Empowered by Faith
1 Peter 1:3-7 KJV
Jesus earthly ministry was characterized by great demonstrations of power.
-Healed the sick -Calmed the wind and sea.
-Cast out devils -Fed the 5,000.
-Raised the dead.
Why no power in our lives, our faith is anemic.
I. Unstudied Scriptures
Rom. 10:17 faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the Word of God.
1. The primary way that God imparts faith is by the Word.
II. Unattended Services
Heb 10:23-25 KJV
23 Let us hold fast the profession of our faith without wavering; (for he is faithful that promised;)
24 And let us consider one another to provoke unto love and to good works:
25 Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching.
1. A Christian who doesn’t understand the principle of faithfulness will never grow to full maturity in the Lord.
III. Counterfeit Faith
1. Counterfeit faith is also seen in some who say they believe and yet fail to show work through love. If a person professes to believe in Christ but has no labor of love, their faith is counterfeit.
2. Counterfeit faith is also seen in foolish people who talk about faith yet it does not change their lifestyle.
Faith is needed in facing life, trials, and setbacks
If you could know the truth about successful people, the fact is they failed many more times than they succeeded. They learned from their failures, they found different ways to accomplish their goals, they didn’t give up when it would be easy to.
The same applies to the many victorious Christians that became "pillars of faith". They had their moments of doubt, their moments of discouragement’s, their many setbacks. There key is to never give up on God and move closer to him with faith.
Even during our moments of doubt, the effort and discipline of faith allows us to grow.
Chinese proverb
The gem cannot be polished without friction, nor man perfected without trials.
A man whom many believe was the greatest American president is a good example. When he was 7 years of age, his family was forced out of their home, and he went to work. When he was 9, his mother died. He lost his job as a store clerk when he was 20. He wanted to go to law school, but he didn’t have the education. At age 23 he went into debt to be a partner in a small store. Three years later the business partner died, and the resulting debt took years to repay.
When he was 28, after courting a girl for four years, he asked her to marry him, and she turned him down. On his third try he was elected to Congress, at age 37, but then failed to be re-elected. His son died at 4 years of age. When this man was 45, he ran for the Senate and lost. At age 47 he ran for the vice-presidency and lost. But at age 51 he was elected president of the United States.
The man was Abraham Lincoln, a man who learned to face discouragement and move beyond it. Did you know that it was Abraham Lincoln who, in the midst of the Civil War, in 1863, established the annual celebration of Thanksgiving? Lincoln had learned how important it is to stop and thank God in the midst of great difficulties.
1 Peter 1:3-7 KJV
3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, which according to his abundant mercy hath begotten us again unto a lively hope by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead,
4 To an inheritance incorruptible, and undefiled, and that fadeth not away, reserved in heaven for you,
5 Who are kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.
6 Wherein ye greatly rejoice, though now for a season, if need be, ye are in heaviness through manifold temptations:
7 That the trial of your faith, being much more precious than of gold that perisheth, though it be tried with fire, might be found unto praise and honour and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ:
Satan battles for your soul - Shield of faith
Eph 6:13-18 KJV
13 Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.
14 Stand therefore, having your loins girt about with truth, and having on the breastplate of righteousness;
15 And your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace;
16 Above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked.
17 And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God:
18 Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints;
1. Satan will offer any or all things, to keep us from being faithful, to keep us careless
Beware Friendly snakes.
There is an old tale about a peasant who, while hoeing in his field during the spring thaw, came across a snake. He raised his hoe to kill it, but the snake begged for mercy. "I am too frozen to do you any harm," it cried. The farmer, full of compassion, picked up the half-dead serpent and put it into his tunic, against his chest. As he began to work, the snake got warmer and warmer. Suddenly, the snake bit the peasant. The peasant frantically reached into his tunic and pulled out the snake, throwing it to the ground.
"Why?" asked the man, "I befriended you. I trusted you." "True!" hissed the snake as it slithered away, "but do not blame me. You knew I was a snake when you picked me up."
Many people today take sin into their own bosoms and go about their business. Someday when these things have passed away and they are faced with eternity, they will cry out against sin and accuse it. But it will be too late for some! Sin will reply, "You knew I was sin! You knew that I was but for a season. Do not blame me!"
2. Satan would keep us busy if he had his way
Too busy to read the Bible, too busy to wait and pray
Too busy to speak out kindly to someone by the way!
Too busy to care and struggle, to think of the life to come
Too busy building mansions, to plan for the heavenly home.
Too busy to help a brother who faces the winter blast.
Too busy to share his burden, when self in the balance is cast.
Too busy for all that is holy on earth beneath the sky;
Too busy to serve the Master, but not too busy to die.
