Releasing The Power Of Faith

Intro

Power is a requirement to make changes and progress or even to accomplish. And today God has put in my heart to talk about one of the powerful weapon/tool to manifest cause change which is faith. The Bible says faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of unseen realities (Hebrews 11:1 “Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.”)

What Do They Need to Know

The kingdom of God moves in power

1 Corinthians 4:20 “For the kingdom of God is not in word but in power.”

We have a treasure in us - 2 Corinthians 4:7–13“But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellence of the power may be of God and not of us. We are hard-pressed on every side, yet not crushed; we are perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed—always carrying about in the body the dying of the Lord Jesus, that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our body. For we who live are always delivered to death for Jesus’ sake, that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our mortal flesh. So then death is working in us, but life in you. And since we have the same spirit of faith, according to what is written, “I believed and therefore I spoke,” we also believe and therefore speak,”

Faith moves mountain - Mark 11:23–24 “For assuredly, I say to you, whoever says to this mountain, ‘Be removed and be cast into the sea,’ and does not doubt in his heart, but believes that those things he says will be done, he will have whatever he says. Therefore I say to you, whatever things you ask when you pray, believe that you receive them, and you will have them.”

Without faith it is impossible to please God - to please means “to make someone feel happy, satisfied, or glad”

Enemies to faith

Fear (negative consequences) - 2 Timothy 1:7 “For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind.”

Fear is associate to little faith - Matthew 8:26 “26 And he saith unto them, Why are ye fearful, O ye of little faith? Then he arose, and rebuked the winds and the sea; and there was a great calm.”

Fear caused Peter to sink - Matthew 14:27–31 “27 But straightway Jesus spake unto them, saying, Be of good cheer; it is I; be not afraid. 28 And Peter answered him and said, Lord, if it be thou, bid me come unto thee on the water. 29 And he said, Come. And when Peter was come down out of the ship, he walked on the water, to go to Jesus. 30 But when he saw the wind boisterous, he was afraid; and beginning to sink, he cried, saying, Lord, save me. 31 And immediately Jesus stretched forth his hand, and caught him, and said unto him, O thou of little faith, wherefore didst thou doubt?”

Fear undermines faith through a progressive mechanism. Fear begins with imagination, grows through vocalization, and solidifies into belief through repeated speech3. Once established, these beliefs drive actions, and fear can become more powerful than reality itself3. By contrast, faith attracts God’s power while fear attracts the enemy’s work; faith operates as the positive counterpart to fear’s negativity3.

Doubt/human reasoning - regardless, God proved that faith works, what he says he will do, he will do.

John the Baptist doubted - Matthew 11:1–2 “1 And it came to pass, when Jesus had made an end of commanding his twelve disciples, he departed thence to teach and to preach in their cities. 2 Now when John had heard in the prison the works of Christ, he sent two of his disciples,”

Moses doubted - Exodus 3:11–13 “11 And Moses said unto God, Who am I, that I should go unto Pharaoh, and that I should bring forth the children of Israel out of Egypt? 12 And he said, Certainly I will be with thee; and this shall be a token unto thee, that I have sent thee: When thou hast brought forth the people out of Egypt, ye shall serve God upon this mountain. 13 And Moses said unto God, Behold, when I come unto the children of Israel, and shall say unto them, The God of your fathers hath sent me unto you; and they shall say to me, What is his name? what shall I say unto them?”

Sarah doubted - Genesis 18:12–15 “12 Therefore Sarah laughed within herself, saying, After I am waxed old shall I have pleasure, my lord being old also? 13 And the Lord said unto Abraham, Wherefore did Sarah laugh, saying, Shall I of a surety bear a child, which am old? 14 Is any thing too hard for the Lord? At the time appointed I will return unto thee, according to the time of life, and Sarah shall have a son. 15 Then Sarah denied, saying, I laughed not; for she was afraid. And he said, Nay; but thou didst laugh.”

Unbelief - Mark 6:1 “Then He went out from there and came to His own country, and His disciples followed Him.”

2 Kings 7:1 “1 Then Elisha said, Hear ye the word of the Lord; Thus saith the Lord, To morrow about this time shall a measure of fine flour be sold for a shekel, and two measures of barley for a shekel, in the gate of Samaria.”

2 Kings 7:16 “16 And the people went out, and spoiled the tents of the Syrians. So a measure of fine flour was sold for a shekel, and two measures of barley for a shekel, according to the word of the Lord.”

Thomas refused to believe until he sees it. John 20:29 “29 Jesus saith unto him, Thomas, because thou hast seen me, thou hast believed: blessed are they that have not seen, and yet have believed.”

Lack of knowledge - Hosea 4:6 “My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge. Because you have rejected knowledge, I also will reject you from being priest for Me; Because you have forgotten the law of your God, I also will forget your children.”

What Do They Need to Do

Believe Walk by faith - Habakkuk 2:4 ““Behold the proud, His soul is not upright in him; But the just shall live by his faith.”

Confess your faith - Mark 11:23 “23 For verily I say unto you, That whosoever shall say unto this mountain, Be thou removed, and be thou cast into the sea; and shall not doubt in his heart, but shall believe that those things which he saith shall come to pass; he shall have whatsoever he saith.”

Act upon God’s word - James 1:23–24 “23 For if any be a hearer of the word, and not a doer, he is like unto a man beholding his natural face in a glass: 24 For he beholdeth himself, and goeth his way, and straightway forgetteth what manner of man he was.”

James 2:20 “20 But wilt thou know, O vain man, that faith without works is dead?”

Why Do They Need to Know

Faith places you in the line of those who please God

Hebrews 11:5–6 “By faith Enoch was taken away so that he did not see death, “and was not found, because God had taken him”; for before he was taken he had this testimony, that he pleased God. (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.”

Why Do They Need to Do

Though the beginning is small, the latter end shall be greatly increased.

Micah 5:2 ““But you, Bethlehem Ephrathah, Though you are little among the thousands of Judah, Yet out of you shall come forth to Me The One to be Ruler in Israel, Whose goings forth are from of old, From everlasting.”

You create your destiny through faith and confession

You quench the fiery dart of the enemy

Faithis a weapon of spiritual warfare

Reiteration