A FAITH THAT DESTROYS FEAR! PART 2

Terry Detwiler

A FAITH THAT DESTROYS FEAR! PART 2 • Sermon • Submitted 5 years ago

1 John 5:1–15

Saving Faith

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IMPERATIVES: #1 Determine Your Goal;#2 Pick A Point (It’s important to have a one point message. That way you only have one thing to remember.);#3 Create A Map (Me-We-God-You-We);#4 Internalize The Message (Tell a story that takes them on a journey) (Whether it’s a journey to your childhood home or a journey to a life-changing truth, it’s a story that will take you there.) (People make it difficult when they try to communicate points instead of telling a story.) (When you stand up and speak without notes and without having to read your sermon, you’re saying, “This is so important that it’s a part of me — and I think you should make it a part of you, too!”);#5 Engage The Audience;#6 Find Your Voice;#7 Find Some TractionPrayer, Checklist Questions: What do they need to know?Why do they need to know it?What do they need to do?Why do they need to do it?MAP:ME - Explain who you are and what you’re all about. Pastor in his church uses as introduction of idea or topic.WE - It takes me from what I’m thinking or feeling to what WE are thinking and feeling. I have to find an emotional common ground with them around the topic or idea of the message. My goal is to raise a felt need with as many people in the audience as I canGOD - where I take this emotional common ground I’ve established and introduce biblical truth into the discussion. Now I’m providing a solution to the need I just raised. Remember, we are not teaching the Bible to people; we’re teaching people the Bible. First, we connect with the people; then we move to the Bible.YOU - Once I’ve introduced God’s view on the subject as the answer to the need, it makes it easy for me to then ask, ‘What are you going to do about it? This becomes the application segment, and if I’ve followed my map well, instead of having to stir up interest in making the application, the application comes as a relief or it’s always the answer to a question they’re already asking. Communicate the challenge at a personal level because life-change is going to come when people apply the truth to their lives. You just go back, and everywhere you raised a need, now you make an application and make sure you don’t raise a felt need that you aren’t going to cover from God’s Word and answer with an application. The worst thing a communicator can do is overpromise and under-deliver. You’re building trust with your listeners. Not just trust in the information, but trust in the relationship.WE - the place to cast a common vision. A vision of what our lives, our church, and even our world would look like if only we would apply the truth of God’s Word. It’s the inspirational part of the message. My goal at this point is to inspire people to make a change. Sometimes being faced with God’s Word can leave the listener feeling defeated, if all they think about is how far they have to go. But, if I can give them a picture of what life will be like once they apply the truth, then they have a little hope.

GOAL:

POINT:

INTRODUCTION

Good morning everyone! I hope that everyone has had a great week in the midst of all the storms, the changes and the challenges that we are being presented with on a daily basis. I know that there are many things that are a strain on people right now that are taxing our patience, our energy, our finances, and that is just the beginning! I am joyful that we have God to trust and depend on. It’s just like the video talks about, we may want to will it to go away, or to go toe to toe with it . . . and if we have tried those things we find out just how small we really are. The storms of life are inevitable; and in God we have a protector - JEHOVAH SABAOTH, our protector - a Savior who knows about calming storms. We have God who is our stronghold in times of trouble like these; in our weakness He is strong; in our fear He is courage; and in our desperation He is peace! Our God is INVINCIBLE!

(ME)

Bringing that into real life . . . not speaking flippantly, but being real in the middle of all this . . . Kaylene and I are still quarantined for our two week period, ending this coming Tuesday, but of course still being very careful and cautious as we move forward in the coming days. Some of the things that are on our minds in our personal life are Kaylene’s mom and dad as they are in Torrington, WY; and without going into a great amount of detail . . . they have been through a lot physically (on the medical side), emotionally (being separated from each other) . . . and it takes a toll on us because we are so far away and can’t be right there with them . . . and we are leaning on and trusting God for them in their situation . . . along with our children and their families that are dispersed across the states and dealing with things also.

