Understanding Faith
Notes
Transcript
Introduction
Introduction
Faith is not limited just to Christianity. There is religious faith, but there is also general faith. Whether people know it or not they have faith at some level. Let’s look at the general definition of faith.
General Definition of Faith - “Great trust or confidence in something or someone” - Faith - definition of faith by The Free Dictionary
People put their trust or confidence in all sorts of things on a daily basis. It is important to note for ourselves when we are placing faith in someone or something. When our faith is placed in someone or something other than God then we must expect that at some point we will be let down. Let’s look at Faith, this morning as it relates to the Christian and examine how we can better understand our faith.
Misinformation
Misinformation
There is a lot of misinformation about faith in our churches today that needs to be addressed. When you hear of people that are “losing their faith” it often has a root cause in the misinformation that is spreading or the misunderstanding of faith in God.
Faith is not Magic
Faith is not Magic
Many Christian leaders tell people that things that they desire can happen or will be provided if they have enough faith in God. Some prosperity gospel preachers tell us that if we have enough faith and sow enough seed (generally financial contributions to their ministry) then we too can have a Mercedes or a mansion to live in or money beyond our wildest dreams.
If you get spiritually rich you’ll get financially rich - Kenneth Copeland
God will begin to prosper you, for money always follows righteousness - Benny Hinn
There will be no sickness for the saint of God. ... If your body belongs to God, it does not and cannot belong to sickness - Benny Hinn
Well, you need to hear about money, because you ain't gonna have no love and joy and peace until you get some money! - Creflo Dollar
“Believe in yourself and God’s favor will be upon you. Have faith in your abilities and the universe will conspire to bring you abundance.” – Joel Osteen
“Your thoughts shape your reality. Think positively, believe in your dreams, and watch your life transform into a masterpiece of success.” – T.D. Jakes
“The key to prosperity is not just hard work, but also giving generously. When you give, you open yourself up to receiving blessings beyond measure.” – Joyce Meyer
“Generosity is a seed that yields a harvest of blessings. Give with a joyful heart, and watch as your resources multiply.” – Joyce Meyer
“Remember, God’s favor is not limited by your circumstances. No matter where you are now, believe that better days are ahead, and miracles will unfold in your life.” – Paula White
God is not a Genie that grants wishes. Anything that we get from God is an act of grace bestowed upon us. We do not earn it by our works even some mystical work that many of these so called preachers call faith.
Faith is not a Machine
Faith is not a Machine
What I mean by this is that you cannot turn on faith and turn off faith like you do a washing machine. Faith is developed over time through trial and testing. One cannot have faith one moment and not have faith another moment. This does not mean that we do not experience doubts in the Lord, but we must be reminded that our doubts and fears come from the enemy and not from the Lord. Another thing I mean by Faith not being a machine is that it is not just something we need when something goes wrong in our lives. We only need a washing machine when our clothes are dirty, but we need faith in God even when things are going well in our lives. Faith in God is necessary all the time and in every situation and if we do not have that faith in good times it will not suddenly appear in the difficult situations of life.
Now that we have dispelled with some of the misinformation that is out there about faith, let’s look at biblical faith for understanding biblical faith is the only way that we can grow in it.
Faith is spawn by belief
Faith is spawn by belief
Jesus said unto her, I am the resurrection, and the life: he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live: And whosoever liveth and believeth in me shall never die. Believest thou this?
Jesus says to Martha, who is grieving the loss of her brother in death, Believest thou this? Do you believe that I am the resurrection and the life? Do you believe that I am who I have claimed to be all along? Do you believe that I am the Son of God that has come down from heaven and can resurrect who I will at any time that I will?
She said that she believed. Then Mary came along and she basically said the same thing to Jesus that Martha had said. This time instead of telling Mary about himself he decided to show her who he was and he asked her, “Where have you laid him? When they came to that place Jesus Wept. Then he did what only God could do. He said, “Take away the stone.” They argued, he insisted, and they did it. He said, “Lazarus come forth.” And here he came up out of the tomb and then Jesus said, “Loose him, and let him go.”
Martha said she believed but doubted. Mary believed but doubted. But no one was doubting when Lazarus came up out of that grave. The ones that were against Jesus were only that way because they feared losing their position not because they doubted the miracle and the power of the man that had performed it.
