Five Stages of Faith

Elton Trueblood relates the story of a man who had the crazy idea he wanted to walk a tightwire across Niagara Falls, pushing a wheelbarrow with a man in it. The aspirant erected a simulated practice situation in his backyard. Daily the determined person practiced, first with a balance bar, later without it. Eventually, after long, arduous weeks of hard work, the “wire-walker” became very good. At last the day arrived for the hazardous undertaking. Neighbors and persons from the press assembled. Looking nervously across the rushing water the stuntman said to an admiring friend, “Joe, do you believe I can do it?”

“I absolutely believe you can.”

The performer looked out over the falls one more time: “Joe, do you really believe …?”

“I really believe you can.”

“Fine, you’re my man. Get in the wheelbarrow.”

Jones, G. C. (1986). 1000 illustrations for preaching and teaching (p. 10). Nashville, TN: Broadman & Holman Publishers.

Jones, G. C. (1986). 1000 illustrations for preaching and teaching (p. 10). Nashville, TN: Broadman & Holman Publishers.Preaching Themes Theme: Faith

Matthew 17:20 NASB95

20 And He said to them, “Because of the littleness of your faith; for truly I say to you, if you have faith the size of a mustard seed, you will say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it will move; and nothing will be impossible to you.

Matt

Jesus uses the proverbial smallness of the mustard seed to make an emphatic point.

There is a difference between small and little.

Little is miniscule compared to small but small faith is better than no faith at all because small faith can move mountains.The New American Commentary: . Implications for Discipleship: Correcting Misunderstandings (16:21–17:27)

“It is important to observe here that it is not the ‘amount’ of faith which brings the impossible within reach, but the power of God, which is available to even the ‘smallest’ faith.”21 Moreover, for Matthew, the type of faith required always involves commitment to Jesus and obedience to his commands, which must therefore always include praying, “Thy will be done” (6:10) (R.T. France , The New American Commentary: Matthew)

The New American Commentary: Matthew 1. Implications for Discipleship: Correcting Misunderstandings (16:21–17:27)

“It is important to observe here that it is not the ‘amount’ of faith which brings the impossible within reach, but the power of God, which is available to even the ‘smallest’ faith.”21 Moreover, for Matthew, the type of faith required always involves commitment to Jesus and obedience to his commands, which must therefore always include praying, “Thy will be done” (6:10)

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Faith Defined

Hebrews 11:1 NASB95

1 Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen.

HE

How important is assurance?

What are you hoping for?

Assurance and hope is a word that comes together.

Conviction refers to the state of being convinced and confident that something is true;

by biblical conviction we mean convictions or beliefs derived from and based on a commitment to Scripture, the Bible. As God’s Holy Word, it is the absolute index for the whole of our lives—faith and practice.

Biblical conviction is a belief derived from and based on a commitment to Scripture, the Bible. As God’s Holy Word, it is the absolute index for the whole of our lives—faith and practice.

God’s Word is truth:

John 17:17 NASB95

17 “Sanctify them in the truth; Your word is truth.

Hebrews 11:6 NASB95

6 And 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 seek Him.

Hebrews 1:1–10 NASB95

God, after He spoke long ago to the fathers in the prophets in many portions and in many ways, in these last days has spoken to us in His Son, whom He appointed heir of all things, through whom also He made the world. And He is the radiance of His glory and the exact representation of His nature, and upholds all things by the word of His power. When He had made purification of sins, He sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high, having become as much better than the angels, as He has inherited a more excellent name than they. For to which of the angels did He ever say, “You are My Son, Today I have begotten You”? And again, “I will be a Father to Him And He shall be a Son to Me”? And when He again brings the firstborn into the world, He says, “And let all the angels of God worship Him.” And of the angels He says, “Who makes His angels winds, And His ministers a flame of fire.” But of the Son He says, “Your throne, O God, is forever and ever, And the righteous scepter is the scepter of His kingdom. “You have loved righteousness and hated lawlessness; Therefore God, Your God, has anointed You With the oil of gladness above Your companions.” And, “You, Lord, in the beginning laid the foundation of the earth, And the heavens are the works of Your hands;

