¡°The Process of Faith¡±
By
District Elder M.L. Maughmer, Jr.
Hebrews 11:1, 6 & Hebrew 10:23.
Scriptures read: ¡°Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. 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.
Hebrew 10:23 Let us hold fast the profession of [our] faith without wavering; (for he [is] faithful that promised;)¡±.
Now there are many definitions for the word FAITH. Merriam Webster¡¯s Dictionary says: faith is allegiance to duty or a person, the belief and trust in and loyalty to God.
There are several Hebrew and Greek words that are commonly used for faith and they all carry the idea of trust, hope, and assurance that what has been told will in fact come to pass.
We understand this and know with confidence this is true because Hebrews 11:1 says ¡°Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.¡±.
Let¡¯s take a look at this verse: substance is vitally important. Substance: is the essential nature, the fundamental or characteristic part of something. If something doesn¡¯t have substance that it is nothing more than a set of ideas.
¡ú Many people have ideas, but if those ideas are never given substance they are only thoughts in the mind of that person.
Example: Because someone gave substance to a thought most of the world has and uses cell phones.
Faith is the substance of things hoped for (things we want to see manifested) it¡¯s the evidence of things not seen.
Evidence:- something that furnishes proof, it¡¯s an outward showing of something.
Oftentimes we will say that scripture and have great excitement in our voice however we fail to understand the process of faith.
Vs #6 This is important, numbers in the Bible play a very important part and have great meaning. The number 6 means man¡¯s coming short of spiritual perfection; it¡¯s the number of man who is destitute without God.
In vs. #6 the Bible says: if I may ¡°man/woman, But without faith it is impossible to please him (God) for he that cometh to God must believe that he is and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him¡±.
You must have faith for without it, it is impossible to please God. That word ¡°PLEASE¡± means to give pleasure or to make joyful or give joy. In Nehemiah 8:10 the Bible says ¡°¡the joy of the Lord is your strength¡±.
If you don¡¯t have faith you can¡¯t make it because you have no strength because you failed to please God.
The 6th verse continues and says ¡°for he that cometh to God must believe that he is and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him¡±.
So-many times we hear that and say see he¡¯s a rewarder, he¡¯s going to give me that which I asked for because He is a rewarder, but we fail to catch that last part ¡°of them that diligently seek Him¡±.
The word ¡°diligently¡± means: - steady, earnest, and energetic effort.
It¡¯s a process. A process is the steps involved to get to a certain result.
Example: - If I want to get to the back door of the church I can say all I want to that I want to get to the back door, but until I go through the process of putting one foot in front of the other I will never reach the result of getting to the back door.
Well in order for me and you to receive our reward from God and I¡¯m not talking about our eternal reward of everlasting life, but I¡¯m talking about the reward that will make this life here on earth a life more abundantly, we must go through the process.
¡°The Process of Faith¡±.
The process of faith has 5 steps to the process. REMEMBER THAT 5 steps.
We must have:
1. BASIC FAITH. We must believe, hope, and trust God that what has been told will in fact come to pass. I believe that God can and that God will. Understand that¡¯s foundational because if you don¡¯t have basic faith then you can¡¯t have the rest. Because without that it is impossible to please God. Now faith pleases God and He gives me strength so I can go to the next level of faith.
2. FAITH COMMAND: - what is faith command. A Faith Command is this - In the name of Jesus I command deliverance, financial breakthrough, healing, souls being saved. WATCH THIS: - Faith Command is saying In the name of Jesus I command every seat in this sanctuary to be filled every Sunday, at every Bible Class, at every service that is held here in Jesus name I command it. That¡¯s FAITH COMMAND. See the Bible says calleth those things which be not as though they were. That¡¯s a faith command, it may not be right now, but in the name of Jesus I calleth what is not as though it were and I am expecting it to come to pass. Romans 4:17.
3. FAITH CONFESSION:- Now people will often say once you ask God something if you ask him again then you don¡¯t have faith, but remember I said this thing is a process. Diligently is a process, it¡¯s a continuous thing. Remember the definition said steady and earnest.
a. Faith
b. Faith Command
c. Faith Confession
FAITH CONFESSION is: - Lord I don¡¯t know how but I¡¯m trusting in your Word that you are able to do exceeding abundantly above all I can ask of think according to the power that worketh in me. I know it¡¯s not by power or by might, but by your spirit. Lord I am weak but thou art strong and I know you will make a way some how.
There is a man from Chillicothe right now that had a double stroke, the doctors said there was no hope, called the family in and said it is our advice that you pull the plug for if you don¡¯t he will be brain dead and a vegetable. Family and friends, church folk and co-workers began to pray, the confession of faith was made, Lord we don¡¯t know how, but we know that you are able. He is now able to stand up for about 6 minutes at a time and just this week he pulled himself up from the bed and stood with no assistance. Not by power or by might, but by His spirit sayeth the Lord.
a. Faith
b. Faith Command
c. Faith Confession
Now here¡¯s the 4th step in the process.