The Bible says, “Then many of the Jews which came to Mary, and had seen the things which Jesus did, believed on him.”
Some unbelievers might say, well if Jesus raised someone from the dead in front of me I would believe. No you wouldn’t. You would be going to and telling the Pharisees of today like the other non believers did that day. You would be in that meeting trying to figure out how to discredit him like the religious leaders did here.
Here are two things you need to see here. Mary and Martha did believe. Their faith was just not quite enough to believe he could do what he did. Their belief spawned their faith. The resurrection only increased it. The second thing you need to see here is the false teachings of the prosperity gospel people that say the reason they cannot perform miracles are because of people’s lack of faith, but here and in other places in Scripture Jesus healed people when the people did not believe in the power of his healing. Your lack of faith is not the reason that miracles do not happen in your life, but when miracles happen they strengthen the faith of those that already possess it.
Do you believe in Jesus this morning? Do you believe he is who he said he was? Do you believe he is the Son of God? Do you believe that he is the Savior? Then rest in your faith in Christ. He will sustain you even when your faith falters momentarily. If you want to grow your faith then you must choose to ALWAYS believe the Word of God even when circumstances around you may tempt you to doubt.
Faith is rooted in trust
Faith is rooted in trust
Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.
Faith is trusting in someone or something as fact without tangible evidence to prove your belief. Someone that looks at me and tells me that they will believe if I give them tangible proof of God’s existence is someone that cannot be saved in that moment. Faith is about trusting when the evidence is not right in front of you. Let me ask you some thought provoking questions;
Where is the evidence of God’s faithfulness when Paul had his head on the chopping block?
Where was the evidence of God’s protection when John was boiled in oil?
Where is the evidence of God’s provision when a mother sits in her bedroom wondering how to feed her children their next meal?
Where is the evidence of God’s presence when a person’s loved one is diagnosed with cancer?
Where is the evidence of God’s help when a person’s circumstances has them wondering where God is?
I can assure you that God is with his children through all these circumstances and so many more that seem hopeless and helpless. Faith is not rooted in what we get from it, but it is rooted in the person with whom we trust it with.
Who are you trusting? Are you trusting in your own strength? Are you trusting in other people around you? Are you trusting the God of the universe to take care of you. When you trust God then your faith grows.
Faith is Triumphant in Circumstances
Faith is Triumphant in Circumstances
Who is he that overcometh the world, but he that believeth that Jesus is the Son of God?
For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain.
Those that believe will overcome. If they die for their faith then they will overcome in death. This is why Paul said that as long as he lives he is going to live for Christ and if he dies it will be gain because he will be in the presence of the Lord. When you put your faith in Jesus Christ your triumph is secured. When you believe in the Lord Jesus Christ no circumstances can bring defeat in your life. This does not mean that you will never struggle for money, but it does mean that there will be joy in the struggle. This does not mean that you will never face persecution for your faith, but there will be peace in the midst of the persecution. This does not mean that you will not have sickness in your family, but there will be comfort in the midst of the diagnosis. This does not mean that death will not come, but that when it does you will look into death’s eyes and say, I Corinthians 15:55-58
O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory? The sting of death is sin; and the strength of sin is the law. But thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. Therefore, my beloved brethren, be ye stedfast, unmoveable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as ye know that your labour is not in vain in the Lord.
Conclusion
Conclusion
If we are going to grow in our faith and live in faith then we are going to have to wade through the weeds of misinformation about what Faith is, recognize what Biblical faith looks like, and believe by Faith in Jesus Christ as the Son of God and believe that the heavenly Father will do all things for our good even if the circumstances are not what we dreamed.
Faith is looking with confident expectation that God will fulfill all of his promises according to his calendar, for the fulfillment of his will, and in assurance that all glory is given unto him and him alone. God can get glory through our poverty. God can get glory through our illness. God can get glory through our suffering. Faith is believing that God reigns in the good times and the challenging times. Faith is believing that God will do what he has promised and trusting that he is always by our side even when others point to our circumstances and tell us that he has abandoned us.
Faith is believing in God even when the evidence is not there to support it.