Hebrews 11:1–10 NASB95

1 Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen. 2 For by it the men of old gained approval. 3 By faith we understand that the worlds were prepared by the word of God, so that what is seen was not made out of things which are visible. 4 By faith Abel offered to God a better sacrifice than Cain, through which he obtained the testimony that he was righteous, God testifying about his gifts, and through faith, though he is dead, he still speaks. 5 By faith Enoch was taken up so that he would not see death; and he was not found because God took him up; for he obtained the witness that before his being taken up he was pleasing to God. 6 And 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 seek Him. 7 By faith Noah, being warned by God about things not yet seen, in reverence prepared an ark for the salvation of his household, by which he condemned the world, and became an heir of the righteousness which is according to faith. 8 By faith Abraham, when he was called, obeyed by going out to a place which he was to receive for an inheritance; and he went out, not knowing where he was going. 9 By faith he lived as an alien in the land of promise, as in a foreign land, dwelling in tents with Isaac and Jacob, fellow heirs of the same promise; 10 for he was looking for the city which has foundations, whose architect and builder is God.

Because the Jews thought in concrete rather than abstract terms, Hebrew words were designed to form mental pictures. There are five Hebrew word-pictures of faith found in the Old Testament. They are progressive, and they illustrate steps in spiritual growth:

Omnipotence is divine power - power to create, destroy, give life, forgive, bless, provide, protect, sustain, etc.

It is the power that saves. Powerful enough to change spiritually dead person to be alive spiritually.

Powerful enough to give life to anyone who believes.

Romans 1:16 NASB95

16 For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek.

GOSPEL -power of God for salvation.

IF YOU CANNOT EXPLAIN THE GOSPEL THEN YOU CAN’T PROCLAIM THE GOSPEL. HOW WILL ONE BE SAVE FROM ETERNAL WRATH OF GOD?

Romans 1:1

John 3:36 NASB95

36 “He who believes in the Son has eternal life; but he who does not obey the Son will not see life, but the wrath of God abides on him.”

Amen means "to lean on for support." It is usually translated "believe." It is the use of “faith” for salvation

and pictures someone leaning on God. tells us that Abram "believed in the Lord; and He reckoned it to him as righteousness." This "leaning faith" is the faith of spiritual infancy. The kind the an individual posses during conversion. The stage of faith in God that help you cross over from death to life.

and pictures someone leaning on God. tells us that Abram "believed in the Lord; and He reckoned it to him as righteousness." This "leaning faith" is the faith of spiritual infancy. The kind that an individual posses during conversion. The stage of faith in God that help you cross over from death to life.

The believer lean on Christ for salvation.

John 5:24 NIV

24 “Very truly I tell you, whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life and will not be judged but has crossed over from death to life.

john 5

Batach is a wrestling term that draws the picture of someone bodyslamming his opponent to the mat. Usually translated "trust," batach is found in:

, "Cast your burden upon the Lord, and He will sustain you."

"Wrestling faith" is comparable to the experience of SPIRITUAL ADOLESCENCE, the time when believers—having acquired a little biblical knowledge—begin to enter the spiritual conflict.

Faith influencing your way of life. It is the standard by which you live by.

For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith to faith; as it is written, “But the righteous man shall live by faith.”

By FAITH it is the only way we can experience the abundant life Christ promised.

John 10:10 NASB95

10 “The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I came that they may have life, and have it abundantly.

Anything that detracts from faith robs us of spiritual life.

With FAITH = life

Without FAITH = spiritual death.

What then will the devil, the enemy, will do to you?

In

Hebrews 11:1 NKJV

1 Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.

Faith is the SUBSTANCE - faith is proof.

The noun FAITH can mean two things:

a. SUBJECTIVELY - it is the act of believing

b. OBJECTIVELY - it is the the content of what we believe. (JESUS CHRIST)

THE STRENGTH of our FAITH will only be as strong as the OBJECT of our FAITH - Jesus Christ.

