living By Faith
We’ve been teaching on the Names of God for the last few weeks and I have more that I can cover, but I just felt that we need to teach on the subject of faith. I don’t know how long I’m going to be teaching on faith, but I just have to be obedient to the HS.
I. Again (HEB 11:1) Says, “Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.”
A. The Moffatt’s translation says, “Now faith means that we are confident of what we hope for, convinced of what we do not see.”
1. Another translation says, “Faith gives substance of what we do not see.”
a. The NEW Century Versions of (Hebrews 11:1) Says, “Faith means being sure of the things we hope for and knowing that something is real even if we do not see it.” NCV
b. The New Jerusalem Bible says, “Only faith can guarantee the blessings that we hope for, or prove the existence of realities that are unseen.” (Hebrews 11:1) NJB
2. You could even say it this way, “Faith is the Guarantee that the things we’ve hoped for are already ours.”
a. 1 of the best definitions of “Faith” is also found in the Word of God.
b. PRO 3:5
3. You might hope for the finances to pay some bill, Faith says, “It’s already mine,” (the Finances are mine), Faith says it, sees it, and knows that it’s mine, BEFORE you’ll see it in the natural.
a. If you put (PRO 3:5) together with what (HEB 11:1) says, then you’ll says this about your finances.
i. “I am going to trust the Lord with all of my heart that He will provide for me. I’m not going to look at what head or my understanding tells me, God will meet all my needs.”
ii. That is faith. Your head or your understanding may tell you that you’re not going to make it.
iii. But God’s Word is a higher authority.
a. (Numbers 23:19) Says, “God is not a man, that he should lie; neither the son of man, that he should repent: hath he said, and shall he not do it? or hath he spoken, and shall he not make it good? KJV
i. God will bring His promises to pass.
b. Look at 2 Corinthians 1:20
b. The doctors may say that your sick, but God’s Word says in (1 Peter 2:24) “By His stripes ye are healed.” KJV
i. Your bank account may say that you’re not going to make it, but the Word of God says, “But my God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus.” (Philippians 4:19) KJV
b. It’s faith that brings the unseen promises of God into the realm of reality.
i. It’s faith that brings it into this realm, where we can see it and touch it.
c. You might hope for healing, but faith says, “It’s already mine.
i. How can we say that it is already mine? Because the Word of God says it is.
i. The Word says, (1PET 2:24) “By whose stripes ye were healed.”
ii. Notice that, that V said, “By whose stripes ye WERE healed.” (past tense)
d. That’s how faith sees it.
i. Faith says that it’s already mine before you see it in this realm.
ii. Faith is a spiritual force that will bring thing into this realm of reality.
3. Turn with me to ROM 12:3
a. What I wanted you to see in that V was that God has given each Christian THE measure of faith.
i. Some have tried to say that God gives each person a different measure of faith, some more and others less.
ii. But that’s not the character of God.
iii. (ROM 2:11) Says, “For there is no respect of persons with God.”
b. Our V in (ROM 12:3) says, “God has dealt to us “THE measure of Faith.”
i. God has predetermined to give each Christian a set amount of faith. We’re all given the same amount of faith.
ii. Now, what you do with that amount of faith is up to you.
B. (ROM 10:17) Says, “So then faith {cometh} by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.”
1. Your faith will grow and be strengthened by hearing the Word and by using your faith. (Muscle)
2. So exercising your faith will help your faith grow, but you’ve got to hear the Word 1st.
a. and just hearing the Word is not enough.
3. Look at LUKE 8:18
a. You have to earnestly listen to the Word of God.
C. LUKE 8:11-15
1. The word “KEEP” here in (V15) means “To hold or to hold fast, to have, to take possession, seize.”
2. The only way the Word of God will cause faith to grow in our lives, that will produce fruit, is by earnestly listening to the Word and by Keeping (Holding) it in our heart, giving the Word 1st place.
a. Seize on to it.
i. I found something interesting when I looked up the word “Seize” in the dictionary.
ii. One of the definitions of the word was “To lay claim to for oneself or as one’s right.”
a. We need to “Lay claim” to the Word of God for ourselves.
b. Notice that Jesus said at the end of (V 15) “Bring forth fruit with Patience.”
i. (MARK 11:24) Says “Believe that you receive or have faith that you receive and you shall have them.”
ii. You’ve got to believe that you received 1st then you’ll have it.
iii. It doesn’t say how fast.—Patience
iv. (HEB 10:36) Says, “For ye have need of patience, that, after ye have done the will of God, ye might receive the promise.”
II. I few minutes ago I briefly made reference to “Being a doer of the Word.”
A. James said, “Faith without works is dead.”
1. If faith doesn’t have a corresponding action to go with it, is dead. It’s not going to produce anything.
2. LUKE 8:21 ________
3. You remember the woman with the issue of blood in (MARK 5) She put action with her faith. _____ (Heard about Jesus {faith came} she ran to Him).
a. Jesus replied to her, “Daughter thy faith hath made thee whole.”
4. ACTS 19:6
a. They had faith to receive the H.S. with tongues.
b. But what was the corresponding action?
c. “They spake”
i. The corresponding action can be as simple as confession the Word.
ii. But if you have faith in the Word, you have to act on it.
iii. If you refuse to act on it, your doubting the Word.
B. (MARK 11:23) Says, “Shall not doubt in his heart, but shall believe.”
1. Too often we’re ruled by our physical senses (what we see or feel) and that causes doubt.
2. JOHN 20:25-29
a. Thomas’ faith was NOT based on the WORD of God. It was based on his PHYSICAL senses. (saw or didn’t see) (touch)
b. Thomas wouldn’t believe unless he could see Jesus and touch His wounds.
i. That’s natural human faith, that’s not the God kind of faith.
ii. Natural human faith (which even non-Christians have) Says, I’ll believe it when I see it.
iii. But the God kind of faith says, “I believe it before I see it, because God said it’s so.”
C. ROM 4:17-21
1. Can you see the differences between Abraham’s faith and Thomas’ faith.
2. Abraham was fully persuaded that, what God had promised, He was able to perform.
3. We need to have faith like Abraham’s faith.
a. 1st Abraham had God’s Word for it. _____
b. 2nd Abraham believed God’s Word. _____
c. 3rd Abraham didn’t consider his physical senses. (What he saw or felt)
d. 4th Abraham gave praise and worshipped God.
i. In (V 20) it says that Abraham “gave glory to God.”
ii. The word “Glory” means “praise and worship.”
iii. Never forget about praise and worship, Abraham did it before he ever saw the manifestation.
4. The God kind of faith says, “If God said it, than it’s true.”
a. Too often our faith is based on what we see, feel, think, circumstances, or what we hear others say.
b. Let your faith be based on God’s Word ALONE.
WOLCC 11/17/91 SUN AM and WOLCC 8/11/96 Sun AM and W. O. L. C. C. Sunday, September 23, 2001
Mark 11:23 (the opposite is true).
You need to use your faith, put it to practice (grocery store not paying).
Operate faith properly (bank demand on your money, follow the proper procedure to receive your money.
Matt 8:5-13