The Shield of Faith
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Faith Filled Warriors
Faith Filled Warriors
2 That he no longer should live the rest of his time in the flesh to the lusts of men, but to the will of God.
Full of Faith
5 And the saying pleased the whole multitude: and they chose Stephen, a man full of faith and of the Holy Ghost, and Philip, and Prochorus, and Nicanor, and Timon, and Parmenas, and Nicolas a proselyte of Antioch:
Full of the Holy Ghost & Faith
24 For he was a good man, and full of the Holy Ghost and of faith: and much people was added unto the Lord.
- Abound in Faith - the enemy fights our faith
7 Therefore, as ye abound in every thing, in faith, and utterance, and knowledge, and in all diligence, and in your love to us, see that ye abound in this grace also.
- Above all taking the shield of faith
16 Above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked.
All the armor God has provided the believer is supernatural and spiritual power and protection
If a Christian chooses to live carnally, not engage in the spiritual battles - that Christian cannot have this armor
The armor of God will not fit on the Christian that is full of pride
The breastplate of righteousness does not fit on a puffed up chest
1 Helmet of Salvation
2 Breastplate of righteousness
3 Belt of truth
5 The sword of the Spirit
6 The shield of faith - supernatural faith
This armor is supernatural daily experiences - this is not just a prayer we pray
Real faith stirs a God-given vision that is humanly impossible
God wants to do in you a work of supernatural power and work through you in a way that is humanly impossible - so that God gets the glory
Living by faith is a life that is not in harmony with the flesh - the truth is the flesh hates faith
God requires faith, God loves faith, Faith pleases God
38 Now the just shall live by faith: but if any man draw back, my soul shall have no pleasure in him.
- the just shall live
Heb 11:6 - please = gratify completely
6 But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.
God loves faith
6 As ye have therefore received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk ye in him:
You have been set on a course to live by faith every day - you were saved by faith and that sowed a seed that God wants to grow in your life
Part 2
God is looking for men and women full of faith and power - that pleases God - faith
God loves when His children operate in faith
Faith is a necessity
Eph 6:16 above all taking the shield of faith
16 Above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked.
Faith has different elements
1. Faith has an intellectual element
We know that God exists
2. Faith is substance - not in the physical senses
So real that it is realized in the spirit by the Spirit
17 So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.
Substance = a word of God
Hearing by the word of God
It is useless to trust God for something that He has not told you
God is not subject to our desires, we are subject to His desires and plan
We don’t have a right to initiate what to trust God about
1 Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.
2 For by it the elders obtained a good report.
Faith must have sufficient substance from God, or it is not substance
Faith must have adequate evidence from God, or it is simply superstition.
A Hearing heart - Wisdom from above
Jesus operated in faith
19 Then answered Jesus and said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, The Son can do nothing of himself, but what he seeth the Father do: for what things soever he doeth, these also doeth the Son likewise.
20 For the Father loveth the Son, and sheweth him all things that himself doeth: and he will shew him greater works than these, that ye may marvel.
Everything Jesus did, the Father initiated - The Father thought it up
The Son only does what the Father showed Him to do
We don’t do and then ask God, We ask God then do when God says it is time
28 Then said Jesus unto them, When ye have lifted up the Son of man, then shall ye know that I am he, and that I do nothing of myself; but as my Father hath taught me, I speak these things.
The messages that we preach must be messages spiritually communicated
Jesus was not on His own, doing His own thing
Every healing that Jesus did was initiated by God the Father
3 To him the porter openeth; and the sheep hear his voice: and he calleth his own sheep by name, and leadeth them out.
4 And when he putteth forth his own sheep, he goeth before them, and the sheep follow him: for they know his voice.
5 And a stranger will they not follow, but will flee from him: for they know not the voice of strangers.
Faith is God leading you and you following Him
You should know the voice of God in your spirit
“For they know not the voice of strangers”
16 And other sheep I have, which are not of this fold: them also I must bring, and they shall hear my voice; and there shall be one fold, and one shepherd.
27 My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me:
When was the last time God spoke with you to do something impossible
“Faith is the only law at our disposal that supersedes the laws of nature.”
Red Sea
- have faith as a grain of a mustard seed
20 And Jesus said unto them, Because of your unbelief: for verily I say unto you, If ye have faith as a grain of mustard seed, ye shall say unto this mountain, Remove hence to yonder place; and it shall remove; and nothing shall be impossible unto you.
