Faith to be Healed

Acting Out Acts - 17  •  Sermon  •  Submitted
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Preaching at Iconium

Acts 14:1–7 NKJV
1 Now it happened in Iconium that they went together to the synagogue of the Jews, and so spoke that a great multitude both of the Jews and of the Greeks believed. 2 But the unbelieving Jews stirred up the Gentiles and poisoned their minds against the brethren. 3 Therefore they stayed there a long time, speaking boldly in the Lord, who was bearing witness to the word of His grace, granting signs and wonders to be done by their hands. 4 But the multitude of the city was divided: part sided with the Jews, and part with the apostles. 5 And when a violent attempt was made by both the Gentiles and Jews, with their rulers, to abuse and stone them, 6 they became aware of it and fled to Lystra and Derbe, cities of Lycaonia, and to the surrounding region. 7 And they were preaching the gospel there.
After leaving Antioch, Paul and Barnabas went to Iconium
In Antioch they had been run out of town after preaching there for a long time
They had built a diverse community of believers there
But the Jews were not willing to accept the gentiles
Now, at Iconium, a great multitude, both of Jews and Greeks “believed”
Notice this is the term they most often use for being saved
Eventually, unbelieving Jews began to stir up the Gentiles and poison their minds
have you ever known someone to “stir up” trouble?
These Jews didn’t care about the gentiles at all, but they stirred them up to use them against the Christians
But they still “stayed a long time” , speaking boldly
The Lord granting signs and wonders by their hands
Finally, a violent attempt was made to stone them, and so they fled to Derbe and Lystra and Lycaonia
And they were preaching the gospel there
the one thing that does not change - they were preaching
they may be forced out of one city or another, but they cannot be forced into silence
they would rather leave than deny the Lord
Acts 14:8–10 NKJV
8 And in Lystra a certain man without strength in his feet was sitting, a cripple from his mother’s womb, who had never walked. 9 This man heard Paul speaking. Paul, observing him intently and seeing that he had faith to be healed, 10 said with a loud voice, “Stand up straight on your feet!” And he leaped and walked.
The Place: Lystra. Where they had gone after fleeing Iconium
A person who has never walked
imagine just how impossible his problem was
no possibility of hope for him -
And Yet he had “faith”
Paul “observed him intently” and “perceived that he had faith to be healed”
This man had something that not everyone had
Even though he had no evidence to support his hope
He, like Abraham, considered not his own body. . .
against hope believed in hope
this is “faith”
The bible said he had “the faith to be healed”

You Must have “Faith”

The bible says that without faith it is impossible to please God
You must believe that He is
You must also believe that He is a “rewarder” of those who diligently seek Him
Are you Seeking Him?
Then you must, I say Must believe that God will “reward” you. He wants to answer your prayers
He has already appropriated the provision for your needs
He has already put in your the power to prevail in your situations
Your are more than a conqueror through HIM
But you must believe!
That part depends on you.
You must train yourself to have faith
train yourself- Why would this seem strange
we train for sports
we train for careers
we train for games and activities
we train to be in shape
We train for just about everything we really want
Train yourself to have faith
Mark 9:23 NKJV
23 Jesus said to him, “If you can believe, all things are possible to him who believes.”
John 14:12 NKJV
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.
Matthew 21:21–22 NKJV
21 So Jesus answered and said to them, “Assuredly, I say to you, if you have faith and do not doubt, you will not only do what was done to the fig tree, but also if you say to this mountain, ‘Be removed and be cast into the sea,’ it will be done. 22 And whatever things you ask in prayer, believing, you will receive.”
Luke 17:1–23 NKJV
1 Then He said to the disciples, “It is impossible that no offenses should come, but woe to him through whom they do come! 2 It would be better for him if a millstone were hung around his neck, and he were thrown into the sea, than that he should offend one of these little ones. 3 Take heed to yourselves. If your brother sins against you, rebuke him; and if he repents, forgive him. 4 And if he sins against you seven times in a day, and seven times in a day returns to you, saying, ‘I repent,’ you shall forgive him.” 5 And the apostles said to the Lord, “Increase our faith.” 6 So the Lord said, “If you have faith as a mustard seed, you can say to this mulberry tree, ‘Be pulled up by the roots and be planted in the sea,’ and it would obey you. 7 And which of you, having a servant plowing or tending sheep, will say to him when he has come in from the field, ‘Come at once and sit down to eat’? 8 But will he not rather say to him, ‘Prepare something for my supper, and gird yourself and serve me till I have eaten and drunk, and afterward you will eat and drink’? 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.’ ” 11 Now it happened as He went to Jerusalem that He passed through the midst of Samaria and Galilee. 12 Then as He entered a certain village, there met Him ten men who were lepers, who stood afar off. 13 And they lifted up their voices and said, “Jesus, Master, have mercy on us!” 14 So when He saw them, He said to them, “Go, show yourselves to the priests.” And so it was that as they went, they were cleansed. 15 And one of them, when he saw that he was healed, returned, and with a loud voice glorified God, 16 and fell down on his face at His feet, giving Him thanks. And he was a Samaritan. 17 So Jesus answered and said, “Were there not ten cleansed? But where are the nine? 18 Were there not any found who returned to give glory to God except this foreigner?” 19 And He said to him, “Arise, go your way. Your faith has made you well.” 20 Now when He was asked by the Pharisees when the kingdom of God would come, He answered them and said, “The kingdom of God does not come with observation; 21 nor will they say, ‘See here!’ or ‘See there!’ For indeed, the kingdom of God is within you.” 22 Then He said to the disciples, “The days will come when you will desire to see one of the days of the Son of Man, and you will not see it. 23 And they will say to you, ‘Look here!’ or ‘Look there!’ Do not go after them or follow them.
Luke 17:5–6 NKJV
5 And the apostles said to the Lord, “Increase our faith.” 6 So the Lord said, “If you have faith as a mustard seed, you can say to this mulberry tree, ‘Be pulled up by the roots and be planted in the sea,’ and it would obey you.
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John 11:42 NKJV
42 And I know that You always hear Me, but because of the people who are standing by I said this, that they may believe that You sent Me.”
John 11:38–44 NKJV
38 Then Jesus, again groaning in Himself, came to the tomb. It was a cave, and a stone lay against it. 39 Jesus said, “Take away the stone.” Martha, the sister of him who was dead, said to Him, “Lord, by this time there is a stench, for he has been dead four days.” 40 Jesus said to her, “Did I not say to you that if you would believe you would see the glory of God?” 41 Then they took away the stone from the place where the dead man was lying. And Jesus lifted up His eyes and said, “Father, I thank You that You have heard Me. 42 And I know that You always hear Me, but because of the people who are standing by I said this, that they may believe that You sent Me.” 43 Now when He had said these things, He cried with a loud voice, “Lazarus, come forth!” 44 And he who had died came out bound hand and foot with graveclothes, and his face was wrapped with a cloth. Jesus said to them, “Loose him, and let him go.”
John 11:40 NKJV
40 Jesus said to her, “Did I not say to you that if you would believe you would see the glory of God?”
In all these cases we see faith as a conditional step to obtaining
The word “if” is used emphatically
Jesus repeated this theme so often in order to “train” the disciples to have faith
when they asked why they couldn’t cast our a particular demon, Jesus replied “because of your unbelief”

