For if those who are of the law are heirs, faith is made void and the promise made of no effect
—Romans 4:14

Sometimes, when we have some problem, we think we lack the faith to receive the miracle we need from the Lord. After all, the Lord said: “all things are possible to him who believes“. In fact, for God’s blessings to be manifested in one area of our life or another, we do not need more faith or stronger faith. We already have faith. Peter writes: “Simon Peter, a bondservant and apostle of Jesus Christ, To those who have obtained like precious faith with us by the righteousness of our God and Savior Jesus Christ” [2 Pet.1:1]. We already received faith when we accepted Jesus as our Lord and Saviour — thanks not to our own righteousness, but to the righteousness of Jesus. We already have the faith we need. “So what is the problem, then? And why aren’t the blessings showing up in my life?” you may ask.

The problem is not a lack of faith, but that it is made void. Paul writes to the Romans: “For if those who are of the law are heirs, faith is made void and the promise made of no effect” [Rom.4:14]. Paul writes the same to the Galatians: “Indeed I, Paul, say to you that if you become circumcised, Christ will profit you nothing” [Gal.5:2]. Becoming circumcised here means relying on your flesh and its works. It is written that God has already blessed us with every blessing of heaven in Christ Jesus [Eph.1:3]. In Christ we have everything for a blessed life and godliness: strong health, a blessed family, financial well-being, success and so on. What hinders Abraham’s blessings from being manifested in one area of our life or another is the works of the law. That is why Paul writes to the Corinthians: “Examine yourselves as to whether you are in the faith” [2 Cor.13:5].

It is written that Jesus redeemed us from the curses of the law so that we might enjoy the blessings of Abraham [Gal.3:13-14]. Everything depends neither on our behaviour — for if we try to get something from God by exemplary behaviour, we are still living in the works of the law — nor on whether we have faith and how strong it is, because faith has already been given to us, and even faith as a mustard seed can move mountains. Everything depends on the place where we are. After Lot, who is a type of the veil of the law, separated from Abraham, the Lord said to him: “Lift your eyes now and look from the place where you are; northward, southward, eastward, and westward; for all the land which you see I give to you and your descendants forever” [Gen.13:14-15]. The Lord told Abraham to look “from the place where you are”. So what is this place?

Paul writes to the Colossians much the same as what the Lord said to Abraham: “If then you were raised with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ is, sitting at the right hand of God. Set your mind on things above, not on things on the earth” [Col.3:1-2] Paul urges us to look to the right hand of God. And what is there? Our righteousness is there — Jesus Christ. The greater our revelation of the righteousness of Jesus Christ, the more the promise works in our life, and faith is not made void. Paul writes: “We then, as workers together with Him also plead with you not to receive the grace of God in vain. For He says: ‘In an acceptable time I have heard you, And in the day of salvation I have helped you.’ Behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation” [2 Cor.6:1-2]. Salvation here does not only mean salvation from hell. If there is a problem in our life, we need the Lord’s salvation. And when is it manifested? When the grace we have received is not in vain, when we rely not on our own righteousness, which is of works, but on the righteousness of faith, the righteousness of our Lord Jesus Christ!