Joan Boney ... apostle/prophet
Abraham believed God before he was circumcised. We are told in Romans 4 this was so Abraham would be "father" of both the circumcised and the uncircumcised.
Romans 4 ... Blessed are they whose iniquities are forgiven, and whose sins are covered. 8Blessed is the man to whom the Lord will not impute sin.
9Cometh this blessedness then upon the circumcision only, or upon the uncircumcision also? for we say that faith was reckoned to Abraham for righteousness.
10How was it then reckoned? when he was in circumcision, or in uncircumcision?
Not in circumcision, but in uncircumcision.
11And he received the sign of circumcision, a seal of the righteousness of the faith which he had yet being uncircumcised: that he might be the father of all them that believe, though they be not circumcised; that righteousness might be imputed unto them also:
Abraham was circumcised by faith in God after he believed.
Baptism is a sign of faith in God after we believe for both Jews and Gentiles. We believe, then we are baptized. (Some are baptized before they believe but those born again first believe and then are baptized. And baptism is a sign that they believe.
When I was baptized the second time (after I was born again), when the minister lowered me into the water, the Holy Spirit said to me, "This is like being buried with Christ." This is like dying to this world and sin and being buried with Christ.
When I came out of the water, the Holy Spirit said to me, "This is like being raised with Christ."... raised with Christ to walk a newness of life, serving God instead of the previous life of serving sin.
Therefore, "I am crucified with Christ ..." as Paul said ... dead that I might serve God.
I don't recall ever thinking of God before I was born again. That is, when I set about to do something, I never considered God. I never thought of what God would want me to do. I was a servant to my own flesh.
After I was born of the Spirit of God it became opposite. Now I considered what God wanted me to do in the issue of this life. I no longer had to serve sin. Now I could serve God for I was dead and now my life was in Christ.
Romans 4 ... 12And the father of circumcision to them who are not of the circumcision only, but who also walk in the steps of that faith of our father Abraham, which he had being yet uncircumcised. 13For the promise, that he should be the heir of the world, was not to Abraham, or to his seed, through the law, but through the righteousness of faith.
Our faith in is HIM, in God, not in ourselves. Our faith is in what God did. Our faith is in what Jesus did. And our faith is in those promises of God to HIS children as cited in the Bible. And our faith is in God by those things HE has spoken directly to us through the Holy Spirit pertaining to the specific issues of this present life.
God speaks. We believe. This is the essence of faith.