How to “train” your faith

For some people faith may seem to come naturally
In the same way that some people are just naturally in physical shape
In the same way that some people are just naturally in physical shape
While others may have to work at it
We don’t know if this crippled man just had a natural faith, or if he had been reading the scriptures and praying in faith for a long time
Either way, if you are not satisfied with the level of faith you have - work at it
Jesus criticized his disciples concerning their faith on several occasions
having little faith
no faith
asked how long…?
Why would He criticize something they had no power to change?

Steps to increase your faith

Put positive truth in your mind and Spirit ()
Stop putting faithless words and false belief in your mind and spirit ()
3. Use your own words to constantly reinforce and not break down what you are trying to believe ()
4. Speak about and meditate on these positive things ()
Stop putting faithless words and false belief in your mind and spirit ()
3. Use your own words to constantly reinforce and not break down what you are trying to believe ()
4. Speak about and meditate on these positive things ()
Romans 10:17 NKJV
17 So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.
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Put positive truth in your mind and Spirit ()
Philippians 4:8–9 NKJV
8 Finally, brethren, whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy—meditate on these things. 9 The things which you learned and received and heard and saw in me, these do, and the God of peace will be with you.
Stop putting faithless words and false belief in your mind and spirit ()
James 3:2 NKJV
2 For we all stumble in many things. If anyone does not stumble in word, he is a perfect man, able also to bridle the whole body.
3. Use your own words to constantly reinforce and not break down what you are trying to believe ()
Put positve truth in your mind and Spirit ()
Psalm 19:14 NKJV
14 Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart Be acceptable in Your sight, O Lord, my strength and my Redeemer.
Stop putting faithless words and false belief in your mind and spirit ()
4. Speak about and meditate on these positive things ()
Meditate on these things - you might have to make a conscious effort
3. Use your own words to constantly reinforce and not break down what you are trying to believe ()
trust your faith and doubt your doubt
4. Speak about and meditate on these positive things (Psa. 19:14)

He had faith to be healed

So Paul, when he decided this person had faith, said loudly, stand upright on your feet
and the man leaped and walked
this was not just because of Paul’s healing power
Paul’s faith and understanding joined with this man’s faith and resulted in a miracle of God
People became so amazed they thought that Pal and Barnabas were Gods
attempted to do sacrifice for them
But they refused
Acts 14:15 NKJV
15 and saying, “Men, why are you doing these things? We also are men with the same nature as you, and preach to you that you should turn from these useless things to the living God, who made the heaven, the earth, the sea, and all things that are in them,
They were able to take this opportunity to turn the people’s attention to their need to repent
God calls us to turn from these “useless” things
how many useless things do we still need to turn from?
God calls us to repentance -
repentance from sin, and toward HIM
So that many people were saved
Acts 14:19–22 NKJV
19 Then Jews from Antioch and Iconium came there; and having persuaded the multitudes, they stoned Paul and dragged him out of the city, supposing him to be dead. 20 However, when the disciples gathered around him, he rose up and went into the city. And the next day he departed with Barnabas to Derbe. 21 And when they had preached the gospel to that city and made many disciples, they returned to Lystra, Iconium, and Antioch, 22 strengthening the souls of the disciples, exhorting them to continue in the faith, and saying, “We must through many tribulations enter the kingdom of God.”
So finally, the Jews that had troubled them back at Antioch and Iconium came there looking for trouble
they stoned Paul and left him for dead, but the disciples prayed!!
And they went right back into that city!
And then to the cities of Iconium, Derbe and Antioch
Proclaiming the good news
So, even thought hey started out with such favor, they had much tribulation
Di their mission fail?
Did their mission fail in Antioch?
Did their mission fail in Iconium?
Did their mission fail in Lystra?
No, in all these things they were more than conquerors
You cannot fail if you remain faithful to Him
His Word shall not return void
We must through many tribulations enter the kingdom of God.”
But God delivers out of them all!
So believe Him
Press on
Don’t back up or back down
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