ACCEPTING THE CHALLENGE OF YOUR FAITH
5/20/2011
IKing 17:17-24
17 And it came to pass after these things, that the son of the woman, the mistress of the house, fell sick; and his sickness was so sore, that there was no breath left in him.
18 And she said unto Elijah, What have I to do with thee, O thou man of God? art thou come unto me to call my sin to remembrance, and to slay my son?
19 And he said unto her, Give me thy son. And he took him out of her bosom, and carried him up into a loft, where he abode, and laid him upon his own bed.
20 And he cried unto the LORD, and said, O LORD my God, hast thou also brought evil upon the widow with whom I sojourn, by slaying her son?
21 And he stretched himself upon the child three times, and cried unto the LORD, and said, O LORD my God, I pray thee, let this child's soul come into him again.
22 And the LORD heard the voice of Elijah; and the soul of the child came into him again, and he revived.
23 And Elijah took the child, and brought him down out of the chamber into the house, and delivered him unto his mother: and Elijah said, See, thy son liveth.
24 And the woman said to Elijah, Now by this I know that thou art a man of God, and that the word of the LORD in thy mouth is truth.
(KJV)
*** Your faith must be challenged and you must be stretched!!
*** When you stretch out your faith to meet the challenge, after your faith equals the challenge it stays that big, even after the challenge is gone.
James 1:3
3 Knowing this, that the trying of your faith worketh patience.
(KJV)
1 Pet 1:6-9
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:
8 Whom having not seen, ye love; in whom, though now ye see him not, yet believing, ye rejoice with joy unspeakable and full of glory:
9 Receiving the end of your faith, even the salvation of your souls.
(KJV)
1 Pet 5:8-9
8 Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour:
9 Whom resist stedfast in the faith, knowing that the same afflictions are accomplished in your brethren that are in the world.
(KJV)
I Jn 5:4
4 For whatsoever is born of God overcometh the world: and this is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith.
(KJV)
Jude 1:3
3 Beloved, when I gave all diligence to write unto you of the common salvation, it was needful for me to write unto you, and exhort you that ye should earnestly contend for the faith which was once delivered unto the saints.
(KJV)
Jude 1:20
20 But ye, beloved, building up yourselves on your most holy faith, praying in the Holy Ghost,
(KJV)
*** FIVE DIMENSIONS OF ATTACK ***
1. POSSESSIONS, FINANCES-VS.11:17
2. FAMILY, SONS AND DAUGHTERS-1:18-19
3. HEALTH, PHYSICAL-VS. 2:7
4. FRIENDS, FELLOWSHIP-16:1-11
5. WIFE, MARRIAGE-2:8
Job 4:3-6
3 Behold, thou hast instructed many, and thou hast strengthened the weak hands.
4 Thy words have upholden him that was falling, and thou hast strengthened the feeble knees.
5 But now it is come upon thee, and thou faintest; it toucheth thee, and thou art troubled.
6 Is not this thy fear, thy confidence, thy hope, and the uprightness of thy ways?
(KJV)
