Biddulph Sun Am 17th Feb 2008
Place: Biddulph. Date: Sunday am 10th Feb 2008.
Text: Mark 11:22-24. Theme: Have faith in God.
Introduction: Reading: Luke 11:22-24.
“So Jesus answered and said to them, “HAVE FAITH IN GOD.
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.”
On the morning following the cursing of the fig tree, the disciples passed the fig tree again on their way to Jerusalem. It had withered away from the roots up. When Peter mentioned this to Jesus, He simply said, “Have faith in God.” But what do these words have to do with us? The following verses show us that Jesus was encouraging faith as the means to remove difficulties.
The cursing of the fig tree is given a spiritual application. By faith this tree was destroyed; so all things are possible if you “Have faith In God.” Jesus illustration of the casting of a massive mountain into the sea is an extreme example of the impossible. This is the point. Having faith in God can accomplish the impossible.
1ST POINT: PRESENCE OF FAITH.
I was going to use the word “Meaning” of faith, but the word “Presence” means: an invisible spiritual being felt to be nearby, a far better thought in what I want to say. “Have faith in God.” Literally means, “Have the faith of God.” God never lacks faith, for all things are possible with Him. So to say “Have the faith of God,” this means, have strong unfailing faith, or have confidence in God. We can say it is a small part of God's perfect faith.
So we have a strong belief that God is well able to undertake things that appear impossible with boundless ease, as the fig-tree was made to wither away by a word, and creation came into being. God has never doubted that anything great or small would not come about after He had spoken it into being. From the creation of light (the Sun) to the raising of the dead to life again!
Faith is: “confidence in the testimony of another.” Faith may be described as complete and unreserved trust in God as the fulfiller of His promises contained in His Word, and in Jesus Christ as Saviour and Lord. Thus Christ Jesus is the object of our faith.
Generally speaking, faith is the ability to believe. If a person has faith we say he or she believes. This gift of faith is not the property of the believer, but the gift is dropped into the person's heart at a special time, for a special need.
2ND POINT: PERSONAL FAITH.
If true followers of Christ Jesus (Christians) have faith in God, they can deal with the problem of fruitlessness, and remove mountains of obstructions that stand in their way. However, these verses do not give us a person authority to pray for miraculous powers for our own desires. For every act of faith must rest on the promises of God.
If we know that it is God’s will to remove a certain difficulty, then we can pray with utter confidence that it will be done. In fact, we can pray with confidence on any subject as long as we are confident it is according to God’s will as revealed in the Bible or by the inner witness of the Holy Spirit.
3RD POINT: PRAYERING IN FAITH.
The first step in prayer must be faith in God. The writer to the Hebrews stated this same principle: “But without faith it is impossible to please him; for him that comes to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him” Hebrews 11:6.
Christ teaches them to pray in faith; Have faith in God. For a living active faith would put great power into your prayers, verses 23-24. In that faith, the apostles and first preachers of the gospel did wonders, healing the sick, raising the dead, casting out devils; these were, in effect, removing the mountains.
4TH POINT: PURPOSES OF FAITH.
A. Faith justifies us “Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ” Romans 5:1.
Faith that removes the mountains of guilt, and casts them into the depths of the sea, never to rise up in judgment against us.
B. Faith purifies the heart “And made no distinction between us and them, purifying their hearts by faith “Acts 15:9. Faith that removes mountains of evil, and makes them plains before the grace of God.
C. It is by faith that the world is conquered, Satan’s fiery darts are quenched, a soul is crucified with Christ, and yet lives.
D. By faith we set the Lord always before us, and see Him that is invisible, and have Him present in our lives; and this is all the needed power to remove mountains.
CONCLUSION:
The Holy Spirit desires to work in us today, but without faith we can do nothing. He desires to give believers the special faith of God for great need and difficult problems. But how can I have this faith? “So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God” Romans 10:17. Faith comes by coming under the “Word of God.”
The word faith carries the meaning “persuasion.” So this of gift of faith is when a deep persuasion settles upon us that God will do a certain thing. We do not “hope” God will do it, but we “know” God will do it. Faith is the attitude whereby a man abandons all reliance in his own efforts. It is the attitude of complete trust in Jesus Christ.
How is your faith? Do you lack faith, and then ask of God. “The apostles said to the Lord, Increase our faith (that trust and confidence that spring from our belief in God)” Luke 17:5 (AMP). Let us ask God right now to increase our faith.