SERMON SERIES
THE IMPORTANCE OF FAITH
Sermon 5
The Importance of Practicing Faith
Hebrews 10:23
23 Let us hold fast the profession of our faith without wavering; (for he is faithful that promised;)
Intro:
1. This month we began a sermon series called The Importance of Faith. The first message was The Importance of Pleasing Faith. We said that pleasing faith brought Salvation, Serenity, Satisfaction, and Service. And we also noted that if we please God with our faith then He would declare us to be righteous!
2. The second message was The Importance of Perfect Faith, and we said that perfect faith is when you have Pardoning Faith, Purifying Faith, Penetrating Faith, and Persevering Faith.
3. The third message was The Importance of Personal Faith, and we said personal faith is a Recognizing Faith, Responsive Faith, Revealing Faith, Rebuked Faith, Requesting Faith, Receiving Faith, and Rejoicing Faith!!
4. The fourth message is The Importance of Prized Faith. There is a prize when you have pleasing, perfect, personal faith, and that prizes include Freedom, Assurance, Involvement, Triumph, and Heaven!
5. The fifth message is The Importance of Practicing Faith.
6. Things that are important to you, I believe you will make them priorities in your life, and you will keep doing and practicing those important things.
7. Professed Faith should be the most important thing in your life if you are a Christian!! It should be your number one priority, and for the right reasons.
(So many want to have faith for the wrong reasons such as: business reasons, family reasons, social reasons, and so on. Your reasons for professed faith should be because of your desire for God and you see He only can fill the void in your soul!)
8. Our verse in Heb. 10:23 tells us to “hold fast the profession of our faith without wavering. . .” Since professed faith is the most important thing in a Christian’s life, this verse tells us to hold onto it without wavering!! In other words, practice it!
9. So today if your professed faith is real important to you, let me tell you how to practice your faith, and it does not include sitting it up on the shelf and forgetting about it!!
Body – The Importance of Practicing Faith
We Practice Faith by . . .
I. Realize the Value of Faith
Matthew 17:20 If ye have faith as a grain of mustard seed, ye shall say unto this mountain, Remove hence to yonder place; and it shall remove; and nothing shall be impossible unto you.
**Faith can move mountains and do the impossible!
A. Value Salvation
Ephesians 2:8 8 For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God:
1. No Faith, No Grace!
2. No Faith, No Gift!
3. No Faith, No God!
B. Value Satisfaction
Hebrews 11:6 6 But without faith it is impossible to please him:
1. Faith is valuable because it Satisfies the Savior!
2. Faith is valuable because it Satisfies the Sinner!
C. Value Strength
Isaiah 41:10 - Fear thou not; for I am with thee: be not dismayed; for I am thy God: I will strengthen thee; yea, I will help thee; yea, I will uphold thee with the right hand of my righteousness.
Healing Strength, Helping Strength, Hoping Strength, and Heart Strength
D. Value Safety
Ephesians 6:16 16 Above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked.
1. Safe from the Wicked
2. Safe from the World
We Practice Faith by . . .
II. Recognize the Vision of Faith
Hebrews 12:2 “Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith:”
**How do we keep looking to the vision of our faith (Jesus)?
A. Bow to Keep the Vision of Our Faith
1. Bow and Keep Praying! 2. Bow and Keep Praising!
B. Believe to Keep the Vision of Our Faith
1. Believe despite the Discouragements
2. Believe despite the Disappointments
Russell Spray said, “Many Christians want to receive first and see results, and then believe later.” But we must keep our eyes on Jesus and the vision of Jesus and keep believing!
C. Battle to Keep the Vision of Our Faith
1. Keep Faith and Keep Your Eyes on Jesus while you Battle.
2. Keep Fighting and Keep your Eyes on Jesus while you Battle.
D. Build to Keep the Vision of Our Faith
** We must keep our eyes on Jesus and keep on building!
** We are in a building program! Not a building program that involves blocks, bricks, concrete, or wood.
** What are we building?
1. We are building a Church! Keep your eyes on Jesus, the vision of our faith, and let us build this church together.
a. Look to Jesus, and then Beg people into the Church!
b. Look to Jesus, and then Bring people into the Church!
2. We are building a Country! How do you take people to heaven with you? Tell them about the Father and your Faith!
We Practice Faith by . . .
III. Radiate the Virtues of Faith
Romans 15:13 13 Now the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that ye may abound in hope, through the power of the Holy Ghost.
** By the power of the Holy Ghost, radiate the virtues of your faith by . . .
A. Sharing Your Faith
Tell about the virtues of your faith which includes . . .
1. Salvation – You ought to tell it and testify about your salvation!
2. Serenity - Tell the church and the community about the peace that is in your heart because of your professed faith!
3. Strength - Tell about the help, the hope, and the healing that your faith has brought to you and how it has strengthen you!
4. Safety - Tell about how your faith in God has protected you.
5. Service - Tell about the enjoyment and excitement in serving the Lord!
B. Showing Your Faith
Show your faith to . . .
1. The Weary - Visit the sick, the sad, the shut-ins.
2. The Widows and Widowers – Through faith love them and lift them.
3. The Wicked – Show them the Joy and Jesus!
4. The World - Faith lets you keep smiling and keep singing when the world has nothing to smile or sing about!
**It is impossible to be saved by grace through faith and not share it or show it!
We Practice Faith by . . .
IV. Rejoice in the Victory of Faith
I John 5:4b “. . . and this is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith.”
A. Rejoicing is Commanded
Hebrews 13:15 15 By him therefore let us offer the sacrifice of praise to God continually, that is, the fruit of our lips giving thanks to his name.
1. Praise the Savior - When faith gives you victory, praise the one who brought you the victory. Do not waiver from praising the Savior!
2. Proclaim the Success – When faith gives you victory, hold onto that faith and proclaim the success – the victory! Do not waiver from proclaiming the success that faith brings!!
B. Rejoicing is Contagious
1. It Inspires Faith and Rejoicing
When you tell the victory that faith brought to your life, it inspires my faith and inspires me to rejoice also!
2. It Increases Faith and Rejoicing
When you testify about the victory that faith brought to your life, it increases my faith and it increases the rejoicing! We get to rejoice with you!!
Close
1. Hebrews 10:23 23 Let us hold fast the profession of our faith without wavering; (for he is faithful that promised;)
2. We are closing this series concerning The Importance of Faith. Here is what I want to ask you today?
a. Do you have faith that pleases God?
b. Do you have a perfect faith . . . a faith that has all of your heart and soul trusting in God in every corner of your life?
c. Do you have a personal faith? In other words, have you trusted Jesus as your personal savior and have personally called on Him and personally put faith in Him?
d. Are you reaching for the prizes of faith? Have you experienced by prized faith freedom, assurance, involvement, triumph, and heaven?
e. If you have a pleasing faith, a perfect faith, a personal faith, and the prized faith, then that means you have a professed faith. Are you holding onto that professed faith without wavering? Are you practicing your faith?
• In other words, you have not laid down your faith and you have not wavered or flip-flopped concerning your faith.
• Are you doing something with your faith? Does your professed faith have Value, Vision, Virtues, and Victory because you are practicing your professed faith?
3. I promise you this. If you will hold fast to the profession of your faith without wavering, Christ will be faithful to you! “for he is faithful that promised;”