4. FAITH CRY: - Someone may say Oh no you¡¯re going to God again, but what about faith, but remember faith is a process. The faith cry is desperation. The faith cry is total surrender. The faith cry comes when all other hope has failed. The faith cry comes when you realize that I have done all I can do, there¡¯s nothing else I can do, Lord if you don¡¯t make a way it will not be done. The faith cry is saying wait a minute God I need you to come by here.
James 5:4 says ¡°Behold, the hire of the labourers who have reaped down your field, which is of you kept back by fraud crieth: and the cries of them which have reaped are entered into the ears of the Lord of Sabaoth¡±.
SABAOTH means: Lord of host or armies. When the cries of the people enter into the ears of the Lord of Sabaoth he performs an action which is the reward of them that diligently seek him. WATCH THIS:- When your cries enter into the ears of the Lord of Sabaoth he dispatches his armies and fights the battle for the battle for you because this battle is not yours, but God¡¯s. Who is the king of Glory, the Lord strong and mighty, the Lord mighty in battle. The faith cry enters the ears of the Lord and he sends His reward.
This is the 5th step in the faith process. Remember I said that the process had 5 step and to remember that. The number 5 means God¡¯s grace and God said His grace is sufficient.
5. REWARD: - WATCH THIS:- in Exodus 3:7 the Bible says ¡°And the LORD said, I have surely seen the affliction of my people which [are] in Egypt, and have heard their cry by reason of their taskmasters; for I know their sorrows¡±. The only way you can hear is with the ear, their cry entered into the ear of the Lord of Sabaoth. Because He heard their cry vs#8 says ¡°And I am come down to deliver them out of the hand of the Egyptians, and to bring them up out of that land unto a good land and a large, unto a land flowing with milk and honey¡±. He didn¡¯t send Michael the Arc-Angle, He didn¡¯t send Gabriel, He didn¡¯t send any other angel, but He himself has come down to deliver them out of the hand of the Egyptians. See it¡¯s the Lords battle and He is mighty in battle. It was because of their faith cry he delivered them.
Let me give another example: - Psalms 18:6 says ¡°In my distress I called upon the LORD, and cried unto my God: he heard my voice out of his temple, and my cry came before him, [even] into his ears¡±. Because of the Faith Cry vs#7 says ¡°Then the earth shook and trembled; the foundations also of the hills moved and were shaken, because he was wroth¡¯. God heard David¡¯s faith cry and God shook the earth and the hills moved because God heard his faith cry. When you give a faith cry God will move heaven and earth for you. Don¡¯t think that your problem is to big just have faith and cry unto the Lord and watch God move heaven and earth for you. FAITH CRY.
Psalms 106:44 say this ¡°Nevertheless he regarded their affliction, when he heard their cry¡± because he heard their faith cry vs#45 says ¡°And he remembered for them his covenant, and repented according to the multitude of his mercies¡±. And 46 says ¡°He made them also to be pitied of all those that carried them captives¡±. See the devil meant it for your bad, but God heard your faith cry and turned it around for you good.
Can I give one more example?
Isaiah 38 ¨C God told Isaiah to go and tell Hezekiah to get his house in order for he shall die and not live. The Bible says Hezekiah wept sore, which means he did a faith cry. His cries entered the ears of the Lord. Because Hezekiah diligently sought the Lord. God told Isaiah before he got away from the house good ¡°GO back and say to Hezekiah ¡°Thus saith the Lord God of your father David, I have heard thy prayer, I have seen your tears behold I will add unto thy days fifteen years¡±.
Because Hezekiah had gone through the faith process God had to reward him. Because Hezekiah did a faith cry he changed God¡¯s mind. Well He is the same God today as he was of Hezekiah¡¯s day. So if you go through the faith process. If you have faith, give the faith command, do the faith confession, and perform the faith cry then by faith we shall receive our reward.
Hebrews 10:23 says ¡°Let us hold fast the profession of [our] faith without wavering; (for he [is] faithful that promised;)¡±.
God is faithful, you can count on Him. He said he will never leave you nor forsake you. Late in the midnight hour, if you just have faith God will turn it around. An old song we use to sing said ¡°I Know Jesus will fix it after while¡±.
I dare someone right now to just begin to cry unto the Lord a faith cry and watch Him turn your situation around.
It may seem as though it is dead that there is no life in that situation at all, but I am reminded what the Bible says in Hebrews 11:11-12 ¡°Through faith also Sara herself received strength to conceive seed, and was delivered of a child when she was past age, because she judged him faithful who had promised. Therefore sprang there even of one, and him as good as dead, [so many] as the stars of the sky in multitude, and as the sand which is by the sea shore innumerable¡±. I don¡¯t know about you, but I have been in a dead situation and I am tired of dead stuff so I¡¯m going to give a faith cry.
I¡¯m believing God to do exceeding abundantly above all we can ask or think according to the power that worketh in us. I am believing God and I know he will do it right now. Not another minute, not another hour, but I need you now.
I¡¯m reminded of a song that simply said Faith, Faith, Faith just a little bit of faith, it don¡¯t take a whole lot just use what you got faith, faith, faith just a little bit of faith.
Are you willing to go though the faith process.
District Elder M.L. Maughmer, Jr.
