What does the Bible say about faith in practical matters? What do you do after you pray and believe God? Do you put your feet up and wait? Some people say they are going to live by faith and think God will meet their needs without any effort on their part. But faith does not release believers from their responsibilities! We all have obligations and cannot neglect our jobs or fail to pay our bills in the name of faith. So what do we do after we pray and believe God? Do we put our feet up and wait?

Faith and Employment

“If anyone will not work, neither let him eat.”

—2 Thessalonians 3:10 (AMPC)

We are told throughout scripture that God will bless whatever we put our hands to when we are obedient to Him (Deut. 28:8, Joshua 1:7). If you want a job (or a better position), then put action to your faith. Go out and look for employment!

Yes, believe God for financial blessings. Obey the principles in His Word about giving and believe He will meet your needs. But then get up and do something! Believing and putting action to your faith work hand in hand. Faith does not replace action.

The apostle Paul wrote more about faith than any of the other New Testament writers. He is the one who said that anyone who doesn’t work, won’t eat—even saying they are busybodies (2 Thess. 3:10–11 NKJV)! Paul never sat around doing nothing, expecting his faith to accomplish everything. He was a tentmaker by trade and used his profession when he pioneered churches and visited the works he had established. He mixed human effort (putting his hands to work) with his faith!

Faith and Plans

“The plans of the diligent lead surely to advantage.”

—Proverbs 21:5 (NASB)

Have you met people who say they are living by faith but never prepare for anything? That’s not faith; that’s foolishness. You can be in faith and still plan for the future. Just be sure to include God in what you are doing and allow Him to direct your steps!

Some people plan but are not diligent, and their projects never happen. Others are hardworking but do not plan. It’s like the fellow who wanted to run when Joab sent a runner to King David. (See 2 Samuel 18:19–33.) The young man didn’t have a message but still wanted to run. He outran the other messenger and reached the king first. But when David realized he had nothing to say, he told him to stand aside (vs. 30).

Some diligent believers want to do something for God. But they have no road map on how to fulfill their desires. So when it’s time for them to succeed, they have to stand aside because they have no plan.

Even when you have a plan, you have to actively work it. You can make plans and still be in faith—just be sure your confidence is always in God! Faith never neglects the responsibility to plan and prepare.

Faith and Insurance

“Render to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s, and to God the things that are God’s.”

—Mark 12:17 (NKJV)

Faith is not an insurance policy. Most states require car insurance. But some believers think they don’t need it because they are standing in faith not to have an accident. Christians who do that are disobedient to God’s Word, and God can’t help them even though He wants to!

When Jesus referred to Caesar in Mark 12:17, He was talking about the Roman government. We require Rhema students to have car insurance because it’s a law in Oklahoma. They won’t receive a campus parking permit without it.

There’s nothing wrong with having insurance. It should not hinder a person’s faith. Some believers think faith automatically takes care of everything, and they aren’t responsible for anything! I always believe God for divine protection. But believers still need to be wise in every affair of life.

Faith Is Not Imitation

“By faith the people passed through the Red Sea as on dry land; but when the Egyptians tried to do so, they were drowned.”

—Hebrews 11:29 (NIV)

Lastly, understand that faith is not imitating someone else’s actions. God does not move on your behalf because you copied what another person did. I remember a man who testified that God told him to give his car away. It wasn’t long before someone gave him a nicer car. Other believers gave their cars away based on his testimony. But they never received a better car.

God moves when you obey what He told you to do. To receive from God, you must act in faith based on the Word for yourself—not on the actions of others.

Be motivated by wisdom in everything you do. Follow natural and spiritual laws. You can trust God and not neglect your responsibilities at the same time!