(WE)

Aren’t we all? We are all dealing with these kinds of things and more! Many even worse off! I know that with all of the children out of school, home, basically being home-schooled at this point, tensions and patience being challenged, teachers working hard to make sure they are staying connected and providing what is needed while the children are at home; with the loss of jobs, or maybe working in a home office . . . there are many storms right now . . . and in the midst of those storms what are we doing? You know, I don’t know how many of you are like me, but I absolutely love to go out under a covered porch in the middle of a thunderstorm when the rain is coming down (especially if there is a metal roof too) and just sit, on a swing with my wife preferably, and watch, and listen, and smell, and experience the peace! That’s what my prayer is for you in this time! That, in the midst of this storm . . . you will be able to stop and listen (listen to the voice of God), smell (just as the aroma of the rain . . . to experience the aroma and presence of God’s peace! AND, I know, right now, that takes more than we have right now! It takes more than what I have right not . . . and that’s okay . . . because God loves it when we reach out to Him! He loves it when we come to the end of ourselves and trust and have faith in Him! You see, that’s what FAITH is all about! It’s not looking at the present circumstances around us at the moment but looking beyond them . . . it is believing before seeing (). AND, to do that we have to look outside of ourselves into the future!

Last week we spoke about A FAITH THAT DESTROYS FEAR! PART 1, and we spoke specifically about FEAR and what to do when it raises it’s ugly head in our lives! This week I want to talk about FAITH! I want to talk about how that can make a difference in our current & future STORMS and circumstances!

MESSAGE

(GOD)

1 John 5:1–15 NIV84

Everyone who believes that Jesus is the Christ is born of God, and everyone who loves the father loves his child as well. This is how we know that we love the children of God: by loving God and carrying out his commands. This is love for God: to obey his commands. And his commands are not burdensome, for everyone born of God overcomes the world. This is the victory that has overcome the world, even our faith. Who is it that overcomes the world? Only he who believes that Jesus is the Son of God. This is the one who came by water and blood—Jesus Christ. He did not come by water only, but by water and blood. And it is the Spirit who testifies, because the Spirit is the truth. For there are three that testify: the Spirit, the water and the blood; and the three are in agreement. We accept man’s testimony, but God’s testimony is greater because it is the testimony of God, which he has given about his Son. Anyone who believes in the Son of God has this testimony in his heart. Anyone who does not believe God has made him out to be a liar, because he has not believed the testimony God has given about his Son. And this is the testimony: God has given us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. He who has the Son has life; he who does not have the Son of God does not have life. I write these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God so that you may know that you have eternal life. This is the confidence we have in approaching God: that if we ask anything according to his will, he hears us. And if we know that he hears us—whatever we ask—we know that we have what we asked of him.

Now, this whole passage has a great amount of doctrinal truth, more than what we want to address, so I’m going to pull out the pertinent information for us today concerning out topic.

There are 3 things I want to point out today:

Dictionary of Bible Themes 8234 doctrine

doctrine

The body of teachings of the Christian faith concerning its central beliefs. Doctrine is grounded in Scripture and aims to maintain the integrity of Christianity by distinguishing it from non-Christian beliefs. Doctrine is of central importance in Christian preaching and teaching in that it equips the people of God for effective and faithful service in his world.

the Power of Faith

Dictionary of Bible Themes 8166 theology

theology

The study of God, as he has revealed himself in Jesus Christ and in Scripture.

Proving Faith

Praying Faith

1. POWER OF FAITH ()

1 John 5:1–5 NIV84

When we look at this verse we find that there is Power in Faith! The whole idea of being “born of God” as it is said here, or the phrase we so often here about “being born again” is tied in to “believing that Jesus is the Christ.” What it means simply is that there is a change in us! It is a new birth! The Power of Faith brings about changes in us; and the connection that John makes here between the believing and being born of God to our love for God and obedience is important to understand. He is trying to help us understand that this agape (unconditional) love that he is talking about is not an emotional, feelings, type of love about God, but a true love that requires action.

It is the kind of love that lays down it’s life for another. When talking about a love for God it is the type of love that willingly obeys! It is a lying down of not only our lives, but of our own possessions and taking up a new life in response to Jesus as our Lord and Master.

