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.

Do we want to please Him?

Well let’s understand and walk in faith so that we can.

 

Faith is not doubt

Romans 14:22-23

Do you have faith?  Have it to yourself before God.  Happy is he who does not condemn himself in what he approves

But he who doubts is condemned if he eats, because he does not eat from faith; for whatever is not from faith is sin.

A very black and white position if you don’t have faith you are sinning.  Doubt is a sin.

 

Acts 10:20

Arise therefore go down and go with them doubting nothing for I have sent them.

We must not doubt but obey walk knowing he has been before us.

 

James 1:6

But let him ask in faith, with no doubt.

Just know walk in faith.

 

Deuteronomy 7:17

 If you should say in your heart these nations are greater than I then how should I dispossess them?

So faith is having no doubt.  Just knowing He will do it and moving forward as a result.

 

Faith is Action / Works

James 2:14 onwards

Faith without works is dead.

James speaks throughout the book about Faith and its relationship to works.

 

James 1:22

But be doers of the word and not hearers only.

James 2:22

Do you see that faith was working together with his works, and by works faith was made perfect?

James 1:25

…and is not a forgetful hearer but a doer of the work, this one will be blessed in what he does.

 

Faith comes from doing and blessing from this.

 

Mark 10:49.

Bartimaeus got great faith and threw his cloak to the ground. Why? Because Jesus called him and he knew he wouldn’t need the beggars cloak anymore. If Jesus picked you out now and said I want to heal you this morning, would you be excited? Why? Would you be healed? Why? Because Jesus said so and you know when He says it it will be so!
Mark 16:18 that whoever believes “will lay hands on the sick, and they will recover.”
John 14:12 most assuredly, I say to you, he who believes in Me, the works that I do he will do also: and greater works than these he will do, because I go to My Father. And whatever you ask in My name, that I will do, that they Father may be glorified in the Son. If you ask anything in My name. I will do it.

 Luke 17

The apostles ask “increase our faith”

9 “Does he thank that servant because he did the things that were commanded him? I think not.

10 “So likewise you, when you have done all those things which you are commanded, say, ‘We are unprofitable servants. We have done what was our duty to do.’ ”

This ties in with James 2:22 in that you must step out.  Know the time and know the sphere of influence you have.  But you must step out.  This doesn’t mean you just go and do anything.  You must have a relationship with God and you must be in His will to know when to step out.

 

Through faith you do your duty/ the works you do (in love as a servant) and you are blessed with faith that builds.

 

When I receive a word of something to do from The Lord (no matter how hard) I get it done.  He loves me and I know what He asks is for good.

 

Faith is not waiting for the perfect Time

Philippians 3:12

Not that I have already attained, or am already perfected; but I press on, that I may lay hold of that for which Christ Jesus has also laid hold of me.

Interesting we don’t wait until it is all done and we are perfected. He expects us to press on. Why? To teach us faith in Him when we don’t know all the answers, to work in faith when it is not all perfect. He wants this faith step. He has already been before and he has laid hold of it.

I experienced this yesterday where He had been many years before and laid hold of certain goods for me. I was expected to step out and get them even though everything wasn’t perfect in me or around me. He was showing me to have faith in Him by giving Me something now that He had set up years before.

Let us step out.

In His timing not ours!

 

Faith is Knowing Prophecy and Faith

Hebrews 4:2

…but the word which they heard did not profit them, not being mixed with faith in those who heard it.

You walk in faith and it might not turn out exactly as you expected or how you interpreted prophecy, but God’s nature is such that He has you in His hand and you can trust Him to have you exactly where He wants you.

Prophecy is in part as we don’t see what is going on in the spiritual. We may have only got one word and not listened to someone else’s word which was needed to complete the picture. I am seeing more and more that He uses multiple people as He doesn’t want one person thinking they have it all. It is more powerful anointing where two or more feed off each other.

Prophecy speaks of the possibilities. Faith brings the possibilities to reality.

We choose whether to step into Gods words and achieve them. Are we are a man of righteousness so therefore we take and step into the words spoken over us.

 

Luke 8:21

My brothers and mother are those who hear the word of God and do it.

 

Faith can be a team exercise – It is not you but Him He just wants something to work with.

Exodus 17:11 

And so it was, when Moses held up his hand, that Israel prevailed; and when he let down his hand, Amalek prevailed.

12 But Moses’ hands became heavy; so they took a stone and put it under him, and he sat on it. And Aaron and Hur supported his hands, one on one side, and the other on the other side; and his hands were steady until the going down of the sun.

13 So Joshua defeated Amalek and his people with the edge of the sword.

Again this ties in with James 2:22 “faith with works”

Joshua had to do the work (fight) in faith But God was doing the work supernaturally through Moses and the team supporting Him.
It was no individual but it required work from the team. As individuals and as a team we must step out in faith.

14 Then the LORD said to Moses, “Write this for a memorial in the book and recount it in the hearing of Joshua that I will utterly blot out the remembrance of Amalek from under heaven.”

He also wanted Joshua to know that although he fought the battle it was The Lord doing it through the rest of the team. No individual.
Moses recounted it to Joshua so Joshua remembered.

 

Faith is Righteousness

 Why is Righteousness important?

 

1 Corinthians 6:9

Do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God…

Romans 14:17

For the kingdom of God is not eating and drinking, but righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit.

 

Genesis 15:6

And he believed in The Lord and He accounted it to him for righteousness.

 

We have to have faith to be righteous. A righteous man is a man of faith

 

 God will use a righteous man in the kingdom of God but the man must prove he has faith.

 And if you cry out to God to use you then He is going to build your faith.

 

1 Peter 1:6 

In this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while, if need be, you have been grieved by various trials,

7 that the genuineness of your faith, being much more precious than gold that perishes, though it is tested by fire, may be found to praise, honor, and glory at the revelation of Jesus Christ,

IF NEED BE

So some don’t need to go through trials and tribulations as their faith is genuine.
He cannot use a man without faith and the responsibilities you are given come from your ability to handle them through your level of faith.

 If you are to move forward in the kingdom them your faith must stand.  It is an essential brick in the house.