20 And Jesus said unto them, Because of your unbelief: for verily I say unto you, If ye have faith as a grain of mustard seed, ye shall say unto this mountain, Remove hence to yonder place; and it shall remove; and nothing shall be impossible unto you.
Hebrews 11
Those in Hebrews 11, They were not great on their own
They were great because of God telling them and they listened
“A good report” is a word from God so that they could cooperate with God
The initial word from God framed the world
God created by a word from Him and He still works by words from God
God initiated the idea for Noah to build
Abraham God initiated
Sara received a promise
God must be in the drivers seat
If God initiates, God gets the glory
Salvation gives spiritual eyes, ears, and heart
Faith is not a blind leap it is a belief in what God has said
III. Faith is Emotional
Faith stirs emotions
God speaks a word and it hits our heart and stirs an emotion.
Our heart is impregnated with the seed of the Word of God.
The believer becomes passionate about receiving the Word.
The seed develops to the point that it must be birthed.
Diligently seeking him - passionately needing to see God do something
Fervent - emotionally fire
16 Confess your faults one to another, and pray one for another, that ye may be healed. The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much.
IV. Faith is Volitional
17 (As it is written, I have made thee a father of many nations,) before him whom he believed, even God, who quickeneth the dead, and calleth those things which be not as though they were.
18 Who against hope believed in hope, that he might become the father of many nations; according to that which was spoken, So shall thy seed be.
19 And being not weak in faith, he considered not his own body now dead, when he was about an hundred years old, neither yet the deadness of Sara’s womb:
20 He staggered not at the promise of God through unbelief; but was strong in faith, giving glory to God;
21 And being fully persuaded that, what he had promised, he was able also to perform.
“Calleth those things which be not as though they were.”
Faith is hearing what God said and believing “according to that which was spoken”
God’s word supersedes natural laws
Fully persuaded
Faith is being fully persuaded that what God said He would do, He is fully capable to do it, and will do it.
13 And they lifted up their voices, and said, Jesus, Master, have mercy on us.
14 And when he saw them, he said unto them, Go shew yourselves unto the priests. And it came to pass, that, as they went, they were cleansed.
Rhema - a word from God
6 And saying, Lord, my servant lieth at home sick of the palsy, grievously tormented.
7 And Jesus saith unto him, I will come and heal him.
8 The centurion answered and said, Lord, I am not worthy that thou shouldest come under my roof: but speak the word only, and my servant shall be healed.
9 For I am a man under authority, having soldiers under me: and I say to this man, Go, and he goeth; and to another, Come, and he cometh; and to my servant, Do this, and he doeth it.
10 When Jesus heard it, he marvelled, and said to them that followed, Verily I say unto you, I have not found so great faith, no, not in Israel.
Jesus had to speak a word
Jesus marvel led
A soldier heard
We must learn to listen
A word from God is the beginning
Believe, receive, confess, and operate in order to the instruction
Hear, speak, and God will do it
God wants to speak to me about everything
“This sickness is for the glory of God”
40 Jesus saith unto her, Said I not unto thee, that, if thou wouldest believe, thou shouldest see the glory of God?
“Thou shouldest see the glory of God”
1 O give thanks unto the Lord, for he is good: For his mercy endureth for ever.
2 Let the redeemed of the Lord say so, Whom he hath redeemed from the hand of the enemy;
3 And gathered them out of the lands, From the east, and from the west, from the north, and from the south.
Don’t initiate anything without a word from God
If you initiate, you have to supply - But if God initiates He will supply
Faith is Intellectual
Faith is Substance - When God tells you what He’s up to and invites you in
Faith is Emotional - In love with Jesus
When it becomes so real it’s emotional
Fervent emotional prayer
Faith is Volitional - Called those things that were not as though they were
Noah - by faith preached about the flood
You begin to tell others what God told you even
When God sends someone through the fire, He has a plan to get the glory
The greater the suffering the greater the glory
God was bringing adversity so he could come up and be a vessel of glory
“You can trust God to write your story”
Walking on Water
23 And when he had sent the multitudes away, he went up into a mountain apart to pray: and when the evening was come, he was there alone.
24 But the ship was now in the midst of the sea, tossed with waves: for the wind was contrary.
25 And in the fourth watch of the night Jesus went unto them, walking on the sea.
26 And when the disciples saw him walking on the sea, they were troubled, saying, It is a spirit; and they cried out for fear.
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?