1 John

If a person is not yet at that point in their life, the will of God can be a strange thing and the thought of righteousness can seem like a foreign thing or even a HARD thing. Even the whole idea of the LAW of LOVE can seem like a burden. But, when God enters into our lives and we are trusting Jesus . . . this whole idea becomes a gentle thing and not a burden to us. He even says in that it is easy and light.

And when we believe and are born of God, the POWER OF FAITH stirs in us a desire for God and the seeking and hungering after righteousness becomes a joy; living a life of love becomes our delight; and the commands of God bring us the opposite of what most people would think and that freedom and liberty.

Believing is the “test” or “proof” of that birth

You see, the POWER OF FAITH overcomes the world; and it’s not me as a man, or you as a person, but it is the “BEING BORN OF GOD” which overcomes or conquers! It is God acting on our behalf that we overcome the world; and that victory is identified with “our faith!”

The whole VICTORY process contains 3 things!

Our VICTORY begins with this 1) “NEW BIRTH”, 2) and moves to the believer’s experience and act of faith, and 3) it culminates in our confession that Jesus is the Son of God. You see, BELIEF, LOVE, and OBEDIENCE are all things that happen. The Bible is full of these (especially the Book of Acts)

In Paul says:

Romans 8:37 NIV84

No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us.

Now, I want to cover the 2nd point and make application of those 2 together! So, we move from the POWER OF FAITH that changes our lives to PROVING FAITH!

“Everyone born of God overcomes the world.” “It is not the man but his birth from God, which conquers” Our being born of god is God’s act on our behalf, the event through which he moves to overcome the world.

The victory that overcomes the world is now identified with “our faith.”

The book of Acts is full of references to the victorious power of God against every principality and power. Paul’s cry that “in all these things we are more than conquerors” (rom 8:37)

and we move from the POWER OF FAITH that changes our lives to PROVING FAITH!

2. PROVING FAITH ()

1 John 5:6–12 NIV84

This is the one who came by water and blood—Jesus Christ. He did not come by water only, but by water and blood. And it is the Spirit who testifies, because the Spirit is the truth. For there are three that testify: the Spirit, the water and the blood; and the three are in agreement. We accept man’s testimony, but God’s testimony is greater because it is the testimony of God, which he has given about his Son. Anyone who believes in the Son of God has this testimony in his heart. Anyone who does not believe God has made him out to be a liar, because he has not believed the testimony God has given about his Son. And this is the testimony: God has given us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. He who has the Son has life; he who does not have the Son of God does not have life.

PROVING FAITH ()

I don’t know whether you are a basketball fan or not . . .

Illustration: Give the Ball to Larry

but, you are probably familiar with the name Larry Bird-the former basketball great of the Boston Celtics. During a retirement party for Larry Bird in Boston Garden, former Celtics coach K. C. Jones told of diagramming a play on the sidelines, only to have Bird dismiss it, saying: “Get the ball to me and get everyone out of my way.” Jones responded, “I’m the coach, and I will call the plays.” Then Jones turned to the other players and said, “Get the ball to Larry, and get out of his way.” That’s the church’s message-Give the ball to Jesus, put your life in his hands, and get out of the way. Hodgin, Michael. 1001 More Humorous Illustrations for Public Speaking . Zondervan. Kindle Edition.

Hodgin, Michael. 1001 More Humorous Illustrations for Public Speaking . Zondervan. Kindle Edition.

another illustration that I think helps us to connect here is the picture of a trapeze artist . . .

The Flying Roudellas, who were trapeze artists, said there is a special relationship between the flyer and catcher on the trapeze. [It’s pretty simple] The flyer is the one who lets go, and the catcher is the one who catches.

As the flyer swings high above the crowd on the trapeze, the moment comes when he must let go. He arcs out into the air. His job is to remain as still as possible and wait for the strong hands of the catcher to pluck him from the air.

The flyer must never try to catch the catcher but must wait in absolute trust. The catcher will catch him, but he must wait. — John Ortberg, “Waiting on God,” Preaching Today Audio, no. 199

Illustration:

1001 Illustrations that Connect Illustration 854: Waiting in Trust

The Flying Roudellas, who were trapeze artists, said there is a special relationship between flyer and catcher on the trapeze. The flyer is the one who lets go, and the catcher is the one who catches.