3. Satan would keep you a hostage
Satan is not warring over those who are in the world, for he already has them in his grasp. His war is to conquer those who are sitting in the pew. Those who have been reconciled, he longs to take hostage once again. His strategy is deceptive, because he uses them to hinder the work of the church.
1st First, he deludes them with other goals in life which soon take priority over the work of the church and personal involvement. They become members of the body which become dysfunctional.
Hands that will not work.
Feet that will not travel to God’s appointed place.
A mouth that will not confess Jesus to others.
Ears that soon fail to listen.
A brain that refuses to think and dwell on things above.
Lame, blind and deaf, the church struggles to fulfill its purpose.
2nd Second, he lures them into complacency. Having become satisfied with less than God’s desire for their lives, they settle for adolescence rather than maturing to adulthood, while at the same time believing they are adults.
They fail to meditate upon God’s Word, except while sitting in the pew.
They give token gifts instead of a sacrifice.
They listen to lessons with change or repentance far from mind.
Maturity is not even in view, because their eyes have been blinded. Eventually, they find themselves attending but not involved.
3rd Third, he tantalizes their sense with false teachings with the purpose of taking others off course.
Having become numb, new sensations must fill the void.
Having not understood God’s purpose they change their attitude from not wanting to go beyond what is written to stretching the limits as far as they can.
Deluded themselves, they delude others to a false sense of security.
They now must seek bigger, greater sensational things to keep the momentum going so their individual spirits can feel fulfilled.
The appearance of great things happening blinds their eyes to the fact they have been taken hostage, and pride keeps them from being set free.
4th Fourth, he stalemates their vision with past accomplishments.
Boasting in the glory of a successful past program they fail to launch out into new, more productive, fruitful efforts.
They might even nurture a program long after its death. Individuals stop teaching and serving others after just a few victories.
They fail to dream of God’s use of their lives and God’s vision for the church.
If the church and we as individual members are ever going to be what God desires, the hostages in the pews must be freed. The only thing that can set them free is the truth. No mystical, sensational experience, just reasonable, plain truth. Only the Bible can reveal if we are held hostage. Only the Bible can set and keep us free. Read it, study it, and make it yours, that you might heed the warnings and not be taken hostage.
There is power in faith
1. Busy for God
You cannot control the length of you life--but you can control its width and depth.
You cannot control the contour of your face--but you can control its expression.
You cannot control the weather --but you can control the atmosphere of your mind.
Why worry about things you cannot control when you can keep yourself busy controlling the things that depend on you?
1. Faith is the doorway to God.
2. Faith is inviting God’s Holy Spirit to live within us. It is not just an act of the mind, but it taps us into the very resources of God so that we have the power to live in an entirely new way. If God himself is living within us, our lives should be dramatically changed.
3. “Faith, like muscle, grows strong with exercise.”
Rewards of Faith
2 Tim 4:7-8 KJV
7 I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith:
8 Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, shall give me at that day: and not to me only, but unto all them also that love his appearing.
James 1:2-4 KJV
2 My brethren, count it all joy when ye fall into divers temptations;
3 Knowing this, that the trying of your faith worketh patience.
4 But let patience have her perfect work, that ye may be perfect and entire, wanting nothing.
Three deer hunters from the city stopped at a humble farm dwelling and asked permission to stay there during deer season. The farmer and his wife graciously received them, and though crippled with arthritis, the farmer showed them some good deer haunts. Tired and hungry after an exciting day in the woods, they did justice to the piping hot meal that awaited them.
When each hunter had his deer, they made ready to leave. "Now, what do we owe you?" they asked. "Not a penny!" exclaimed the farm couple. Then they went on to say, "We have enjoyed your stay here. Come again!"
A few weeks later, two trucks drove into the farmyard. An electrician explained to them that he was sent to wire their buildings; the plumber in the other truck assured the surprised couple that they would soon have plenty of hot water in a sparkling bathroom and at the kitchen sink.
The three deer hunters had shown their appreciation this way for having had the privilege of staying there during the hunting season. The grateful recipients learned that their heavenly Father had a way to reward them for giving of their time and means. You can’t outgive God!
--Abraham Maslow
"If you deliberately plan to be less than you are capable of being, then I warn you that you’ll be unhappy for the rest of your life."
--Joe Kapp
Success is living up to your potential. That’s all. Wake up with a smile and go after life. Don’t just show up at the game--or at the office. Live it, enjoy it, taste it, smell it, feel it.
1 Tim 6:12 KJV
12 Fight the good fight of faith, lay hold on eternal life, whereunto thou art also called, and hast professed a good profession before many witnesses.
