fundamental truth that makes something effective.
c) Nothing function effectively without a principle!

PRINCIPLES OF FAITH can be defined as:

a) The guiding rules or order that make faith produce
b) The foundational truth that makes for effective faith
c) A pointer to the ABC of faith

In the physical world, people measure, qualify or describe object or objectives by how they
see it, touch taste, smell or hear it. They rely on their physical senses. All these faculties in
man (feeling, seeing, tasting, hearing, smelling) are substituted by faith on the Spiritual world.
This is why the Bible says "The just shall live by his faith" Hab. 2:4.

"Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen". Faith
operates in the "Now consciousness". Not just in the possibility but in the immediate.
Heb.11.1

THE TWO WORLDS

1. Physical/Visible (Seen Realm)
2. Spiritual Invisible (Unseen Realm) Heb. 11:3, 2 Cor. 4:18.
The physical world is contacted by the five physical senses viz:- hearing, sight smelling,
feeling and tasting.

The Spiritual world is contacted by Faith

Two Qualifiers of Faith

 Faith is Substance
 Faith is Evidence
Faith is not either real or magical. It is a solid substance and carrier of physical proofs. Just as
substance can be measured and analysed faith also occupies the area of knowledge where it
can be studied, practised and proved.

LESSON TWO

KINDS OF FAITH

There are two kinds of Faith.

a) Sense Knowledge Faith:
John 11: 16, John 20: 26-29
This is the elementary form of faith. Sense knowledge faith should lead one to.
b) Revelational Knowledge Faith.
This is the real faith. Revelational knowledge faith is based on the Word of God. Sense
knowledge faith is depicted in 1John 1:1, 3 while Revelational knowledge faith is depicted in
Luke 4:17-2 1.

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TWO BASIC ELEMENTS OF REVELATIONAL KNOWLEDGE FAITH:
From Heb 11:6 "But without faith it is impossible to please God. For he that cometh to God
must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of them that diligently seek Him" these
elements are:
a) Know there is a God
b) Know that He rewards those who diligently seek Him
Faith increase as revelation knowledge of God increases. Revelation Knowledge brings
understanding and enlightenment by generating hope in God.

LESSON THREE

LOCATION OF FAITH LUKE 8:4-18

The location of faith is in the heart of man, the heart is the ground of faith. Revelational
knowledge faith springs from the Spirit man i.e. the heart. Whenever the word of God gets
into the human heart/spirit and is allowed to mix with faith (within the spirit man) the result is
usually a supernatural manifestation in the physical. Heb 4:1-2.

FAITH IS MADE OF THREE THINGS: Knowledge, belief, and trust.

a) "How shall they believe in Him of whom they have not heard" (Romans 10:14)
b) "Faith cometh by hearing" (Romans 10: 17), we must hear in order to know what to
believe.
c) "They that know thy name will put their trust in thee" Ps. 9: 10
Faith is not blind. Faith sees. Faith sees by revelation. Not by speculation or by
presumption. Faith believes proven facts and truth of revelation. Faith often begins in
the heart as a grain of mustard seed which grows into a giant tree.

HOW TO CONCEIVE FAITH

Faith is conceived by revelation of the word, nurtured by concentration on the truth and
birthed by the dedication to the life.
 Conception with the word is impartation
 Birth of the word is manifestation.
 The waiting period is incubation.
Not every heart can conceive faith. It takes a sincere and honest heart to conceive. A heart
that is void of offence, unforgiveness and bitterness.

The Word of God carries life but it needs a womb to grow in. That womb is good heart (Luke
8:15). Having heard the word kept it and brings forth fruit with patience.

LESSON FOUR

SOURCE OF FAITH - ROMANS 10:7

The Source of faith is the word of God. God's faith comes from God's word.
Luke 8: 11. The word of whomsoever you hear determines what you believe.
i) Believe is agreement with God
ii) Faith is action stemming from what you believe. Acting on what you believe is Faith.
For example:
a) The actions preceding the healing of the man taken with palsy Luke 5:18
b) The Confession of the Centurion before his servant was healed.

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Luke7:6-1 0

Faith rests completely on what the word of God says and what God has done through Christ.
Consequently, it puts the believer at rest as in assurance of the product of their faith.
However, putting faith to work is hard work in itself. James2:17

But, we must be conversant with the hand book of life - the BIBLE. Treat it as a book, of the
now and every day and it will produce every day.

In conclusion: Your faith designs your life style.

DIFFERENCE BETWEEN FACT AND TRUTH

Fact - True life situation
Truth - God's perspective of any situation.
Sense Faith is based in facts, while revelation faith is based in truth.

