Faith and Abiding

INTRODUCTION

Romans 12:2 (NASB95)

And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may prove what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect.

Ephesians 4:23 (NLT)

Instead, let the Spirit renew your thoughts and attitudes.

Supernatural faith lives with a renewed mind, and operates in and under the authority of Christ.

TENSION/TRUTH

Matthew 16:19 AMP

I will give you the keys (authority) of the kingdom of heaven; and whatever you bind [forbid, declare to be improper and unlawful] on earth will have [already] been bound in heaven, and whatever you loose [permit, declare lawful] on earth will have [already] been loosed in heaven.

Mark 11:22-24 TPT

“Let the faith of God be in you! Listen to the truth I speak to you: Whoever says to this mountain with great faith and does not doubt, ‘Mountain, be lifted up and thrown into the midst of the sea,’ and believes that what he says will happen, it will be done. This is the reason I urge you to boldly believe for whatever you ask for in prayer—be convinced that you have received it and it will be yours.

Faith doesn’t deny the existence of problems; it just denies their right to influence, dominate, or control our life.

FAITH AND AUTHORITY COME FROM ABIDING IN THE PRESENCE OF THE HOLY SPIRIT

APPLICATION

John 5:19 (NKJV)

Then Jesus answered and said to them, “Most assuredly, I say to you, the Son can do nothing of Himself, but what He sees the Father do; for whatever He does, the Son also does in like manner.

John 3:12–13 (NKJV)

If I have told you earthly things and you do not believe, how will you believe if I tell you heavenly things? No one has ascended to heaven but He who came down from heaven, that is, the Son of Man who is in heaven.

Ephesians 1:18–20 (NASB95)

I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened, so that you will know what is the hope of His calling, what are the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints,

and what is the surpassing greatness of His power toward us who believe. These are in accordance with the working of the strength of His might

which He brought about in Christ, when He raised Him from the dead and seated Him at His right hand in the heavenly places,

Ephesians 2:4–6 (NASB95)

But God, being rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us,

even when we were dead in our transgressions, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved),

and raised us up with Him, and seated us with Him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus,

We have been invited to perceive life and pray from a different direction.

Perhaps one of the reasons many of our prayers seem to go unanswered is not because God isn’t answering them, but we are simply praying the wrong direction.

In His love, He has invited us to pray…not from earth to heaven to see if heaven might come to earth…but to pray from heaven to earth declaring that heaven has already impacted earth through the finished work of the cross.

It’s from the place of His presence, in the ascended lifestyle, that we understand His heart for every situation, gain His mind for every circumstance, can see what He is doing and hear what He is saying concerning every issue.

2 Corinthians 12 – Apostle Paul goes to the third heaven…

Walking and living by faith and not by sight doesn’t mean faith is blind. It simply means we don’t just focus on the natural. We see the activity of heaven through our access to the abiding presence of the Holy Spirit. It’s understanding that our assignment is to bring heaven to earth. That comes by being surrendered to the authority of Jesus, and then releasing that authority as an ambassador for Christ through our lifestyle of prayer.

FAITH AND AUTHORITY COME FROM ABIDING IN THE PRESENCE OF THE HOLY SPIRIT

1. Abide in the Presence of the Holy Spirit through PRAISE (Psalm 100)

2. Abide in the Presence of the HS through GOD’S WORD (John 6, Romans 10:17)

3. PRAY and PERCEIVE LIFE from that PLACE OF PRESENCE (John 5, John 15)

1) Know (understand God’s promises and provision from Scripture)

2) Believe (believe, without doubt, that the promises are for you)

3) Speak (in agreement with God’s promises)

4) Act (you can act according to belief, or according to unbelief)

LANDING

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS ON SCREEN