“DARE TO BELIEVE”
Ephesians 1:15-19
“...& what is the exceeding greatness of His power toward us
who BELIEVE, according to the working of His mighty power.”
INTRODUCTION:
To “BELIEVE” & to have “FAITH” are so intricately connected one cannot hardly work without the other. Notice I said “HARDLY WORK W/OUT THE OTHER!” The only difference I can find between the two is that one is a “CHOICE” & one is an “ACTION!” I can “BELIEVE” & not “ACT” on it but I can’t “ACT” on it without “BELIEVING!”
If I were to ask each of you this morning if you “BELIEVE” I dare say that every single one of you would say “YES!” Along the same lines, if I were to ask each of you this morning if you have “FAITH” I dare say that each & every single one of you would say “YES!” as well. IT’S THE SUCCESSFUL CHRISTIAN WHO HAS SUCCESSFULLY LEARNED TO MESH THE TWO TOGETHER!
I look around this auditorium this morning & think about how it could & should be filled. I face our finances every week & know how difficult it is to make ends meet. I could & some times do become discouraged.
I’m human & made of flesh like each & every single one of you are this morning. I have wants, desires & wishes as we all do. I have dreams of what I believe & feel should happen but I work hard at not becoming discouraged. I’m not always successful at it. I do sometimes get discouraged & pity party myself but I know that’s not what God wants out of me.
You see, it’s EASIER TO GIVE INTO SELF PITY than it is to “BELIEVE!” When I do, sometimes it takes me a day or two, I get on my knees & get in His presence & my discouragement begins to wane & fade away.
The other day I spent most of the day in God’s Word & on my knees & I got up the next morning & nothing had changed, in fact gasoline was even higher than it was the day before. News was even worse, than the day before, Groceries were higher & bills still came in & my bank account or the churches had not changed.
But there something was different where it mattered! I FELT BETTER! I COULD SEE BETTER! I KNEW IN MY SPIRIT THINGS WERE GOING TO BE ALRIGHT IN THE LONG RUN BECAUSE I HAD BEEN WITH MY GOD, IN HIS PRESENCE & HE HAS IT ALL UNDER CONTROL! & BEING WITH HIM STRENGTHENS MY BELIEF & MY FAITH!
I’m reminded of not looking at what I see but what I don’t see! I can’t trust in what my eyes always see. I can always trust in what God’s word tells me every single time I read it. I can always trust what He speaks to my spirit & my heart. I know what that word says about trusting in Him & Believing in His Word.
Hebrews 11:1, we all know that passage but it works well here, says,
“FAITH IS THE SUBSTANCE OF THINGS HOPED FOR & THE
EVIDENCE OF THINGS...” WHAT? “NOT SEEN!” EXACTLY!
“FAITH WITHOUT WORKS IS DEAD BUT
BELIEF WITHOUT FAITH IS JUST AS DEAD!”
I meet with a group of Pastors every Tuesday morning. The other day some of us were sharing with one another & during the conversation a thought came to me almost as a challenge. I’ve thought & prayed about it all week long & I want to bring to you the same type of challenge that God has dealt to me.
Lest you think I’m preaching to Choir, well maybe I am, but I’m preaching to the Preacher as well! Sometimes we need to be challenged again & sometimes we need a challenge to be renewed in our Hearts, Spirits & Lives.
I remember as a kid somebody would always “Dare” me to do something. This morning I want to “DARE YOU” to do something again. I say again because I know you’ve been, in so many words, “DARED” before but I want to DARE YOU AGAIN!
I. DARE TO BELIEVE THE IMPOSSIBLE!
In Mark 9:23 Jesus tells us...
“If you can believe, all things are possible to him that BELIEVES.”
It can become easy for us, even as Christians, to Believe without the addition of “FAITH” to that “BELIEF!” We say we believe but without the addition of “FAITH” then our “BELIEF” is only lip service to God.
FOLK, WE SERVE THE GOD OF THE IMPOSSIBLE! WE SERVE THE SAME GOD WHO ROLLED BACK THE RED SEA, WHO SENT FIRE DOWN FROM HEAVEN TO CONSUME THE SACRIFICE & THE ALTAR, WE SERVE THE SAME GOD WHO LED PETER TO WALK ON THE WATER, WHO TURNED THE WATER INTO WINE, WHO SPOKE TO THE LAME, DEAF & DEAD TO BE HEALED, WHO FED THE FIVE THOUSAND & WHO ROSE FROM THE GRAVE!
