In May 1950, Kenneth E. Hagin, the patriarch of the RHEMA family and the person known by many as the father of the modern Word of Faith Charismatic movement, heard an audible voice from heaven say to him to “Go teach My people faith! I have taught you faith through My Word. I have permitted you to go through certain experiences, and you have learned faith, both through My Word and by experience. Now, go teach My people what I have taught you”.
Over the next 53 years, Brother Hagin faithfully taught faith and exemplified it in his life and ministry. That assignment was not given only to Brother Hagin to accomplish, but it is the mandate for the entire RHEMA Family.
What exactly does it mean to teach God’s people faith?
First, we know that faith is a Bible subject, and we are to teach it from that perspective. It is not the only subject in the Bible, but it’s an important subject. A person can’t even get saved or live the Christian life without faith.
Second, Galatians 3:24-25 speaks of faith as the new covenant. Hebrews 12:2 says Jesus is the author and finisher of faith. The Old Testament is the covenant of the law while the New Testament is the covenant of faith. So, to teach faith is to teach believers how to live a victorious Christian life in the New Covenant.
Third, Romans 10:17 tells us that faith comes by hearing and hearing by the Word of God. All of God’s Word — the Old Testament as well as the New Testament — produces faith. And like Paul did with the Church leaders at Ephesus, we are not to shrink from declaring all the counsel of God. (Acts 20:27). We are to emphasize the entire counsel of God’s Word. We teach it from the standpoint of the finished work of redemption — the death, burial and resurrection of Christ, which is the word of faith which we preach (Romans 10:6-10).
Teaching by the Word and Example
The Lord told Brother Hagin that He taught him faith through the Word and by experience. We don’t only learn faith by studying the Bible, but also by practicing it. Jesus was most definitely a faith teacher and so was Paul (Mark 11:22-26, 1 Timothy 2:7). And God wants us too to communicate truth in a simple and practical manner.
If there was ever any time to be relentless about the message of faith, it’s now. If there was ever any time to be determined to live by faith, it is now. The purpose of the faith message isn’t to heap up material things for ourselves; let us be true examples of the faith walk in all areas of life and ministry!
Who’s the Faith Message for?
When the Lord said to Brother Hagin: “Go teach My people faith . . . “, He was referring to the entire Body of Christ. We are to reach the entire Body of Christ with the message of faith. God didn’t tell Brother Hagin to Go teach the “RHEMA camp” faith. There wasn’t even a RHEMA Bible College then. Nor did the Lord tell him Go teach faith to “Word of faith people”. No.
We need to be large-hearted, mature, loving, and do our best to ensure the message of faith gets to the entire body of Christ. It’s going to take all of us working together to get this done. We want to maintain a humble teachable spirit ourselves so we can learn from and work alongside other “camps” in the Body of Christ.
Part of our calling as a ministry is to bear witness concerning Jesus' return. Before Brother Hagin was born, Jesus appeared to his mother and revealed that calling. We must, therefore, always keep the Great Commission in view and maintain a strong heart for evangelism and missions.
What have you been doing with the faith message? If God called you to RHEMA, then that’s our corporate assignment. Let’s pick up our mantle as the RHEMA Family and run with our assignment. Let’s demonstrate the power of the Holy Spirit as we teach and preach faith in its simplicity, being an example of a lifestyle of faith ourselves.
Read more about RHEMA History here.
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