What do you know about Jesus? (See supplement)

Jesus Christ - the living Word revealed in the written Word.

John 1:1–2 NASB95

1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2 He was in the beginning with God.

John 1:14 NASB95

14 And the Word became flesh, and dwelt among us, and we saw His glory, glory as of the only begotten from the Father, full of grace and truth.

;

Chasah means "to flee for refuge," as a rabbit might seek protection in the cleft of a rock from pursuing wolves. It is the faith of spiritual maturity—when the believer can be bold and confident because he has come to understand that the Lord is his fortress, his stronghold, his shield, and his deliverer (). David, in the Cave of Adullam where he had fled for his life from King Saul, understood this kind of faith: "For my soul takes refuge in Thee" ().

4. CHASAH

Chasah means "to flee for refuge," as a rabbit might seek protection in the cleft of a rock from pursuing wolves. It is the faith of spiritual maturity—when the believer can be bold and confident because he has come to understand that the Lord is his fortress, his stronghold, his shield, and his deliverer (). David, in the Cave of Adullam where he had fled for his life from King Saul, understood this kind of faith: "For my soul takes refuge in Thee" ().

4 . YAQAL

Yaqal means "to trust in extreme pain; to trust under pressure." It is usually translated "hope" and draws the picture of applying healing OINTMENT to a wound. This is the faith that heals the wounds that spiritually DEVELOPEs IN MATURITY.

The kind of FAITH that seasoned mature Christians have.

Faith comes through the study of the Word of God.

Romans 10:17 NASB95

17 So faith comes from hearing, and hearing by the word of Christ.

Romans 10

Every Christians needs to hear, understand and apply the Word being taught.

Job displayed the heart of a hero of faith when he wrote in the heat of his affliction, "Though He slay me, I will hope in Him" (). Jeremiah, distraught over the Babylonian destruction of Jerusalem and the captivity of her people, was able to face another day because of this kind of faith ().

The Word is the key ingredient to the foundation of our faith.

A building is only as solid as its foundation.

Qawah, the strongest Hebrew word for faith, is translated "wait." The word was originally used for the process of making rope by weaving frail, easily broken strands into cords that could not be broken. Qawah is the patient endurance that comes from weaving together promises, principles, and doctrines from the Word of God into an unbreakable rope of faith. This is the faith of the friend of God. The Hebrew in promises that those who wait for the Lord will "exchange their strength; they will mount up with wings like eagles, they will run and not get tired, they will walk and not become weary."

Waiting is never fun.

It is a test of your patience.

The foundation of our faith is Christ. He died and paid for our sins.

Part of that foundation is believing on the trinity: FATHER, SON and HOLY SPIRIT.

You can have one member and reject the other.

1 John 2:23 NASB95

23 Whoever denies the Son does not have the Father; the one who confesses the Son has the Father also.

1 John

Faith ALONE pleases God. Faith ALONE IN GOD please God.

Heb 11

Hebrews 11:2 NASB95

2 For by it the men of old gained approval.

Heb

Hebrews 11:6 NASB95

6 And 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 seek Him.

God as our creator, planted within every soul a mechanism that cannot find contentment or fulfillment apart from His will.

AS CREATOR HE always overcomes.

1 John 5:4–5 NASB95

4 For whatever is born of God overcomes the world; and this is the victory that has overcome the world—our faith. 5 Who is the one who overcomes the world, but he who believes that Jesus is the Son of God?

Faith in God is the difference between a believer and non-believer.

Faith is important today - day to day living

For in the gospel righteousness from God is revealed, a righteousness that is by faith from first to last, just as it is written: The righteousness will live by faith.

Faith is important tomorrow - eternal living.

Five Stages of Faith

Intro

FAITH IS NOT JUST A STATEMENT BUT THE STATEMENT IN ACTION.

The Necessity of Faith

Definition of Faith

Implication of Faith

1. AMEN: Faith Allowing the Omnipotence of God to be Realize: THE POWER TO SAVE

2. BATACH

3. CHASAH

4 . YAQAL

5. QAWAH: Foundational, only one.

LESSONS LEARNED: