The Ark July 11, 2018 Faith

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1 The Ark July 11, 2018 Faith Stewardship: Galatians 6:9 New Living Translation (NLT) 9 So let s not get tired of doing what is good. At just the right time we will reap a harvest of blessing if we don t give up Peach Pit Potential: The pit of a peach is small and hidden in the center of the beautiful peach, however, it holds great power. We all love to eat peaches, but usually throw away the pit. What does a peach pit have to do with stewardship? God did not ask you for your entire income only a small portion. But like the peach pit, that small portion has great potential. You probably waste at least 10% of your total income like tossing that peach pit. But think about what would happen if you planted that Peach Pit in good soil.peach pits have the potential of producing perpetual peaches IF PLANTED! It s the same with our tithe and offerings. We must Plant our seed in order to reap a harvest. Then we must wait and remember the potential of that Peach Pit Gift.... Let s Talk About Faith! Everything we get from God, we get by faith! We are saved by grace through faith (Ephesians 2:8) We cannot please God without faith (Hebrews 11:6 But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must BELIEVE that He is and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him). Jesus often made the statement when healing someone.. Your faith has made you whole. 1

2 What is Faith? Hebrews 11:1 Now Faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. (NKJV). Classic Amplified: Now faith is the assurance (the confirmation, the title deed) of the things [we] hope for, being the proof of things [we] do not see and the conviction of their reality [faith perceiving as real fact what is not revealed to the senses] (Hebrews 11:1 Classic Amplified). TLB What is faith? It is the confident assurance that something we want is going to happen. It is the certainty that what we hope for is waiting for us, even though we cannot see it up ahead. Listen to the different words used to describe faith: Assurance (Amplified) Confidence (TLB) Substance (KJV) Let s take each of the words listed above to help us define faith Faith is Assurance - Assurance is the state of being confident in a condition or outcome. Faith is Confidence Confidence is believing, in particular it is believing God and the scripture. Faith is substance. Webster defines substance as anything that has mass and takes up space. So faith is a building material of sorts. From Quantum Faith by Annette Capps: Faith is an unseen energy force. It is not matter, but it creates matter and actually becomes matter. Faith energized words convert energy to matter. Faith is the raw material from which all matter is made. It is the invisible substance from which your physical world was and is created. God used faith-substance and word-energy to create the universe (Genesis 1). MY STORY. Hebrews 10:38 King James Version (KJV) 38 Now the just shall live by faith: but if any man draw back, my soul shall have no pleasure in him. 2

3 Simply put: Faith is believing God s promises. There s a narrative in Mark 9 about a man who brought his child to Jesus. This child was a difficult case and the disciples were unable to heal him. Listen to what Jesus said to him: Mark 9:23-24 New King James Version (NKJV) 23 Jesus said to him, If [a] you can believe, all things are possible to him who believes. 24 Immediately the father of the child cried out and said with tears, Lord, I believe; help my unbelief! Jesus cast out the unclean spirit and the child was healed. When asked by his disciples why they could not cast the spirit out Jesus instructed them that they needed to fast and pray more. Is that you? You want to believe but you need a little help? Tonight, I want to give you a little help. Let s look at a faith scripture and see what we can learn: Mark 11:22-25 Amplified Bible, Classic Edition (AMPC) 22 And Jesus, replying, said to them, Have faith in God [constantly]. 23 Truly I tell you, whoever says to this mountain, Be lifted up and thrown into the sea! and does not doubt at all in his heart but believes that what he says will take place, it will be done for him. 24 For this reason I am telling you, whatever you ask for in prayer, believe (trust and be confident) that it is granted to you, and you will [get it]. 3

4 25 And whenever you stand praying, if you have anything against anyone, forgive him and [a] let it drop (leave it, let it go), in order that your Father Who is in heaven may also forgive you your [own] failings and shortcomings and let them drop. This is how Faith should reflect itself in your life. You find the promise in the word of God You believe that promise You speak that promise You receive that promise Faith Facts 1. It s God s will for you to have strong faith! (Have Faith in God) 2. Every man has a measure of faith (For I say, through the grace given to me, to everyone who is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think, but to think soberly, as God has dealt to each one a measure of faith (Romans 12:3 NKJV) Every person that has ever lived was given faith. Jesus spoke of people with little faith and great faith. He even asked where is your faith, since it seemed the person he was addressing had misplaced it. 3. This measure of faith can be increased. Faith is our spirit muscle! The beginning of growing strong faith is to realize it is a muscle and must be cared for an exercised. Standing beside a Bodybuilder it would appear that I have no muscle. I have such a friend. The difference in my friend and me is the attention she has given to building her muscles. I have the potential and desire to look like her, but I don t have the willpower or discipline. That s the way it is with faith. We all have the potential to be people of great faith, but are we willing to do the work necessary to build that faith? 4

5 A. By the Word of God (The Bible is Faith Food) (Roman 10:17 Faith comes by hearing and hearing by the Word of God). Faith in us rises to meet the Word of God. As I read, speak and believe the Word of God, my faith increase.. my faith muscle becomes stronger! B. By Prayer (But you, beloved, build yourselves up (founded) on your most holy faith (make progress, rise like an edifice higher and higher) praying in the Holy Spirit (Jude 1:20 AMP) C. By Exercise (tests and trials) D. It s our responsibility whether or not our faith grows 4. Faith is of your heart (spirit) not your head (faith perceiving as real fact what is not revealed to the senses) A. Head faith is motivated by physical senses B. Heart faith is of your Spirit You must believe you receive before you actually have it.( 24 For this reason I am telling you, whatever you ask for in prayer, believe (trust and be confident) that it is granted to you, and you will [get it].mark 11:24 Classic Amplified) 5. Faith is released by the words we speak. (And since we have the same spirit of faith, according to what is written, I have believed and therefore I spoke, we also believe and therefore speak (2 Corinthians 4:13 NKJV). Words are powerful! Proverbs tells us that life and death are in the power of our tongue (Proverbs 18:21 IT IS NOT ENOUGH TO THINK FAITH IT MUST BE SPOKEN! It works because it is the same process God used to create the world and all it contains. Therefore, the word of faith flowing from the mouth of a believer will change the ENVIRONMENT and attract miracles. A. Acts 16:25 the answer came during praise not just prayer (Paul and Silas in Prison) B. Faith works by Praying then Saying. AFTER WE PRAY WE MUST CONTINUE TO SPEAK FAITH FILLED WORDS. 5

6 C. THE SPIRIT OF FAITH: If you are a believer you have the Spirit of Faith. The Holy Spirit is the Spirit of faith. He is the life-giving force that takes your words of faith and turns them into reality. 6. Faith always works for you and sometimes it will work through you for others. 7. Faith will not work in an unforgiving heart (If you walk in love you can forgive). 6