The flyer must never try to catch the catcher but must wait in absolute trust. The catcher will catch him, but he must wait.

—John Ortberg, “Waiting on God,” Preaching Today Audio, no. 199

When we take a look at PROVING FAITH we mean that there is a witness, or there is an evidence that the POWER OF FAITH has made in you!

That’s why it says “it is the Spirit who testifies!” Most, if not all will remember the story of the dove coming down from heaven on remaining on Jesus during his baptism in . This was a witness!

And the story at Jesus’ death on the cross of the “blood and water” that flowed from his side. This is also a witness! The whole idea here is that THE SPIRIT OF GOD continues to bring witness to the community of believers.

The Spirit of God brings witness through the Word of God (especially when one talks about Jesus’ baptism and death”, but also when we talk about WATER BAPTISM and COMMUNION (which we are going to celebrate next week).

The Spirit of God also brings witness when we talk of prophecy . . . he does it inwardly and supernaturally. The Spirit of God opens eyes and ears so that we can understand the Word of God ().

1 Corinthians 12:3 NIV84

Therefore I tell you that no one who is speaking by the Spirit of God says, “Jesus be cursed,” and no one can say, “Jesus is Lord,” except by the Holy Spirit.

When we feel inward conviction about things right and wrong, good and bad, it is because of the witness of the SPIRIT OF GOD! The witness of the Spirit accompanies every presentation of the Word of God.

Not only does this witness come from the Spirit of God but also from the Father. Here in these verses we see that Jesus as God’s own Son is clearly set forth; and he who believes this receives the Father’s own witness in his heart. What does that mean? That is, he is given a deeper assurance by the inward witness of the Spirit of his trust in Christ.” It is a testimony becoming the possession of faith”

Faith itself is God’s own gift to us as believer’s to grasp and understand the Father. Then, “believing” becomes a “receiving” and then a cleansing from sin and forgiveness of sins!

This PROVING FAITH, this witness that has been given! It’s eternal life, and nothing less that fellowship, relationship with the Father, the Son, and the Spirit of God.

It is not an idea, a system of belief, not even a FACT that is the ultimate object of faith; IT IS A PERSON! That person is JESUS CHRIST! He is to live in us, his love is to abide and be made complete in us, and we are to live in him!

THIS IS ETERNAL LIFE!

Here the fact that the incarnate and crucified Jesus is God’s own Son is clearly set forth. He who believes this testimony receives the Father’s own witness in his heart — “That is, he is given a yet deeper assurance by the inward witness of the spirit that he was right to trust in Christ. The inward witness is not a “small voice speaking within, but is the inbreaking of faith within the soul. Is is the testimony becoming the possession of faith”. Faith itself is God’s own gift to the believer to lay hold of the Father. “Believing” becomes a “receiving,” and the work of God in Christ results in cleansing form sin and forgiveness of sins and inward establishment of the love of god. Faith in the Son immediately becomes faith in the Father: ()

APPLICATION (POWER OF FAITH & PROVING FAITH)

In our current circumstances in the world . . . how is the POWER OF FAITH, and the PROVING FAITH seen in our lives!

The witness has been given. Eternal life — which is nothing less than fellowship with the Father, with the Son, and with his people is present in his Son. He who has the Son has this life. He who is without the son is without life. It is not an idea nor a system of belief nor even a fact that is the ultimate object of faith; it is a Person. That Person is jesus Christ. He is to live in us (3:24). His love is to abide and be made complete in us (4:12). We are to live in him (4:13). And this is life eternal.

the POWER OF FAITH should be seen in us by the very fact that we have believed and are believing in Jesus as our Savior. That he is still sitting on the throne in control in the midst of all the chaos. That there is a security and a peace in our being and we are not driven by fear and anxiety! Now, that doesn’t mean that we don’t have concerns and worries that we need to take back to him and talk with him about . . . because we are still men and women that aren’t perfect, and we haven’t arrived yet. But, there should be this underlying faith and peace that knows that God is in control and that our lives are in his hands.

the PROVING FAITH should be seen in us by the witness of the Godhead (the Father, the Son, and the Spirit) working in us to be a witness to the world. Just like Larry Bird’s coach, K.C. Jones trusting Larry to get the job done, or the trapeze flyer trusting that the catcher is going to catch him . . . we are a witness to the world that God has got this, he has got us, and through the POWER OF FAITH in our lives that PROVING FAITH is showing, it is a witness of the Word working in us and through us!

And now, not only do we look at the POWER OF FAITH, and PROVING FAITH, but PRAYING FAITH!

3. PRAYING FAITH ()

1 John 5:13–15 NIV84

I write these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God so that you may know that you have eternal life. This is the confidence we have in approaching God: that if we ask anything according to his will, he hears us. And if we know that he hears us—whatever we ask—we know that we have what we asked of him.

Illustration: Cats Take Hope

When the country goes temporarily to the dogs, cats must learn to be wary and unwilling to take risks by, walking on fences, sleeping in trees, and having faith that all this woofing is not the last word. Hodgin, Michael. 1001 More Humorous Illustrations for Public Speaking . Zondervan. Kindle Edition.

Hodgin, Michael. 1001 More Humorous Illustrations for Public Speaking . Zondervan. Kindle Edition.

ALL OF THIS CORONA VIRUS IS NOT THE LAST WORD! There is wisdom to be had in the midst of all of this!

We’ve all heard the illustration of not walking up to the hot burner on a stove and putting our hand on it . . . and there is wisdom to be had in the stuff we are going through right now! We are to use that wisdom!

In talking about THE POWER OF FAITH, PROVING FAITH, and now PRAYING FAITH

In it says . . .

John 20:31 NIV84

But these are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name.

The author refers six times to what believers know:

Here is

We know that he hears us — whatever we ask.

We know that we have what we asked.

We know that anyone born of God does not continue to sin.

We know that we are children of God.

We know also that the Son of God has come.

We . . . know him who is true (vv. 15, 18-20)

1 John 5:15–20 NIV84

And if we know that he hears us—whatever we ask—we know that we have what we asked of him. If anyone sees his brother commit a sin that does not lead to death, he should pray and God will give him life. I refer to those whose sin does not lead to death. There is a sin that leads to death. I am not saying that he should pray about that. All wrongdoing is sin, and there is sin that does not lead to death. We know that anyone born of God does not continue to sin; the one who was born of God keeps him safe, and the evil one cannot harm him. We know that we are children of God, and that the whole world is under the control of the evil one. We know also that the Son of God has come and has given us understanding, so that we may know him who is true. And we are in him who is true—even in his Son Jesus Christ. He is the true God and eternal life.

Here, the author gives us a series of tests by which a believer can evaluate where we are at.

Walking in the light, obeying his commands, loving one’s brother, being steadfast in the community of faith, doing what is right — these serve as tests of whether the life that is from God has been received and is ALIVE IN US!

When it has been received, it is only because God’s witness to his own Son as the source of that life has been accepted and believed. On this basis, we can expect God to hear us in prayer, free us from the presence and power of sin, and forgive our transgressions. Those who know these things know also that they have received eternal life.

This confidence is not only in the future, but it is for right now! It is for right now, and in our prayer time! When it talks about God hearing us in prayer it is not just talking about that he hears us, but that he hears us favorably when we ask according to his will. Just like Jesus when he was praying “YOUR WILL BE DONE!” (, )

Matthew 6:10 NIV84

your kingdom come, your will be done on earth as it is in heaven.

Mark 14:36 NIV84

“Abba, Father,” he said, “everything is possible for you. Take this cup from me. Yet not what I will, but what you will.”

It is not just any prayer either! It is the prayer of the one that has experienced the POWER OF FAITH and PROVING FAITH. This is the one who is in fellowship with the Father, who remains in him, who is obeying him.

If we want to know that God is hearing our prayers and acting on our behalf . . . then remain in fellowship and relationship with him. When we are our prayers are being heard. You see . . . when we learn to want what god wants, we have the joy of receiving his answer to our prayers!

And that means, that some answers to prayer are recognized immediately, others later, and some are not recognized in our lifetime; but still we can know that we have our requests because god has made them his own and him will must be done.