LESSON FIVE

THE TIMING OF FAITH

Faith is what turns on the exceeding greatness of God's power. Faith converts you to the
power that clears all obstacles out of your way.

When faith is at work, the power of God s connected, which makes all things possible. Faith
Puts YOU in the class of God. When faith is at work the power of God is in place. Faith is
your access to the power of God not your tears outside of faith, nothing gets done.

When is Faith?
Faith is Now! "Now faith is the substance of things hoped for the evidence of things not seen"
Heb. 11: 1. Faith is operational in the now. If God gives salvation on the spot, He will give
anything requested for on the spot when on the platform of faith.

Every response of Christ to faith was always immediate or "straightway".

SOME EXAMPLES OF OPERATION OF FAITH IN THE NOW

 Batimaeus believed and his eyes were opened on the spot (Mark 10:52).
 The woman with the issue of blood believed and Jesus responded on the spot (Mark
5:34)

God has not changed, “Jesus Christ the same yesterday and today and forever” Heb 13:8.
Hope can be frustrated but faith is ever triumphant.
NOTE
 Faith is a definite act not waiting to act.
 Stop waiting for God to act. God is waiting for you to act.
 Just as God gives salvation on the spot, He gives healing on the spot in
response to faith, also gives prosperity on the spot. Whatever it is that you truly and correctly
apply your faith to receive will be delivered on the spot.

In response to faith, faith is in the now not in the future. It is the power that converts the
mystery of the heavenly realms into reality of physical manifestation through the Word of
faith.

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 LECTURE TWO
LESSON SIX

PROCESS OF FAITH APPLICATION

Faith is a shield as well as a weapon. The more skilled we are in utilizing it, the better and
glorious our results will be. A system of faith application is summerised as follows:-
1. CONCEPTION:
The point where inspiration is received
Faith is exercised on what God has said to the individual regarding all issue in question.
Therefore inspiration or revelation precedes its application. The Word of Faith is that
scripture which has entered your heart and which the Spirit is pointing out against the object to
be tackled.
Inspiration comes through the following:-
a) Prayer James 5:17, 18, 1 Kings 18: 1; 36-38
b) Studying the Word. Daniel 9:1-2- 2 Timothy 2:15
c) Meditation. Joshua 1:8, Ps. 39:3, 143.5-6-, Jeremiah 15:16
d) Voice of the Spirit. Isa. 30:21
e) Anointed preaching and teaching. Neh. 8:8; Luke 24:30-32

2. INCUBATION:
This is the process of holding or brooding over a vision, revelation or the Word, till it becomes
a driving force, stirring you to take action. Allow your faith to undergo the necessary process
of ripening before public declaration. Gen. 1:2; Matt.23:37,

3. DELIEVRY (LAW OF VIOLENCE)

Your faith is delivered or released through confessional statements and actions. Without
corresponding works, faith is dead (James 2:17).

Faith can be released through the following ways:-

i) Action - positive steps in the direction of your revelation,
ii) Confession - affirming what God has said as it concern you.
In confessing the Word, one is out to make himself hear the Word so that it works
for him. Who else hears you or not does not matter, God wants you to hear it. Isaiah
43:26 God says to put Him in remembrance of what He said. That is, God expects us to
speak back to Him what promises of His we require and desire its manifestation in our
life. This is the stronghold of confession.

LESSON SEVEN

WORD POWER
Words are containers and conveyors. They transmit life or death, faith or fear. The spoken
word is at the centre of this. John 6:63

In Gen. 1:1-3, God created the heaven and the earth. The Spirit of God was hovering over
the waters. The water was there, darkness was there, the Holy Ghost was there over the
deep, but nothing happened until Words were spoken. God said "...light be..," God's Word is
His will, Man was created in the image of God, therefore your Word should be your will.
That is, if what you intend to say is not what you are willing for to happen, do not say
it. Don't speak anything you don’t desire to come to pass.

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 God's Word that is
 conceived in the heart,
 formed with the tongue; and
 spoken out of the mouth
becomes a Spiritual force which releases the ability of God within you.

Your Words affect you more than they affect anyone else. When you listen to your voice over
the tape You would be surprised at how you sound. This is how others have been hearing you.

God saw darkness and He spoke "...light be..." when God saw anything that did not agree
with His will, He spoke the thing He desired. "For I have not spoken of myself but the father
which sent me He gave me a commandment what I should say and what I should speak. And
I know that His commandment is life everlasting.

Whatsoever I speak therefore, even as the father said unto me so I speak. John 12-49-50.
We can learn from this that Jesus spoke the Words of His Father and it caused the faith of
His Father to proceed from Him. In order to hear something, it has to be spoken. Faith
comes by hearing and this implies we must speak the Word not just read it.