WE MUST NOT FORGET THAT HE “IS” THAT SAME ONE WHO DID & WILL DO AGAIN FOR HIS OWN! WE ARE HIS OWN THIS MORNING! SOMETIMES I THINK GOD IS JUST WAITING ON US TO CALL ON HIM WITH THAT SAME BELIEF WRAPPED IN FAITH - EXPECTING!
FOLK, WE KNOW HE CAN BUT DO WE THINK HE WILL? DARE TO BELIEVE THE IMPOSSIBLE THIS MORNING! WHEN IT COMES TO YOUR FINANCES, WHEN IT COMES TO YOUR HEALTH, WHEN IT COMES TO YOUR NEEDS, WHEN IT COMES TO YOUR WALK WITH HIM, WHEN IT COMES TO YOUR DESIRES...DARE TO BELIEVE THE IMPOSSIBLE!
II. DARE TO BELIEVE WHAT YOU DON’T SEE!
John 20:29 Jesus spoke to Thomas saying...
“Blessed are those who have not seen & yet have BELIEVED.”
Folk, some times our BELIEF & FAITH is based on what we see & what we don’t see. We can look around here not seeing what we would like to see & get stuck on what we don’t see & see all at that same time.
FOLK, DON’T LET YOURSELF BECOME STUCK IN THAT AREA THAT THE ENEMY WANTS YOU TO GET STUCK IN! DARE TO BELIEVE WHAT YOU DON’T SEE! I KNOW GOD’S DESIRE IS TO FILL THIS CHURCH! I KNOW THAT GOD’S DESIRE IS TO SEE THESE ALTARS FILLED WITH SINNERS & CHRISTIANS ALIKE! I KNOW THAT GOD DESIRES TO USE YOU IN WAYS NOT EVEN THOUGHT OF!
DON’T GET STUCK THERE! DARE TO BELIEVE WHAT YOU DON’T SEE!
III. DARE TO BELIEVE HIS WORD AGAIN!
I Thessalonians 2:13 reads
“...you received the word of God...which
also effectively works in you who BELIEVE.”
Folk, we as Christians know that the WORD OF GOD IS LIVING & VIABLE TO US A CHILDREN OF GOD! IT IS OUR FOUNDATION! IT IS OUR BELIEF SYSTEM, IT IS OUR TRUTH! IT IS OUR WORD OF FAITH! IT IS OUR WEAPON OF WORDS & FAITH!
JESUS SOUNDLY DEFEATED THE ENEMY WITH THE WORD OF GOD! LAST NIGHT MY WIFE HAD THE SECOND SEIZURE THIS WEEK SINCE HER SERMON ON SUNDAY MORNING!
AFTER MEDITATING & PRAYING ABOUT THIS ALL WEEK LONG I WRAPPED MY ARMS AROUND HER, HOLDING HER DURING HER SEIZURE AS SHE LAY ON THE FLOOR & BEGAN SPEAKING THE WORD OF GOD OVER HER. I BEGAN TO REBUKE THE ENEMY, CALLING HIM THE LIAR THAT HE IS! I BEGAN TO CLAIM WHAT THE WORD PROMISED & PROMISES US & HER SEIZURE BEGAN TO SUBSIDE!
FOLK, NOT ONE MORE TIME SHOULD WE ALLOW THE ENEMY TO RUN ROUGH SHOD OVER US WITHOUT USING THE WORD OF GOD THE WAY GOD INTENDED US TO USE IT! SPEAK TO THAT, THAT IS NOT AS THOUGH IS SHOULD BE! OPENLY REBUKE THE ENEMY WHO HAS DECLARED WAR ON YOU & THIS CHURCH!
WE ARE IN A BATTLE FOR THIS CHURCH & YOU FOR YOUR LIFE! FOR SOME MONTHS WE’VE BEEN MOVING IN A DIRECTION THAT HAS CAUSED THE ENEMY TO TAKE NOTICE OF US & COME AGAINST US!
HE SAW US GO OUT INVITING PEOPLE TO CHURCH, HE SAW THOSE WHO GOT SAVED ON EASTER SUNDAY & IT HAS SCARED HIM CAUSING HIM TO COME AGAINST US. LOOK HOW BRO. ROB GOT SO SICK, BRO. WAYNE’S BACK HAVING TO HAVE SURGERY, MY WIFE BEING ATTACKED AGAIN, THE AFFECTING OF OUR FINANCES, EVEN THE PRICES OF GASOLINE HAS AFFECTED US IN ALMOST EVERY WAY!
FOLK, LET’S NOT GET LAX NOW!
Galatians 6:9...
“& LET US NOT GROW WEARY IN WELL DOING, FOR IN DUE
SEASON WE SHALL REAP IF WE DO NOT LOSE HEART.”