32 And when they were come into the ship, the wind ceased.
33 Then they that were in the ship came and worshipped him, saying, Of a truth thou art the Son of God.
A journey began when you were saved
“As ye received Christ Jesus, walk ye in him”
A challenge to enter into the faith life
The Christian life cannot be lived
Faith - unnatural
I’m not staying in the boat anymore
The boat of your sameness
The boat of human effort
Humanism
Flesh initiated works
A place of winning battles
Peter
A man who disliked the norm
Dissatisfaction for the average
Loved the sensational
He loved the life of adventure
“God loves with a great love the man whose heart is bursting with a passion for the impossible:” William Booth
It is the refusal to be the status quo.
We want something supernatural
What is it to Walk on Water?
To walk on the water in the Spiritual realms is treat moment of truth when you decide to climb out on God and put your trust so much in Him that if He does not come through, then you are through.
“My God shall supply all your need”
Not many people will want to go out of the boat with you
Identifying with Jesus
Hearing the voice of God
Willing to take the risk - willing to be misunderstood
I Cor not in the wisdom of men but in the power of God
It is when your adventure to be what you always wanted to be, is stronger than your desire to be like everyone else.
2 reasons to walk on the water
1. The Holy dissatisfaction with the boat life
Dull
A religious factory of the same thing being served
Pray - get a word from God, believe it, align with it
One of the greatest threats of the church is boredom
Once you walk on water who wants to float in boats
In the boat there’s few troubles but also few trials
The Christian life is a challenging life
Not just to exist
To do things that can’t be explained
Pray - get a word - do with God the unexplained
2. To be where Jesus Is
If one never moves from the boat the see will master you
If you are with Jesus you will see Jesus master the sea like no one else
By the mouth of two or three witnesses a thing shall be established
Qualifications:
1. The desire to get with Jesus must be greater than the unknown
Heb 11:8
God never calls you to do something possible
God always calls to the impossible
If it is impossible through your power, God didn’t call you to do it.
God tells you - He will care for you - trust him
Hear Him for the substance
2. There must be a willingness to fail
Failing is not failing if we are learning and growing
Would you rather fail trying to do something for the Lord than sitting in the boat.
3. There must be a commitment to Jesus
Lord if it be thou, bid me to come
This is the attitude of accomplishing all that God wants us to accomplish
I’m committed to do whatever you want me to do - the very moment
4. There must be a commitment from Jesus
“Come” - Jesus
God shouldn’t tell you more than once - we have no right to decide to something other than what God has said
Peter had sufficient substance to walk on water
Faith sees the invisible
Rules
1. Don’t look at the waves
The effects
Matthew 14:30
Fear cannot port with faith
Whatever God calls you to do there will be fears
2. Don’t listen to people in the boat
You can never depend on those who life in the norm to teach you how to live in the supernatural
The people in the boat will never encourage you to get out of the boat
Those in the boat will become your critics.
Boat floaters are always under conviction by water walkers.
They will discourage
You will drown
You will make a fool
You will fail
Never move from what God says by what man says
The water walker’s life depends on nothing but their relationship with the eOne who called them out of the boat.
3. Keep your eyes on Jesus
Never take your eyes off Jesus - Looking unto the author
Psalm 121:1, 2
Rewards for walking on the water
1. You get to leave the boat
Works will be judged by what sort it is
2. You get to fail
He would’ve never experienced Jesus picking him up
Quitting disappoints
If you never fail you will never
If you never come to the end of yourself
Through failure we die to self, the flesh, and carnal means of manipulation.
Not by might
Failure means our faith is tried
Proverbs 24:10
the adversity shows you where you are - it show you where you need to be
Job 10:2
Show me wherefore thou contendenst with me.”
Faith never looks so grand in summer”
Hope is like a star - not to be”
Afflictions - It was but a little while ago that on thy knees
Was not this really, though perhaps praying for trials
How can we know we have faith if it is never tested
Real growth
He makes them ford through streams
Is not the Lord making our faith grow through trials?
The key to the power of God is not just having no reliance on yourself, but it must be coupled with total dependence on God.
The only way to learn strong faith is to go through great trials.
Mueller
3. You get to walk back to the boat with Jesus
You get to tell others what it’s like
Get your own stories
God is not a respecter of persons
People who are boat floaters read books about water walkers.
It’s safer to walk on the
Boat floaters spend their time bragging on their boats and safety devices
Will you be a boat floater or water walker?