The Power of Faith

This week we will begin our exploration of The Twelve Powers of Man as discerned and delineated by Unity cofounder Charles Fillmore. Our guide through the study will be, Divine Audacity, by Rev. Linda Martella-Whitsett. 

Charles Fillmore referred to these innate faculties as our spiritual powers. While I appreciate the use of the word ‘powers,’ I prefer to call them faculties or abilities. Those words, at least in my way of thinking, make them more accessible for all of us. Someone recently referred to them as ‘tools’ which I also appreciate. Utilizing our faculties does not require us to claim superhero powers. These abilities are within reach for each of us, and we can use them to co-create the empowered lives we desire.

This Sunday, September 11, we will begin with the Power of Faith. In Hebrews 11:1, Paul says, “Now Faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen” (NRSV).

Charles Fillmore stated,

Faith is the perceiving power of the mind linked with a power to shape substance. It is spiritual assurance, the power to do the seemingly impossible. It is a force that draws to us our heart’s desire right out of the invisible spiritual substance. It is a deeper inner knowing that that which is sought is already ours for the taking, the “assurance of things hoped for.”

In Divine Audacity, Rev. Linda says,

Faith is our innate power to create our reality by our perception, our beliefs and our interpretations. According to our faith, we live in assurance/conviction. According to our faith, we expect.

In other words, Faith is a faculty of mind that each of us possesses by nature of our humanity. It is our ability to see beyond that which is currently demonstrating in our lives or in the world around us in order to perceive a greater possibility. It is our ability to know that we are not limited by the evidence of what we currently perceive with our physical senses.

Faith is also our ability to live with the conviction that the essence of what we desire already exists as pure potential and possibility even though we may not currently witness the demonstration of it. As we embrace, embody and exercise our power of Faith in conjunction with our other powers, we can bring it into manifestation.

In addition, we exercise our power of Faith when we choose to live in the mental attitude of joyous anticipation. When we choose to perceive what is possible and live with the conviction that it is so, our power of Faith is activated, and we can feel the eager expectation of receiving the manifestation of our desire.

All of the forgoing is not meant to imply that simply by exercising our power of Faith that our desires miraculously or instantaneously manifest. I assert, however, that at a certain level of absolute embodiment of our power of Faith that “miraculous” demonstrations can occur. While that is true, I am not implying that that is our goal for these next few weeks. Our goal is to familiarize ourselves with these twelve abilities and begin using them consciously. Each of us begins right where we are.

None of us would set out on a weight loss plan and expect to shed twenty pounds overnight simply by the power of Faith. We may begin by connecting with a desire for a healthy, fit, vibrantly active physical body so that we can enjoy our life to the fullest. In contemplating that desire, we may access the knowing that losing weight would be a means to help achieve that desire. As we activate and employ our power of Faith, we do not allow the current state of our physical body to determine what is possible. Faith empowers us to see beyond the evidence of what is currently demonstrating to a vision of what is desired. Conscious connection with Faith allows us to move forward with the conviction of what is possible and embrace each moment with eager expectancy that each step will bring results.

It is important to note that we do not use one faculty, such as Faith, in isolation. In the example above, we would also invoke our capacities of Imagination to envision our goal, Will to make supportive choices, Strength to stay the course, and Release to let go of thoughts or habits that do not help us achieve our goal. We will be exploring each of those in further detail in the coming weeks.

For this week, I encourage each of us to spend a few minutes each day focusing awareness on the power of Faith. It is located in the physical body in the area of the pineal gland in the center of the brain. The color associated with Faith is royal blue. Using your power of Imagination, focus your attention on that area of the brain and see a beautiful royal blue light radiating outward. With every breath imagine the light growing brighter and expanding further. As you activate this center of Faith within, claim,

I now awaken to my power of Faith. I claim my power of Faith. I use my power of Faith to see beyond all evidence of lack or limitation in every area of my life. I perceive the pure potential and possibility inherent as the truth of me and my life. I am convinced that my desire is already fulfilled. I live each moment with eager expectancy. I am open and receptive to the demonstration of my good.

Join us on Sunday mornings at 10:00 as we come together to delve deeper into our innate abilities to live empowered lives and co-create our deepest desires.