In order for my faith to grow, I had to have personal powerful encounters with God. Rhemas (Word) of God.

Rhema – living, illuminating life speaking Word of God, personal and direct.

Romans 10:14-17 – How then will they call on him in whom they have not believed? And how are they to believe in him of whom they have never heard? And how are they to hear without someone preaching?  And how are they to preach unless they are sent? As it is written, “How beautiful are the feet of those who preach the good news!”  But they have not all obeyed the gospel. For Isaiah says, “Lord, who has believed what he has heard from us?” So faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the word (rhema) of Christ. 

What I have learned in my personal experience is the need to be willing to set aside all my preconceived ideas about God, faith, and what it means to be Christian… even everything that was taught from a biblical perspective. Be willing to set it all aside so that God can teach me His Truth. My faith grew exponentially when I began to recognize Him speaking rhema into my life.

Job said it like this: “I had heard of you by the hearing of the ear, but now my eye sees you; therefore, I despise myself, and repent in dust and ashes.” Job 42:5-6

Paul said it like this: “Indeed, I count everything [all his knowledge of holy scripture and righteousness according to the law] as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have suffered the loss of all things and count them as rubbish, in order that I may gain Christ and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which comes through faith in Christ, the righteousness from God that depends on faith”   Philippians 3:8-9 (read verses above 8 to understand all that Paul counted as loss.)

Paul also said it like this: “For I would have you know, brothers, that the gospel that was preached by me is not man’s gospel. For I did not receive it from any man, nor was I taught it, but I received it through a revelation of Jesus Christ… who called me by his grace, was pleased to reveal his Son to me” Galatians 1:11, 12, 15, 16

It’s good to hear preaching/teaching. It’s good to read godly literature. It’s good to hear other’s testimonies. But, we CANNOT survive on any of those alone. We MUST have personal, powerful encounters with God, where He speaks life directly into our lives and our personal situations.