LESSON EIGHT

CALLING THINGS THAT ARE NOT (ROMANS 4:17)

This is a divine principle: Mark 11:23. This principle is in practice every day by both the born
again and the unsaved. Some who understood it, apply it on the positive side and they get
criticized by those who apply it on the negative side.

One may always see troubles ahead and he speaks them out. He has called things that be not
as though they were and - He gets into trouble.

Worry, anxiety, fear are all parts of calling things (dangerous) which be not as though there
were. We can do the same on the positive side with great results. This principle does not
deny what is in existence. It does not deny that there is sickness, poverty etc. Rather we are
doing something about what exists by calling the better one to replace it. God taught Abraham
this principle. Whenever he was saying I am the Father of nations. "Through faith also Sarah
herself received strength to conceive seed.. When she was past age, because, she judged him
(faithful who had promised)" Heb. 11:11. Every time somebody called Sarah - she heard
'Mother of Nations.' The things you are calling to be are things already freely given you by
God. You also are the image of God - what works for God works for you.

Jesus called wine to be from water.

Use what is available to call to be what is needed. He called the dead living; He called the end
results of the matter.

CONTENDING FOR FAITH 1 Tim. 6:12; Deut. 2:24; Eph. 6:12-13

We must be aware that we are involved in a spiritual conflict
Whenever what is yours is not delivered after you've done the will of God, contention is
required. The violent taketh it by force. Every saint must fight the fight of faith in contending
for what belongs to them that the enemy is holding unto.

LESSON NINE

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 FAITH WORKS BY LOVE
Faith is impotent without love. "For in Jesus Christ neither circumcision availeth anything nor
uncircumcision; but faith which worketh by love" Gal 5:6. Faith can believe faith can
resolve. Faith can even confess but the power that makes faith work is in love. 1Cor.13.

Love is a fruit of the spirit. Gal. 5:22, which is an ingredient that must be resident and visible
in every believer that will walk and operate in the spiritual. Faith also is a spiritual force that
births spiritual exploits. The lack of a love walk will definitely hinder the works of faith.

THE OPERATIONS OF LOVE

Love does not serve only those who deserve it.
Love does not stand for only those who can repay it.
Love does it for God whom he sees in all through the eye of faith.

THE INTER-RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN LOVE AND FAITH

Whilst it is true that faith works by love, love cannot work by itself, Love also depends on
faith. Love cannot flourish where faith does not thrive. The faith that is productive is
activated by love. The love that will be fruitful must be rooted in faith. Eph 3:17.

FAITH IS A WALK
HOW DO YOUR WALK WITH GOD?

Heb 11: 5 explains that the progressive covenant steps that Enoch took with God are steps of
faith that drew him into the Spirit realm. Paul the apostle said in 2 Cor. 5:7 "For we walk by
faith, not by sight," 'Walking with God is a spiritual walk, God is a spirit you cannot remain in
flesh and walk with Him and you cannot walk with Him and remain in flesh, walking closer
and closer to God is not asking for faith , it is faith.

Faith is a walk with God. Faith flows from a life that walks with God. So if you desire living
faith, walk with God. It is not possible to walk with the world and walk with God at the same
time Ps. 1: I walking with God produces faith and faith is God's power medium.

LESSON TEN
LESSON ELEVEN

FAITH HAS NO ALTERNATIVES

"My soul wait thou only upon God for my expectation is from Him" Ps. 62:5

When it stops being God only your expectation will be frustrated. Why? Because God says in
Isaiah 42:8 "I am the Lord, that is my name: and my glory will I not give to another, neither
my praise to graven images"

Anything you desire and for which you have an alternative source, makes God withdraw.
Exodus 20:4 "Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image, or any likeness of anything
that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath or that is in the water under the earth"
Graven images connote personalities self certificates etc.

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Faith entails setting your heart upon God only no matter the distractions and pressures exerted
by situations and circumstances around. This is the faith that releases the power to subdue
every opposition.

COMPANIONS OF FAITH - 2PETER 1:5

Faith works beautifully well in conjunction with other scriptural virtues such as:
i.) Love Gal. 5:6
ii.) Hope I Cor. 13:13
iii.)Forgiveness Mk. 11:25& 26
iv.)Righteous Living Rom. 6:1,2
v.) Patience Heb. 10:35, 36
vi.)Appreciation Ps. 67:6,7 , John 11:41

HINDRANCES TO FAITH
i.) Doubt Mk. 11:23, Jas. 1: 5-7
ii.) Fear Matt. 14:28-31
iii.) Sin Rom. 6:12

REVISION, QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS

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