The Expositor’s Bible Commentary, Volume 12: Hebrews through Revelation V. Concluding Remarks (5:13–21)

The confidence we have in our life with Christ belongs not only in the future time of his coming (2:28) and of judgment (4:17) but also in the present and especially in the fellowship of prayer. We know that we have access to him (3:21) and that “he hears us.” In John “hearing” does not mean simply to be listened to but to be heard favorably (cf. John 11:41–42). The expectation is, of course, linked to the qualifying clause “if we ask according to his will.” This seems to reflect a natural dependence on Jesus’ own teaching—“Thy will be done” (Matt 6:10)—and his example in Gethsemane—“Not what I will, but what you will” (Mark 14:36).

We must just simply believe and know that his will be done!

The Expositor’s Bible Commentary, Volume 12: Hebrews through Revelation V. Concluding Remarks (5:13–21)

It is not “any” prayer that is answered but the prayer of the disciple who is in fellowship with the Father, who asks in Jesus’ name (John 14:13; 15:16), who “remains” in him (15:7), and who obeys his commands (1 John 3:22). This is not meant to dampen the expectation we may have in prayer, but the condition for addressing God is to know he will hear and act. He who is in “fellowship” with God, who has received life from the Father, knows that he may address God in confidence. Prayer becomes not only a time for petitioning but of yielding one’s life to the will and work of God. Prayer made in these circumstances is always heard because it is God’s will that is being done and his intention for humankind that is being met. “When we learn to want what God wants, we have the joy of receiving his answer to our petitions” (Marshall, p. 245).

The Expositor’s Bible Commentary, Volume 12: Hebrews through Revelation V. Concluding Remarks (5:13–21)

The author now goes on to state that the “assurance” for approaching God and asking him anything is absolute. A paraphrase of the text is as follows: “If we know that he hears us whenever we ask in his will, and we certainly do know this, then we may also know with equal certainty that we ‘possess the requests we have made’ [Dodd, Johannine Epistles, p. 135] the moment we have prayed.” Brooke (p. 144) sees the answer to prayer as fulfilled prophetically: “In the certainty of anticipation there is a kind of possession of that which has been granted, though our actual entering upon possession may be indefinitely delayed.” This, however, seems to understate the author’s position. That our petition is answered is not dependent on whether or not we have personally observed the answer.

Some answers to prayer are recognized immediately, others later, and some are not recognized in our lifetime. But this is not the author’s point. When we pray as Jesus prayed, in full accord with the Father’s will, we can know that we have our requests, because God has made them his own and his will must be done. What is required of us is simply the faith to believe that this is so, that his will will be done on earth as it is in heaven, and then decide to live accordingly. The author is exalting faith in the will of God and its relation to our privilege to pray. He is echoing Jesus’ own words: “Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours” (Mark 11:24).

(YOU)

What about you? Do you see THE POWER OF FAITH in you? Do you see PROVING FAITH in you? Do you see PRAYING FAITH in you? It truly is in times like these that our faith can be tested! When what is really down deep inside of us comes out . . . FEAR or FAITH, WEAKNESS or COURAGE, an ANGST/NERVOUSNESS or CALMNESS and PEACE.

I want to encourage you right now that if you are feeling the negative side of these examples that God is just speaking to you because he loves you and he wants you to be on the positive side of these things! He doesn’t come to condemn us, but he comes to draw us into his LOVE! He cares about you and me and desires us to be in relationship and fellowship with him.

So, if that is you, and you feel a drawing right now, a tugging inside . . . it is because God desires something better for you!

CONCLUSION

I’m going to close in a moment in prayer! But I want to encourage you to either join us on Zoom for personal and private prayer or call me at 701-400-9839 so that I can pray with you!

(WE)

God has something great for each of us as we call on his name and we trust him in these times!

As challenging as these times are right now for all of us! I firmly believe that God is going to bring about good things. It may be hard to believe that right now when we look at the present circumstances around us, but God wants us to take our eyes and place them on him . . . to have faith in him to bring us through, to trust him and let him use our lives as a witness through these tough times . . . to serve others through this time in ways that we can . . . and to pray with faith that his will in our lives would be carried out!

God Bless each of you today!

Let us pray!

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