Making Decisions Against Yourself—faith Verses Fear.

Making Decisions Against Yourself—Faith Verses Fear.

Hebrews 11:1-2TPT

When it comes down to what’s holding you back it quite possibly could be, fear.

Fear is this, Fear is letting your circumstances come between you and God.

However, Faith is letting God get between you and your circumstances.

Faith is simply ‘ones’ belief system. You either have a measure of faith, or you don’t. No grey zones.

This I believe, If ‘one’ doesn’t believe that God is completely sovereign, he or she has a tuff road ahead.

Sovereign, is an adjective that means that one has supreme power or sovereignty. It can also be used as a noun to denote a supreme ruler.

In God’s case it means both! He’s supreme in power, and supreme in rule.

A special note—If someone ask the question, “Tell me about yourself?” It would be appropriate for you to tell them you’re an Ambassador to the Highest King.

This isn’t our text but hear, Hebrews 11:6TPT  And without faith living within us it would be impossible to please God. For we come to God in faith knowing that he is real and that he rewards the faith of those who passionately seek him.

Faith produces the benefits of passionately seeking him. According to Hebrews 11:6,

Jesus rewards faith!

Several years ago, I went to hear Doctor Jack Hayford in Atlanta at the Tabernacle. The theme of this event was based on Our Pentecostal roots.

In his late 80’s, Pastor Hayford stated he wanted to share his secret sauce. And then he said, “It’s so simple, but yet profound: Make Decisions against yourself.”

Begin to tell yourself no. How will that make me feel after I eat it? What if I say yes to study and devotion and put off pleasure of some sort?

Dr. Hayford gave many examples in his life that day, but one stood out to me, and that was his love for chocolate. He said he loved it so much that he made a commitment to never eat it again,

Hebrews 11:1-2TPT Now faith brings our hopes into reality and becomes the foundation needed to acquire the things we long for. It is all the evidence required to prove what is still unseen. 2 This testimony of faith is what previous generations were commended for.

Going into 2022, We all need a faith tuneup. Faith has a lot to do with believing without seeing. Faith does its homework. Faith has knowledge and testifies over and over again,“If I can visualize it, it can be believed for.”

However, if you can, write it down, call it out, say it, draw it.

The question could be asked, “How bad do you want it?”

Most want success without sacrifice, but life doesn’t work that way. Success will not be short changed. You have to pay the price, and it never goes on sale.

Genesis 11:31-32NKJV And Terah took his son Abram and his grandson Lot, the son of Haran, and his daughter-in-law Sarai, his son Abram’s wife, and they went out with them from Ur of the Chaldeans to go to the land of Canaan; and they came to Haran and dwelt there. 32 So the days of Terah were two hundred and five years, and Terah died in Haran.

Matthew Henry writes, Many reach Haran, and yet fall short of Canaan; they are not far from the kingdom of God, and yet never come thither.

Hear this shepherds voice, If you’re going to Canaan refuse to settle for less. Set your affections, Your mind, Your eyes, and your ears on Canaan.

Colossians 3:1-4TPT Christ’s resurrection is your resurrection too. This is why we are to yearn for all that is above, for that’s where Christ sits enthroned at the place of all power, honor, and authority! 2 Yes, feast on all the treasures of the heavenly realm and fill your thoughts with heavenly realities, and not with the distractions of the natural realm. 3 Your crucifixion with Christ has severed the tie to this life, and now your true life is hidden away in God in Christ. 4 And as Christ himself is seen for who he really is, who you really are will also be revealed, for you are now one with him in his glory!

John the Beloved writes in, 1 John 3:2NLT Dear friends, we are already God’s children, but he has not yet shown us what we will be like when Christ appears. But we do know that we will be like him, for we will see him as he really is.

Think about that statement—We shall be like Jesus!

Here’s the faith of Abram—Genesis 12:1NKJV Now the Lord had said to Abram: “Get out of your country, From your family and from your father’s house, To a land that I will show you.

Stop just for a moment—Why was it important that Abram leave his surroundings? His fathers family worshiped and followed—false gods.