From the Faith E. Free Sunday Morning Church Service in Audubon, Iowa
The Techniques of Faith

When we want to have faith or use faith there are three basic techniques we need:
1) Faith Focus
2) Faith Rest
3) Faith Execution

Telling yourself to have more faith without following these techniques is like a little league coach telling his players, “hit the ball, hit the ball!” but never teaching them the grip,
the stance, the follow through, etc. Being told game after game, “You’ve got to hit the ball, son!” is not going to develop a great batting average.

Believers need to exercise faith in times of disaster but also, in times of success. This is because of the principle of distraction. Faith is lost anytime the believer reacts to life, looses focus on God’s promises and becomes distracted by the world. Any situation, good or bad, can be the bird hitting the windshield of our spiritual life. To flinch or react is natural.

Everyone reacts to situations in life. If a person of great faith smashes their finger with a hammer, do they feel the pain? Yes, everyone feels the pain. The difference is in how that person reacts to the pain. A person of faith should respond to situations by using the three techniques of effective faith.

When life causes us to react and we find ourselves focused on the situation (good or bad) we need to use the first technique:

FAITH FOCUS. This is where you apply 1 Peter 5:7, “Cast all your anxiety on God” and focus on a promise such as “all things work together for good.” (Rm. 8:28) This step by itself is not faith anymore than a good looking batting stance is a home run. The purpose of the faith focus technique is to reverse your concentration away from the distraction & toward God so that you can enter His rest.

FAITH REST is the second technique. By holding on to a promise of God you have cast your anxiety on God and are ready for Hebrews 4:10, “who enters God’s rest also rests from his own work.” In this place of faith rest you have peace in the midst of problems or success (“the worries of this Life” or “the deceitfulness of wealth” Mt. 13:23). Here you rest from your “own work” (schemes, plans, etc.) and wait to hear God. If you remain frantic & distracted you can not hear God.

David writes in Psalm143 after having applied FAITH FOCUS in 143:5 (“I meditate on all your works”) and FAITH REST in 143:6 (“I spread out my hands to you. . . . .Selah. . .Answer me quickly, O Lord”), he says, “Let the morning bring me word of your unfailing love, for I have put my trust in you. Show me the way I should go.." (143:8)

FAITH EXECUTION is what you do after God reveals his plan for you. You handle the situation God’s way. You heard his word while in the place of rest, now you are ready to emerge to fight the giant, flee to the mountains, build the ark, wait for the promise, or endure patiently in hope. You will have the strength to do whatever God wills because you are living in faith.