Faith's Divine Order #2
We’re going to pick up where we left off last week. Last week we started on the subject of PUTTING YOUR FAITH TO WORK. Without ever learning how to put your faith to work, we’re never going to walk in victory on a regular basis.
I) We may have some victory from time to time, but as we learn to walk by faith we’re going to see more of God’s power in our lives and more victory.
A) When I say more VICTORY, I mean that we’re going to see the answers to our problems.
1) In (John 16:33) Jesus said “These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.” KJV
(a) Jesus pretty much guaranteed it; we are going to have tribulation or problems in this life.
(b) But He didn’t stop there, He went on to say, “But be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.”
2) He told us to Cheer up because He has overcome the world.
(a) Because He has overcome the world, we too can overcome those trials, and tribulations that we face.
B) In the 1st epistle of JOHN, the Holy Ghost begins to tell us how we can overcome.
1) Let’s look at it. 1JOHN 5:4
(a) If you want to have victory over the problems that this world offers, on a regular basis, you have to do it by faith.
(b) 4 different times God declares in His Word that “THE JUST SHALL LIVE BY FAITH.” (HABAKKUK 2:4, ROM 1:17, GAL 3:11, and HEB 10:38)
(c) God is showing us the importance that he has placed on LIVING BY FAITH.
(i) Living by faith has to be a life style. Not just something you try once in a while, but something you live.
(ii) A simple definition of faith comes from Solomon in (PRO 3:5) which says, “Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding.”
(iii) You need to trust the Lord that God will turn your situation or your problem around and cause everything to work out for good. (ROM 8:28)
II) Turn with me to HEB 11:1-6
A) This is 1 of the best definitions of faith, but so few understand it.
1) V 1 tells us that FAITH is now. This whole V is written in the PRESENT TENSE.
(a) In other words, Faith operates in the realm of NOW.
(b) It says that the promises of God are belong to me now. “I am healed in Jesus name. All my needs are met in the name of Jesus.”
(i) But Pastor, my needs aren’t met.
(ii) Faith, which says the things that you have need of are yours now, will bring God’s promises from the realm of promise to this natural realm where you can walk in it.
(a) In other words, when you believe that what God says in His Word belongs to you now, you’re going to see it and have it.
(b) Believing comes 1st. Then the having it will come.
2) The 2nd thing that this V says is that FAITH IS A SUBSTANCE.
(a) According to the Strong’s concordance FAITH is real stuff. It has actual existence.
3) The next thing that He says here comes from (V 3), which says, “Through faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the word of God, so that things which are seen were not made of things which do appear.”
(a) Everything that you see around you is the product of faith filled words.
(b) The Bible is such an enormously powerful thing.
(i) From cover to cover it contains God’s faith filled words, and those words are empowered to produce whatever you have need of.
4) Jesus said in (LUKE 8:11) that the Word of God is seed.
(a) When you pick up your Bible, you hold in your hands the seeds to produce finances, healing, salvation of your loved ones, restoration of your marriage or any thing else you could possibly need.
(b) Unfortunately not many are getting the seed out and planting it.
(i) Successful farming takes some effort.
(ii) A farmer’s seed does him no good as long as it lies dormant in the sack. But when he plants, he gets a harvest.
5) Likewise, the seeds of provision in God’s Word will never produce for you as long as your Bible gathers dust on your shelf.
(a) Well, the next question is; HOW DO WE USE THE SEED OF GOD’S WORD TO PRODUCE A HARVEST?
(b) As I said last week, there is a divine order to get from the problem to the answer. And if we follow God plan or His divine order we’re going to rise up in faith and see our situation change.
III) The 1st step that we need to take is to IDENTIFY THE PROBLEM.
A) Before you can expect to get from the problem to the answer, you must 1st clearly define and understand the exact nature of the problem you’re facing.
1) Is it SPIRITUAL, PHYSICAL, EMOTIONAL, or maybe it’s FINANCIAL?
2) Before you can conquer this problem you need to face it head on and identify it for what it truly is.
(a) This might sound kind of simple or basic, but so many believers launch out in search for a solution never knowing the source of the problem.
B) 1 of the 1st things that you’ll notice when you start getting serious about getting God’s Word into your heart and mind is an INCREASE IN PROBLEMS.
1) That’s surprising to many believers.
(a) Most think that when they get into the Word of God the problems are going to stop. NO THEY’RE GOING TO GET WORSE.
2) What the Word does is give you the power to overcome any problem.
3) We’ll look at the scripture in just a second, but Satan’s # 1 OBJECTIVE IS TO STEAL THAT WORD FROM YOUR HEART.
(a) If he can’t do that HE WILL USE PROBLEMS TO TRY TO CHOKE IT OUT.
C) Turn to MARK 4:14-17
1) Notice the 1st phrase. “The sower soweth the Word.”
(a) We saw earlier that the Bible contains seeds of answers for every problem you face.
2) Then Jesus said, “And these are they by the way side, where the word is sown; but when they have heard…”
(a) Hearing the Word is vitally important.
(b) If Satan can stop you from hearing the Word concerning a certain subject, he’s on the way to defeating you in that area of your life.
3) Notice the last ½ of (V 15) “But when they have heard, Satan cometh immediately, and taketh away the word that was sown in their hearts.”
(a) Who is it that comes? SATAN. And when does he come? IMMEDIATELY.
D) As long as you ignore God’s Word, you’re no threat to Satan.
1) But when you start planting God’s Word in your heart, he flies into action.
(a) He doesn’t want you to put the awesome creative forces of faith filled words to work in your life.
(b) Those faith-filled words in your heart will undo everything that the Devil has been working for, where you’re concerned.
2) If Satan fails in stealing the Word from your heart as soon as you receive it, he will come at you with trouble and cause you to be offended.
(a) Jesus said starting in (MARK 4:16) “When they have heard the word, immediately receive it with gladness; (17) And have no root in themselves, and so endure but for a time: afterward, when affliction or persecution ariseth for the word’s sake, immediately they are offended.”
(i) Sometimes people are offended at God and sometimes they are offended at man.
(ii) Offended at me for not coming up to them to say hi. But remember if offence comes, it is Satan coming to steal the Word that was sown in your heart.
IV) But notice something else that Jesus said in (MARK 4:17) He said, “When affliction or persecution ariseth for the word’s sake…”
A) AFFLICTION and PERSECUTION are troubles that we face, and Jesus said that they come to steal the Word.
1) Satan comes bringing problems to try to choke out the seed of God’s Word.
2) But problems can come another way, they can be SELF-INFLICTED.
(a) Look at 1st part of 1PET 2:20. Also look at 1PET 4:15
(b) These 2 Vs that we just read show us that the problems we face may not be an attack of the enemy, it might be caused by our own action.
(i) BAR and FIGHTS
B) Your 1st step in having God’s divine order of faith is to identify the source and nature of the problem.
1) Is it the result of sin or a past mistake? If so simple repent.
2) Or is it an attack of the enemy to try to stop you from going on with God and walking in victory.
(a) Once you’ve identified the problem get prepared to attack the problem with the weapon of faith.
(b) Next week we’ll get into STEP 2
WOLCC Sunday, October 05, 1997