NOW IS THE TIME FOR US TO “STAND UP”, NOW IS THE TIME FOR US TO “GET ROUGH & TUMBLE” WITH THE ENEMY! NOW IS THE TIME FOR US TO “TAKE BACK” THAT WHICH DOES NOT BELONG TO HIM! NOW IS “NOT” THE TIME TO FALL BACK BUT TO “MARCH FORWARD” & “GET RADICAL” ALL THE MORE!
SOULS ARE DEPENDING ON IT, THE ENEMY FEARS IT, OUR FAMILY NEEDS IT & GOD DESIRES IT! WE ARE AN ARMY ONLY AS LONG AS WE FIGHT THE GOOD FIGHT!
REMEMBER HEBREWS 4:12!
“FOR THE WORD OF GOD IS LIVING & POWERFUL & SHARPER
THAN ANY TWO EDGED SWORD, PIERCING EVEN TO THE
DIVISION OF SOUL & SPIRIT, & OF JOINTS & MARROW, & TO
A DISCERNER OF THE THOUGHTS & INTENTS OF THE HEART.”
DARE TO BELIEVE HIS WORD AGAIN!
IV. DARE TO BELIEVE TO PRAY & PRAISE AGAIN!
In Exodus 17:12 when the Israelites were in battle against the Amalekites Moses set himself high upon a precipice above the fray praying with his hands up towards God holding the same rod that turned into a snake in front of Pharaoh.
While his hands were up in PRAYER & PRAISE the army of Israel prevailed! But his arms became heavy & weary & began to fall down by his side. When that happened the Amalekites began to prevail. So Aaron & Hur sat him down & joined him in prayer by holding his hands up in prayer! WHEN THEY DID THAT THE ARMY OF ISRAEL NOT ONLY BEGAN TO PREVAIL BUT THEY CARRIED & WON THE DAY IN BATTLE!
YOU SEE! YOUR “PRAYERS & PRAISE” AFFECT THE DIRECTION OF THE BATTLE! ONE OF THE THINGS THE ENEMY FEARS THE MOST IS THE “PRAYERS & PRAISES” OF THE PEOPLE OF GOD!
FOR ONE THING HE KNOWS THAT GOD HEARS THE “PRAYERS & PRAISES” OF HIS PEOPLE & HE RESPONDS TO THE “PRAYERS & PRAISES” OF HIS PEOPLE!
WHEN THE CHILDREN OF ISRAEL CAME AGAINST THE WALLED CITY OF JERICHO IT WAS THE “PRAYERS & PRAISES” OF THE CHILDREN OF GOD THAT BROUGHT THE WALLS DOWN!
FOLK, IT WILL BE THE “PRAYERS & PRAISES” OF HIS PEOPLE THAT WILL DO THE SAME THING IN 2008! THIS WORLD IS RUNNING HEADLONG TO THE END OF TIME! WE NEED TO SEE THE WALLS OF THIS WORLD COME TUMBLING DOWN! THE WALLS OF “FINANCIALLY TOUGH TIMES” TUMBLE DOWN! THE WALLS OF “CHURCH MEDIOCRITY” TUMBLE DOWN! THE WALLS OF “END TIME EASE” TUMBLE DOWN!
FOLK, DARE TO BELIEVE IN PRAYER & PRAISE!
IV. DARE TO BELIEVE GOD FOR YOUR FINANCES!
Matthew 17:27
“...take the fish that comes up first. & when you have
opened up its mouth, you will find a piece of money...”
Remember: it was not “just a piece of money” it was the “amount of money needed” to meet their need!
FOLK, GOD KNOWS TIMES ARE DIFFICULT, TOUGH & HARD BUT HE’S STILL THE SAME JESUS TODAY AS HE WAS THAT DAY FOR HIS OWN! HE TOOK CARE OF THEIR NEED & HE WILL TAKE CARE OF “YOUR NEED” TODAY AS WELL. BUT IT ALL GOES BACK TO THAT “BELIEF & FAITH” THING! YOU MAY KNOW & BELIEVE BUT WITHOUT THE FAITH TO PUT THAT BELIEF IN ACTION IT BENEFITS LITTLE! DARE TO BELIEVE FOR YOUR FINANCES!
CONCLUSION:
DARE TO BELIEVE!
DARE TO BELIEVE THE IMPOSSIBLE!
DARE TO BELIEVE WHAT YOU DON’T SEE!
DARE TO BELIEVE HIS WORD!
DARE TO BELIEVE IN PRAYER & PRAISE!
DARE TO BELIEVE FOR YOUR FINANCES!
