What is the “Gift of Faith” Spiritual Gift? Discover Its Purpose and How to Activate It

“But the manifestation of the Spirit is given to each one for the profit of all: for to one is given the word of wisdom through the Spirit… to another faith by the same Spirit…” —1 Corinthians 12:7-9 (emphasis added)

Faith moves God, and fear moves Satan. As a born-again Believer, you want to be in step and alignment with the Spirit of God, moving according to His will, not Satan’s. The good news is that, as a Believer, you have access to the spiritual gift of faith. That may sound confusing, seeing that it takes faith to be born-again. However, there are many types of faith. 

The gift of faith can only be given to Believers, whereas natural faith is available to all. The difference is that the gift of faith comes from the Holy Spirit. 

With that in mind, let’s look at the gift of faith, its purpose, and how to activate it in your life.

Why You Need to Understand the Spiritual Gift of Faith

As mentioned, faith moves God, and fear moves Satan. With the mental media manipulation going out from the prince of the air, fear is a tactic he uses to accomplish his will. The thief comes to steal, kill, and destroy. He wants us to operate out of a spirit of fear and uses intimidation to put that spirit on us. 

Faith is tied to victory. For those who operate out of the gift of faith, the Spirit empowers them to walk so closely to God that when adversity comes–either for them or others–their faith grows. The gift of faith the Spirit gives them encourages others to press into the Spirit of God and seek the Father’s heart in times of trial. 

Hebrews 11 says faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. The gift of faith is a supernatural way of “seeing” in the spirit and the evidence of God and His plans and sovereignty. 

As we grow closer to the day of the Lord’s return, the enemy continues to release fear, which is why understanding and activating the gift of faith is critical. Remember, faith moves God, and we need a move of God in this hour!

The Gifts of the Spirit in 1 Corinthians 12

First Corinthians 12:7-10 lists nine gifts of the Spirit. It is important to remember that the Holy Spirit imparts gifts to Believers as He wills.

• “But one and the same Spirit works all these things, distributing to each one individually as He wills.”—1 Corinthians 12:11 (emphasis added)

The Holy Spirit is our Teacher, Advocate, and Guide who distributes the gift of faith. It is not given to us because we’ve earned it. But we can activate the gift, and God wants us to. And He wants us to steward the gift well. He wants us to speak in faith, knowing His covenant promises are true. The Holy Spirit permanently resides within you, and God intends you to use these gifts to unlock your Kingdom destiny. 

What is the Gift of Faith?

The spiritual gift of faith is a supernatural faith that operates from God directly through you. It accomplishes things that are thought to be impossible to man. Yet, when a Believer is operating within the spiritual gift of faith, anything is possible. 

It is a power gift of the spirit and manifests in extraordinary amounts of faith and is unshakable in times of uncertainty. 

An Example of the Gift of Faith in the Bible

A biblical example of the manifestation of the gift of faith is the story of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego. In summary, the story tells of three men who—against King Nebuchadnezzar’s orders—refused to worship a golden statue. They were men from Judah and worshiped the God of Israel. 

Because they disobeyed his order, the king threw them into a fiery furnace. Through the gift of faith, they were able to survive the fire and serve as witnesses to the kingdom of Babylon.

• “Nebuchadnezzar spoke, saying to them, ‘Is it true, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego, that you do not serve my gods or worship the gold image which I have set up? …if you do not worship, you shall be cast immediately into the midst of a burning fiery furnace. And who is the god who will deliver you from my hands?’

“Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego answered and said to the king, ‘O Nebuchadnezzar, we have no need to answer you in this matter. If that is the case, our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace, and He will deliver us from your hand, O king.’

“‘But if not, let it be known to you, O king, that we do not serve your gods, nor will we worship the gold image which you have set up.’ Then Nebuchadnezzar was full of fury, and the expression on his face changed toward Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego. He spoke and commanded that they heat the furnace seven times more than it was usually heated. 

“And he commanded certain mighty men of valor who were in his army to bind Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego, and cast them into the burning fiery furnace… And these three men, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego, fell down bound into the midst of the burning fiery furnace.

