Things That Hinder Weakened Faith Lesson 6 Series

A. REVIEW LESSONS ON FAITH

1. Faith is a relationship. “Have faith in God” (Mark 11:22).

2. It takes two wings to fly. “Faith without works is dead” (James 2:20).

3. Your faith can grow. “From faith to faith” (Romans 1:17).

4. Different believers’ express faith for different purposes. “Having then different expressions of faith ... according to the gifts that are given to us” (Romans 12:3, 5, ELT).

B. ILLUSTRATIONS OF WEAK FAITH

1. Abraham. “Weak in faith” (Romans 4:19).

2. Peter. “O, you of little faith” (Matthew 14:31).

3. Legalistic believers. “One who is weak in the faith” (Romans 14:1).

4. Faithless is neutral. “Be not faithless” (John 20:27).

5. Doubt, dialogia. “But some doubted” (Matthew 28:17).

6. Unbelief. “Help thou mine unbelief” (Mark 9:24).

C. TWENTY STEPS THAT WEAKEN FAITH

1. Know unconfessed sin. “If I regard iniquity in my heart, the Lord will not hear me” (Psalm 66:18).

2. Sin of ignorance. This comes from ignorance of Scriptures, lack of growth, or lack of seeking God.

3. Dead faith. “Even so faith is dead” (James 2:17).

4. Wrong motive. “You receive not ... because you spend it upon your pleasures” (James 4:3, ELT).

5. Not doing the right thing. “To him that knoweth to do good, and doeth it not, to him it is sin” (James 4:17).

6. Not walking with God. “Draw near to God, and He will draw near to you” (James 4:8).

7. Being drawn away by satan. “Resist the devil and he will flee from you” (James 4:7).

8. Haven’t acted in true faith. “You have not because you ask not” (James 4:2).

9. Harboring idols. “Little children keep yourself from idols” (1 John 5:21).

10. An unforgiving spirit. “If you have anything against anyone, forgive him, that your Father in heaven may also forgive you” (Mark 11:25).

11. Failure to response to the needs of the poor. “Whoever shuts his ears to the cry of the poor will also cry himself and not be heard” (Proverbs 21:13).

12. Domestic conflict. “Husbands, dwell with them according to knowledge, giving honour unto the wife, as unto the weaker vessel ... that your prayers be not hindered” (1 Peter 3:7).

13. Directing faith in wrong directions. “Without faith it is impossible to please God, for he that cometh to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him” (Hebrews 11:6).

Diligently means …

• Not I but Christ

• Christ first

• For me to live is Christ

14. Improper reverence. “He will fulfill the desire of them that fear him, he will hear their cry” (Ps. 145: 19).

15. Not sincere and pray with great intensity. “Do it heartedly as to the Lord” (Colossians 3:23). “Laboring fervently for you in prayers” (Colossians 4:12).

16. Not agreed with others in prayer. “If two of you shall agree on earth as touching anything that they shall ask, it shall be done for them” (Matthew 18:19).

There is value in the volume of prayer

17. Not abiding in Scripture. “If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you, you shall ask what you will” (John 15:7).

18. Spiritually blinded by satan. “The god of this world has blinded the minds” (2 Corinthians 4:4).

19. Giving up too soon. “Continue in prayer” (Colossians 4:2). “Pray without ceasing” (1 Thessalonians 5:17).

20. Giving into the old nature. “The spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak” (Matthew 26:41).

If you have never really accepted Jesus as your personal Savior, would you do it right now? Do not delay or put it off. If you would like to receive Christ by faith, pray this simple prayer in your heart:

Dear Lord, I acknowledge that I am a sinner. I believe Jesus died for my sins on the cross, and rose again the third day. I repent of my sins. By faith I receive the Lord Jesus as my Savior. You promised to save me, and I believe You, because You are God and cannot lie. I believe right now that the Lord Jesus is my personal Savior, and that all my sins are forgiven through His precious blood. I thank You, dear Lord, for saving me. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

If you prayed that prayer, God heard you and saved you. I personally want to welcome you to the family of God and rejoice with you.

Dr. Towns’ email is eltowns@liberty.edu.

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