“Then King Nebuchadnezzar was astonished… ‘Look!’ he answered, ‘I see four men loose, walking in the midst of the fire; and they are not hurt, and the form of the fourth is like the Son of God.’”—Daniel 3:14-21;23-25

This story serves as an example of God’s miraculous power working on behalf of his faithful servants.

What is the Purpose of the Gift of Faith?

As with all spiritual gifts, the purpose of the gift of faith is to bring glory to God through the building up and edification of the Church.

• “Even so you, since you are zealous for spiritual gifts, let it be for the edification of the church that you seek to excel.”—1 Corinthians 14:12

That being said, the gift of faith operates primarily….

• To serve as a witness of God’s sovereign power to Believers and non-believers alike. 
• It is always directed by God and manifests in His timing.

Just as in the story of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego, the gift of faith served as a witness to the entire kingdom of Babylon.

• “Then Nebuchadnezzar went near the mouth of the burning fiery furnace and spoke, saying, ‘Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego, servants of the Most High God, come out, and come here.’ Then Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego came from the midst of the fire. 

“And the satraps, administrators, governors, and the king’s counselors gathered together, and they saw these men on whose bodies the fire had no power; the hair of their head was not singed nor were their garments affected, and the smell of fire was not on them. Nebuchadnezzar spoke, saying, ‘Blessed be the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego, who sent His Angel and delivered His servants who trusted in Him…’”—Daniel 3:26-28

All Believers have access to the spiritual gift of faith. Are you a Believer who carries the responsibility of witnessing to others through the gift of faith? Understand this: God has and will continue to equip you with all the spiritual tools necessary to fulfill your spiritual assignment. 

Does the Gift of Faith Work with Other Gifts of the Spirit?

Yes. As with all spiritual gifts, the gift of faith works in tandem with other gifts of the Spirit. For instance, the gift of knowledge is often manifested right before or during the gift of faith. Otherwise, how would you know what the Spirit was asking you to believe in faith?

The book of Ephesians gives us another example of God’s design for parts to work together as one. 

• “but, speaking the truth in love, may grow up in all things into Him who is the head—Christ—from whom the whole body, joined and knit together by what every joint supplies, according to the effective working by which every part does its share, causes growth of the body for the edifying of itself in love.”—Ephesians 4:15-16

Simply put, God distributes many gifts to the Believers who steward them well. 

Ways to Activate the Gift of Faith

To activate this supernatural gift from the Holy Spirit, Believers must be willing to put in the effort and align themselves with their identity and inheritance. In other words, you cannot be walking in agreement with the flesh and expect the Spirit to release the gift of faith in your life.

Take a personal inventory and ask, “Am I surrendered to my identity in Christ and God’s purpose for my life?” 

The intent of this question is to expose any roadblocks that may be standing in the way of your gift of faith’s manifestation. Remember, instruction is a friend. When we expose the obstacles, it makes way for the instruction to be released. Consider how to move forward and A.C.T.—apply, change, and transform.

• A- Apply: Apply the truths that are being revealed to you. Faithfully seek the guidance of the Holy Spirit and discern His wisdom through time spent in His presence. Spend some time in repentant prayer, asking for a revelation of anything that feels unresolved.
• C- Change: Make the necessary changes in your life for your spiritual gift to manifest. Ask God to reveal what, if anything, is standing in the way of your gift manifesting, and be obedient to His instruction.
• T- Transform: Allow the Holy Spirit to transform your faith through the manifestation of your spiritual gifts. This step is all about transforming your mind through the washing of the Word. Remember, faith comes by hearing the Word of God (Romans 10:17). Allow the Word to form your thought patterns. 

The Takeaway

The gift of faith is given to Believers by the Holy Spirit. It is a supernatural faith that operates from God directly through you. It works in tandem with many of the other spiritual gifts, especially the gift of knowledge.

Like every spiritual gift, the gift of faith is designed to edify and encourage Believers. Its purpose is to be witnesses of God’s power and character to the world.